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Developing Minds 2026

Critical Discourse and AI in Secondary and Post-Secondary Classrooms

Overview

Should we be luddites about AI? How do we engage with "dangerous ideas" in classrooms? Can you use political organizing tools to empower student learning? At Developing Minds, we bring together experts from secondary and post-secondary education to answer these questions, and more! 

Included with your ticket:

  • Spend your PD-day learning from and exchanging ideas with education professionals
  • Moderated rountable discussions to hone your teacher practice
  • Coffee and light refreshments
  • Access to your choosing of speaker sessions 
  • Plenary debate
  • Closing social at Biercraft University (+ free appetizers)

EVENT DETAILS

  • Friday, May 15th, 2026
  • 8:30am to 1:30pm
  • SFU Halpern Centre 126, Burnaby

Register now

In joint partnership with: 

About Developing Minds

Recent changes in the BC education curriculum established 'Critical Thinking' as a core teaching approach throughout K-12 classrooms. Students benefit from a rich community of inquiry that promotes deeper understanding of curriculum content and equips them with valuable life skills. School systems already using this approach have documented success using a number of outcome metrics.

Critical thinking skills transfer readily from the classroom into post-secondary education, and beyond. Not only do they enhance learning outcomes but students also gain a competitive advantage in the job market by acquiring skills in critical, creative and collaborative thinking frequently sought by modern employers.

The Developing Minds conference seeks to open up discussion among provincial education stakeholders keen to explore how teaching critical thinking in K-12 classrooms transfers into post-secondary education for student benefit. 

Simon Fraser University presents a day of roundtable discussion and keynote presentations on teaching critical thinking within BC’s education system, with a focus on connecting creative thinking with critical thinking skills in the classroom. Attendees will hear from keynote speakers with direct experience, and then collaborate to build a provincial framework of reference.