Dr Yong Zhao, PH.D
Yong Zhao is a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas and a professor in Educational Leadership at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in Australia. He previously served as the Presidential Chair, Associate Dean, and Director of the Institute for Global and Online Education in the College of Education, University of Oregon, where he was also a Professor in the Department of Educational Measurement, Policy, and Leadership. Prior to Oregon, Yong Zhao was University Distinguished Professor at the College of Education, Michigan State University, where he also served as the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Technology, executive director of the Confucius Institute, as well as the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and a fellow of the International Academy of Education.
Yong Zhao has received numerous awards including the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association, Outstanding Public Educator from Horace Mann League of USA, Distinguished Achievement Award in Professional Development from the Association of Education Publishers, and ACEL Nganakarrawa Award. His works focus on the implications of globalization and technology on education. He has published over 100 articles and 30 books. He has been recognized as one of the most influential education scholars. More information: zhaolearning.com
Keynote address
Mass Personalization and Entrepreneurial Thinking: Education in the Age of Smart Machines
Tuesday 9 April 2024 - 9.30am-10.30am
Schools must change. This call is not new. Many schools have engaged in changes, so have many educational systems. But the changes have not made significant difference in the development and achievement of students. We have not seen significant improvement in educational quality over the past several decades despite all the reform efforts, but we have seen a significant decline in students' psychological and social wellbeing. We have experienced massive transformations in society through technology over the past few decades, but we have not seen major changes in how schools operate. In the meantime, AI has emerged. There is no question that AI has changed and will continue to change how we live, work, and entertain.
In this presentation, Professor Yong Zhao discusses why schools should aim to help each student reach for their own greatness and why personalization is the only way that enables individual students to become great entrepreneurial thinkers who use their greatness to create value for others and the society. Professor Zhao will discuss how AI and technologies can be used to personalize education and support entrepreneurial problem-solving.