Special Panel - Emerging Technologies in Education: Shaping Potential, Managing Pitfalls

From artificial intelligence and virtual reality to adaptive learning systems, rapid technological advancements promise to unlock boundless educational potentials. However, significant challenges such as digital equity, privacy concerns, information overload, and the need for critical digital literacy must be addressed. This special plenary session features a panel of various stakeholders (practitioners and researchers), each discussing these issues from their area of expertise. Each panelist will provide insights, from their perspective, on the important opportunities and challenges arising from the question of how new technologies can/should redefine the education landscape. We expect a lively and provocative discussion that will enrich us as we prepare for the next advancements in teaching and learning.

Panelists:

TERESA HERNÁNDEZ GONZÁLEZ

Dr. Teresa Hernández González is an accomplished educator with a background spanning over three decades in various educational domains such as ESL pedagogy, critical pedagogy, assessment for learning, and gamification. Currently serving as the TESL Program Director at Concordia University, her dedication extends to mentoring both pre-service and in-service teachers. In her recent research, Dr. Hernández González explores the potential of technologies, specifically virtual reality, to support reflective practice in teacher education.

MARCO LUNA BARAHONA

Montreal-based, Marco Luna, filmmaker, cinema instructor, and researcher, holds a master’s degree in fine arts from Concordia University. Faculty member at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, he instructs on montage, filmmaking, and interactive documentary VR cinema. Marco also contributes to conferences, exploring themes like immersive technology and social documentary filmmaking. Currently, he serves as a Technologist at Milieux, Immersive Reality Lab, showcasing his commitment to blending traditional filmmaking with cutting-edge technologies in diverse filmography.

KORAH WILEY

Dr. Korah Wiley is a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) educator and researcher with 15+ years of experience at the classroom, school, system, and state levels, she is an expert in design-based research methodologies; curriculum and instruction; online-learning; professional development; and strategic planning. As a learning scientist, she is committed to equity and social justice. Korah is a passionate innovator with a long history of working collaboratively developing and researching student-centered and challenge-based educational experiences.

JOEL P. WIEBE

A PhD candidate at OISE, University of Toronto who combines his expertise in computer science with his passion for the learning sciences. Holding a BSc in Computer Science and an MA in Knowledge Building, his PhD contributes to the field of learning community research, designing innovative software solutions to foster social and collaborative learning. His research interests span co-regulation, adaptable (collaboration) scripts, and adaptive learning systems. Currently, he investigates AI for detecting students’ knowledge integration and adding pedagogical intelligence to AI content generation and adaptation.

JOEL TRUDEAU

Since 2004 Joel Trudeau has taught in the Physics Department at Dawson College. He is project co-lead of the DawsonAI Artificial Intelligence initiative and founder of SPACE, an interdisciplinary student enrichment para-academic project. His work in education lies in the intersection of sciences, arts and technology, fostering an integrative approach to teaching and learning. Joel has led and collaborated on numerous research projects, primarily focusing on design-based, active, and experiential learning. With his collaborators he is committed to helping students develop vital skills to thrive in the AI era.

Moderators: 

PREETI RAMAN

Dr. Preeti Raman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Faculty of Science at the Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. She is a Computer Scientist with more than 20 years of consulting and training experience in higher education, corporate and consulting settings. Her work is situated in the fields of Affect Studies, Human Computer Interaction, the Learning Sciences and AI in Education. She is the Director of the CIRCLE lab and an Affiliate at the MIT Teaching Systems Lab. Her experiences in the design and research of computational innovations, educational experiences and technologies to support caring pedagogies across a range of settings will help inform this panel discussion.

REMI ARORA

Remi Arora is the Manager for the Lab for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (LITL) at Concordia University.  Remi has been active in Higher Education, the event logistics and technology industry, as well as the creative fields. He brings his diverse background and his passion for exploring innovation and the intersection of education and creativity to his role as Project Manager for LITL projects.