top of page

KEYNOTES

KEYNOTE 1
The Human Advantage: Rethinking Education in the Age of AI
Shirley Eadie
(Cape Town only)

In this keynote, Shirley explores how the rapid rise of AI reshapes education and redefines what it means to prepare students for the future. As technology takes on tasks rooted in knowledge and automation, we are called to reconsider the purposes of education. Our focus must shift to developing distinctly human qualities—critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and character. These traits not only equip students to navigate a fast-changing world but also help them find meaning, purpose, and agency in their lives. Shirley will highlight how rethinking teaching, pedagogy, and assessment can help build a more human-centered education system. Walk away with a renewed sense of purpose and actionable strategies to empower your students for the future.

KEYNOTE 2
The Most Important Thing We Can Do in Education
Trevor MacKenzie

 In this inspiring keynote, Trevor MacKenzie shares research about the power of curiosity and what happens when students find meaning, relevance, and interest in their schooling experiences. From impacting academic success to improving attendance and behaviour, to shaping how students feel about school, their teachers, their peers, and themselves, curiosity is truly the most important thing we can do in education. Trevor will share stories and examples from his own classroom as well as schools he visits around the globe. Be prepared to have your own curiosity reignited in this dynamic and engaging keynote!

KEYNOTE 3
The Power of Questions & Listening in our Inquiry Spaces
Jessica Vance
Jessica Vance.png

Curiosity is a way we bring personal connection and meaning with learning, but how do we “get there”? During this session we’ll uncover the importance of our language as inquiry educators focusing our time with one another about the depth and complexity of the skills questioning. Additionally, we’ll shift our thinking about the role that questions play in our classrooms as valuable data that not only informs our next steps with our learners but as feedback that we need to facilitate and honor the agency of our learners. Jessica will guide participants through a series of provocations to learn about the ways we facilitate the learning through asking and listening to the questions our learners bring to the table and feel confident in igniting curiosity and more wonder. You’ll leave this session with a “superpower” that empowers both you and your learners!

KEYNOTE 4
A Different Kind of Learning: Stories from the Inquiry Classroom
Trevor MacKenzie

In this second keynote address, Trevor MacKenzie shares stories from his inquiry classroom, stories of student leadership and ownership over learning, stories of doing schooling differently and leveraging technology to truly change education, and stories of relationship, where kindness and humor break down walls allowing students to meaningfully engage, achieve and impact. Trevor is an inquiry guru that puts personalized learning and student agency at the forefront of his work. Author of four books he brings more than 20 years of teaching with him as he shares what are the roots to his teaching practice: planning for curiosity, giving agency every day, and fostering relationships.  He will guide us through what classrooms look like when teachers embrace these same values as their own. Be prepared for a heartfelt and passionate keynote experience that is certain to leave you full of wonder, vision and excitement to adopt a different kind of learning as your own!

TSSA.png

NPO Number 154-855 | PBO Number 930048765 | SACE Provider Number PR12958

  • Linkedin
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Copyright 2020 Thinking Schools South Africa  | All Rights Reserved

bottom of page