Symposium Keynote Speaker: Yong Zhao
Yong Zhao is the Presidential Chair of Global Education and Online Learning at the University of Oregon, and serves as the Associate Dean for Global Education and Online Learning, and the Director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education. He is a fellow of the International Academy for Education, and consults with government and educational agencies. His current work focuses on designing 21st Century Schools in the context of globalization and the digital revolution. His keynote address is the title of his book published in 2009 by ASCD.
Yong Zhao speaks around the world on educational issues, particularly on issues related to globalization and education, creativity, global competitiveness, educational reforms, and educational technology. His main messages are:
- Education should focus on developing children’s strengths, not “fixing their deficiencies.”
- Education is much more than the addition of instruction of course content, especially in a number of limited subjects.
- National standards/standardization have serious negative consequences.
- What makes a nation, a community strong is diversity of talents and creative citizens.
- To succeed in the globalized world, we need to cultivate global competences.
Yong has a very dynamic blog focusing on educational issues.
