AISC 2024

We are confronted with global crises: political instability, environmental destruction, and increasing global inequalities. The dominant, evidence-based discourses in education do not seem to be offering adequate responses to these crises.

I consider crisis as an opportunity to interrupt the ‘normal’ order; to consider the conditions that have given rise to it, what it says about who we are as humans and how we might be able to imagine and do things differently to work towards collaborative, participatory, plural, just and imaginative futures. In this keynote, we will tackle the questions ‘How can educators respond to a world in crisis and create alternative futures in the present?’ and ‘How can the imagination be put to work in educational spaces?’

We will shift the focus from problem-solving and crisis responses to possibility and mutual aid. We will explore educational practices that involve imaginative, utopian and speculative thinking and acting. Education and schools in particular will be repositioned and reimagined as spaces where alternative futures emerge, starting here and now.

Drawing from his new book, 'Change Starts Here', Shane Leaning will explore the value of involving every stakeholder in school organisational change. Increasingly, schools are losing their autonomy for change, with more companies, more consultants and more external policies driving school change.

This session will present the benefits of an inclusive, inside-out approach that honours and truly values the contributions from students, teachers, parents, and school leaders alike. Shane will highlight the power of using thoughtful reflective questions to democratise the change process, opening the conversation to everyone. The aim is connection and trust.

You will be introduced to change initiatives driven by community engagement, and learn about the newly developed, open-source Model for Organisational Change.

Expected Outcomes:
- Learn why schools across the world are experience a death of organisational confidence
- Learn about a new model for inside-out organisational change in schools
- Leave with key questions you can ask to unlock powerful change

We live, and perpetuate, a world of neurotypical standards. Being a part of the minority of working Autistic adults, I constantly fight this battle. However, my AuDHD (Autism & ADHD) is what makes me a strong leader and teacher. Although it comes with it's own set of challenges and boundaries. My voice is loud in my direct relationships to give space for neurodivergence within my classroom and team, however, administration still looks at teacher well-being on a neurotypical scale. It’s time to make some noise and disrupt the space where leaders come to learn by taking the time to understand my story.

Expected Outcomes:
By the end of the presentation, participants will have a deeper understanding of the prevalence and implications of undiagnosed neurodivergence among teachers. They will also leave with practical strategies and tools to support the wellness and success of all educators, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and enriched learning environment for students.

In this provocation we will apply a speculative and imaginative approach to thinking and taking action called ‘utopia as method’ to a theme/challenge/idea that is pertinent to international schooling. We will work with a theme/challenge/idea of your choice, reflect on school values and principles and (re-)imagine how your school might implement alternatives, starting today. At the start of the session, we will also briefly look at the conceptual and theoretical background of utopia as method.

Expected outcomes:

• Developing a foundational understanding of utopia as method, which allows you to apply a basic version of the method in your own educational context;
• Re-imagining a theme/challenge/idea that is pertinent to international schooling in such a way that immediate action can be taken in your own school context.

This presentation introduces the AIED-PILAR model, a framework for AI-enhanced pedagogy and learning in international school contexts. It explores how Generative AI (GenAI) can transform teaching, learning, and assessment in international educational settings. The AIED-PILAR model demonstrates the integration of GenAI in various aspects of education, including curriculum co-planning, co-teaching, instructional coaching, personalized tutoring, and inquiry facilitation.

The model emphasizes a balanced approach, showcasing how AI can be utilized through effective prompt writing and enable customized educational tools while maintaining a human-centric focus. By harmonizing AI capabilities with human intelligence, critical thinking, and creativity, AIED-PILAR aims to augment rather than replace human expertise in education.

This framework provides practical strategies for educators in international schools to leverage AI, creating engaging, personalized, and future-oriented learning experiences. The presentation offers insights into the effective implementation of AI-enhanced pedagogical models, including techniques for prompt writing, paving the way for innovative educational practices in diverse international school environments.

Expected Outcomes:
This workshop aims to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of the AIED-PILAR model and its practical application in international school contexts. Attendees will develop crucial skills in integrating GenAI across various educational aspects, including curriculum planning, teaching, and assessment. A key focus will be on mastering effective prompt writing techniques to maximize AI's educational benefits. Participants will learn strategies to maintain a human-centric approach while leveraging AI capabilities, ensuring a balanced integration that enhances rather than replaces human expertise.

