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.

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.