AISC 2024

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

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.

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

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.

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 diverse 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.