The workshop will cover methods for using GenAI in personalized tutoring and inquiry facilitation, significantly boosting student engagement and learning outcomes. Educators will explore the creation of customized AI-driven educational tools tailored to international school environments. Importantly, participants will gain insights into fostering critical thinking and creativity alongside AI integration. The session will address potential challenges and ethical considerations in implementing AI-enhanced pedagogy. By the end, attendees will have developed a practical roadmap for implementing the AIED-PILAR model in their schools, boosting their confidence in using AI to augment teaching capabilities and improve student learning experiences. This workshop also offers a valuable opportunity for networking and experience sharing among international educators interested in AI integration.

This interactive 90-minute workshop introduces the LIFE approach, a practical framework for supporting student mental health and suicide prevention in schools. The session is designed to introduce educators to tools and strategies to proactively:
● Listen with Care and Compassion
● Identify Pain and Suffering
● Foster Hope and Meaning
● Explore Safe Solutions
Through a blend of engaging activities, collaborative discussions, and reflective practice, participants will learn how to create safer, more supportive environments that foster resilience and emotional well-being. While this session serves as an introduction to the full-day LIFE approach, participants will leave with practical tools to address student mental health concerns and promote a culture of care within their schools.

Expected Outcomes:
● Gain an introductory understanding of the LIFE framework, with tools ready for immediate application in the classroom or school environment.
● Learnthe LIFE approach to develop safe and compassionate conversations with students experiencing psychological distress.
● Collaborate with fellow educators to exchange ideas and insights to further support your practice.

The global COVID-19 pandemic and following financial turbulence and energy crisis prompted an increased focus on the urgent need for financial literacy education in national curricula. The OECD spearheaded the trend by promoting guidelines following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and introducing PISA Financial Literacy Assessments for 15-year-old students. This presentation offers critical insights into why financial literacy is essential, whose interests it serves and how financial literacy curricula are constructed. Critical pedagogy lens helps examine definitions, purposes (both social and political), policy responses and teacher support for delivering financial literacy education in K-12 schools. The presentation reveals problematic aspects of teaching financial literacy including inadequate teaching resources and teachers' PD, lack of student agency, and the consumerist and conflicted outsourcing of financial literacy curricula and creation of teaching resources to for-profit financial organisations. The Ontario Financial Literacy Scope and Sequence of Expectations is an excellent example of a sophisticated, world-class, integrated curriculum. However, dominant neoliberal policies and marketisation of education influence heavily the implementation of such curricula. Educators suggest more investment and alignment among key stakeholders is necessary in co-creating and embedding financial literacy into K-12 curricula.

Key words: financial literacy, critical pedagogy, consumerism, hidden curriculum, teachers’ professional development

Expected Outcomes:
Participants of this presentation can expect to become familiar and empowered to discuss and evaluate the urgent need to incorporate financial literacy into K-12 curricula, but also become more critical while reflecting on the inherent conflict of interest embedded in the subject of financial literacy. Considering which financial institutions and organisations currently promote and create teaching materials and who benefits from financial literacy at schools challenges current status quo which uncritically assumes that financial literacy is important without considering whom it supposes to serve and to which ends. Teachers of all subjects can foster internal dialogues to embed financial literacy cross-curriculum in schools and consider the role of financial literacy to prepare the next generation to manage own financial wellbeing and financial inclusion in the era of AI, digital finance and disappearing money replaced by digital fiat currencies.

Teachers can also expect to learn more about critical pedagogy as an educational philosophy in promoting social justice and critically examining power and political structures in education systems. The works of Arendt, Bjorklund, Freire and Henderson empower today’s teachers to address learning gaps through the lens of citizenship education and empower students to ask “big why” questions.

Critical thinking in schools is largely based on a 'progress' model. It relies on us all saying that something in the past was 'NOT' a satisfactory way to conduct our lives, and that we need to correct our weaknesses. Karl Popper, Nassim Taleb and others lead this critical thinking paradigm.

My presentation recognises the strength in this position AND states that it is inadequate as a framework. The word 'AND' is also critical to learners. The words 'OR' and 'WITH' also matter.

