Dr. Damian Bebell, Assistant Research Professor at the Boston College Lynch School of Education, has pursued a generation of research and evaluation projects at the Center for Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy for the past decade. Dr. Bebell is founding member and senior research associate at the Technology and Assessment Study Collaborative (inTASC) and has led rigorous empirical examinations on the measurable effects of educational technology on teacher practices and student learning (www.intasc.org). Dr. Bebell recently published a collection of 1:1 laptop research articles in a January 2010 special edition of the Journal of Technology, Learning and Assessment (www.jtla.org).
For more than 25 years, Miguel Brechner Frey has been involved in the search for new technologies and how they can be implemented. In March, 2005, he was designated President of LATU (Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay) a government institution dedicated to drive the sustainable growth of the country as well as its international presence through innovation and the transfer of knowledge. Upon hearing Nicholas Negroponte speak about the OLPC program, Brechner suggested to Uruguay’s President, Tabare Vazquez, that they implement this idea in Uruguay. As a result, the President announced Plan Ceibal in December, 2006, emphasizing social inclusion, education and technology implementation. LATU was designated to implement CEIBAL and between November, 2007, and October, 2009, all children and teachers in public schools received an XO computer with school internet connection. In January, 2010, Brechner was appointed President of CITS (Centro para la Inclusion Tecnologica y Social) an institution created for implementing education and social programs to support children and youth in public education
Prior to joining LATU, Brechner was responsible for the introduction of DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation), and later Compaq, Acer and Newbridge in Uruguay. He is also a board member of the Agency of Research and Innovation, as well as founding member of Centro de Estudios Estrategicos 1815 created by Gral Liber Seregni. He has done community work in parallel with his professional activities. He holds an MSc degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Imperial College, London, UK.
From 1999 to April, 2010, Ronald Canuel was Director General of the Eastern Townships School Board. He was the principal architect of the first Canadian district-wide 1 to 1 wireless laptop computer initiative for students/teachers, entitled the Enhanced Learning Strategy, focusing on literacy, numeracy and dropout prevention, which is now in its seventh year. He is the creator of a new professional development model for educators, entitled START (Schools-Targets-Achievement-Results Team) that significantly and positively impacted teaching/learning approaches in schools.
Ron also lead the development of several innovative partnerships, including a joint partnership between ETSB and Uruguay, to support that country’s massive implementation (over 430,000 laptops) of technology and change in the classroom. ETSB has served as expert consultant in the design of professional development for educators. He initiated and designed an agreement with the internationally renowned organization, Cirque du Soleil, to provide innovative educational services to their employees’ children and minor aged artists, using a Blended Learning model of instruction. Ron is an Invited speaker on Leadership, Change and Technology in Education throughout North and South America, Asia and Europe.
Karen Cator
Karen Cator is the Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education. She has devoted her career to creating the best possible learning environments for this generation of students. Prior to joining the department, Cator directed Apple’s leadership and advocacy efforts in education. In this role, she focused on the intersection of education policy and research, emerging technologies, and the reality faced by teachers, students and administrators.
Cator joined Apple in 1997 from the public education sector, most recently leading technology planning and implementation in Juneau, Alaska. She also served as Special Assistant for Telecommunications for the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska. Cator holds a Masters in school administration from the University of Oregon and Bachelors in early childhood education from Springfield College. She is the past chair of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and has served on the several boards including the Software & Information Industry Association—Education.
Dr. Eduardo Chaves has been a partner and CEO of MindWare — EduTec.Net since 1997. At MindWare, a consulting firm in the area of education, technology and innovation located in São Paulo, Brazil, his work mainly deals with the impact of technology on learning and education. Dr. Chaves is also presently a Fellow, consultant and resource person at Education Impact (a consulting organization headquartered in London, UK, that works closely with governments) where he works in the areas of Envisioning and Strategizing, Innovation, Change Management, Curriculum-Methodology-Assessment, and the Role of Technology in Learning. In addition to these posts, he is a part-time Professor of Philosophy and Education at Salesian University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil where he teaches in the Graduate Program in Education.
Dr. Chaves is currently on the Advisory Board and Steering Committee of several foundations and social programs in Brazil, such as the Lumiar Institute, the Crescer Institute and the EducaRede Program – the latter, a global program of the Telefónica Foundation. He is also a member of the International Advisory Board of Microsoft’s Partners in Learning, a position he has held since the launching of the program and the creation of the Advisory Board in 2003. Previously, Eduardo Chaves was active in academia, government, social endeavors and private companies. He was Professor of Philosophy, in the area of Philosophy of Education and Political Philosophy, at the University of Campinas, Brazil, from 1974-2006, where he was Dean of the School of Education; Graduate Dean in the area of Education; and Administrative Vice-Provost for the entire University. After his retirement from the University of Campinas, he was the President of the Lumiar Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, an NGO dedicated to conducting research in the area of education (curriculum, methodology and evaluation) and applying this research within schools.
