AISC 2024

The future of education and work is increasingly uncertain. The ongoing development of advanced artificial intelligence and related technologies looks increasingly unpredictable. The world that today’s students will enter into when they complete their schooling is unclear. AI technologies will almost certainly feature but how it is going to impact work, society and, by extension, education remains to be seen. Within this uncertain context, it is increasingly evident that the core skills for the age of AI are not purely technical. Education systems need to help students to develop a range of adaptive skills, such as self-regulated learning and some aspects of critical thinking. This session will draw on cutting edge research globally to describe and explain the critical human skills that education systems and teachers need to assist students to develop in order for them to thrive in the age of AI.

Expected Outcomes:
Attendees as this session can expect to:
-    Develop an understanding of current development in AI in education research
-    Explore the critical skills for education in age of AI
-    Develop an appreciation for why ‘AI literacy’ is insufficient for preparing students to learn and work in the age of AI
-    Develop a sense of the changes to education systems and pedagogies for incorporating adaptive skills and knowledge

This presentation will delve into the pedagogy used in the Cambridge Global Perspectives programme. This approach to teaching and learning provides learners with a structured method for developing essential skills in research, reasoning and communication. By utilising a diverse range of global topics as a vehicle, the Cambridge Global Perspectives programme challenges learners to think critically and hone their ability to analyse and reconstruct arguments about global issues through personal research and a rigorous examination of evidence. This presentation will provide educators with an introduction to the Cambridge Global Perspectives programme. It will examine the programme's structure and methodology in detail, followed by examples and student case studies demonstrating teaching and learning approaches in action. 

Expected outcomes: By the end of the presentation, attendees will have gained insight into the pedagogy used in the Cambridge Global Perspectives programme, including its structure and methodology as a critical pedagogy. Through illustrative examples and student case studies, participants will observe the practical application of the approach, equipping them with tangible concepts to integrate into their own teaching environments. Educators will acquire new techniques for cultivating critical thinking, research, reasoning, and communication skills in their students.

This session will explore the point where education intersects technology, psychology and philosophy of mind. We will speak about artificial intelligence of course, but the focus will be reversed. What do recent advances in AI teach us about the nature of human intelligence? How exactly is it different from machines? What does it mean for education?

Turing test, the hard problem of consciousness, theory of mind and emergent properties will be thrown in the mix with semantic AI, personalised learning and cognitive biases. We will not achieve any answers, but we will try to clearly formulate the crucial questions.

I will explore the current limitations of AI in education and explain why these limitations are not likely to go away in the foreseeable future. I will touch upon several projects that we have implemented in ESF that support this. But the focus of the session will be on bigger questions: What is the human mind? How does it develop? What role does education play in it? What is uniquely human in this process and what forms could a symbiosis with machines take?

Expected Outcomes:
Some thought experiments to engage with that can change the way you think about your own mind
Some observations about AI that might have never occurred to you
You might question your entire existence
You will look at education as something that can potentially lead human knowledge in the 21st century. The new quantum mechanics?

The world of safeguarding and child protection is ever-evolving. As school leaders, we must demand constant agility and humility in our thinking and our actions. Join Jaap Marsman, the Adviser for Safeguarding and Child Protection at the English Schools Foundation (ESF) for an interactive workshop exploring a range of tools and approaches used within ESF to support schools in their core responsibility to keep children safe.

We will discuss a range of tools and models used within ESF over the past few years to help keep students safe. One of the models discussed is an adapted version of the model on Contextual Safeguarding (Firmin, 2020), an approach to help explore a student's life from a range of perspectives.

As highlighted in a recent study by Mensing et al. (2024) the most important aspect to increase teacher efficacy in this area is knowledge. When we know what to look for and how to engage, all staff feel empowered to keep students safe. Join Jaap in this interactive session which blends the latest academic research with practical application to empower you and your school in keeping your students safe.

Disclaimer: this session will openly discuss all aspects of child abuse.

Expected Outcomes:
Participants will leave the session with an expanded understanding of the current academic developments in the field of safeguarding, particularly within the international school context. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own skillset, engage with peers, and explore a number of tools used within ESF which can be adapted to their own context.

Inspired by Jason Lodge’s keynote on Adaptive Learning and Artificial Intelligence, participants will explore what the influence of AI on education might look like - using LEGO Serious Play to communicate and share these ideas. The workshop will culminate with teams of participants building and sharing their co-created alternate visions for education systems where Artificial Intelligence is impacting the way that people learn.

