Dear MindShare Community Member,

What an extraordinary journey it has been! As we look back and unpack the 16th Canadian Educational Technology Leadership AI Summit, we’re filled with gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead. We are just getting started!

Together, we made history, mindfully bringing together the entire K20 stakeholder community: students, educators, professors, edleaders, EdTech industry innovators, and changemakers from across Canada and beyond to explore how AI can empower human-centered sustainable learning. Thanks to conference delegates and C21 member community, we submitted our C21 Canada AI Task Force Report with our Summit insights included to the Canadian AI Minister's Task Force consultation. 

This special post-summit edition of the Can/Am Report celebrates the conversations, collaborations, and commitments sparked at the Summit, and highlights the momentum now carrying us forward into the next phase of EdTech innovation, upskilling & digital transformation that is essential to support teachers & students to effectively harness AI with a human-centered approach.

I'd love to hear from delegates who forged strategic partnerships from the Summit as we'd like to feature you in a special MindShareTV podcast Series!

EDTECH SUMMIT SPOTLIGHT 

A huge thank-you to all the amazing participants who made this year’s Summit such a success!

Relive the moments that inspired and connected us:

• Highlights from Day 1
• Highlights from Day 2
• Inside the Summit with Dhiraj Hariramani CEO & Founder of LearnIt Solutions Inc. : Full Recap - Watch Here!
• Join our Summit community! Share your reflections! Summit CoLab

And check out our Top 10 ‘Crown-Sourced’ Takeaways from the 16th Canadian EdTech Leadership AI Summit, insights shared directly by delegates shaping the future of learning:

1️⃣ Human-Centered AI is the Future
2️⃣ Equity, Access & Inclusion Lead the Way
3️⃣ Policy Must Keep Pace with Innovation
4️⃣ Pedagogy Before Technology
5️⃣ Professional Learning Builds Confidence
6️⃣ AI Literacy for All
7️⃣ Ethics & Responsible Design Are Non-Negotiable
8️⃣ Collaboration and Networking Spark Innovation
9️⃣ Hands-On Learning Delivers High Impact
🔟 Curiosity Over Certainty

Each takeaway reflects the spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and courage that defined this year’s gathering.

If you attended the Summit, we’d greatly appreciate 5 minutes of your time to complete our short post-summit survey. Your feedback on the sessions, speakers, and overall experience will directly shape the Empowering Human-Centered Sustainable Learning in an AI-Inspired World and guide us as we plan next year’s Summit.

👉 [16th Canadian EdTech AI Summit Survey]

Your voice matters. Together, we are shaping the national conversation around the responsible and sustainable use of AI in education.

This Week’s Highlights - MindshareTV Podcast:

MindShareTV Podcast with Erich Reiter, CEO/Co-Founder of SAY IT Labs: AI-Powered Speech Therapy Erich Reiter & Dragon’s Den Winner, Discover how this award-winning startup is transforming accessibility and learning through AI-driven speech therapy, and hear their journey from classroom inspiration to national recognition

👉 Watch Here!

In this issue, we spotlight:

Join the Canadian Pavilion at Bett UK 2026
Showcase your EdTech on the world stage, learn more at our free webinar, Nov 19 @ 12:30 PM ET.

C21 AI Task Force Report, Out Now!
Explore Canada’s next phase in responsible, human-centered AI in education.

🗣️ Quote of the Month

“The Summit brought together students, leaders, and innovators to shape the future of learning.” - Rashmi Swarup, Director & CEO, PDSB

🧠 AI Tool of the Month: Say It Labs
Empowering accessibility through speech-driven learning.

📖 Book of the Month: Emanate
A powerful story of leadership, healing, and well-being.

📰 K-12 Top Stories
Amii launches AI Workforce Readiness Program • OpenAI announces $130 B foundation • OCSB empowers students to “Be Internet Awesome”

🎓 Post-Secondary Highlights
Government of Canada invests $690 M in research • Waterloo’s “Hiro” startup gamifies physiotherapy • Quebec funds new $182 M Health Pavilion

To our valued Summit sponsors and partners, thank you for making this year’s edition our most impactful yet. Your commitment to driving innovation in education continues to fuel Canada’s position as a global EdTech leader.

Let’s carry this momentum forward, collaborating with purpose, curiosity, and heart to build a future where technology empowers every learner. Watch for more details on our regional New Brunswick AI Summit this Spring!

Special thanks to our team, Hanan, Ammar, our coop interns and our board of advisors. It truly takes a village to make meaningful change happen! 

Until next time, keep the digital learning curve steep!