Using the work of Michael Polanyi and Hans Georg Gadamer I argue that students lose a sense of meaning and purpose in themselves if the focus of critical pedagogy is only on identfying problems and correcting them.

I refer to three powerful metaphors: Education as an act of translation, education as a personal pilgrimmage and education as being like a tree - with many branches to traverse.

Expected Outcomes:
I wish to challenge the predominant framework in critical pedagogy. In one sense I wish to laud it and recognise its strengths, but also to help educators think beyond it.
I am hopeful for a more generous and open pedagogy that is based in human agency but not human autonomy.
Practically, such a pedagogy improves student well-being and creates better schools.
Our school is one example.

The human brain possesses an astounding capacity for rewiring and remodeling itself throughout life, enabling us to rejuvenate, refine, and enhance our cognitive abilities at any age. Explore the neuroscience of learning and discover strategies to maximize student potential through cognitive training.

Delve into the significance of neuroplasticity and various brain training techniques and neurotech that can empower neurodivergent learners. Learn how neurofeedback can support student well-being and integrate seamlessly into a school's social-emotional learning (SEL) program.

By strategically exercising specific neural pathways, we can significantly boost people's thinking, perception, learning, and memory skills. In fact, brain training exercises may be equally effective as medications in addressing neurodevelopmental conditions.

Incorporating cognitive exercises into school curricula can help students excel academically. When engaged in these activities, learners can develop greater precision, speed, and retention in their cognitive processes, benefiting both high-achieving students and those with learning needs.

By prioritizing cognitive training during the formative educational years, we can empower students to reach their full potential, equipping them with the mental tools necessary for academic and lifelong success. Investing in brain plasticity during this critical period can have a profound and lasting impact on cognitive capabilities.

Expected Outcomes:
For school leaders and educators to understand how learning works in the brain
To explore the concept of Brain-based model in instructional design
To delve into the different cognitive processes and how can schools assess and optimize them.
To consider the place and need for cognitive assessment and training in schools
To investigate the importance of cognitive training to facilitate, improve and maximise learning
To explore the use of neurotech for not just neurodivergent learners but to maximise potential, elevate performance and to improve self-regulation
To know how neurofeedback is used in various institututions around the world to :
- Enhance focus and attention
- Improve academic performance
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Improve sleep
- Enhance emotional regulation

For an ecosystem to thrive, healthy soil is vital. Soil stores water, supplies nutrients, provides a hospitable place for plant life to take root and grow. Similarly, in schools, educator well-being is the soil that sustains the entire educational ecosystem. While we often focus on creating a supportive environment for students, the well-being of educators is equally crucial. In this workshop, participants will learn about the core practices to nurture the soil of educator well-being, from developing the portrait of an effective educator, to increasing educator motivation, to assessing one's well-being and recalibrating accordingly. This practical, hands-on learning experience will equip participants with the skills and capacities to increase and sustain well-being at their sites and organizations.

Expected Outcomes:
Participants will
- Create a portrait of an effective educator that includes competencies, skills, and actions that promote well-being and professional practice
- Explore research-informed strategies that influence educator motivation and identify leverage points for these strategies
- Gain tools to assess one's own well-being and develop a sustainable plan to maintain and improve well-being over time
- Generate a "nurture the soil" action plan to transfer and apply learning to one's context

The presentation will showcase how a culture of respectful dialogue can be cultivated using the "Seven Norms of Collaboration" from Thinking Collaborative. These norms serve as a foundation to empower students and educators to have rich, thoughtful conversations and maintain respectful dialogue.

The key points covered in the presentation include:
-The Seven Norms of Collaboration provide a structured protocol to promote genuine inquiry, clarification of thinking, and expression of one's own ideas and perspectives.
-Implementing these norms helps raise awareness and understanding of different perspectives and experiences among students and educators.
-Through dialogue and discussion guided by the norms, students are able to delve into relevant, real-world issues, critically analyze actions and outcomes, and reflect on their own roles and responsibilities.
-Developing a culture of respectful dialogue using the Seven Norms of Collaboration enables students and educators to have meaningful, productive conversations on important topics.

The presentation aims to demonstrate how these collaboration norms can be effectively applied in educational settings to foster an environment conducive to open-minded, thoughtful exchange of ideas.