Language is at the core of human identity. We inhabit our languages in neurological, biological, ecological, cognitive, psycho-social and socio-cultural spaces. Language is therefore one of our main ways of knowing and being. Our languages define who we are, internally and externally. When students navigate multiple languages in their teenage years, they are working through multiple ways of knowing, learning and expressing themselves.This occurs in high stakes, pre and post-16 programmes, alongside the pressures of academic performance.

An IB world school is a complex ecosystem for diverse, multilingual students. Schools become powerful learning environments when they are able to support learners with balancing their multilingual identities, to survive and thrive. The explicit teaching of academic language proficiency and translanguaging, supports students’ understanding of themselves and others. How might the language of emotional regulation strengthen resilience and engagement? How might we tempt students to engage positively with a world of climate crises and conflict? How might we preserve joy and hope? This presentation argues that students need social-emotional resilience, ethical frameworks and linguistic support for wellbeing and an affirmed identity. A multilingual identity that skilfully negotiates their place and purpose in a VUCA world: of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity.

Expected Outcomes:
The presentation will be supported by data and examples from the IB Support Program at West Island School, Hong Kong.

Connect: What we already know about the IBO’s vision ( ‘to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect,’) to wellbeing and multilingual language development.
Extend: This understanding to multilingualism - the role of a student’s many languages for wellbeing, affirming identity and agency.
Challenge: The idea that remedial work is all that is required to enable students to achieve potential. Challenge our system to create time and expertise for the holistic and transformative experience that all students deserve in an IB Programme.

This provocative session challenges the foundations of traditional pedagogy by asking: "What if the role of a teacher is not to explain, but to emancipate?" Drawing on Jacques Rancière's radical concept of intellectual emancipation, we explore the creation of "Educational Agoras" - spaces that dismantle hierarchies and foster true intellectual partnerships. The session will explore the types of “thinking partners” that leaders and teachers draw on, from reading and engaging with educational theory and research to literature and art to colleagues and students. This will lead to a thought-provoking discussion of how explicit, sustained, purposeful engagement with “thinking partners” can lead to the emergence of educational agoras where the role of the teacher is to emancipate thinking rather than to assist in the production and reproduction of knowledge. This approach has significant implications for education systems in a time of considerable ecological, geopolitical, economic, and technological change.

In the first part of the session, we will engage with Jacques Rancière's provocative classic text "The Ignorant Schoolmaster" as a way of unpacking the notions of intellectual emancipation and equality of intelligence. This will lead to an exploration of how to reimagine (that is, not to rethink, but to imagine once again) educational relationships as a dialogue of emancipation. We will then apply Guattari's notion of three ecologies (explored at AISC 2023) to consider how an emancipatory approach also nurtures the creation of holistic learning environments. This applies as much to the classroom as to contexts of professional learning, and we will consider how an emancipatory, ecological approach may revolutionize professional learning and development by shifting practice from knowledge transmission and technical expertise to emancipatory practice. The session will conclude with an engaging discussion and interactive design activity focused on nurturing emancipatory educational agoras in participants’ own settings.

Expected Outcomes:
• A provocation to think differently about understanding teacher-student dynamics and the role of the teacher
• Strategies for implementing intellectual emancipation in diverse educational contexts
• Innovative approaches to professional learning that prioritize authenticity and emancipation
• Practical designs for creating spaces that foster intellectual wellbeing and critical thinking
• A call to action for educators to become catalysts for intellectual emancipation

The Gendered Impact of Modern Technology explores how social media and mobile devices uniquely affect male and female students, shaping their mental health, social interactions, and learning experiences. We also examine the critical role schools and families play in addressing these disparities to create supportive and balanced educational environments.

Expected Outcomes :
* Teachers gaining a deeper understanding of the complex ways in which social media and technology impact students, particularly in regards to gender differences.
* Increased awareness of the potential impacts of social media and technology on students' mental health, social interactions, and learning experiences.
* Discussion and reflection on practical strategies for mitigating the negative effects of social media and promoting healthier technology use among students.

This presentation will explore the findings of a recent qualitative phenomenological study examining the basic psychological needs of international school teachers. Grounded in the Basic Psychological Needs Theory, the research highlights the unique challenges faced by educators living and working abroad, including job insecurity, cultural adaptation, and the complexities of balancing personal and professional lives.

