Dan Bowen, K12 CTO, Microsoft

Curiosity in the age of AI -Keynote

In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, curiosity remains our most powerful human trait. This keynote explores how curiosity fuels innovation, drives ethical decision-making, and empowers lifelong learning in an AI-driven era.

Dan will unpack the evolving relationship between human curiosity and machine intelligence—highlighting how educators, leaders, and technologists can harness AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for deeper inquiry, creativity, and transformation. From classrooms to boardrooms, this session will challenge conventional thinking, showcase real-world examples, and offer actionable insights on how to cultivate curiosity in systems, pedagogy, and leadership.

Whether you're navigating AI in education, policy, or enterprise, this keynote will inspire you to lead with questions, embrace uncertainty, and design futures where curiosity and technology co-evolve for the greater good.

Shane Tooley, Assistant Principal Curriculum, St Peter Claver College

Empowering Classrooms with Copilot 13+: Leading AI Integration at Claver

Discover how Claver is pioneering the integration of Copilot 13+ to transform teaching and learning across secondary classrooms. This presentation will explore leadership strategies for implementation, practical classroom applications, and the cultural shift required to embrace AI as a collaborative partner in education.

Shane Tooley shares insights from Claver’s journey, including staff development, student engagement, and curriculum alignment, offering a roadmap for other schools ready to lead the future of learning.

Bethany Wass, Senior Education Advisor: Learning and Pedagogy Technologies, Brisbane Catholic Education Office

AI for UDL: Practical Strategies for Inclusion by Design

How can educators harness the power of AI to make learning accessible, engaging and challenging for every student without adding to teacher workload? This session explores the intersection of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and artificial intelligence, drawing on real-world examples using the Australian Curriculum version 9.

Discover how tools like Copilot can help you revise assessment tasks, unit plans and learning experiences to provide multiple entry points, explicit support and flexible pathways, without compromising academic rigor. Walk away with practical strategies, hands-on resources and the confidence to use AI to support a universal approach to quality differentiated planning and teaching.

Matthew Esterman, Founder, The Next Word

Cyborgs in schools - where to next?

Classrooms are no longer just human spaces. From lesson planning to student support, AI is slipping into the daily rhythms of teaching and learning. But are schools ready for this “cyborg moment,” where human expertise and machine intelligence fuse? This session explores what’s possible, what’s risky, and what’s next. Expect provocations, practical examples, and a peek into the near-future of education where teachers, students, and AI learn to co-evolve.

Emily Patterson, Digital Literacy Coach, Corpus Christi Catholic High School

No AI Budget? No Problem: A Practical Framework for Systemic School Success

How can we move our staff beyond simply policing AI and start building a culture of effective and ethical use? This session details the journey of a successful Digital Literacy Coach pilot program within a systemic Catholic high school. I will share a low-cost model for embedding AI literacy across the curriculum, from a Year 7 "AI Bootcamp" to redesigning senior assessment tasks to be AI-aware. This presentation will offer a transparent look at what works, sharing some practical strategies that translate diocesan-level policy into tangible classroom practice. Attendees will learn about pioneering initiatives that use AI to increase teacher capacity, provide authentic learning experiences, and even leverage data. This session provides a replicable, grassroots framework for schools seeking to implement a meaningful AI strategy without an independent school budget. Key Takeaways for Participants:

• A Demonstrated Framework: Learn how to implement a cohesive, whole-school strategy for AI literacy and academic integrity, moving from a "piecemeal" approach to a structured model.

• Practical Classroom Applications: Overview and demonstration of developed strategies for redesigning assessments, developing student-led ethical guidelines, and using AI as an "educational data expert" to guide teaching.

• Teacher & Staff Empowerment: Discover how a dedicated coaching role can reduce teacher workload, build staff capacity, and achieve exceptionally high engagement in professional learning.

Brodie McGee, Digital Transformation Leader, Salesian College Sunbury

Vibe Coding in Educators: Rapid Problem-Solving with AI

What if every school could solve its own digital problems without needing a team of developers? This interactive workshop introduces participants to vibe coding: the creative process of using conversational AI to collaboratively design and build custom tools, workflows, and prototypes. Our team uses vibe coding to identify pain points across teaching, administration, and student services, then co-create quick, AI-assisted solutions directly in our systems using tools like Claude AI. These projects have ranged from micro-apps that automate repetitive admin tasks to interactive learning tools.