Expected Outcomes:
- Participants will leave with an understanding of how to promote a culture of thinking and develop a greater sense of community within in their learning environments. They outcomes will include:
- Increased Engagement and Participation:
Students feel more empowered to actively participate in discussions and share their perspectives.and develop
a willingness to explore different viewpoints.
- Improved Communication and Listening Skills:
Participants learn to listen more attentively and ask clarifying questions to better understand each other's
thinking.
- Greater Empathy and Perspective-Taking:
Participants gain a deeper appreciation and increased empathy for diverse backgrounds, experiences, and
perspectives.
- Enhanced Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving:
Students are able to delve into complex, real-world issues and analyze that lead to better-informed conclusions
and decisions.
- Stronger Collaborative Relationships:
Educators and students build more positive, trusting relationships based on mutual respect and open
communication.
- Increased Awareness of Personal Roles and Responsibilities:
Participants develop a stronger understanding of They are better equipped to reflect on their own roles and
responsibilities in addressing important issues and how their individual actions and choices impact others and
the larger community.

The presentation addresses a fundamental error in education as conventionally practised, which is to conceive of learning as a reductive journey towards an integrated mastery of information. This is not how human cognition or understanding works. Rather, people tack towards a more satisfactory adumbration of a psychosomatic Gestalt, which licenses their plans for thought and action, and which is continually shifting in its content, its internal and external relations, and its valency. The current mismatch between practice and actuality is consequential for how learners come to conceive of their knowing selves, usually to their detriment.

The presentation argues via an exploration of three visual metaphors for student experience that, outside of a few special areas of knowledge (principally mathematics, physics, and engineering), the ambition of schooling should be to familiarise young people with adumbration in its most productive guises.

By drawing on the work of Iain McGilchrist (hemispheric tendencies towards either apprehension or comprehension), Wendy Wheeler (the ubiquity of biosemiotics and meaning making), and Nel Noddings (the call for integrative centres of care), a new model is suggested, created with the express intent of encouraging curiosity, intellectual humility, growth, and personal well being.

Expected Outcomes:
Participants will leave with a new understanding of how conventional school tends to misunderstand and reduce human learning (including its new mania for AI and the mistaken notion that human thought processes are algorithmic), and with compelling arguments to support the inclusion and expansion of every experience that can be included in the school curriculum that is not STEM.

This presentation delves into key initiatives in early childhood education aimed at fostering inquiry-based learning and strengthening community engagement, with an emphasis on future-focused education and continuous improvement. The focus is on four primary initiatives implemented at my school:
1. Building Strong Relationships: Creating a supportive educational environment by nurturing strong connections among staff, students, and parents, laying the foundation for a resilient and adaptable community.
2. Promoting Inquiry-Based Learning: Encouraging children to ask questions and explore topics deeply through inquiry-based projects, enhancing their critical thinking skills and preparing them for future challenges.
3. Supporting Professional Growth: Organizing workshops for teachers to introduce innovative teaching strategies, fostering a culture of continuous professional development and adaptability.
4. Continuous Curriculum Improvement: Leading initiatives to evaluate and enhance the curriculum based on feedback from students and teachers, ensuring it evolves to meet the changing educational landscape.

These efforts and this presentation draws upon insights gained on the Executive Master of Arts in International Educational Leadership and Change programme, with particular attention emphasis on collaboration and effective educational leadership. The presentation will highlight how forward-thinking leadership involves varied professional development and how efficient management ensures the seamless execution of change initiatives, aligning them with future educational goals. By integrating these approaches, we aim to cultivate a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, ultimately creating a dynamic learning environment that prepares both educators and students for the future.

Expected Outcomes:
Attendees of this presentation will walk away with practical and actionable insights that can transform their educational practices and leadership approaches. They will learn how to build stronger connections among staff, students, and parents, fostering a supportive and cohesive school community. By adopting inquiry-based learning, educators will be equipped to encourage critical thinking in children, preparing them for future challenges.

School leaders will gain valuable strategies for organizing professional development workshops that introduce innovative teaching methods, promoting a culture of continuous growth and adaptability among teachers. The presentation will also provide techniques for leading initiatives in continuous curriculum improvement, ensuring that educational content remains relevant and responsive to evolving needs.

Participants will understand the importance of forward-thinking leadership and efficient management in executing change initiatives seamlessly, aligning them with future educational goals. By emphasizing collaboration and effective leadership, attendees will be inspired to cultivate a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within their institutions.