Attendees will gain insights into the lived experiences of teachers, focusing on how their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are being met—or unmet—within the international school context. The session will also discuss the implications of these findings for school counselors and administrators, offering practical recommendations such as establishing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), integrating mental health check-ins, and fostering a supportive community. By addressing these psychological needs, school counselors can play a critical role in enhancing teacher well-being, job satisfaction, and overall effectiveness within the school environment.

Expected Outcomes:
By the end of this presentation, participants will have an understanding of the Basic Psychological Needs Theory and its application to the well-being of international school teachers. They will be equipped with practical strategies for identifying and addressing the unique challenges faced by these educators, such as adapting to new cultural and educational environments. Participants will also gain insights into creating supportive school environments that prioritize the psychological needs of teachers, ultimately enhancing job satisfaction and retention. Additionally, the workshop will provide tools for implementing and evaluating support programs, enabling participants to take actionable steps towards fostering a positive and inclusive school culture. The expected outcome is that participants will leave with the confidence and knowledge to implement these strategies within their own institutions, thereby contributing to the overall well-being and effectiveness of their teaching staff.

Panelists:

• Selena Hartley, Guidepost Montessori
• Brenda Yuen, English Schools Foundation

Join us for a compelling lunchtime panel discussion titled "Supporting Children in Early Years Transitions: Aligning Beliefs and Structures" at the Asia Pacific International Schools Conference (AISC). This essential session will take place in the Chancellor Room on Wednesday, 11th December from 12:30 to 1:15 PM.
Our expert panellists will explore effective strategies and frameworks that facilitate smooth transitions for young children during critical developmental phases. The discussion will highlight the significance of feeling “known,” emphasising the continuity between home, caregivers, and various educational settings that shape children’s unique learning journeys.
As children navigate multiple out-of-home experiences—they may appear to handle transitions effortlessly. However, many children struggle with these changes, particularly when moving from familiar environments to new ones. The panel will address the various types of transitions young children face, from moving rooms within a setting to shifting between home and childcare.
We will delve into the vulnerabilities some children experience during these times, particularly those with low self-esteem, language barriers, or complex needs. The discussion will also highlight the importance of fostering supportive relationships, where friends and caregivers play a crucial role in easing anxiety and facilitating adjustment.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue on how to prioritize emotional development and well-being, ensuring that all children are equipped to navigate their early transitions with confidence and resilience. Don't miss this chance to learn from leading experts in the field and contribute to a vital conversation about supporting our youngest learners.

Our collective wisdom asserts that the world is currently changing at breakneck speed, and schools are tasked with preparing the next generation for an “unknowable future”. Meanwhile, external stakeholders expect us to continue generating data they can use to judge our effectiveness today. The system guides students to place maximum value on collecting qualifications and grades that might or might not have enduring value.  

By the age of eighteen, most students will have spent about eighteen thousand hours at school. Are we maximising that investment of time, resources and childhood? There is a significant opportunity cost associated with schooling; we ought to feel obliged to regularly question whether our offer truly honours the trust students place in us.

The teaching profession is a dynamic community of dedicated experts; educational thinking continuously evolves. But are our approaches to learning evolving fast enough? And are we sure they are moving in the right direction?

This workshop will be a chance for educators to come together to explore some fundamental questions about the state of schooling today, other possible futures, roadblocks to progress, and creative solutions to drive immediate improvement. The workshop leader will present, and invite a critical evaluation of his innovative “manifesto for education”.

Expected Outcomes: Participants will engage in new discussions around foundational questions about the role of schools and our core hopes and intentions for education, alongside more practical considerations about why we do what we currently do and the barriers to implementing a paradigm shift in our profession.

By the end of the session, delegates will be enthused to continue this dialogue, exploring further how schools must radically change, to better support students to become fully actualised humans leading successful, useful and happy lives, no matter where the future takes them.

The International Baccalaureate has renewed its focus on conceptual understanding, prompting our school to adopt a more concept-based inquiry approach towards the Primary Years Programme, in part inspired by the work of Rachel French and Carla Marschall. Despite being an established PYP school, we faced challenges in shifting students from merely sharing knowledge to achieving deeper, transferable conceptual understandings to prepare them for the future world. Over the past three years, we have implemented significant changes to our written and taught curriculum, embraced inductive teaching methods, and increased intentionality around the role of Conceptual Understandings. Our efforts aim to increase student voice, encourage intentional, conceptual questioning and increase engagement. We aim to elevate the prominence of concepts and create opportunities for real-world application, enabling students to generate ideas and take meaningful action now and in the future.

