Future Fwd - Warwick, UK
AI, TECH & GAMING
There are perhaps no topics that are more associated with the future of education than artificial intelligence, tech and gaming.
However, with the use of AI particularly making waves across mainstream media, the circulation of misinformation means many people are confused on how AI, Tech and Gaming should be integrated within the context of education – or if it should even be integrated at all. As such, it is vital true thought leaders on the subject share their thoughts on how we can correctly integrate AI to effectively harness the plethora of opportunities that it can provide for young people in an educational setting.
At last year’s conference, there was much optimism about the potential of AI in education to strengthen, support and re-affirm the key human qualities inherent in the best education, rather than to eliminate them. There were very few fears of a ‘takeover’ of education by AI – rather, delegates felt that AI has the capacity to free up teachers for more creative ways of engaging with their students, and strengthen an enhance best practices to enable the human input of teachers.
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This year, we welcome back a host of industry experts who, with their finger on the pulse of the fast-moving topics of AI, tech, and gaming, will be sharing their thoughts on the most up to date and effective ways to implement them within our education.
This year’s stream includes talks on topics such as:
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‘AI, Art & Inclusive Education – Making an Impact’
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‘From Edtech to PedTech: The Impact of a Pedagogy-First Mindset’
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‘Looking Back to the Future of AI and Learning: Using Lessons from past technological change to explore the potential for AI in the learning environment’
This year’s returning stream lead, Jenny Parkinson-Mills, notes that ‘the rate at which generative AI is developing and evolving makes it very difficult for schools to take both a measured and an innovative approach’. If you want to know how you can do exactly that in your sphere of influence, you won’t want to miss this stream.
Jenny
​​​Parkinson‑Mills
Director of Digitally Enabled Learning
Jenny is the Director of Digitally Enabled Learning at Warwick Schools Foundation, developing the use of digital technologies across the five schools within the Foundation in order to improve the learning outcomes for students of all ages from 3-18.
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Jenny leads both technology and pedagogy teams that have supported the successful integration and adoption of Microsoft 365 tools across the Foundation and the development of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programmes at two of the schools. One of the key strategic aims that the Foundation is currently pursuing is how best to safely and effectively harness the opportunities that AI can bring to education.
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As a teacher, Jenny understands the rewards of using IT in teaching and learning alongside more traditional pedagogical approaches, but she also understands the challenges it can bring. A significant element to her role is therefore supporting and encouraging schools and staff to make the most of the digital opportunities – to have the confidence to be innovative in their work and to share their experiences, whatever their starting point may be.
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There are many opportunities that AI can bring to education, and it will be difficult to balance both a measured and innovative approach when the tools are developing at such a rate and the final destination is unknown. But if we can show the courage and curiosity to harness AI, we work together to build the future that we want to see in education and this conference is a superb opportunity to continue that collaboration.
Andrew Flowerdew
Technology Strategist, L.E.A.D. IT Services
Andrew taught for twenty years and then went to be part of the team running a city of over 100+ schools. Since then, he has worked with a number of individual schools, school groups, universities and EdTech companies on a variety of projects. Andrew is currently Technology Strategist and Innovation Lead for L.E.A.D. IT Services, the IT arm of L.E.A.D. Academy Trust, supporting over 200 schools.
DR. Fiona Aubrey-Smith
Founder of PedTech, Consultant Researcher, Author, Director
Co-author of the best selling book From EdTech to PedTech: Changing the way we think about digital technology, Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith is an award-winning teacher, leader and academic with a passion for supporting those who work with children and young people.
As Founder of PedTech and Director of One Life Learning, Fiona works closely with schools and trusts, professional learning providers and EdTech companies. She is also an Associate Lecturer and Consultant Researcher at a number of universities and sits on the board of a number of multi academy and charitable trusts.
Fiona was a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, and has been awarded Fellowships by RSA, NAACE and the HEA. She was awarded the TPEA Research & Development Award in 2021 and in 2022 was named by Education Business as one of the 50 most influential people in education. In 2023, Fiona was granted Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Educators, City of London, and in 2024 was named one of the Top 5 Visionary Women in Education by The Knowledge Review.
Lucy Gill-Simmen
Vice Dean, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr. Lucy Gill-Simmen is Vice Dean of Education and Student Experience and a Senior Lecturer in Marketing in the School of Business and Management at Royal Holloway, University of London.
She has a passion for management education and seeks to provide the best and most equal education experience for all students. She holds both a MBA and a Ph.D. in Marketing from Imperial College Business School, London.
Her pedagogic research interests lie in the development of human skills amongst students, devising inclusive feedback and assessment strategies, and values-based pedagogies for educating the 'whole' individual.
She has published her work in pedagogy in a number of academic journals, and most recently published her case research in the world’s leading journal for case research; Case Research Journal.
She is the Chair for the Academy of Marketing, Marketing Education Special Interest Group. In 2022, she was awarded the Global Women in Marketing Award for her role as a marketing educator.
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I’m really looking forward to speaking at Future Fwd 2024, it’s always such a great, inspiring and uplifting conference. So many opportunities to hear such a multitude of voices from across the sector and to network with those whom you never get to see!
Rupert Wegerif
Professor of Education
Faculty of Education & Hughes Hall
University of Cambridge
Rupert Wegerif is a Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Hughes Hall, Cambridge.
He is the director of the Digital Education Futures Initiative at Hughes Hall. His research focus is on developing a new theory and practice of education for the Internet age: using technology to teach through dialogue and also to teach for dialogue.
He has led many funded research projects exploring the potential of education technology and authored several books including: Dialogic: Education for the Internet Age.
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‘Future Fwd is an opportunity for me to participate in thinking together with experts about how to design the future of education’