Ultimately, educators and school leaders will leave the presentation with a comprehensive understanding of how to create a dynamic and future-ready learning environment that benefits both educators and students. This integrated approach will prepare them to navigate the complexities and contemporary challenges of education today.

In today's global educational landscape, fostering effective collaboration among educators from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds is essential. This workshop addresses a critical challenge: how can educators from varied backgrounds work together to share and learn from their collective professional knowledge effectively? Drawing from my experience at the Education Development Institute (EDI) in Qatar, this session explores an intentionally disruptive learning design aimed at addressing epistemic injustice within professional learning teams.

Participants will delve into the framework of Collaborative Professionalism (Hargreaves & O'Conner, 2018) and engage in hands-on activities that highlight the principles of joint work and mutual dialogue. The session will showcase a bilingual professional learning program that encouraged inclusive practices and facilitated deeper understanding and genuine dialogue among team members. Attendees will share practical strategies for creating inclusive and equitable learning environments that honor and leverage linguistic and cultural diversity.

Join me for an interactive and thought-provoking session that not only challenges conventional leadership practices but also provides actionable insights to foster new transcultural discursive practices within your own educational contexts. This workshop is ideal for leaders and educators committed to enhancing critical pedagogy and fostering inclusive professional learning communities.

Expected Outcomes:
1.    Enhanced Understanding of Inclusive Collaborative Professionalism: Participants will gain an understanding of the tenets of Collaborative Professionalism (Hargreaves & O'Conner, 2018) and how these principles can be applied to foster joint work and mutual dialogue in diverse educational teams.
2.    Practical Strategies for Inclusive Practices: Attendees will share inclusive strategies such as bilingual agendas, intentional language shifts, and the use of visible thinking tools to facilitate equitable participation in professional learning.
3.    Building Transcultural Discursive Practices: Through discussions, participants will reflect on their current practices and develop plans to implement new strategies within their own educational contexts, promoting critical pedagogy and inclusive professional learning communities.

Through our work over an academic year, we have designed projects that foster collaboration between our Makerspace and Li Ren (Wellbeing and Inclusion Centre). We focus on projects that encourage student collaboration, ownership, and autonomy. Using digital fabrication equipment, students have spent the year working in teams to design and create products to solve real design challenges in the Li Ren (Wellbeing and Inclusion Centre).

Our team will discuss our work so far, both successes and failures, as well as facilitate discussion around how this model might be expanded to other schools. Our findings include how much time it takes to facilitate design/build projects as well as the impact on student perception and understanding of Li Ren (Wellbeing and Inclusion Centre). We believe the best way to reduce stigma around counselling and wellbeing work is to truly integrate it into all parts of the school.

Expected Outcomes:
Participants will engage in a workshop where they can produce a product which emulates our work in both the Makerspace and Li Ren (Wellbeing and Inclusion Centre). Participants will be able to find out more about the collaborative model in our school and how we integrate the Makerspace with well-being and vice versa to support the personal growth of our students. We will discuss our best practices and look for feedback and ideas moving forward in this collaborative work.

The uniqueness of each student’s learning trajectory necessitates a more nuanced approach to assessment. Given that students of the same age often exhibit varying cognitive development stages and non-linear learning progressions, reliance solely on traditional summative assessments presents significant limitations. To address these discrepancies, schools must adopt a holistic and equitable assessment framework that accurately reflects individual progress.

Adaptive assessments, which adjust in real-time to a student’s ability level, offer a promising solution. The presentation will share the principles of adaptive assessments, their growing adoption in educational institutions, and their role in providing personalized insights into student performance. The session will address key questions, including the determination of a student’s baseline, measurement of progress, and engagement across diversed student populations.

Furthermore, a case study from Yew Chung Yew Wah Education will highlight the effective implementation of adaptive assessments and their impact on informed educational decision-making.

Expected Outcomes:
The audience will take home a clear idea about what is adaptive assessment and agree that it is an indivisible part of the adaptive learning.

The audience will also have opportunities exchange ideas with speakers from Cambridge and Yew Chung Yew Wah Education on how adaptive assessments benefit both students and schools, and how to turn towards adaptive tests as part of whole-school approach.