Keynotes

The Future is Here: The Education Revolution that is Going to Reshape The World

The world is rapidly changing and education right along with it. The new economy requires new skills, and schools around the globe are amidst a radical transformation from content delivery to competency development. At the forefront of this revolution is Future Design School, an organization supporting thousands of schools across North America in re-thinking their strategies; helping support teachers in designing exceptional learning experiences that deeply engage students in authentic challenge-based inquiry and real-world impact.

Dig deeply into the best practices schools are leveraging and the potential pitfalls to avoid. Learn how leading institutions are building personalized pathways; leveraging interdisciplinary curriculum that challenges each student individually and provides opportunity for ongoing skill development. Delve into the trends around competency based education including journey-based assessment and new pedagogies. See how the top schools are supporting educators through this transformation and gain insight into where the opportunity lies for your school community.

Making Learning Relevant: Leveraging Design Thinking for Personalized Inquiry

How might we cultivate a culture of curiosity coupled with deep learning? How might we help students make connections between seemingly disconnected ideas? How might we prepare students for an uncertain future by developing optimism in their ability to have a meaningful impact on the world?

Empathy is the key to everything, and opportunities for personalized inquiry will transform the way students own their learning. This inspiring talk sheds light on how to make learning relevant for students by leveraging user centered design. Teachers are using this mindset and method to create powerful experiences for students throughout North America. Engage with stories of teachers who have totally transformed their practice and redefined their classrooms into inquiry labs that are personalized to each student’s passions and interests.

Transforming Schools: Building Future Ready School Strategy

65% of children currently entering primary school will have jobs that do not yet exist. As the world changes, education needs to shift to support this new landscape. It is imperative that school strategy focuses on cultivating problem solving skills to prepare students for a new reality. Schools need to be a sandbox where kids can experiment, explore and build - a place to cultivate curiosity, entrepreneurialism and leadership.

Future Design School empowers educators to develop their students’ future ready skills, notably their creativity, ambition and resourcefulness.

This talk has major implications for both public and independent school leaders as we move into an increasingly diversified world of work. It comes with important takeaways about the methods through which we assess students and the experiential opportunities we provide them to engage with the world around them. It’s time to revolutionize the way schools think about technology, design and student success.

Building High Performance Teams: How to Attract, Grow and Drive Top Performing Teams

What is the one factor, above all else, that determines the success of any organization? People. Our thought leaders have built successful teams in education and business organizations across North America. They are often called on to mentor high performance teams, and have incredible insight into the best ways to cultivate their creative confidence - empowering them to take risks that drive amazing results. Be delighted with practical advice and humorous anecdotes encouraging team leaders to do away with micromanagement in favour of methods that yield effective, motivated and happy employees. Leaders are encouraged to reflect on their organization’s attraction, retention and growth strategies by developing empathy for individuals’ aspirations, strengths and opportunities for growth. Walk away with the courage to face your organization's persistent issues, and develop actionable strategies for keeping world-class talent where they belong.

Principles of Effective Leadership: How to Inspire, Motivate and Manage Effectively

To attract the best kinds of people to your organization, you need to ensure the best kinds of leadership. This talk will open your eyes to the skills and tools you truly need to succeed in notable experience as entrepreneurs, corporate and school leaders. In these roles they have had to make tough decisions and are constantly searching for the best ways to enable teams. Learn to inspire your team through earned respect and determining a clear understanding of your leadership role. Empower your team to success through actionable insights as well as repeatable methods and processes. This straightforward and no nonsense talk will get you thinking about how to energetically coach your teams, while being authentic to yourself and your own unique leadership style.