speakers
Maha Bali
Professor of Practice
NURTURING SOCIALLY JUST CARE ECOSYSTEMS WHILE FACING UNCERTAINTY IN EDUCATION
Description:
In this interactive plenary session, participants will have opportunities to reflect on how we can nurture socially just care ecosystems in education. We will discuss, explore and apply the Equity/Care matrix, Compassionate Learning Design, the Roumy Cheese analogy, and the practice of Intentionally Equitable Hospitality. Participants will have a choice to dig deeper on a topic of their choice, either an exploration of building compassionate community online, a compassionate approach to AI in education, an exploration of the relationship between oppression and AI, or systemic reasons leading to moral injury.
About Your Presenter:
Maha Bali is Professor of Practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo. She has a PhD in Education from the University of Sheffield, UK. She is co-founder of virtuallyconnecting.org (a grassroots movement that challenges academic gatekeeping at conferences) and co-facilitator of Equity Unbound (an equity-focused, open, connected intercultural learning curriculum, which has also branched into academic community activities Continuity with Care, Socially Just Academia, a collaboration with OneHE: Community-building Resources and MYFest, an innovative 3-month professional learning journey. She writes and speaks frequently about social justice, critical pedagogy, and open and online education. She blogs regularly at https://blog.mahabali.me and tweets @bali_maha.
Description:
In this interactive plenary session, participants will have opportunities to reflect on how we can nurture socially just care ecosystems in education. We will discuss, explore and apply the Equity/Care matrix, Compassionate Learning Design, the Roumy Cheese analogy, and the practice of Intentionally Equitable Hospitality. Participants will have a choice to dig deeper on a topic of their choice, either an exploration of building compassionate community online, a compassionate approach to AI in education, an exploration of the relationship between oppression and AI, or systemic reasons leading to moral injury.
About Your Presenter:
Maha Bali is Professor of Practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo. She has a PhD in Education from the University of Sheffield, UK. She is co-founder of virtuallyconnecting.org (a grassroots movement that challenges academic gatekeeping at conferences) and co-facilitator of Equity Unbound (an equity-focused, open, connected intercultural learning curriculum, which has also branched into academic community activities Continuity with Care, Socially Just Academia, a collaboration with OneHE: Community-building Resources and MYFest, an innovative 3-month professional learning journey. She writes and speaks frequently about social justice, critical pedagogy, and open and online education. She blogs regularly at https://blog.mahabali.me and tweets @bali_maha.
Carolina Cuesta-Hincapie
Learning Experience Designer
CREATIVITY AND THE FUTURE OF LEARNING: DESIGNING EDUCATION FOR WHAT COMES NEXT
Description:
Education systems are navigating unprecedented challenges, from rapid technological change and growing inequities to increasing uncertainty about the future of work and learning. In response, creativity is often named as a critical competency; yet it is frequently treated as an add-on and narrowly framed as innovation, artistic expression, or isolated classroom activities, rather than as a core pedagogical approach. This space will invite practitioners and academic leaders to rethink creativity as a foundational capacity for navigating complexity and designing meaningful learning experiences. It proposes creativity as the basis for creative pedagogy, a way of teaching creatively, teaching about creativity, and fostering creative learning across educational contexts. Through this lens, creativity becomes a human-centered and strategic response to educational challenges, supporting learners and educators in developing self-awareness, adaptability, and purpose. Participants will leave with new ways of understanding creativity as an ethical and human response to the challenges shaping the future of learning, along with a renewed sense of agency to design education for what comes next.
About Your Presenter:
Carolina Cuesta-Hincapié is an Associate Professor in the Marketing and Innovation area at the Business College of EAFIT University in Colombia. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction and a master’s degree in Education from Purdue University. Her research explores the intersection of creativity and instructional design, focusing on designing learning environments that foster creative thinking, futures thinking, creative self-efficacy, and learner agency. Her recent publications include a critical examination of the PISA 2022 Creative Thinking assessment, analyzing the alignment between creativity theory and large-scale educational measurement. With an interdisciplinary background in Microbiology, Innovation Management, and Learning Design and Technology, Dr. Cuesta-Hincapié brings both scholarly and practical perspectives to her work. She taught Entrepreneurship and Innovation for 7 years in Colombia, integrating creativity-centered pedagogical approaches to support creative learning and the development of an entrepreneurial mindset across higher education contexts. Beyond academia, Dr. Cuesta-Hincapié collaborates on regional initiatives that bridge research, practice, and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her work includes Creativity: Skills for Life, published with the Inter-American Development Bank, and ongoing projects on intercultural creative thinking as an inclusive pedagogical approach that integrates futures thinking and human-centered design to advance educational innovation.
