Maw Maw Khaing is a DPhil student at the University of Oxford, researching how holistic and alternative education arises, adapts, and sustains itself within Myanmar’s unique socio-political and cultural landscape. Her doctoral work focuses on how school leaders in early childhood education navigate the intersection of local educational beliefs and international education systems amid diverse cultural and political contexts.
Her study explores how alternative education models foster resilience, creativity, and community empowerment in different capability threshold environments. By examining how Montessori leaders adapt and sustain their practices, her research aims to uncover the transformative potential of education as a tool for lifelong learning and social development.
Maw Maw Khaing is also an experienced practitioner who founded a successful network of schools in Myanmar, embedding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting bilingual education. Her schools implement SDG goals through project-based learning, equipping students to become “glocal” citizens—global thinkers who act locally.
Before starting her DPhil, Maw Maw earned an MEd in Education from Harvard University. She is deeply committed to fostering human flourishing, international cooperation, and human rights. Her work seeks to create meaningful change in education systems by building inclusive, sustainable learning environments that empower diverse communities.
Research Interests:
- Montessori Education
- Early Childhood Education
- Alternative Education
- Holistic Education
- Developmental Studies
- Critical Pedagogy
- Philosophy, History, Culture and Education
Supervisors: