5th iNet International Conference, 26 28 November 2008

Essential questions for schools and communities

29 April - 1 May, Melbourne

The starting point for this conference was the publication 'Essential questions for the future school'. The conference sought to explore the questions further, and stimulate delegates to find answers to some of the most challenging questions in education. 

Professor Yong Zhao from Michigan State University set the agenda with two keynote presentations. He examined how we prepare today's students to be global citizens, and whether or not education reforms that are being made are effective.

The event will also featured a wide selection of seminars led by educationalists, teachers and other speakers from Australia and the wider world.

• Read an event report from a New Zealand delegate.
• Read about Professor Zhao's Global village concept

Interviews from the event

Henry Grossek, Principal of Berwick Lodge Primary School, interviewed a number of speakers and guests at the 2007 iNet Australia conference.

• Introduction
• Professor Yong Zhao, Michigan State University
  Rethinking education for the globalised world
• Karen Cain, Assistant Regional Director, Gippsland Region, Victoria
  Indigenous education, moving away from top-down education systems and the RATL Australia programme
• Mandy Dunn, Headteacher, Kew East Primary School, Melbourne
  Benefits of networking, and preparing staff for the impact of the virtual world
• Steve Gallaher, Headteacher, Foxhills Technology College, UK
  Curriculum reform, and developing staff to deliver it successfully
• Mike Goodfellow, Head of Community Development, SSAT
  Why schools should engage with their community to raise standards
• Richard Hunter, Head of Family of Schools, SSAT
  Creating effective schools by involving people in development planning
• Jeremy Kedian, Manager, Education and Leadership Centre, University of Waikato, New Zealand
  Inspiring and training the principals of tomorrow
• Mark Savage, Senior School Head, John Paul College, Queensland
  Rethinking assessment, and setting up a school network in Queensland
• Greg Whitby, Executive Director, Catholic Education Office, Parramatta, NSW
  Making schools more relevant to the world our students live in
• Jane Houghton, iNet design consultant, and former pharmaceuticals researcher
  The difficulty of engaging students in science education