Heather MacTaggart is the Executive Director of Classroom Connections, an organization that, for the last 15 years, has been developing classroom-based resources as well as working extensively to deliver innovative employability skills training to multi-barriered youth in First Nations communities.

Heather joined me this morning to talk about a new self-directed learning initiative aimed at creating alternative experiences of school for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. Learn about how Heather is bringing her values, beliefs and insights to start one such alternative in the Toronto area.

Dr. Ted Christou is Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at Queen's University, Ontario. Widely known for his passion and expertise in the area of the history of education, Dr. Christou's recent article in The Conversation, "Welcome to the latest wave of ‘modernizing,’ ‘progressive’ school reforms in Ontario" sheds a new (!) light on what is currently happening in that province and other jurisdictions across Canada.

Tim Carson is Chief Instructor in the Piping Trades Department at the British Columbia Institute for Technology. His podcast, The Guild, can be heard and found among other places at voicEd Radio.

In this conversation, we explore some of the attitudes that the public still holds around trades education, but it's importance in the economy of the country, as well as the power it holds for our human flourishing as makers.

Dr. Louis Volante is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at Ontario's Brock University. He was the lead author on a recent article in The Conversation, "Testing literacy today requires more than a pencil and paper". In this conversation we explore the changing literacy landscape around the world and how the assessments that we use to gauge both student success and school effectiveness might be expanded to capture the new possibilities that are open to educators, researchers and, most important, students.

Check out Dr. Volante's (et al) most recent contribution to The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/testing-literacy-today-requires-more-than-a-pencil-and-paper-114154

Follow Dr. Louis Volante on Twitter: @LouisVolante

Also connect with article co-authors:

Dr. Carol Campbell: @CarolCampbell4
Dr. Christopher DeLuca: @ChrisDeLuca20
Dr. Jennifer Rowsell: @drjenrowsell
Dr. Lorenzo Cherubini: @lorenzocherub

Dr. Steve Sider is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Education, Wilfred Laurier University. Steve's recent article in The Conversation explores the pillars of school leadership that help us reaffirm our commitment to every child in every school——everyday!

Here's a link to Dr. Sider's piece in The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/every-child-matters-what-principals-need-to-effectively-lead-inclusive-schools-114249

Follow Dr. Sider on Twitter: @drstevesider

Stephen Murgatroyd is a broadcaster, writer and consultant working with government, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations across Canada and around the world. He has a specialized knowledge about the way ideas move across the planet and is able to use that knowledge to help us step back and see how, what may seem like local challenges and opportunities, are really part of a much bigger picture.

In this conversation, we talk about the Global Education Reform Movement (G.E.R.M.) and how its effects are starting to be felt on the Canadian education landscape.

Mario Eleftheros is Technology Integration Leader for Halifax Regional Centre for Education in Nova Scotia.

In this conversation, we talk about the progress we've made towards effective technology integration, new trends in edtech and the conditions that allow us to make more powerful use of technology in our schools.

Grant McConnell is a Saskatchewan based artist and arts-educator currently teaching at the University of Saskatchewan. Grant is an arts advocate and in addition to his work on a number of arts-related boards, he is past chair of the Canadian Artists Representation (CARFAC).

In this conversation, we talk about Grant's work, the importance of supporting artists in a modern world and how art can provoke important thinking and questioning among viewers.

Nebojsa Karadzic holds a B. Sc. Degree in Electrical Engineering and has more than 15 years of experience as a Software Developer in energy, biotechnology, and financial industries. Deep reflection on his work has enabled him to develop unique thinking method named Premise Based Implicative Truth Synthesis.

We're hoping that this conversation with Nebojsa will draw you into the approach, compel you to want to find out more and embrace the power to think differently.

Harvey Bischof is the President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, an organization that represents nearly 70 000 high school educators as well as support staff from across Ontario's education space.

In this conversation, we talk about the challenges currently facing Ontario's public education system, how OSSTF is responding and how this critical period in history might help us get to the deeper questions around what we stand for and what we will stand for when it comes to students, teachers and schools.