Japan: University of Aizu DALI 2002

Keynote Presentation

International E-Learning: 
Transforming Education's Future


Presenter: Florence McGinn

Florence McGinn addresses 21st century education's most powerful catalysts, the Internet and cutting edge educational technologies.  She presents their transformational natures, needs, and opportunities.  She explores key questions: What government regulations in American higher education were debated and changed to facilitate e-learning's development? What are the transformations occurring within education's changing curriculums, pedagogy, relational networks, and trends? As universities become involved in K-12 learning, as corporations seek just-in-time knowledge and R & D, as K-12 institutions develop collaborations with universities, corporations, community centers, and other K-12 institutions, how has the shape of education changed? 

Florence McGinn examines key initiatives in the United States including research reports from the Congressional Web-based Education Commission, the CEO Forum, and the US Department of Education. Florence McGinn examines the nature of a new global medium . . . a world of fluid borders connected by global networks . . . that elevates education to a global stage. 

Florence McGinn presents technology-assisted learning initiatives and proof-of-concept, cutting edge, "one world, one classroom" student achievements of Information Age empowerment. She presents on the development of powerful, technology-facilitated learning environments with global reach. Award-winning work and exemplary student products, supported and recognized by AT&T, PBS, the US Department of Education, the NJ Department of Education, GKE, the US Congress, the NJ State Legislature and Governor, COMWEB Technology Group, Centrix Technology, Johnson & Johnson, Lucent, Macromedia, and many others, will be presented. 

GKE supports the advancement of Information Age learning, and perspectives from the international projects of GKE Corporation, GKE Foundation, and their international participants are offered. A global vision and a motivational foundation for changing the shape of education will be offered.

Florence McGinn is the Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Research for Global Knowledge Exchange. She is a former United States Commissioner on the Congressional Commission on Web-based Education. She served as the Chairperson of the Commission’s K-12 Issues Group. The commission's research report is available in pdf format at http://www.webcommission.org. She is a board member of the GKE Foundation and the Mediatech Foundation.  She serves on the advisory boards of SchoolTone Alliance, PBS OnLine, and Technology and Learning magazine. 

Formerly an English teacher, she was the recipient of the 1998 Microsoft-sponsored national United States Technology and Learning Teacher of the Year award, and she has been honored as Princeton University’s Distinguished Secondary School Educator. She is the recipient of numerous Educational Best Practices awards. 

Florence McGinn presents widely throughout the United States and internationally on technology-assisted learning policy, design, and methods. She has presented as keynote or spotlight speaker at events such as Conference 2000 at the invitation of Singapore's Ministry of Education, at Singapore's 2001 E-Learning Symposium at the invitation of Singapore's National Institute of Education, in Korea at the invitation of MyFuture 21 Association, at NECC, TechSpo, the international AMC Conference, SchoolTech, and for the US Dept. of Education, the NJ Dept. of Education, for the NJ State School Board, and for groups including AT&T, NJASA, PBS, National Teacher Training Institute, and IBM. She has taught courses on a televised, ten part series produced by NJ Network. She has published widely on technology-assisted learning policy and strategies in publications including Singapore's Association of School Curriculum Journal, Technology and Learning magazine, Media and Methods magazine. She has published on-line for associations including AT&T, The Milken Foundation, SchoolCity.com, PBS OnLine, The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre, and ClassroomConnect. Florence McGinn is the CEO of Insynthesis, an educational consulting firm. 
 
Mrs. McGinn is a published poet. Her poetry book BLOOD TRAIL is available at traditional bookstores as well as at online bookstores such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. Mrs. McGinn holds an appointment as Off-Campus Poetry Professor to Dianye School in Beijing, China. A CD-ROM, Bringing Digital Velocity to Education, employing BLOOD TRAIL as a teaching tool is published and distributed in China by Centrix Technology and GKE, and a 2002 educational technology promotional tour is planned.