Keynote Speakers

Prof. James Slotta

University of Toronto, Canada

Bio: Jim Slotta is Professor and President's Chair in Knowledge Technologies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. Since 2005, he has led a team of students, designers and developers to investigate new models of collaborative and collective inquiry in K-12 science, including powerful new roles for technology enhanced learning environments. Building on a background in physics and cognitive psychology, he has developed a pedagogical model known as Knowledge Community and Inquiry, in which students explore investigate a phenomenon or issue within a carefully scripted and orchestrated sequence of learning activities. Their inquiry is situated within smart classrooms and distributed learning environments, featuring user-contributed content, aggregated and emergent forms of knowledge, and a variety of scaffolds for the orchestration of individual, small group, and whole class activities. From 2006 - 2011, Slotta served as Canada Research Chair in Education and Technology. He has served as PI or co-I on more than 30 funded projects totalling more than $30 Million, supervised 20 doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, and co-directed the NSF-funded Center for Technology-Enhanced Learning (2003-2008).

Prof. Irina Lyublinskaya

Bio: Irina Lyublinskaya is a Professor of Mathematics and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. She holds Ph.D. in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics from the Leningrad State University, Russia. She taught high school and university mathematics and science for over 35 years. She is a recipient of various awards, including Radioshack/Tandy Prize for Teaching Excellence in Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science, NSTA Distinguished Science Teaching Award and citation, Education’s Unsung Heroes Award for innovation in the classroom, and NSTA Vernier Technology Award. Her research interests are in the areas of STEM education, educational technology, teacher education, curriculum development, and international comparative education. She authored/co-authored 22 books, 15 book chapters, and over 100 peer-reviewed papers and proceedings in these fields.

Speech Title: Bridging Theory and Practice: Integrating AI Literacy Across K-12 Curriculum

Abstract: In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way we teach, learn, and prepare the next generation for the challenges of the 21st century. The growing influence of AI in schools requires teachers to have essential knowledge and skills to integrate AI literacy into their curriculum. In recent years the majority of AI resources and curricula were developed for educators with prior programming experience. However, as AI-powered experiences and applications become an increasingly important part of everyday personal and professional life, being AI literate is now an important component of K-12 digital literacy for all teachers.
This presentation introduces a novel pedagogical framework for teaching AI literacy across K-12 curriculum. Moving beyond traditional, programming-centric approaches, this framework provides educators with practical, research-informed strategies for integrating AI literacy across grade bands and subject areas, fostering interdisciplinary connections. The framework is built upon three theoretical foundations: the Five Big Ideas in AI, which define core AI concepts; the human-centered design thinking process, which provides a structured methodology for teaching with AI; and the Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) framework, which ensures inclusivity and accessibility. This framework also provides a robust foundation for discussing the ethical and societal implications of AI, a critical area of ongoing educational research.
Through concrete examples of lessons that integrate core AI concepts into existing K-12 curriculum and preliminary findings from the pilot implementations with the preservice teachers in the US, Kazakhstan, and China, this lecture bridges the gap between theory and practice.

Prof. Rhona Sharpe

University of Oxford, UK

Bio: Rhona Sharpe is the Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of Oxford, UK, where she has brought together educational development and digital education services to provide a focus for academic development in teaching and learning. The Centre provides professional development and consultancy services around areas of strategic importance, currently assessment, digital education and academic skills development.
Rhona has a strong track record in online teaching, with over 15 years’ experience teaching with the UK Open University underpinned by an academic approach and a body of research and development projects. She has written, contributed to and co-edited publications and journal articles in the field of digital education and educational leadership.
Rhona is also an experienced transformation manager, having steered many projects throughout her career and has developed approaches which foreground student experiences and academic practices in order to lead to sustainable organisational change. Most recently she led the development of a Digital Education Strategy for the University of Oxford.

Speech Title: Developing Digital Capabilities in The Age of AI

Abstract: Digital literacy is recognised as an expected outcome of education, with national governments and global organisations recommending that opportunities to develop digital literacy are embedded into education at all levels. Often these recommendations are supported by definitions and/or frameworks of digital skills and capabilities. While it is valuable to specify the knowledge and skills needed to engage with digital tools, we also need to understand how learners become digital literate and how they develop the broader capability to use digital tools effectively and ethically in real-world contexts. The rapid availability of generative AI has led to new frameworks which focus on critical and responsible use of AI tools. Drawing on relevant research, this talk will explore developmental aspects of digital literacy, and consider how learners can be supported to develop the capabilities they will need to navigate a rapidly changing digital environment in the age of AI.

Dr. Xuefan Li

CEO of National e-School and City High School, Canada

Bio: Xuefan Li, CEO of National e-School and City High School in Canada, is from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on prompt engineering in education, immersive educational technologies, educational economics, and online education. He has demonstrated exceptional research capabilities, leading and contributing to several significant projects, including studies on international student policies during COVID-19, student loans and future returns, and developing an LSTM model for predicting education stock markets. His work has been featured at top conferences like the Tsinghua Education Forum, Fudan International Education Research Forum and the Asian Conference on Education (ACE). He also serves as a panel director at the Harvard Chinese Education Symposium and on the Organizing committee of the Joint Symposium between Harvard, EdUHK and Stanford in 2025.