Join Us in “Co-Creating the Future” at TESS 2021

Our annual TESS (Technology and Education Seminar and Showcase) conference is right around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome you. You will have access to an incredible array of keynote presentations, hands-on workshops and our virtual showcase space where you can check out some of the Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) projects.

This year we have invited leaders to speak on the topics of Learner Voice, Hybrid Futures, Decolonization, Community, Belonging, Inclusion and Anti-Racism.

This year’s theme of Co-Creating the Future has been inspired by learnings from the pandemic and what a hybrid future could look like. TESS will be held online in flexible half day sessions on November 15-16 and 18-19. This year’s sessions are organized into topics that focus on what we can do collectively to evolve. We are excited to host these leaders and change makers who will share their knowledge and insights.

Reserve your spot and register here!

Learner Voice

Building on the success of last year’s Learner Panel, eCampusOntario has invited these Learners back to provide their perspective “one year later”. Facilitated by eCampusOntario’s Chris Fernlund, Student Support Manager, the focus will be on understanding their needs and creating space for learner-led conversations across our other themes: community and belonging, decolonization, and hybrid futures.

Community, Belonging, Inclusion & Anti-Racism

Keynote speaker Dr. Andrew B. Campbell brings over 25 years in the field of education. Dr. Andrew B. Campbell’s research and teaching focuses on issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, cultural competency, education leadership, 2SLGBTQ+ issues, and teacher performance evaluation. He will be exploring conceptions of membership and ownership in learning communities and how we can develop practical strategies for building belonging in hybrid and online environments.

Hybrid Futures

Keynote speaker Dr. Valerie Irvine has dedicated her career to Educational Technology with a focus on distributed and connected learning, technology adoption theory, openness and access to education. She brings this lens to her discussion of the future of Ontario postsecondary education. What are the features of a digitally-enabled hybrid future that prioritizes flexibility, access, and the social wellbeing of our learners? And what does it take to achieve that vision?

Decolonization

Colter Assiniwai is an Anishinaabe from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and a member of Couchiching First Nation. He graduated from Algoma University’s History program where he studied the long-lasting effects and origins of colonialism. Drawing on the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Colter will discuss a path forward for postsecondary education in Ontario that honours Indigenous peoples, protects Indigenous knowledge and engages in cultural dialogue and exchange.

VLS Showcase

There is a virtual showcase space in the TESS 2021 event platform where you can connect with your colleagues and view projects from the Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) on the topics of Hybrid Futures, Decolonization, Community, Belonging, Inclusion and Anti-Racism.

Reserve your spot and register here!