Dear MindShare Community Innovator,

🍁 Welcome to the Fall Edition of the Canadian EdTech Top 10 Report — Issue #353!

As the season changes, so too does the learning landscape. The acceleration of AI in education continues to reshape how we teach, lead, and innovate. That’s why we’ve curated another packed edition filled with inspiration, insights, and action for educators, leaders, and innovators like you.

🎙️ This Week’s Featured Podcast: A Sneak Peek with Steve Brown, CEO of Nelson
Steve shares his vision on the Intersection of Human & Artificial Intelligence and how Nelson is reimagining education to support both educators and students in this new era.

🚨 Only 33 Days to Go!
We’re counting down to the 16th Canadian EdTech Leadership AI Summit, taking place October 29–30, 2025 at the University of Toronto Mississauga, in proud partnership with PDSB, University of Toronto, Mississuaga MScSM, and IMI. Connect with national & global education & industry experts from both K12 and post-secondary.

🎟 Don’t miss your chance to:
✅ Use code MSL100 to receive $100 off your Summit ticket
🌟 Apply for the Teacher & EdLeader VIP Grant Program
🏆 Nominate an innovator for the 10th Annual EdTech Awards
🐉 Witness Canada’s top EdTech entrepreneurs at the Dragon’s Den Startup Challenge
📘 Claim your free copy of Being Human in the Age of AI (Summit exclusive!)

🎧 Also tune into our Summit Sneak Peek Podcast with Maxim Jean-Louis, CEO of Contact North, who urges us to “build our own tools” and establish a made-in-Canada education innovation industry.

💡 Quote of the Week

“ Let’s not be consumers—even enlightened consumers. Let’s build tools. Let’s build companies. Let’s create a Canadian industry.”
— Maxim Jean-Louis, CEO, Contact North

🔍 Featured Stories This Week:

1. Surrey School Board’s $33M Surplus targets new computer systems – but educators call for restored frontline supports

2. Social Media & AI: Students are teaching themselves—can teachers catch up?

3. $26.1M Government Investment supports youth jobs & education across Canada

4. SETDA Survey: For the first time, AI ranks as the #1 EdTech priority for K-12 schools

5. RBC Report warns of an impending crisis in Canadian post-secondary education

6. SFU & Bell partner to expand AI & supercomputing capacity across Canada

🧠 AI Tool of the Week:  Book Creator
📖 Book of the Week: Being Human in the Age of AI. Just in time for the CDN EdTech Summit, my long awaited book is soon to arrive! 

📚 Teacher & Parent Resource Picks

Recommended by Canadian educators:

• Teachmate – Plan smarter with AI

• QuestionWell – Create formative assessments in seconds

• Conker – Gamify curriculum-aligned learning

Together, we’re shaping a new chapter in Canadian education—one that’s bold, inclusive, and AI-powered, yet grounded in human values. The journey ahead is exciting, and we’re honoured to walk alongside you.

Let’s continue to innovate with purpose and lead with empathy.

📬 Share your stories with us: robert@mindsharelearning.com

Thank you to our contributors, our team and board of advisors, who help make this report possible.

Hope to see you at the Summit #CDNEdTech25!

Until next time, let’s keep the learning curve steep!

Best, R.

Robert Martellacci, M.A. EdTech
Chair, 16th Canadian EdTech AI Leadership Summit
Founder & President, MindShare Learning Media & Consulting
Chief Digital Publisher, The MindShare Learning Report™
Founder, MindShare Workspace
CEO & Co-founder, C21 Canada

A new survey from SETDA, representing U.S. state educational technology leaders, shows that artificial intelligence has become the top edtech priority for K–12 schools for the first time, surpassing cybersecurity. Education leaders across 47 states report working on AI guidance, professional development, and policy frameworks to ensure responsible use while maintaining focus on equity and student protection. The survey also highlights ongoing challenges such as classroom device use, the need for continued infrastructure investment in cybersecurity, and greater teacher training in safe AI adoption. SETDA’s findings signal a significant shift in how states are shaping long-term education technology strategies to balance innovation with responsibility.

AI is rapidly changing how students and teachers approach learning, but much of the knowledge exchange still happens informally through social media or peer networks. Research shows many educators lack the training to critically assess AI’s reliability and ethics, risking bias and inequity if adoption remains unstructured. A pilot program at Mount Saint Vincent University demonstrated that structured teacher education can help candidates evaluate tools, understand concepts like algorithmic bias, and integrate AI thoughtfully into pedagogy. The article argues that clear policies, equity-focused practices, and embedding AI literacy into teacher training are essential if AI is to enhance, not undermine education.

RBC’s latest Growth Project report warns that Canada’s post-secondary sector is in crisis, facing financial instability, declining public funding, and shrinking responsiveness to labour market needs. Once a global leader, Canadian institutions are now struggling with reduced government investment, heavy reliance on international student tuition, and widespread program cuts. The report outlines five urgent reforms: new funding arrangements, more responsive institutional mandates, modernized programs and lifelong learning services, updated governance structures, and mission-driven research tied to national priorities. Without these changes, RBC argues, colleges and universities risk obsolescence, leaving Canada without the skilled workforce and innovation needed to drive future economic growth.

At the University of Regina, students are grappling with how artificial intelligence is reshaping education and their career prospects. Some, like French education student Jessica Yoganand, worry that over-reliance on AI undermines the value of a degree and complicates academic integrity, while others, like software engineering student Parth Patel, see it as a powerful career opportunity and are building their own AI tools. Opinions vary widely: some students believe banning AI promotes deeper critical thinking, while others view it as a helpful tool for organization and brainstorming if used responsibly. Overall, the conversations highlight a generational shift, with students balancing excitement, skepticism, and ethical concerns as AI becomes embedded in learning and future work.

Ivey Business School is pioneering the use of virtual reality to help students build empathy and perspective-taking skills, essential but often overlooked aspects of leadership. Led by Professor Shannon Rawski and supported by Ivey’s Critical Issues Challenge Fund, the project immerses students in real-life inspired team meeting scenarios, allowing them to experience situations from multiple viewpoints. The three-minute VR simulation highlights issues such as prejudice, racism, and classism, encouraging students to reflect and engage in deeper discussions after the experience. Early pilots, including with Women in Asset Management students, have received positive feedback, signaling VR’s potential to transform leadership education at Ivey.

The Ontario government is investing $18 million to expand life-saving medical isotope production at McMaster University’s Nuclear Reactor, enabling 24/7 operations and supporting up to 84,000 cancer treatments annually. The funding will create 16 new jobs in Hamilton, boost research capacity by 300 per cent, and strengthen Ontario’s position as a global leader in nuclear medicine and innovation. Medical isotopes produced at McMaster, such as Holmium-166 and Iodine-125, are critical for treating cancers including liver and prostate, with demand rising worldwide. This investment aligns with Ontario’s broader life sciences and nuclear strategies, aiming to save lives, grow the economy, and export made-in-Ontario medical innovations globally.

Simon Fraser University and Bell Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Canada’s artificial intelligence and sovereign supercomputing capacity. The partnership will expand the Cedar Supercomputing Centre (CSC), increasing computational resources available to researchers and industry across the country. It will also link CSC with Bell’s upcoming AI Fabric site at Thompson Rivers University, creating new opportunities for large-scale research collaboration. The initiative positions both institutions to play a leading role in advancing Canada’s AI infrastructure and supporting innovation in academia and industry.