Description:
Education systems are navigating unprecedented challenges, from rapid technological change and growing inequities to increasing uncertainty about the future of work and learning. In response, creativity is often named as a critical competency; yet it is frequently treated as an add-on and narrowly framed as innovation, artistic expression, or isolated classroom activities, rather than as a core pedagogical approach. This space will invite practitioners and academic leaders to rethink creativity as a foundational capacity for navigating complexity and designing meaningful learning experiences. It proposes creativity as the basis for creative pedagogy, a way of teaching creatively, teaching about creativity, and fostering creative learning across educational contexts. Through this lens, creativity becomes a human-centered and strategic response to educational challenges, supporting learners and educators in developing self-awareness, adaptability, and purpose. Participants will leave with new ways of understanding creativity as an ethical and human response to the challenges shaping the future of learning, along with a renewed sense of agency to design education for what comes next.
About Your Presenter:
Carolina Cuesta-Hincapié is an Associate Professor in the Marketing and Innovation area at the Business College of EAFIT University in Colombia. She holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction and a master’s degree in Education from Purdue University. Her research explores the intersection of creativity and instructional design, focusing on designing learning environments that foster creative thinking, futures thinking, creative self-efficacy, and learner agency. Her recent publications include a critical examination of the PISA 2022 Creative Thinking assessment, analyzing the alignment between creativity theory and large-scale educational measurement. With an interdisciplinary background in Microbiology, Innovation Management, and Learning Design and Technology, Dr. Cuesta-Hincapié brings both scholarly and practical perspectives to her work. She taught Entrepreneurship and Innovation for 7 years in Colombia, integrating creativity-centered pedagogical approaches to support creative learning and the development of an entrepreneurial mindset across higher education contexts. Beyond academia, Dr. Cuesta-Hincapié collaborates on regional initiatives that bridge research, practice, and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her work includes Creativity: Skills for Life, published with the Inter-American Development Bank, and ongoing projects on intercultural creative thinking as an inclusive pedagogical approach that integrates futures thinking and human-centered design to advance educational innovation.
Maricel Lawrence
Innovation Catalyst
NAVIGATING TOMORROW: DEVELOPING FUTURES LITERACY AND ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP
Description:
The accelerating pace of AI and emerging technologies introduces unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) to our learning environment. Relying solely on established practices can feel deeply unsettling. This session will demonstrate why Futures Literacy, the ability to understand why and how to use the future, is a critical capacity for every faculty member, staff professional, and student to develop. We’ll explore how practicing Adaptive Leadership enables individuals at all levels to engage in the work of change. Learn practical, hands-on tools to embrace experimentation, challenge outdated assumptions ("unlearning" our past mental models), and move from simply reacting to future shocks to actively shaping a thriving future for our entire university community.
About Your Presenter:
Dr. Maricel Lawrence is the Innovation Catalyst at Purdue Global, where she plays a key role in shaping the future of education and work. She earned her Doctor of Education in Leadership & Innovation from Arizona State University, her master’s in adult education and training from Colorado State University, and her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Indiana University. Maricel’s career in higher education began at Purdue University, where she contributed to the development and launch of online courses and programs. Before joining Purdue Global, she served as the executive director of UMOnline at the University of Montana, where she worked closely with the university’s colleges to identify growth opportunities based on learner needs, workforce demands, and industry trends.
Description:
The accelerating pace of AI and emerging technologies introduces unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) to our learning environment. Relying solely on established practices can feel deeply unsettling. This session will demonstrate why Futures Literacy, the ability to understand why and how to use the future, is a critical capacity for every faculty member, staff professional, and student to develop. We’ll explore how practicing Adaptive Leadership enables individuals at all levels to engage in the work of change. Learn practical, hands-on tools to embrace experimentation, challenge outdated assumptions ("unlearning" our past mental models), and move from simply reacting to future shocks to actively shaping a thriving future for our entire university community.
About Your Presenter:
Dr. Maricel Lawrence is the Innovation Catalyst at Purdue Global, where she plays a key role in shaping the future of education and work. She earned her Doctor of Education in Leadership & Innovation from Arizona State University, her master’s in adult education and training from Colorado State University, and her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Indiana University. Maricel’s career in higher education began at Purdue University, where she contributed to the development and launch of online courses and programs. Before joining Purdue Global, she served as the executive director of UMOnline at the University of Montana, where she worked closely with the university’s colleges to identify growth opportunities based on learner needs, workforce demands, and industry trends.
