Michael Geist, Canada research chair in internet and e-commerce law at the University of Ottawa, will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural Kawartha Teaching and Technology Conference on Friday, February 23rd at Trent University.
The free conference, with the theme “Thriving in My Cyberspace”, takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Peter Gzowski College (2510 Pioneer Road, Peterborough). The conference is open to all educators, faculty, students, administrative staff members, and IT professionals working in the Kawarthas.
Geist, who holds a Doctor of Law degree from Columbia Law School, is Canada’s foremost expert on new technology and its legal ramifications. His weekly columns have appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Toronto Star, and the Ottawa Citizen. He received widespread public attention from mainstream and citizen media in the winter of 2007 for leading the public response to proposed Canadian copyright changes.
Geist will speak with attendees about the threats and opportunities with emerging Canadian digital policies.
Following his keynote address, the day will include sessions and roundtable discussions on numerous topics surrounding digital technology in education, as well as a panel discussion to end the day on the future of technology in teaching and learning.
Expert panelists include: Alfonso Licata, president and CEO of the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network; Dr. Beverly King, assistant dean, Teaching and Learning, Queen’s University-Faculty of Arts and Science, and Alana Callan, learning technology specialist, Learning Support Services Team at Fleming College.
The conference will touch on topics such as how to use blockchain in higher education, accessible document creation for the web, using virtual reality in the classroom, and more. All topics discussed will fall under three different streams: increasing cyberspace and security awareness, enhancing teaching and learning through IT, and making life easier with IT.
The conference has been organized by Trent IT, the Centre for Teaching and Learning, and Trent Online.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for educators and IT professionals from the Kawarthas to network, share ideas, and discover solutions to today’s teaching and technology challenges together,” says Tariq Al-idrissi associate vice-president of IT at Trent University.
“This conference promises to be the spark that will ignite the teaching and technology talent that we have in the Kawarthas.”
To learn more about the upcoming conference and to register, visit trentu.ca/ktt/. Registration is open until 12 p.m. on Thursday, February 22nd.
