A FIELD REPORT: How SIMA Academy is turning documentary film into a global engine for youth civic action A middle schooler in Frankfurt watches a film about water and fundraises […]
Chasing Algorithms: Why the Future of Education Depends on the Stories Machines Can’t Tell
I’m often asked by funders, partners, and peers in the education and technology space—how SIMA Academy is “using AI.” It’s an understandable question. Across education, AI has shifted from innovation […]
What if global citizenship became a student-led movement that cultivates leadership, critical thinking—and SDG action—powered by young people and rooted in real human stories?
At SIMA Academy this isn’t just a what-if. It’s happening. Through our global network of schools, youth programs and communities, we are witnessing a student-led movement that uses documentary storytelling […]
Beyond the Canon: Using Documentary Film In the Classroom
The Necessity of Storytelling Documentaries are connective vehicles that allow us to experience compelling personal narratives. They help us see the world through someone else’s eyes, adding vital perspectives to […]
Why is empathy always described as a “soft skill”? We all tend to focus educational achievement on how much we know or what we can do — content knowledge and […]
With the UN’s International Day for Tolerance on the horizon, I’ve been thinking about how these big meaningful words get lost in translation. Somewhere along the way the idea of tolerance came to mean […]
Starting Conversations About Gender Equality With Your Students
It’s hard to argue with the idea that every child has a right to reach their full potential. Yet gender inequality stubbornly persists and prevents many from doing exactly that. […]
Can documentary films be a fast track to global citizenship?
We are living in an increasingly visual world. Whether it’s watching the news or sharing a meme, we’re communicating more and more with images and video. We see this in […]
Teaching Global Competency. How Films Can Help Close the Gap Between Education and Empathy
In an increasingly interconnected world, teaching about diversity and global competency is necessary for ensuring success in a students future. How we see education is changing rapidly, and today’s students […]
“Film can be a powerful motivator,” Using Social Impact Documentary in Higher Ed
Documentary films offer a creative gateway for students to connect with the topics they are studying. From higher ed courses in communications to global studies, social impact films provide more […]
