The Advanced Broadband Enabled Learning (ABEL) program at York University will host its third annual Leadership Summit on Friday, Feb. 10. This year’s theme is “Leadership to Engage Change and Achieve New Learning Cultures”.

The summit will bring together education leaders (administrators, superintendents, principals, deans, faculty, teacher-leaders), private and not-for-profit sector leaders for a dialogue and discussion about involving people in the change necessary to achieve new learning cultures that are supported by the effective use of technology.

The one-day summit consists of two sessions in the morning ("Exploring the Leadership Required for New Learning Cultures – A Personal Experience" and "Learning and Leading: A Practical Approach to Engage Change"). Delegates will split into break-out groups in the afternoon to discuss Leading a New Learning Culture – Becoming a Narrative Champion. 

"This summit is a great leadership learning opportunity for York employees involved in the Academic Innovation Fund (AIF) projects that began earlier this academic year," noted Janet Murphy, ABEL program director. The AIF initiative provides support to faculty in order to advance innovation and change at York in the areas of teaching, learning and the student experience.

"This innovation and change on campus perfectly complements the topics that will be discussed at the summit," said Murphy.

Speakers and facilitators for the summit include: Dean Shareski, a digital learning consultant for Prairie South School Division in Saskatchewan; Alec Couros, a professor of educational technology and media and the coordinator of information and communications technology at the Faculty of Education, University of Regina; and George Couros, the division principal of innovative teaching & learning for Parkland School Division in Alberta.

Right: Dean Shareski

In addition to the face-to-face event in February, delegates are also invited to participate in two virtual learning sessions happening in the spring – “Understanding the New Learning Culture and Learner Footprint” and “Celebrating and Planning the Way Forward”.

Left: George Couros

These virtual sessions will be easy to join, and details on how to participate will be provided the day of the summit. The virtual sessions will be hosted by the speakers and facilitators from Feb. 10. Descriptions of the virtual sessions are as follows:

Understanding the New Learning Culture and Learner Footprint 

This session will explore the specifics of citizenship in a digital context. Rather than focusing upon prevention, participants will develop ideas to create and contribute to purposeful, engaged citizenship while learning online. These ideas will be explored and shared within the context of digital literacy, job-embedded learning, and engagement with parents, family and community.

Right: Alec Couros    

Celebrating and Planning the Way Forward  

This session will provide delegates with an opportunity for “show and tell”, sharing their successes and challenges in implementing new learning cultures. This session is about reflecting upon your own professional growth and learning from fellow participants’ strategies that engaged systems in change and learning more about the road ahead.

To learn more or to register you and/or your team, please visit the ABEL Leadership Summit website.

As part of the Professional Learning Program, ABEL offers two face-to-face conferences every year – the Leadership Summit in the winter and the ABEL Summer Institute.

Look for information about the ABEL Summer Institute here.

Republished courtesy of YFile– York University’s daily e-bulletin.