Dear MindShare Community Leader,

As we welcome the vibrant month of April, we’re thrilled to share another action-packed edition of the CanAm EdTech Report, brimming with timely insights, exclusive interviews, powerful innovations, and exciting opportunities shaping the future of learning in our AI-inspired world. 

Yes, we are living in some of the most challenging times, which call for courageous leadership to reshape the future of learning. Embracing both a growth and innovator's mindset is essential for us as leaders, to give our youth hope and the critical skills they need to navigate a future that remains uncertain.

As part of our commitment to supporting our highly challenged EdTech industry partners, later this month we will be hosting a webinar on navigating the new tariffs and doing CanAm EdTech business across North America.

On the AI Front
We celebrated National AI Literacy Day with a special edition of the MindShareTV podcast featuring Alana Winnick, recent recipient of the CoSN CTO of the Year Award, joined by her incredible students! Don’t miss this dynamic and inspiring conversation showcasing how AI is being embraced in classrooms to empower teaching and learning.

In This Issue:

🔹 OFFICIAL LAUNCH: 17th Schools of the Future AI & STEM Innovation Challenge
Live from the Dell Technologies Education Summit, this year's challenge kicks off with over $1 million in prizes awarded to date, inspiring the next generation of innovators!
Special thanks to past winners from McMurrich Junior Public School (TDSB) who helped us launch in style.

🔹 Canadian EdTech Company Spotlight:
Congratulations to Explorance, recognized by TIME Magazine in May 2024 in its inaugural list of the World's Top EdTech Companies!

🔹 CoSN Conference Highlights:

• Congratulations to outgoing CoSN Chair Diane Doersch

• Spotlight on the CoSN AI & Accessibility in Education 2024 Blaschke Report

• Kudos to Christine Weiser, recipient of the Kathy Hurley CoSN Private Sector Champion Award 2025

🔹 C21 Canada & Dell Technologies Feature:
AI Use Case Spotlight – Female school administrators at TDSB are leading the way with AI integration.

📚 Book of the Week:
The Learner’s Apprentice: AI and the Amplification of Human Creativity
🎁 Free for Canadian K–12 educators!
Learn how to use AI to co-create software, games, and interactive stories—no coding required.

🛠️ AI Tool of the Week:
Course Hero – A student-powered platform offering study guides, resources, and AI-enhanced academic support.

💬 Quote of the Week:
"Every school must include the global competency of Critical Thinking in the age of AI as part of their school improvement plan."
— Tom D’Amico, Director of Education, Ottawa Catholic School Board, Dell Education Summit Keynote

K–12 Top News Highlights:

• Northwood Esports wins big in cross-border collegiate competition

• AI empowers students with disabilities in Northern Ireland to express themselves creatively

Post-Secondary Innovation Highlights:

• York University debuts a VR-powered chemistry course to deepen student understanding

• UNB’s ‘Curious AI’ outperforms traditional models in real-time problem-solving

📊 Research Worth Reading:
From ERDI U.S. – The latest National Insights Report captures lived experiences and bold ideas from district leaders across the United States.

Upcoming Professional Learning Events:

• ULead Summit | April 6–8

• ASU+GSV Summit | April 6–9

• Mental Health Summit | April 11–12 ( MindShare is a proud media partner!)

Join us in our mission to lead EdTech innovation and help students thrive! We’d love your feedback on this issue. Keep sharing your inspiring stories—we’re always open to fresh ideas and new partnerships to grow and enhance this report.

Until next time, keep the digital learning curve steep! 

Mississauga, ON (March 25, 2025) - LearnForwardPeel is Peel District School Board’s (PDSB) new continuing education storefront dedicated to igniting the professional learning of educators. The online offerings provide Ontario teachers with a robust selection of in-person and online Additional Qualifications (AQ) courses accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). 

Educators and students are praising provincial investments in collegiate programs that offer hands-on experience in a variety of career paths.

Collegiate programs offer specialized programming to create a clear pathway for high school students into post-secondary studies.

Northwood Esports won the Saints Gauntlet Series Super Smash Brothers Ultimate tournament, hosted by St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The competition featured eight of the top collegiate esports teams from the Great Lakes Region and Canada.

Teachers at a County Down special school have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to help their pupils find a voice.

14-year-old Keelan from Tor Bank School in County Down, for instance, uses AI to write his own songs.

Tor Bank's ICT teacher Danielle Perry told BBC News NI that "our children learn in a very, very different way".

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is locked in a court battle to compel social media site Reddit to turn over identifying information of a user who it alleges has been defaming staff at a local elementary school.

The board alleges the posts about ongoing issues at Pinecrest Public School were made in an attempt to defame employees "for some unknown ulterior motive." None of the allegations have been proven in court.

A fourth-year chemistry course at York University is changing the way students learn about enzyme design. Offered for the first time this winter term, Enzyme Design in Virtual Reality uses virtual reality (VR) to teach students the fundamental principles and modern methods of enzyme design.

More than just a novel teaching tool, this new approach aims to foster deep understanding and critical thinking, moving away from rote memorization – a skill rapidly becoming obsolete in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

7. New UNB paper details 'Curious AI' that learns while it works

UNB researchers have created a head-turning AI model that balances curiosity with efficiency, allowing it to refine its strategies in real time. Their recently published paper details how this system outperformed traditional models in managing pandemic policies by reducing health and economic risks. This patent-pending technology is already attracting interest in potential healthcare, energy and robotics applications.

A groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm developed at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) could transform decision-making in unpredictable situations, from healthcare to energy management.

Access to potentially life-saving neurosurgical care remains very uneven worldwide, with potentially life-threatening consequences. This is especially true for a process called ventriculostomy, the most common neurosurgical procedure. Ventriculostomy involves the insertion of a catheter into the brain cavities called ventricles to drain cerebrospinal fluid and relieve intracranial pressure.

In addition to juggling busy course loads, jobs and questions about what they will do after graduating, the last thing students need to worry about is finding food. 

That is where Ankit Mukherjee has stepped in with a unique idea. The fourth-year business student at the University of Lethbridge is the creator of SnackRadar.  

The online platform connects students with free food available on campus, and allows event organizers to post about leftover food they have for free for students. 

10. The future of tech is in N.L., according to industry leaders