Bruce Dixon is the Director of ideasLAB and President of the Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation. With a background as a teacher, principal, educational software developer, college lecturer and consultant, Dixon has developed a unique niche in developing strategies for educational leaders and policy makers around the effective use of emerging technologies. Through Computelec, the company he co-founded, his work throughout the late 80s and 90s led the development of 1 to 1 initiatives across Australia. Computelec is now acknowledged as a world-leader in 1 to 1 partnering and support of schools. In 1996, he took the 1 to 1 concept to the United States, Canada and the UK, before co-founding the not-for-profit Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation, which provides thought leadership and resources to policy makers and educational leaders in the effective implementation of 1-to-1 initiatives worldwide.
In 1997, Dixon received an award from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC for his work pioneering 1 to 1, and in 2006 he was named as one of ’20 People to Watch’ by the National School Boards Association of America. He consults to schools, school districts, education departments, ministries of education and corporations in the US, Australia, Canada, Europe, Asia and New Zealand, and regularly speaks at national and international conferences around the world.
Angus King
Angus S. King Jr. has served as Distinguished Lecturer at Bowdoin College, Maine, since January 2004. In addition to teaching the class “Leaders and Leadership,” he has participated in lectures and discussions hosted by various campus groups, offering students insight into the worlds of public service and politics.
Governor King served two four-year terms as Maine’s 71st governor. He took office in 1995 as the only independent governor in the country. His 1998 reelection was one of the largest margins of victory in Maine’s history. He left office in January 2003. During his term as Maine governor he focused on economic development and job creation, education, mental health services, corrections, land conservation and environmental protection, and improvements in service delivery by state government. Governor King’s administration accomplished a total rebuild of the state’s mental health and corrections systems, major improvements in the state’s service capability, a substantial increase in the state’s commitment to research and development, the largest increase of lands in conservation in the state’s history, and the nationally recognized program to provide laptop computers to every seventh and eight grade student in the state.
Governor King graduated from Dartmouth College in 1966 and earned a law degree at the University of Virginia Law School in 1969. He began his career as a staff attorney for Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Skowhegan. In 1972 he became chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics in the office of then-Senator William D. Hathaway. In 1975 he returned to Maine to practice law and in the same year he began his almost 20-year stint as host of the television show “Maine Watch” on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. He recently served as Visiting Fellow, Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
Don Knezek, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®), is recognized internationally for his leadership in transforming learning through effective and innovative uses of technology. He has led innovation in the classroom, from the district and state department of education perspectives, and through large multi-state projects. Dr. Knezek has recently served as Director of The National Center for Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (NCPT3) and Co-Director for the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) Project – both important ISTE initiatives.
Don is committed to universal education and is a tireless advocate for professional development in context and to 24/7 student access to quality digital learning environments. He is providing consulting services to ministries of education around the world sharing his valued expertise in preparing education leaders and teachers to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Ernesto worked for over ten years on the Chilean Programme for ICT in primary and secondary school education (Enlaces Network), where he was involved in organizational, technological and pedagogical design. He was responsible for the design of the National Programme for ICT in Rural Schools and a Senior Consultant in the design of the Chilean strategy for Literacy and Numeracy. Currently he is involved in educational initiatives with a focus on poor, low achieving schools. He is member of the advisory board of Microsoft Innovative Schools Program, and fellow of Education Impact.
Bette Manchester is executive director of the Maine International Center for Digital Learning (MICDL), a nonprofit center that supports the equity and access of one-to-one computing as it supports 21st century learning. Prior to joining MICDL, Bette was the Director of Special Projects at the Maine Department of Education. For seven years, she led the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, the one-to-one laptop project for all Maine students in grades 7-8 and 31 high schools and all educators for grades 7-12. Her responsibility for strategic design and implementation of the MLTI included oversight and strategic planning for all educational technology programs within the Department of Education. Bette was a building principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels and director of special education.
Her work as an educator has been noted by the Milken Educaton Award (1991), National Distinguished Principal of the Year, Principal-National School of Excellence, Maine State Librarians Award, Dr. Inabeth Miller Education Technology Award and the Friday Award for Innovation in Education.
Jeff Mao is the Learning Technology Policy Director for the State of Maine, Department of Education. He provides vision and oversight to Maine’s education technology programs, including the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). Mao has been an invited speaker at numerous conferences throughout the United States as well as in Korea, China and Australia. He has testified in support of education technology to the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and has published articles in the One-to-One Institute Newsletter, T.H.E. Journal, and online for MacWorld.com. Mao is Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for the State Educational Technology Directors’ Association.
Mao began his career in the classroom at Brewster Academy where he helped develop its pioneering 1:1 program in 1993. He later held a technology director position in one of Maine’s larger school districts, and subsequently joined the Maine Department of Education.
Prof. Mitra works in the areas of Cognitive Science, Information Science and Educational Technology. He has been working on these areas as well as on Physics and Energy for more than 30 years. His contributions include a number of inventions and first-time applications. Among other applications, he is credited with having started the database publishing industry (particularly the Yellow Page industry) in India and Bangladesh, as well as having implemented the first applications of digital multimedia and Internet based education in India in the late 1980s. His experiments (often referred to as “The Hole In The Wall” experiments) with children and the Internet have been reported worldwide since 1999.
