Chris Dede
Professor/Harvard University
Mr. Dede is the Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. His fields of scholarship include emerging technologies, policy, and leadership. His funded research includes five grants from NSF and the Gates Foundation to design and study immersive simulations, transformed social interactions, and online professional development. In 2007, he was honored by Harvard University as an outstanding teacher, and in 2011 he was named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association.
Mr. Dede has served as a member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Foundations of Educational and Psychological Assessment and a member of the 2010 National Educational Technology Plan Technical Working Group. His co-edited book, Scaling Up Success: Lessons Learned from Technology-based Educational Improvement, was published by Jossey-Bass in 2005. A second volume he edited, Online Professional Development for Teachers: Emerging Models and Methods, was published by the Harvard Education Press in 2006. His latest book, Digital Teaching Platforms, will be published by Teachers College Press in 2012.
Karlene McCormick-Lee
A K-12 educator for 30 years in Clark County School District (CCSD), Nevada, fifth largest school district in the United States, Dr. Karlene McCormick-Lee has served as a teacher, a school administrator, as well as multiple Cabinet-level central office positions. As Associate Superintendent of Superintendent's Schools, Dr. Lee directed a proactive organization that including 44 schools, as well as Research and School Improvement, Assessment and Accountability, Student Data Services, Internet/Intranet Services, Instructional Data Services, and Public Education Foundation departments. In this capacity, Karlene developed district models for pay-for-performance, school improvement and restructuring, as well as data analysis and accountability reporting. Having gained expertise and skill in leading successful reforms in a large-scale, complex education system. Dr. Karlene McCormick-Lee demonstrated success in strategic program design, development, implementation, and management resulting in clearly defined positive outcomes, as well as improved schooling and organizational effectiveness. Through analysis, interpretation, use, and reporting of data; development of innovative solutions to challenging problems; management of processes, projects, and programs; as well as design and delivery of professional development and support for small and large scale implementations, Karlene assisted CCSD and continues to support educational isntitutions in shaping innovative programs to achieve critical educational goals for children.
Dr. Lee has been a presenter at National School Board Association Conferences, Florida Educational Technology Conference, Council of Great City Schools Conferences, National Educational Computing Conference, ETS Pulliam Users Conference, and International Distance Education Conference. Additionally, Karlene served on Southwest Comprehensive Center at WestEd, Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition – Committee on Youth, and the Nevada Public Education Foundation Board.
Dr. David Thornburg
Founder and Director of Global Operations/Thornburg Center
Dr. David Thornburg is the founder and Director of Global Operations for the Thornburg Center, and as Senior Fellow of the Congressional Institute for the Future, Dr. Thornburg conducts research and provides staff development in the areas of educational futures, multimedia, communications and whole mind education throughout the Americas. In addition to his work at the state and local level, he is also involved at the Federal level in helping to shape telecommunications and education policy for the benefit of all learners. He is an award-winning futurist, author and consultant. His razor-sharp focus on the fast-paced world of modern computing and communication media, project-based learning, 21st century skills, and open source software has placed him in constant demand as a keynote speaker and workshop leader for schools, foundations, and governments.
In his capacity as Senior Fellow of the Congressional Institute for the Future, Dr. Thornburg shares his perspectives with policy makers throughout the country. He was recently commissioned to write a position paper for the United States Department of Education on the future of technology for K-12 education. Dr. Thornburg has been a Member of Advisory Board at RM Educational Software, Inc. since April 2010. He has written numerous books and created several CD-ROMs. His latest book, Campfires in Cyberspace, explores the true nature of the World Wide Web as a tool for learning. In addition to his consulting, speaking, and writing, he also serves on several non-profit boards. Dr. Thornburg is the recipient of several awards for product design and is the recipient of both the Golden and Platinum Disk awards from CUE (Computer Using Educators, Inc.) for his contributions to the advancement of learning and learning technologies. In 1999, he was selected as one of twenty “pioneers” in the field of educational technology by ISTE, the premiere organization devoted to the advancement of technology in learning, and was named by Technology and Learning magazine as one of the top ten most influential people in the field of educational technology in twenty years.