Educhatter

Just Confirmed: researchED Canada is heading to Alberta! Join Us for researchED Calgary (May 9, 2026) and see our star-studded cast of featured speakers - Natalie Wexler, John Mighton, Anna Stokke and Joe Bowers. Ty Dr Jodi Nickel for stepping up to host our first conference in Alberta.

Looking for the link? educhatter.wordpress.com/2025/12/20/t...

The Elephant in the Classroom: Is the New Brunswick Model of Inclusion Sustainable? My latest Educhatter Blog post on why Child Advocate Kelly Lamrock's Wake-Up Call exposes the soft underbelly - exclusions to maintain inclusion #cdned #NBed #NBpoli

Nova Scotia parents for public education

Raise the Banners: We're Welcoming Speakers and Registrants Tomorrow. Follow the Banners to researchED Atlantic Canada (Oct 24-25, 2025) at Saint Mary's University. The fog will clear and the sunwill shine. See you in Halifax

Getting Ready - to Welcome You! Excitement builds as researchED Atlantic Canada (Sat Oct 25/25) fast approaches. Our program says it all - six featured speakers, 20 in-depth sessions & a 28-page program. Ty #NicoleConrad for stepping up!

Conference Day at a Glance: Join Us for researchED Atlantic Canada (Oct 25/25) to take-in our star-studded cast of educators and researchers, headed by Amanda VanderHeyden, George Georgiou, Jamie Metsala, Leslie Laud, John Mighton and Kate Jones, but featuring 20 practical workshop sessions.

Big Reveal: A Sneak Peek at the researchED Atlantic Canada Conference Program (Sat Oct 25 at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS) What a Roster of Speakers and Inspiring Sessions for Educators, Researchers and Policy-Makers in K-12 Education. Style and Substance! It's One of a Kind here in Canada

Coming Soon: Ontario Literacy teachers Nellie Caruso and Leigh Fettes will be presenting at researchED Atlantic Canada (Oct 25/25) on "Unlocking Word Power" Join Us to see these teachers in action in Halifax! #NSed #ONTed #literacy #SoRNS

Speaker Spotlight: Literacy instructor Melinda Cameron will be presenting at researchED Atlantic Canada (Oct 25/25) on "Building Automaticity for Struggling Readers." Join Us to see what Halifax Learning is doing to change the trajectory for kids

Paul W. Bennett: What is needed to make Nova Scotia’s cellphone ban stick? The lesson is clear: the ban’s success hinges on consistent, decisive leadership, says Paul Bennett.

Restricting Cellphones in School: What is Needed to Make Nova Scotia's Ban Stick? My latest commentary in today's Halifax Chronicle Herald. For background, see my MLI report, Weapons of Mass Distraction (MLI, July 2024)
saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...

Remembering IN SCHOOL: Ken Dryden’s best-selling books are classics. Back in 1995, In School: Our Kids, Our Teachers, Our Classrooms, was a perfect example. His keen observational skills yielded deep insights into the human side of daily life in education #KenDryden #cdned #onted

Back to School News: researchED Atlantic Canada is now on the Horizon! Join Us to Learn What Works in Mathematics and Literacy. Our trio of stars Amanda VanDerHeyden, GeorgeGeorgiou, and LeslieLaud will be joined by 20 more presenters, incl John Mighton, JamieMetsala, Kim Lockhart and many others

Back to School News: researchED Atlantic Canada is now on the Horizon! Join Us on Oct 25/25 for "What Works in Mathematics and Literacy" Our trio of stars Amanda VanderHeyden, George Georgiou, & Leslie Laud
will be joined by 20 more presenters, incl John Mighton,Jamie Metsala, and Kim Lockhart

TOM URBANIAK: What makes a playground great? The state of playgrounds says a lot about whether a community has caring leaders, proud advocates, creative citizens and motivated public servants.

Children and Playgrounds: Cape Breton professor Tom Urbaniak shares what he's learned introducing his son Oliver to local playgrounds. Absolutely delightful. A unique look at our public spaces. Ty Tom for adding to our knowlege of #Playgroundology

www.saltwire.com/cape-breton/...

The Onslaught of AI: Is AI Eating Away at Brain Power? My latest Commentary for The National Post in Chronicle Herald, Aug 2/25. Ty to Barbara Oakley, Natalie Wexler, Carl Hendrick and Nidhi Sachdeva, all key suppoorters of @researchedcanada.bsky.social
saltwire.pressreader.com/the-chronicl...

