Grafemos
Development & Research
Organization
Decolonizing Complexity Education
Bringing professional development for educators, working with and for the community to Decolonizing Education Through Complexity and Systems Thinking
At Grafemos, we are an educational and research organization reimagining the future of learning in rural Maya communities across Guatemala. We believe systems thinking and complexity-based education are essential rights and powerful tools that everyone should have access to, regardless of technology barriers or regulated educational approaches.
Our Essence
Grafemos is a bridge for collaboration. We work hand in hand with the Ixkoj Ajkem Community Council of Maya Weavers in Santo Domingo, Xenacoj, bringing together the deep wisdom of Maya textile art, a symbolic language rich in history, with modern instructional design and the learning sciences.
We empower teachers in formal and informal education with the tools to develop higher-order thinking in their students: critical thinking, analytical thinking, computational thinking, complex problem-solving, and systems thinking.
Inclusive Innovation
Nested LE Process
True Accessibility
We envision an educational future where marginalized voices are uplifted, and diverse knowledge systems ensure quality education is not a privilege but a path open to All.
Allows partners and participants to co-create and engage in an innovative design practice and gives access to complexity education for all learners, regardless of digital technology and internet availability
Keep disparity and restricted access to educational advancements for people of Indigenous and rural communities of developing countries like Guatemala
Technocentric activities, developed for and used in developed countries or resourceful contexts
Indigenous Perspectives Design-Based developed with and for the community
Team & Partners
Grafemos thrives through a unique, multidisciplinary partnership of scholars, local leaders, and master artisans:
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Community Partners & Knowledge Guardians: The Ixkoj Ajkem Community Council guides our operations, ensuring all instructional practices align with local culture, Mayan perspectives, and community well-being.
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Local Leadership & Facilitator Teams: The Local Coordinator manages our on-the-ground team of trained local women facilitators, who lead workshops for both formal school systems and informal community education settings.
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Crafting & Artisan Partnerships: From hand-woven containment barriers to custom motif stamps, we develop our toolkits in partnership with local artisans, reinvesting revenue into the local economy.
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Global Scholarly & R&D Expertise: Led by Ph.D.-level learning scientists, design researchers, and an international network of multidisciplinary scholars (spanning learning sciences, anthropology, and linguistics across Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S.), our team brings advanced Learning Engineering Processes (LEP), rigorous data-driven evaluation, and cutting-edge complexity education frameworks to ground our work in global research standards.
EXPLORE THE WORKSHOPS
The Grafemos Workshop is a hands-on learning experience for educators who want to bring complexity education, cultural knowledge, and instructional design into the classroom.
It helps teachers in rural Mayan communities design meaningful, community-relevant learning experiences without relying on digital technology or internet access.
GRAFEMOS ACTIVITY
Through the physical Grafemos Activity Toolkit®, participants explore non-computational systems modelling, create symbolic representations, and design learning activities that foster higher-order thinking skills.
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