Two California schools to play key part in world’s biggest grassroots online education conference

Two schools from California are to play vital roles in what is billed as the ‘world’s biggest education conference’.

San Francisco’s Foundry College, which prides itself with its use of technology for effective online learning; and Napa’s New Technology High School, chosen for its student empowerment, industry partnerships and community connections, seen in its Create-a-thon, to enhance employability entrepreneurship and life skills are to be part of a showcase of 100 schools which will gather online to share expertise and best practices in the inaugural World Education Week, from 5-9th October, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on Quality Education (SDG 4)  

The hundred schools have been hand-picked for their expertise across a range of educational themes, such as enhancing employability and life-skills; deepening family and community engagement; the use of technology; a focus on wellbeing; and promoting the science of learning and teaching.  Each will share their wisdom to an online audience expected to reach 100,000 worldwide. The ambition driving World Education Week is to accelerate progress to achieve UN SDG 4, a commitment designed to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all.

Susan Miller, Principal of New Technology High School, said: 

“The students and staff at New Technology High School are proud to be featured in this incredible Global Showcase. New Tech High is committed to Project Based Learning and innovation, and to sharing our learning with other schools. Relationships are foundational to the student experiences and projects that occur at New Tech High. We are excited to share how we leverage those relationships to build connections between our school community and our local community, and build connections with industry leaders.”

Akiba Covitz, CEO, Foundry College commented:

“Foundry College is honored to participate in World Education Week alongside some of today’s most innovative leaders in education. With our focus on science-backed teaching methods that incorporate active learning for exceptional student outcomes for all students, regardless of their backgrounds, we are excited for the opportunity to showcase a scalable, active learning approach on Foundry College’s online technology platform, the Forge.”

The ground-breaking event is led by Vikas Pota, a globally-respected leader and driving force in the education, international development, philanthropy and technology sectors. In launching the event, Mr Pota said:

“I congratulate both schools for being selected to take part in our Global Showcase for World Education Week. By sharing the ways in which this school has developed its particular expertise, we hope others will feel inspired to undertake the same journey to excellence.”

“I am incredibly inspired by the schools that applied to take part in this year’s World Education Week. Their commitment to improving the life chances of their learners by nurturing expertise and wanting to share their experience with others, especially in these challenging times, says a lot about the education community. They are our heroes and World Education Week provides us all an opportunity not just to learn from them, but to celebrate their successes, too.”

The conference has won the backing of Andreas Schleicher, the Director for Education at the OECD, who said:

“What’s exciting about World Education Week is the idea of schools around the world sharing their expertise with their peers. After a turbulent period in global education, this is a great way of building back better.”

The project was also welcomed by Jaime Saavedra, the Global Director for Education at the World Bank:

“The sheer scale of educators around the globe combining to share expertise, excellence  and wisdom in accelerating learning is hugely impressive. If all educators learn from the best educators of their countries and of the world we would make immense progress in ensuring inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.”

World Education Week is an effort by thirty civil society organisations coming together after the record breaking T4 conference on 30th May that was attended by over 100,000 teachers.

The event will be hosted from the World Education Week website, with registration opening from September 1st.

World Education Week USA

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