Paul W. Bennett: AI isn't revolutionizing learning. It's mimicking original thought Little attention has been given to its long-term consequences, inside and outside of classrooms

Generative AI and Learning: Why ChatGPT and comparable tools are leading us astray. Where's the room for original thought and ideas? My latest at The National Post tackles the proliferation of AI in and outside classrooms nationalpost.com/opinion/paul...

Call for Submissions: researchED Atlantic Canada (Sat Oct 25/25) on "Better Together: What Works in Mathematics and Literacy" is on the horizon and we are looking for presenters to complete the #rEDATCan25 program. Submit using this link:
forms.gle/S4YgGYk9oS7g...

Announcement: researchED Atlantic Canada (Sat. Oct 25, 2025), "Better Together," will feature three outstanding speakers, Amanda VanderHeyden, George Georgiou, and Leslie Laud, supported by an amazing cast of presenters. Tickets now LIVE! www.eventbrite.ca/e/researched...

Opinion: The last stand for school libraries Paul Bennett:

The Last Stand for School Libraries: Disappearance of school libraries in Canada is latest sign of thtreat to book culture in rural and remote communities. My latest in the Education Beat series for Telegraph-Journal, Times & Transcript, and Daily Gleaner

tj.news/new-brunswic...

Opinion: Liberals’ case for more PD days ‘completely without foundation’ Education expert Paul Bennett says evidence actually shows four-day weeks set kids 2-7 weeks behind

"Research Says" Strikes Again! New Brunswick EduMin Claire Johnson is the latest to use "research says" as a cover for "bad ideas." Giving Fridays off, 2 days a month, won't improve student results, curb absenteeism Ty to @rastokke.bsky.social @researchedcanada.bsky.social
tj.news/new-brunswic...

“Generative AI is—without much acknowledgement—making all forms of student assessment, other than teacher-supervised term tests and examinations, virtually obsolete…Stick with exams, for now, until we have curbed the deleterious effects of the bots.” thehub.ca/2025/06/20/p...

Conference Lessons Learned: What did researchED Toronto 2025 Accomplish? The school bell rang to open researchED Toronto in early June 2025 and there was a detectable a buzz in the air. With the school year winding down, the U.K.-inspired ‘polite revolution’ in educatio…

Conference Lessons Learned: What dis researchED Toronto 2025 Accomplish? Looking beyond the Buzz - to see if it generated the momentum to effect change in pedagogical research, teaching, learning and policy reform. An invitation to join the discussion.

educhatter.wordpress.com/2025/06/18/c...

All Smiles: Our researchED Canada team welcomes UCL Institute of Education's Dylan Wiliam to our researchED Toronto Conference, June 7, 2025, at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Proud to share in the achievement with close colleagues Dr Jim Christopher, Jennifer Van Dommelen and Nidhi Sachdeva

Is AI dulling critical-thinking skills? As tech companies court students, educators weigh the risks Artificial intelligence is the latest technology stoking fears of human decline. Early studies stoke doubt about whether the fear is warranted

AI in Education Alert: Generative AI is dulling students' critical-thinking capacities. New research from Michael Gerlich in Societies (2025) adds to evidence of its debilitating effects on writing and academic integrity www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art...

Totally agree, Mark. It's devolved into an echo chamber and vehicle for poltically correct performative politics.

Paul Bennett: AI and final exams: Why high schools should, for now, retain and restore exams Paul Bennett:

Retain and Restore Exams: Why and How Exams become the only truly reliable form of summative assessment. #AI has rendered most of the others obsolete Ty Daisy Christodoulou for the initial insight
tj.news/new-brunswic...

AI and Unrecognized Plagiarism: Should Schools Fully Restore Final Exams? Our education trend-setter, Ontario, is moving in the wrong direction. That province is set to discontinue provincial Grade 12 exams, after June 2025, and other provinces have already, or will like…

Should Schools Restore Final Exams? @educhatter.bsky.social
To restore grade integrity
· Develop and expand teacher training
· Keep teacher supervised handwritten exams
· Eliminate non-examined written assessments
· Improve university admissions processes
educhatter.wordpress.com/2025/06/03/a...

The New 3 Rs - Reading, Writing and Robots? My latest Education Beat column for the Telegraph-Journal Provincial looks at the "seepage of AI" into the 'black box' of the classroom. A look at New Brunswick's McKenna Institute and the "AI Framework for Education." Support local journalism!

Excitement Builds! Look What's Coming to Toronto? Our National Conference for researchED Canada (June 6-7/25) at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Our keynotes Dylan Wiliam and Jamie Metsala will be supported by a stellar cast of presenters from Canada, the U.S., the U.K.,& Chile.