Participants will first explore examples of what’s possible, then work in small groups to map their own school’s “friction points” and learn how to frame prompts and project briefs that AI can turn into usable prototypes. Participants will:

• Understand the concept of vibe coding and its educational potential

• Learn a practical workflow for identifying and framing school challenges AI can solve

• See real examples of AI-generated school tools and systems

• Leave with a draft blueprint for their own AI-driven improvement project

Miriam Tanti, Deputy Dean, Professor in Education, La Trobe University

The meaningful integration of GenAI in teaching and learning

Generative AI is transforming not just what students learn, but how the brain engages with knowledge itself. In this session, we’ll explore the Science of Successful Learning through the lens of GenAI—examining how tools like ChatGPT can both amplify and disrupt human cognition.

Drawing on the simple model of memory, cognitive load theory, schema building, and cognitive offloading, we’ll consider how GenAI alters attention, working memory, and long-term understanding. Is AI helping students think more deeply—or think less? How can teachers ensure that cognitive effort remains productive, not outsourced?

Through practical, classroom-based examples, participants will learn to design lessons and tasks that use GenAI intentionally reducing cognitive load where appropriate, strengthening schema formation, and enhancing critical and creative thinking. You’ll leave with a research-informed toolkit of pedagogical strategies to lead AI-integrated learning that keeps human intelligence at the centre.

Andrew Fuller, Clinical Psychologist, Author, Family Therapist

Setting Our Students and Ourselves up for 2040

It is estimated that we have experienced 0.1% of the technological changes we will see by 2040. This means we will all essentially be newbies as we begin to understand the enormity of the changes facing our world.

The world is poised at the point of one of the greatest changes in history and if our students are not able to capitalise on those opportunities, their ability to succeed will be lessened.

This presentation outlines the major digital innovations and revolutions foreseeable and considers the skills that will be needed in 2040. Three of the basic skills that are outlined are- show up (ready to learn and perform), opt in (rather than avoid) and be curious.

Janet Moeller, Consultant, AI in Education, Recent Principal

Is AI Bias Creeping into Your School?

AI tools promise to save time and boost engagement. But at what cost to equity and inclusion?

This workshop reveals uncomfortable truths: from AI grading and reporting systems that penalise students from linguistically diverse backgrounds to search tools that erase or misrepresent Indigenous perspectives. Learn to identify hidden biases and question whose knowledge AI privileges. Discover how to empower both students and colleagues to challenge discriminatory outputs. Walk away with classroom activities that develop critical digital citizenship.

This session goes beyond AI literacy basics to tackle data sovereignty, cultural erasure, and the voices missing from mainstream AI models. Grounded in the Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools

Maria Mertzanakis, Deputy Head of Senior School- Teaching and Learning, Oran Park Anglican College

Smarter, Not Harder: Reducing Teacher Workload While Elevating Pedagogy

This session explores how schools can redesign assessment to embrace AI’s potential while safeguarding academic integrity. Participants will examine practical strategies such as authentic, real-world tasks, oral defenses, process-based assessment, and adaptive feedback. The focus is on ensuring assessment remains rigorous, fair, and future-focused; measuring not just what students know, but how they think, create, and apply their learning in an AI-rich world.

Bradly Saunders, Head of Department Digital Technologies, e-Learning and Innovation, Maroochydore State High School

When Students Lead: Teaching AI Literacy Through Caring, Connection and Curiosity

This session explores how senior students can take ownership of their learning through AI. Using Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning, it demonstrates how the right scaffolds help students build AI literacy, explore machine learning concepts, and then design their own project objectives, unit plans, and learning guides.

By focusing on Caring, Connection, and Curiosity, students move from passive users to creative, ethical thinkers who direct their own learning. Participants will see how AI can transform classrooms into spaces where students lead with confidence, empathy, and purpose.

Mary McEvilly Butler, Science and Technology Teacher/Digi Technologies Coach, St Finbarr's Primary School

AI for the Inclusive Classroom

In an era where technology is rapidly reshaping the educational landscape, AI tools are at the forefront, empowering educators to enhance their teaching practices. These innovative technologies create the conditions where inclusive classrooms thrive, optimising education for every individual. This session aims to build teacher confidence in using these tools and improve differentiation skills while streamlining processes to save valuable time. Discover how these benefits can significantly enrich the educational experience for both teachers and students, paving the way for a more accessible and engaging learning environment.

Jo Muirhead, Canva Learning Consultant

Canva Magic

In this interactive workshop, educators will experiment with Canva’s Magic suite and Code for Me to design engaging resources and create interactive, student-driven learning experiences. Canva offers a space for learning journeys, where teachers and students can collaborate, explore ideas, and bring concepts to life through creativity and innovation. From auto-generating lesson materials to building student games, quizzes, and custom widgets, participants will gain practical, classroom-ready skills while exploring how to use AI ethically and responsibly. You’ll leave inspired, empowered, and equipped with transformative tools to enhance both your workflow and your students’ learning experiences.