Keynote & Invited Speakers
Wednesday, April 8
Beyond the Digital Revolution: Tertiary/Post-Secondary Education in the Age of Disruption
Nicky Mohan
Author, Principal Advisor to Columbia University’s FabLearn Fellows
Abstract: The traditional four-year college experience is as British as “Bob’s your uncle.” So is the belief that higher education provides a one-way ticket to a better life. But with student debt out of control and unemployment of college graduates at historic levels, people are beginning to question that value. In this provocative session, the presenter argues that the higher education system as we know it is broken. The great credential race has fostered an environment where even middle-tier institutions can charge elite university-level tuition while concealing staggeringly low graduation rates, and churning out graduates with few of the skills needed for a rapidly evolving economy. The presentation not only turns a critical eye on the current state of higher education but also predicts how technology and innovative thinking will transform it for the better. Mobile devices, social networks, games-based and virtual learning environments, hybrid classes, adaptive learning software, the unbundling of traditional degree credits, and the Uberfication of education will expand access to high-quality education regardless of budget or location, and tailor lesson plans to individual needs. One thing is certain—the Class of 2024 will have a radically different college experience than their parents. Attendees will be provided with access to an extensive digital library of resources aligned to the Beyond the Digital Revolution presentation.
Bio: Dr. Nicky Mohan is a global citizen by choice. Born and raised in South Africa, she now shares her time between New Zealand and Canada. Nicky has been a classroom teacher, a school and university leader, an instructional designer, a business sector manager, a corporate trainer, an author, and an international speaker. After working in the public education sector for more than 20 years in both South Africa and New Zealand, she moved to the private sector, joining an educational service provider as a Learning and Development Manager. Her principle responsibility was for the design and delivery of professional development courses and resource materials.
Nicky is currently the Managing Partner of the InfoSavvy Group (Canada), and Director and co-founder of SpringBoard21 (USA), both international educational consulting firms. Nicky was recently appointed as a member of UNESCO’s Teacher Task Force core committee, focusing on the role of AI in Education. During the last ten years, she has made hundreds of presentations in more than 20 countries.
Nicky wants to make a difference where it matters most – and that starts with education. Her mission is to help teachers from different settings and working conditions look beyond their surface differences, to discover what they have in common: a relentless drive to improve learning for all students – and in doing so, to prepare them for their future and not society’s past. Most of all, she wants our conversations as educators to shift from, “Why that won’t work here,” to, “Learn, adapt, share and grow together.”
Thursday, April 9
Making the Future: The Future of Making
Sylvia Martinez
Author, Principal Advisor to Columbia University’s FabLearn Fellows
Abstract: Making in education connects educators around the world in a quest to make education more authentic and relevant. We stand on the shoulders of giants who articulated new understandings of what learning could be and new ways to explore powerful ideas. In the present, we strive to deepen our commitment to provide authentic learning opportunities for all young people. We look into the future to see what the children in today’s classrooms will experience, and support them as they become changemakers and global citizens.
Together, let’s explore the past, present, and future of making in education so that we can equip children with the tools and mindset to solve the challenges of the future, and make the world a better place for all.
Bio: Sylvia Martinez is co-author of Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering the Classroomhelping teachers bring the exciting tools and technology of the modern world to classrooms. She advocates for student-centered project-based learning with an emphasis on STEAM for all.
Sylvia is principal advisor to the Columbia University FabLearn Fellows, a group of global educators researching and developing hands-on, minds-on projects and curriculum. She also ran educational non-profits and headed product development for consumer software, video games, and educational games at several software publishing companies.
Martinez started her career designing high frequency receiver systems and software for GPS navigational satellites. She holds a masters in educational technology and a bachelors in electrical engineering. For more information, visit sylviamartinez.com
Friday, April 10
Mapping For a Better World
Elizabeth Langran
Marymount University, SITE President-Elect
Abstract: How can we help prepare students to become engaged citizens in their communities? Your local community has the potential to be an authentic instructional environment, but the complexity of leaving the confines of a classroom also creates challenges for educators who must provide guidance to students to make sense of observations, collect data, and analyze patterns despite sensory overload and multiple distractions. Place-based learning using mapping strategies with mobile devices is one approach that can support experiential learning experiences. We will explore the tools that can help students chart a course of action, revisit their data and observations, and ultimately contribute to mapping for a better world.
Bio: SITE president-elect Elizabeth Langran, Ph.D. is a professor of Education at Marymount University in Arlington, VA, USA and co-author of the forthcoming Navigating the Potential of Place-based Learning Strategies: Mapping for a Better World. Elizabeth taught secondary and post-secondary students in the U.S, Morocco, and Switzerland as a teacher of French, ESL, and Social Studies before pursuing her Ph.D in Instructional Technology at the University of Virginia. Since 2003, she has been teaching educational technology courses to pre- and in-service teachers and engaging in international collaborative projects. Elizabeth co-chaired the SITE Geospatial Technology Special Interest Group before being elected as chair to the SITE Teacher Education Council, and will begin her role as the new SITE president at the conclusion of this year’s conference.
