CoSN today revealed the official program and speaker lineup for the 2019 Global Symposium, scheduled for April 1 in Portland, OR. Themed “Learning 2030: Preparing Students for the 4th Industrial Revolution,” the Global Symposium will convene school system professionals, leading thinkers and government officials to examine how education systems can prepare students in a digital world.
 
The Global Symposium is sponsored by HP and ClassLink, with partnering support from the Asia Society Policy Institute, ISTE and the Smithsonian Institution.
 
Opening speakers of the international event will be:
 
  • Olli-Pekka Heinonen, General Director, Finnish National Agency for Education; and
  • Camille Logan, Superintendent of Education, Student Achievement, School Operations, CEC East, York Region District School Board.
Closing speakers include:
 
  • Linda Darling Hammond, President, Learning Policy Institute; and Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus, Stanford University; and
  • Anthony Mackay, Chair, Australian Council for Educational Research; Deputy Chancellor, Swinburne University; and Deputy Chair, New Zealand Education Council.
“The Global Symposium will encourage school district leaders to join other education thought partners in exploring the changes needed to support students in this digital age so that they are poised for lifelong learning and future success,” said Dr. Valerie Truesdale, co-chair of the 2019 Conference and Assistant Executive Director of Leadership Development at AASA, The School Superintendents Association. “We look forward to engaging discussions during CoSN’s dynamic Annual Conference that will lead into deeper insights for participants as they lead in a time of exponential change.”
 
Following the Global Symposium, CoSN’s Annual Conference will officially kick off in the afternoon of April 1. This year’s focus, Envision 2030: Leadership for Learning, will highlight what school leaders can do to ensure today’s young students and kindergarteners – the high school graduation class of 2030 – are ready for the future.
 
The Opening General Session will “Envision the Skills Students Need: 2030,” featuring a discussion with:
 
  • Yong Zhao, Foundation Distinguished Professor, University of Kansas School of Education;
  • Karen Cator, President and CEO, Digital Promise; and
  • Melissa P. Dodd, Chief Technology Officer, San Francisco (CA) Unified School District (session moderator).
The Closing General Session will look at “Using Design Thinking to Reimagine Learning” with another innovative cast of global experts for an engaging conversation:
 
  • Richard Culatta, CEO, International Society for Technology in Education;
  • Fabian Bartos, student and winner of Thirty Under 30 award;
  • Randall Fielding, Thought Leader and Chairman, Fielding Nair International; and
  • Chip Kimball, Superintendent, Singapore American School (session moderator).
The Conference will also include an @InnovationCentral expo, as well as scores of workshops, conversations and networking opportunities. Follow CoSN on Twitter and check out #CoSN2019 to stay up with the latest conference announcements. You can also learn more at CoSNConference.org.
 
CoSN would like to thank the 2019 Conference sponsors for their generous support. The full list of sponsors is available at: cosn.org/cosn2023/sponsors-and-exhibitors.
 
Media are invited to attend the conference at no cost. To register, please contact Michael Kaplun at mkaplun@fratelli.com.
 
About CoSN 
CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education. cosn.org