Michael Menchaca
Professor
THE PROMISE AND PITFALLS OF AI IN ACADEMIA: CULTURAL AND SCHOLARLY IMPACT
Description:
Nearly every major organization is currently grappling with how to integrate artificial intelligence within its own sphere of influence, from business and industry to education and the community. Questions surrounding use, creativity, and potential are considered equally with concerns about misuse, policy, and ethics. Many institutions may focus on issues with a global impact in mind. However, while the promise of AI may have far reaching effects globally, it will also result in significant consequences locally. With that in mind, this session will present AI considerations for practice in academia with particular focus on scholarly and cultural impact in the Pacific region. Finally, the presentation will allow for audience questions and discussion.
About Your Presenter:
Michael Menchaca is a Professor in the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. He specializes in distance education, and has designed, implemented, and coordinated online and hybrid programs for over 25 years. Dr. Menchaca has worked extensively in the Pacific Region and internationally, providing culturally-sustaining technology training, assisting in the development of regional technology plans, delivering keynote presentations, participating in expert panels, and collaborating with academic and community partners. He was recently honored with the Association for Educational Communications Technology’s International Division’s 2025 International Contribution Award. Dr. Menchaca also serves as editor for the International Academic Forum’s (IAFOR) Journal of Education: Technology in Education issue. He was an IT specialist for many years in the public and private sector. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of online learning, technology integration, artificial intelligence, and social justice with technology.
Description:
Nearly every major organization is currently grappling with how to integrate artificial intelligence within its own sphere of influence, from business and industry to education and the community. Questions surrounding use, creativity, and potential are considered equally with concerns about misuse, policy, and ethics. Many institutions may focus on issues with a global impact in mind. However, while the promise of AI may have far reaching effects globally, it will also result in significant consequences locally. With that in mind, this session will present AI considerations for practice in academia with particular focus on scholarly and cultural impact in the Pacific region. Finally, the presentation will allow for audience questions and discussion.
About Your Presenter:
Michael Menchaca is a Professor in the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. He specializes in distance education, and has designed, implemented, and coordinated online and hybrid programs for over 25 years. Dr. Menchaca has worked extensively in the Pacific Region and internationally, providing culturally-sustaining technology training, assisting in the development of regional technology plans, delivering keynote presentations, participating in expert panels, and collaborating with academic and community partners. He was recently honored with the Association for Educational Communications Technology’s International Division’s 2025 International Contribution Award. Dr. Menchaca also serves as editor for the International Academic Forum’s (IAFOR) Journal of Education: Technology in Education issue. He was an IT specialist for many years in the public and private sector. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of online learning, technology integration, artificial intelligence, and social justice with technology.
Casandra Silva Siblin
Lecturer in Philosophy
THE EDUBOT-A-THON: BUILDING TO THINK IN A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION CLASSROOM
Description:
Custom AI chatbots built by faculty and staff are increasingly common, supporting learning, feedback, motivation, and more. This same technology takes on a new dimension when students are put in the driver’s seat. The EduBot-a-thon is a teaching artifact developed over two years, in which students progress from exploring custom bots to identifying an educational problem, ideating and designing their own custom bot, and implementing it. In the latest iteration, inspired by NASA Space Apps and coding communities, teams assume cross-functional roles, work in time-boxed sprints, and deliver short pitches that clarify a bot’s purpose, boundaries, and intended users. Research findings from student evaluations and reflections will be shared, highlighting how “building AI” and “getting under the hood” cultivates critical AI literacy and purposeful creativity.
About Your Presenter:
Casandra Silva Sibilin is a Lecturer in Philosophy at York College, City University of New York (CUNY), specializing in philosophy of education and the role of generative AI in teaching and learning. She co-founded Don’t AI Alone, a cross-campus community for inclusive, interdisciplinary dialogue across 25 CUNY campuses, and led the Education team for Building Bridges of Knowledge, a CUNY-wide fellowship supporting ethical and effective student AI use. Her work includes open educational resources that help educators and students design their own AI tools, including Student-Made Bots: An Educator’s Toolkit. Beyond CUNY, she leads the Custom Bots/GPTs subgroup within a global AI in Education community connected to the POD Network. She is currently writing a book on AI pedagogy through the lens of foundational thinkers in philosophy of education.
