October 

Everything is Nature: Humans and AI from an Earth-centred perspective 

Details: What would it mean to engage computation and cognition from an Earth-centred perspective, where humans are neither at  the centre nor the only intelligence in town? This talk reports on the educational and artistic experiment Burnout From Humans, designed to explore that question. The outcomes of the experiment are presented in the interim report Standing in the Fire: A Speculative Inquiry into Meta-Relationality and AI.

The preliminary findings suggest that the way we engage with AI could either deepen modernity’s separations or help us begin to sense and coordinate together at planetary scale. This talk will share what we learned from inviting AI into an Earth-centred inquiry, and what this might mean for education in times of collapse, complexity, and ecological urgency.

Date: October 1, 2025

Time: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. EDT 

Cost: Free

Presenter:

Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti

Professor and former Dean, University of Victoria (currently focusing on educational, artistic and relational experiments with AI.)

A former Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change and a former David Lam Chair in Critical Multicultural Education, Vanessa has more than 100 published articles and has worked extensively across sectors internationally in areas of education related to global justice, global citizenship, critical literacies, Indigenous knowledge systems and the climate and nature emergency.

Vanessa is the author of Hospicing Modernity: Facing humanity's wrongs and the implications for social activism, one of the founders of the Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures Arts/Research Collective and one of the designers of the course Facing Human Wrongs: Climate Complexity and Relational Accountability, available at UVic through Continuing Studies. Her latest work, Burnout From Humans: A Little Book About AI That is Not Really About AI, co-authored with Aiden Cinnamon Tea, explores AI as a mirror and metaphor for human systems and invites readers to rethink relationality amidst planetary crises. 

Details about the OPCLeadLearn Conference can be found here.

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December 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Workshop 2-Part Series

Session One: Introduction to Universal Design for Learning for School Leaders

Details: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers a proactive alternative to retrofitting instruction by anticipating and removing barriers to learning before they arise. This session introduces UDL’s three core beliefs and models practical strategies and routines to help educators design for learner variability and promote student success

Date: December 10, 2025

Time: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EDT/EST 

Cost: Free (Members and Associates), $50 +HST (Non-Members)

Presenter: 

Mirko Chardin

Senior Equity & Leadership Consultant | Keynote Speaker & Advisor, Novak Education

Mirko Chardin, a former teacher and founding head of school, is a nationally recognized consultant specializing in inclusive teaching and learning and school culture. His work focuses on creating learning environments where all students feel a sense of belonging and purpose, and where educators are equipped to meet the needs of diverse learners through Universal Design for Learning (UDL), positive relationship-building, and inclusive and culturally responsive instructional practices. He also serves as a leadership coach and facilitator with the Aspire Institute at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Human Development and Education.

Mirko is the co-author of the bestselling Equity by Design: The Power and Promise of UDL. He is available to lead dynamic workshops and keynotes on UDL, inclusive practices, restorative practices, and school leadership.

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January

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Workshop 2-Part Series

Session Two: Leading Complex, Adaptive Change

Details: Effective leadership is the engine behind meaningful instructional change. In this session, explore how to lead inclusive transformation by refining your leadership approach, navigating complex challenges, and building the habits of mind that keep systems moving forward. We’ll use tools like the Blake & Mouton Grid and adaptive challenge mapping to clarify your next best moves

Date: January 13, 2026

Time: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. EST/EDT

Cost: Free (Members and Associates), $50 +HST (Non-Members)

Presenter: 

Mirko Chardin

Senior Equity & Leadership Consultant | Keynote Speaker & Advisor, Novak Education

Mirko Chardin, a former teacher and founding head of school, is a nationally recognized consultant specializing in inclusive teaching and learning and school culture. His work focuses on creating learning environments where all students feel a sense of belonging and purpose, and where educators are equipped to meet the needs of diverse learners through Universal Design for Learning (UDL), positive relationship-building, and inclusive and culturally responsive instructional practices. He also serves as a leadership coach and facilitator with the Aspire Institute at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Human Development and Education.

Mirko is the co-author of the bestselling Equity by Design: The Power and Promise of UDL. He is available to lead dynamic workshops and keynotes on UDL, inclusive practices, restorative practices, and school leadership.

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Refund Policy

A full refund is available if you cancel before the meeting link is sent.

There is no refund for cancellations on the date of the session or after meeting link has been sent.

A full refund applies when a session is cancelled due to low enrollment.