We will share our findings through a hands-on exemplar Unit to highlight some of the inductive teaching approaches we now utilise. You will also have the opportunity to see for yourselves how use of a tailor-made AI bot can support teachers in generating, adapting and evaluating teacher and student conceptual understandings.

Expected Outcomes:
*Approaches that bring student-generated conceptual understandings to the forefront of teaching and learning
*Ideas on how to evaluate conceptual learning through the use of AI
*An opportunity to reflect on our journey in order to make informed decisions about your next steps towards bringing greater conceptual clarity to learners

In this visioning workshop, you will first reflect on what YOU think the future holds for education - using LEGO Serious Play to communicate your thinking to share this with others. You will then work with your peers to co-create your collective vision for the ’school of the future’, considering how the factors from technology through to student wellbeing might influence the ways in which our education systems evolve.

Let’s end the ‘them vs. us’ mindset when it comes to wellbeing! This workshop is all about creating a united, schoolwide wellbeing culture where everyone—leaders, staff, and teachers—shares the responsibility.

Through real-life examples and actionable strategies, we’ll show you how to break down barriers, foster collaboration, and embed wellbeing in every part of your school. Forget the buzzwords—this is about making wellbeing work for everyone, from top leadership to the classroom.

Expected Outcomes:
●    Learn about how to move from strategy to reality when supporting staff wellbeing.
●    Learn about our journey from the creation of a centre-based staff wellbeing strategy to practical school-based implementation.
●    Gain an understanding of real-life examples, shared leadership, and the Appreciative Inquiry process.
●    Participants will explore how to engage staff, foster collaboration, and embed wellbeing across their school community.
●    Collaborate with fellow educators to exchange ideas and insights to further support your practice.

For many years, a range of scientific disciplines have sought to "bridge the gap" between academic evidence and classroom practice. There are teachers with masters degrees and PhDs. There are the curriculum writers. There are consultants. Countless books have been written but most teachers still in the classroom will tell you that there is simply not enough time for research in modern learning environments.

Meanwhile, those same scientific disciplines are facing a more recent challenge: the reproducibility crisis. As Artistotle so aptly put: The more you know, the more you realise you don't know. Modern efforts to reproduce results from even heavily cited papers are coming up short.

With each classroom being affected by many different external variables, some of which greatly impact learning, why are we looking outside the classroom for answers to be handed down?

The questions this presentation hopes to raise are: where are the experts located when we consider each classroom as it's own vessel, who is responsible for ensuring change is meaningful and effective and what sort of standards of evidence do we need in order to make informed decisions about teaching and learning?

We invite you to a discussion about what could be next.

Expected Outcomes:
We hope that by sharing our small approach to a large problem, we can create relationships with other interested educators. The model we are proposing relies on a large community of educators in order to be successful. This means the barriers to entry must be as low as possible, while still maintaining an acceptable level of intellectual rigour.

Educational change, improvement efforts, and policy reforms are constants in the evolving landscape of education. Principals and senior leaders play a pivotal role in navigating these changes and supporting their school communities. This presentation explores how leaders’ life histories influence educational change, offering insights into leadership, community, agency, and political awareness.

Over the past century, approaches to school improvement and change implementation have transformed significantly. Building on the co-construction approach (Datnow & Park, 2009), this presentation highlights the need for re-conceptualized methodologies that emphasize storytelling and analysis to understand the complexity of educational change and educators' professional lives. Integrating life history and narrative analysis from psychology, sociology, and education, this approach documents principals' and educators' experiences, focusing on identities in leadership and change. It reveals how individuals make sense of their worlds and how these worlds shape actions and perceptions during times of change and improvement efforts.

This framework explores how principals interweave their narratives with those of their school communities. The findings inform how principals construct their stories and make decisions about school improvement, offering attendees a deeper understanding of life histories in educational leadership and broader implications for future-forward education.

Expected Outcomes:
Participants in this session will gain a deeper comprehension of how life histories and personal narratives shape leadership practices and decision-making processes in educational settings. In imagining possible educational futures, school leaders will learn how the co-construction approach to educational change can be applied to better navigate and implement school improvement and change effectively. Participants will be introduced to life history and narrative analysis methodologies, equipping them with tools to document and reflect on their own leadership experiences and those of their teams. Leaders will develop a heightened awareness of the role of community and agency in educational change, and the importance of political awareness in navigating policy reforms and advocating for their school communities. In doing so, this will allow for more inclusive and responsive leadership strategies in the pursuit of new educational futures.