Description:
Custom AI chatbots built by faculty and staff are increasingly common, supporting learning, feedback, motivation, and more. This same technology takes on a new dimension when students are put in the driver’s seat. The EduBot-a-thon is a teaching artifact developed over two years, in which students progress from exploring custom bots to identifying an educational problem, ideating and designing their own custom bot, and implementing it. In the latest iteration, inspired by NASA Space Apps and coding communities, teams assume cross-functional roles, work in time-boxed sprints, and deliver short pitches that clarify a bot’s purpose, boundaries, and intended users. Research findings from student evaluations and reflections will be shared, highlighting how “building AI” and “getting under the hood” cultivates critical AI literacy and purposeful creativity.
About Your Presenter:
Casandra Silva Sibilin is a Lecturer in Philosophy at York College, City University of New York (CUNY), specializing in philosophy of education and the role of generative AI in teaching and learning. She co-founded Don’t AI Alone, a cross-campus community for inclusive, interdisciplinary dialogue across 25 CUNY campuses, and led the Education team for Building Bridges of Knowledge, a CUNY-wide fellowship supporting ethical and effective student AI use. Her work includes open educational resources that help educators and students design their own AI tools, including Student-Made Bots: An Educator’s Toolkit. Beyond CUNY, she leads the Custom Bots/GPTs subgroup within a global AI in Education community connected to the POD Network. She is currently writing a book on AI pedagogy through the lens of foundational thinkers in philosophy of education.
Florence Williams
Faculty Instructional Designer
HUMAN BY DESIGN: TEACHING WITH AI FOR SUSTAINABLE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE
Description:
How can we teach with AI while keeping learning human by design? This plenary introduces the “Three Ps of Teaching with AI”: Partnership, Practice, and Principles. Drawing from Bowen and Watson’s framework in Teaching with AI and the Generative AI techniques (GAIT) project, the session explores how AI can be integrated into instructional design in ways that sustain creativity and efficiency. Partnership highlights how AI serves as a collaborator that augments human work. Practice emphasizes transparency and the importance of modelling responsible and purposeful use. Principles anchor the conversation in ethics, equity, and human values. Using the GAIT project as a case study, the session demonstrates how “mini sprints” allow educators to reduce repetitive tasks while preserving creativity and purpose. Attendees will engage in reflection and collaborative visioning to imagine sustainable, human-centred practices. By the end, participants will leave with clear strategies for applying the Three Ps in their own design contexts.
About Your Presenter:
Florence Williams is an experienced educator and instructional designer at the University of Central Florida. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she revolutionizes course design using research-informed practices to enhance student engagement and success. Her scholarship in instructional design promotes inclusive practices and faculty development, resulting in several highly regarded publications. Her cultural competence, gained through leading higher education curriculum development in 21 anglophone Caribbean countries, enriches her approach, guiding the creation of culturally responsive learning materials. Florence is a sought-after speaker, sharing insights on inclusive excellence in higher education. Her research focuses on innovative instructional design strategies that push the boundaries of traditional teaching methods, particularly in online and blended learning environments. When not transforming educational practices, Florence enjoys being outdoors and gardening. A lifelong learner, she continuously updates her skills, exploring emerging technologies and pedagogies to enhance her practice.
Description:
How can we teach with AI while keeping learning human by design? This plenary introduces the “Three Ps of Teaching with AI”: Partnership, Practice, and Principles. Drawing from Bowen and Watson’s framework in Teaching with AI and the Generative AI techniques (GAIT) project, the session explores how AI can be integrated into instructional design in ways that sustain creativity and efficiency. Partnership highlights how AI serves as a collaborator that augments human work. Practice emphasizes transparency and the importance of modelling responsible and purposeful use. Principles anchor the conversation in ethics, equity, and human values. Using the GAIT project as a case study, the session demonstrates how “mini sprints” allow educators to reduce repetitive tasks while preserving creativity and purpose. Attendees will engage in reflection and collaborative visioning to imagine sustainable, human-centred practices. By the end, participants will leave with clear strategies for applying the Three Ps in their own design contexts.
About Your Presenter:
Florence Williams is an experienced educator and instructional designer at the University of Central Florida. With over two decades of experience in higher education, she revolutionizes course design using research-informed practices to enhance student engagement and success. Her scholarship in instructional design promotes inclusive practices and faculty development, resulting in several highly regarded publications. Her cultural competence, gained through leading higher education curriculum development in 21 anglophone Caribbean countries, enriches her approach, guiding the creation of culturally responsive learning materials. Florence is a sought-after speaker, sharing insights on inclusive excellence in higher education. Her research focuses on innovative instructional design strategies that push the boundaries of traditional teaching methods, particularly in online and blended learning environments. When not transforming educational practices, Florence enjoys being outdoors and gardening. A lifelong learner, she continuously updates her skills, exploring emerging technologies and pedagogies to enhance her practice.