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

📍 mindsharelearning.ca
📧 robert@mindsharelearning.com
🐦 @MindShareLearn | @c21can | @mindsharework

Teachers play a crucial role in helping students build AI literacy, but they need more training, resources, and policy support to succeed. While AI can enhance learning, it also raises concerns around privacy, bias, academic integrity, and the potential decline of critical thinking skills. Preparing educators requires professional learning, foundational AI knowledge, ethical guidance, and collaborative spaces to design and share best practices. Strong investment in teacher preparation and support is essential to ensure students engage responsibly and equitably with AI in education.

The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) hosted more than 400 students from Grades 4 to 6 at Immaculata High School for an engaging digital literacy event led by Google Canada and MediaSmarts. Part of Google’s Online Safety Roadshow during Media Literacy Week, the session, titled Be Internet Awesome, taught students how to protect their privacy, create strong passwords, and practice kindness and empathy online. OCSB Director of Education Mary Donaghy emphasized the board’s commitment to helping students become confident, responsible digital citizens who use technology ethically. The event reflected OCSB’s values of wellness, community, and innovation, empowering students to lead with integrity in an increasingly digital world.

Toronto high school student Suzy Mao has launched EmotiKids, an AI-powered web platform designed to help children with autism recognize emotions and social cues through adaptive, game-style learning. Combining animated prompts and personalized feedback, the tool supports children, parents, and therapists by making social-emotional learning more engaging and accessible. As part of a rapidly growing AI-in-education market projected to exceed $160 billion globally, EmotiKids explores opportunities for school and clinical partnerships, licensing, and pilot funding. While experts emphasize the need for privacy safeguards and clinical validation, Mao envisions the platform as a supportive companion to traditional therapy, aiming to foster understanding and connection for neurodiverse learners.

The Government of Canada has announced more than $690 million in new funding to strengthen national research excellence and diversity across postsecondary institutions. The investment includes over $482 million through the Research Support Fund to upgrade facilities, enhance cybersecurity, and sustain world-class research environments, along with $198 million to support 259 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs in fields ranging from AI and Indigenous governance to mental health and ocean engineering. An additional $11 million will fund 43 research infrastructure projects through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund, and $300,000 will support three recipients of the Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity. This comprehensive initiative underscores Canada’s commitment to supporting innovation, equity, and global competitiveness in its research ecosystem.

A Waterloo-based startup, Hiro, is transforming physiotherapy for children with disabilities into motion-based adventure games that make rehabilitation fun and engaging. Founded by Tamer Shahin and Jerry Chen, the company uses AI and human-centered design to turn repetitive exercises into interactive experiences, like flying through forests or slicing fruit, while improving mobility and motivation. Supported by Velocity and in partnership with KidsAbility’s Rocket Discovery Centre, Hiro co-creates its games with input from children, caregivers, and physiotherapists to ensure accessibility and impact. After debuting at the Canadian National Exhibition, Hiro plans to publicly launch in March 2026, inviting families to test and shape its next generation of inclusive physiotherapy games.

Digital Promise has launched the K-12 AI Infrastructure Program, a $26 million, four-year initiative designed to strengthen how artificial intelligence supports teaching and learning. In partnership with Learning Data Insights, DrivenData, Georgetown University’s Massive Data Institute, and Catalyst @ Penn GSE, the program will fund open-source datasets, models, and benchmarks to improve the accuracy, safety, and inclusivity of AI tools in education. Guided by principles of responsible governance and universal benefit, all outputs will be publicly licensed to ensure accessibility for educators, researchers, and developers. The initiative invites public input through a Request for Information, with formal grant proposals set to open in early 2026, marking a major step toward building a trustworthy and equitable AI foundation for K–12 learning.

Washington State is taking a proactive approach to integrating artificial intelligence in education, developing one of the first statewide AI guidance frameworks known as “Human-AI-Human” (H-AI-H). The model, introduced by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal and supported by Microsoft, emphasizes human oversight before and after AI use, ensuring that technology enhances learning without replacing critical thinking. Educators like Adam Aguilera are already applying AI to personalize lessons and streamline curriculum planning, while state leaders explore AI-driven efficiencies in transportation and budgeting. Despite concerns about cheating, mental health, and overreliance on technology, Washington aims to lead the nation in responsible AI education, balancing innovation with ethics, safety, and human-centered learning.

Teaching & Learning Manager (Central Region) - Discovery Education

Remote, US

Senior Account Executive, Enterprise (US) - Kahoot

Austin, TX, US

Director, Demand Generation - Modern Campus

Hybrid, Toronto, ON, Canada