Assessment is arguably the most challenged educational area under GenAI’s influence, mostly in part due to increased risks of student cheating and the associated concerns around fairness and students’ learning attainment. Different stakeholders in education (e.g., students, teachers, school leaders, parents) are navigating a somewhat “uncharted assessment landscape” where there are many grey areas without well-established guidelines or consensus. Navigating this landscape entails risks – for example, students who acknowledge their use of GenAI in assessment may be implicitly penalised in the marking process; teachers who adopt innovative assessment could face backlash as traditional assessment methods (e.g. exams, essays) are often more well received by the public. For different education stakeholders to be open to taking these risks and to collaboratively explore this evolving AI landscape, building a culture of trust within our school/institution becomes crucial.

This talk will be guided by three related questions: (1) why is talking about trust important when we talk about leadership in the GenAI age; (2) how does GenAI affect the trust dynamics in our education, particularly through assessment policies and practices; and (3) how can we foster a culture of trust through school leadership in this GenAI age? To answer these questions, I will draw on three of my recent studies that shed light on the implications of GenAI on different aspects of trust dynamics in education. Real-life cases and other important studies in the field will also be shared in the talk to facilitate meaningful discussions. By the end of this talk, the participants will gain a more nuanced understanding of GenAI in education and be equipped with strategies to lead a culture of trust in a time of uncertainties.

In this visioning workshop, you will first reflect on what YOU think the future holds for education - using LEGO Serious Play to communicate your thinking to share this with others. You will then work with your peers to co-create your collective vision for the ’school of the future’, considering how the factors from technology through to student wellbeing might influence the ways in which our education systems evolve.

The notion of Cultural Responsive Pedagogy relates to ways both teachers and school leaders need to adopt a more dynamic relationship between home/community culture and school culture. Whilst from a pedagogical perspective this links to ways teachers adapt their pedagogy to ensure it is aligned with the cultural needs and backgrounds of our students, from a leadership perspective it is indicative of ways we need to be dependent on localised as well as Westernised approaches to leadership when working with staff from non-Western cultural contexts. In turn, this has clear relevance with International School leaders in Asia, as they seek to develop relationships with local as well as expat staff, interactions between leaders modelling expectations for students interaction, and those of the broader school communities. This presentation will use the research on leadership in Confucian societies, as well as broader research on ethical leadership to consider models for leadership when working in International Education in an East Asian Cultural Context.

Expected Outcomes:
I will present a model for leading in a cross-cultural leadership context as a means of reflecting on what culturally responsive leadership looks like in International Schools in the Asia Pacific Region.

This session explores how AI can be harmoniously integrated into education to enhance pedagogy and learner agency. By viewing AI as a supportive ally, educators can leverage its capabilities to streamline tasks, promote inclusivity, and enrich the learning experience. The F.A.C.I.L.I.T.A.T.I.O.N framework offers a structured approach:

F- Free Up Time: AI automates routine tasks, allowing more meaningful student interactions.
A- Access for All: Simplify translanguaging to support multilingual learners.
C- Cultivate Engagement: Boost participation using AI-prepared materials, with teacher oversight for accuracy.
I- Incorporate Culture: Design culturally sensitive content with AI.
L- Learning Interactivity: Generate engaging, pedagogically-driven activities.
I- Implement Expertise: Rely on teacher judgment for educational soundness.
T- Turn Up Student Voice: Encourage expression through AI and discussion protocols.
A- Augment Teaching: Enhance inquiry with AI tools for deep engagement.
T- Tailor Creativity and Community: Use AI to foster creativity and create a collaborative learning environment.
I- Integrate Thoughtfully: Complement existing strategies without overshadowing them.
O- Open Classrooms: Use AI to bridge gaps and invite diverse perspectives.
N- Nurture Through Guidance: Guide and develop talents with AI as a tool.

Through thoughtful integration, AI can foster an inclusive, dynamic, student-centered environment, maintaining pedagogical priorities and amplifying student voice.

Expected Outcomes:
By the end of the session, educators will understand how AI can support education by streamlining processes for more meaningful interactions between teachers and students. The session will share strategies to increase inclusivity and engagement by creating environments that address various learner needs and incorporate cultural diversity with AI-designed materials. Educators will also learn how to use AI-generated resources to enhance student voice and interactivity, encouraging active participation and self-expression while ensuring content remains accurate and valuable. Additionally, the dynamics of power between teachers and students will be addressed, introducing a Facilitation Framework to guide these discussions. Participants will receive guidance on thoughtfully integrating AI, ensuring it complements existing teaching methods and helps build a community-oriented classroom where technology bridges educational gaps.