Learning to Change/Changing to Learn: A Canadian Perspective Premieres at 21st Century Canadian EdTech Leadership Summit
The Pearson Foundation today announced the launch of Learning to Change/Changing to Learn: A Canadian Perspective, the first in a new series of films about opportunities for system-wide change in Canadian learning
Toronto – November 10, 2011 – The Pearson Foundation today announced the launch of Learning to Change/Changing to Learn: A Canadian Perspective, the first in a new series of films about opportunities for system-wide change in Canadian learning. The inaugural film features perspectives of key Canadian education leaders, each of whom discusses the role that new teaching and learning strategies can have in helping young people to develop the skills they need for college and career success in an increasingly global knowledge-based economy.
The film, which debuted in conjunction with the “Making IT Happen” 21st Century Canadian EdTech LeadershipSummitinToronto, features many of the nation’s key educators, writers, and government officials, including:
- Mike McKay, Superintendent and CEO,Surrey School District,BC
- Don Tapscott, Co-Author, Macrowikinomics
- Steve Cardwell, Superintendent,Vancouver School District,BC; President, BC Superintendents’ Association
- Karen Hume, Educator, Speaker, Author
- Naomi Johnson, Chief Superintendent,CalgaryBoard of Education
- John Kershaw, President, 21st Century Learning Associates
- Tom D’Amico, Superintendent of Student Success Department,OttawaCatholicSchoolBoard
- Bill Hogarth, President – Corporate Development and Planning, Education Research & Development Corporation
- Chris Kennedy, Superintendent of Schools,West VancouverSchool District
- Ron Canuel, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Education Association
- Bill Muirhead, Associate Provost Academic,UniversityofOntarioInstituteofTechnology
These individuals underscore the value for students in developing skills including new types of creativity, teamwork, and problem solving alongside the traditional core curriculum. To meet the challenges, they urge a concerted effort by teachers, administrators, government officials, parents, and students to rethink models for learning and develop new approaches for learning inside and outside the classroom.
This overview is the first of four films the Pearson Foundation will produce to support the movement for innovation in Canadian education. Future installments will focus on the roles that education leaders, teachers, and students can each play in helping to transform learning.
“This film provides a great starting point for discussion on the need for 21st century learning, especially because it reflects the opinions of the educational community at large,” said Ron Weston, chief superintendent of the St. James-Assiniboia School Division, Winnipeg. “It will be a great Canadian resource that reflects some of the most current and relevant thinking for those seeking to improve student learning.”
“We look forward to developing – and to presenting – the other films in this series, and to taking part in the growing dialogue about the exact skills young people need to succeed, no matter where they are in the world,” said Pearson Foundation President and CEO Mark Nieker. “We hope these films help the educational community move from dialogue to action, and that they become part of the already remarkable system-wide change and innovation taking place in schools and classrooms acrossCanada.”
Learning to Change/Changing to Learn: A Canadian Perspective can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wwgSF6tm-c&feature=relmfu.
About the Pearson Foundation
The Pearson Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, extends Pearson’s commitment to education by partnering with leading nonprofit, civic, and business organizations to provide financial, organizational, and publishing assistance across the globe. The foundation aims to make a difference by sponsoring innovative educational programs and extending its educational expertise to help in classrooms and in local communities. More information on the Pearson Foundation can be found at www.pearsonfoundation.org.
Media contact:
Stacey Finkel, Pearson Foundation
Stacey.finkel@pearsonfoundation.org, 703.304.1377
Tagged Education, film, learning to change/changing to learn, Pearson Foundation, Toronto
