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Innovations in Education Conference

Overview

Join us for the 2024 Innovations in Education Conference, a virtual event hosted by McMaster University, taking place on December 5th and 6th, 2024.  

At the MacPherson Institute, we are committed to creating learning communities that emphasize respect, belonging, and student wellness by integrating equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility into all aspects of education. Our conference theme, Creating Belonging Through Inclusive and Accessible Learning Experiences, encourages the development of strategies that foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity, ensuring everyone feels valued and supported. We especially invite and welcome students to play an active role in this conference by submitting proposals and sharing their unique perspectives.  

This fully virtual, two-day event aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices among educators, researchers, administrators, students and other stakeholders. By utilizing a variety of formats including short papers, poster presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops, we will critically explore key considerations for implementing these strategies. This includes addressing diverse student needs, managing technology integration, adopting new policies, fostering student engagement, and promoting equity and accessibility in education. 

Conference Dates and Fees

Thursday, December 5th and Friday, December 6th

Location: Zoom Events Platform (online)
Programming: Both days will be fully online and include a variety of presentations, talks, and workshops. 

Ticket Costs:

  • $50 for general admission (access to both days)
  • Free for students with valid student ID (access to both days) 

Register through Zoom Events

Registration is now open! Complete your registration online here.  

Additional Helpful Resources 

Questions? 

Connect with us via email: Claire Leighton, leightoc@mcmaster.ca 

Get Familiar with our Event Platform

Introduction to Zoom Events

During the conference, Zoom Events will be the hub of activities. The virtual lobby will open one week in advance of the conference and attendees can join the lobby by clicking the event link hub and clicking “Join Lobby.” From here you can create a profile for yourself and start building an itinerary of events you want to attend.  

Sessions 

  • View the entire schedule of activities by clicking the “Sessions” tab.  

Speakers 

  • Learn more about all of the speakers for the 2024 Innovations in Education Conference

Itinerary 

  • Create your own itinerary by opening the “Sessions” tab. 
  • Use the “Filter” function to sort sessions. 
  • Add sessions to your itinerary using the bookmark sessions button. 
  • Once you have built your itinerary, you can view your whole schedule by selecting the “Itinerary” tab in the navigation bar at the top of your screen. 

Exhibitors 

  • Learn more about our conference sponsors.

Important Notes

  • Attendees must register with their own Zoom account and use the same account to join the event.  
  • We recommend opening Zoom prior to the conference and completing any recommended software upgrades or updates to prevent issues accessing the conference.  
  • If you’re able, the easiest way to connect is through single sign on (SSO) – click the SSO key icon and then enter your company domain – likely university.zoom.us – the system will connect you.  
  • For more information: 
  • Getting started as a Zoom Events Attendee  
  • If you encounter any technical issues during the conference, please contact  
  • Claire Leighton (leightoc@mcmaster.ca) or mi@mcmaster.ca (this email will be actively monitored throughout the conference). 

We appreciate your support in testing your conference access before the start of the conference. We have performed extensive testing on the platform and expect a smooth conference program; however, technical difficulties are always a risk. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work quickly to provide assistance to both presenters and attendees who may experience difficulties during the event.  

Meet our Keynote Speakers

Kate CraneKate Crane, Educational Developer (Online Pedagogy)
Dalhousie University

Kate Crane is an educational developer in online pedagogies at Dalhousie University’s Centre for Learning and Teaching. She consults with instructors around the online, digital and virtual aspects of courses and programs and the unique pedagogical challenges and opportunities these present. In her work, she seeks to understand teaching and learning as both a social and a material phenomenon, recognizing the student as part of an entangled web of human and non-human relations, and exploring how this may help us realize more ethical teaching practices. 

Alpha AbebeAlpha Abebe, Associate Professor, McMaster University

Keynote Session: What’s Love Got to Do with It? Revisiting Love as a Pedagogy that Liberates Us All’

 

Dr. Alpha Abebe is currently an Associate Professor at McMaster University with the Faculty of Humanities, where she teaches a range of interdisciplinary courses focused on equity and social justice, migration studies, and critical inquiry and methodologies. She is also the Lead for Africa and Black Diaspora Studies at McMaster and involved in a number of social and pedagogical change initiatives on campus. 

Dr. Abebe is a Toronto native of Ethiopian descent, and these roots and routes inform her community, research, teaching and creative interests. Her doctoral work, completed at the University of Oxford, focused on the diasporic identities and practices of young people of Ethiopian descent in North America. Her ongoing research interests include African diasporas, transnational identities, critical pedagogies, and Black community engagement.

She has extensive experience as a community-based practitioner working in a diversity of roles ranging from front-line support to strategy and program development. The thread that connects most of her advocacy, research and professional efforts is a focus on engaging and championing young people from racialized, Black and under-resourced communities.