One of the best known of his work is Mitra’s discovery that the Internet, computers and children are literally “made for each other,” with cognitive processes so similar that children need little or no instruction to master computing at the basic level. Mitra is building on this discovery through the design of hardware and software that enable children to reach the intermediate to expert level entirely on their own. His current research is leading towards an alternative primary education using self organized learning, mediation and assessment environments. His work, which started in developing and deprived areas has, interestingly, produced pointers to how schooling can be improved anywhere. His method is currently (2010) being tried in schools in England, Italy and the USA.
The global consequences of Mitra’s discovery for closing the digital divide have resulted in many international awards and other honors. His work inspired the book ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ that went on to become the Oscar winning film of 1999. He holds a Ph.D. in theoretical Solid State Physics and is currently Professor of Educational Technology at Newcastle University, UK.
Dr. Mike Muir likes to create schools to motivate kids. He is VP for Learning Strategy at The Citadel Group, an organization that has successfully created such schools, including Maine’s statewide virtual project-based program for at-risk & dropout youth. He has worked with educators across the country to implement effective programs to motivate underachievers, especially making extensive use of technology as a tool for learning. He is best known for his work with Maine’s learning with laptop initiative and for his research which led to “The 9 Essential Elements for Meaningful Engaged Learning,” a model for motivating and engaging all students that has been identified by the Louisiana Department of Education as an approved school improvement model. Mike is also faculty at the University of Maine Farmington, and Director of the Maine Center for Meaningful Engaged Learning.
Linda G. Roberts directed the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology from its inception in September 1993 to January 2001, and served as the Secretary of Education’s Senior Adviser on Technology. While Project Director and Senior Associate at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, Roberts led three landmark technology studies: Power On! New Tools for Teaching and Learning; Linking for Learning: A New Course for Education; and Adult Literacy and Technology: Tools for a Lifetime. Roberts advises technology companies, as well as foundations and government agencies. She is a Trustee of the Sesame Workshop and the Education Development Center and is a Board Director of Wireless Generation. She serves on the Steering Committee for the NAEP Tech Literacy assessment, is a Senior Adviser to the SRI International Team developing a new National Ed Tech Plan for the Obama Administration, and is a member of the PCAST STEM Education Working Group. Roberts is a former elementary classroom and reading teacher and reading coordinator, as well as University Professor and Academic Dean.
Richard Rowe is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Open Learning Exchange (www.ole.org), a social benefit organization [501(c)3] founded in 2007, committed to assisting governments in the economically less-developed parts of the world achieve Universal Basic Education by 2015.
Dr. Rowe received his Ph.D. from Columbia University in clinical psychology in 1963. In the1970’s he served as Associate Dean of the Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, as Director of the university’s interfaculty Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology and Public Practice and chair of the Center for Studies in Education and Development. He has conducted research concerning methods for assessing social interventions in the developing world and has long been an advocate for early childhood education. He has served as Chair of the Statewide Advisory Committee of the Massachusetts Office for Children, as a member of the Massachusetts State Board of Education where he served both as Chair of the Selection committee for the Commissioner of Education and of the Education Reform Review Committee. He also served as Chair of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education.
In the early 1960’s, for three years, he lived in Nigeria and served as Director of the Test Development and Research Office of the West African Examinations Council, providing the elementary and secondary educational achievement tests for all of English-speaking West Africa. After seven years at Harvard he became CEO of The Faxon Company, which he grew nearly ten fold to become a $500 million company, serving publishers and libraries throughout the world. He later founded RoweCom, Inc., an Internet version of that service, which he took public in 1999.
Dr. Rowe has focused on domestic and global policy issues related to education and services for children, families and strong communities as well as on public policy and technical issues concerning intellectual property. The author of numerous articles and frequent speaker on the impact of digitization and global communication networks upon society, he is often asked by both for-profit and social-benefit organizations to assist in long-range planning, meeting facilitation and mediation.
As the Director of Learning for Latinoamerica at OLPC, Claudia Urrea is in charge of designing, developing, and implementing a learning vision for the region. She also collaborates with all One Laptop per Child (OLPC) learning teams and local coordinators in countries around the world to provide a solid learning development program. Claudia Urrea was born in Colombia, where she received an undergraduate degree in Computer Science from EAFIT University. In the mid 90s, she moved to the US, where she received her Master’s degree in Educational Media and Technology from Boston University, and her doctorate degree from the MIT Media Laboratory. Her PhD thesis studied the implications of one to one learning in a rural setting in Latinoamerica. She helps empower and support schools and communities of learners to evolve from traditional teaching methods and material into progressive learning environments using state of the art technologies developed at MIT-Media Lab.
Dr. Urrea holds a visiting research position with the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, and teaches an Anthropology class at the Harvard Summer Program. She has consulted with ministries of education (Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Haiti) and organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank, and SEED-Schlumberger to rethink learning.
The Big Ideas Global Summit 2011 