23 November 2019 - Leaps of Knowledge invites everyone to be a game changer in education, empowering the community to raise resilient leaders who are able to reimagine what could be, and have the confidence to pursue that vision. This year, the conference featured impactful leaders such as International Artist and Architect Red Hong Yi, Global Teacher Prize 2019 Top 10 Finalist Swaroop Rawal, International Psychologist Dr Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, Child Developmental Specialist Racheal Kwacz, Teach for Malaysia Founder Dzameer Dzulkifli and many more.
“The Leaps of Knowledge Conference organised by FrogAsia is a platform for thought leadership that inspires and empowers educators to mould lifelong learners. Through this year’s conference themed around our core values, HEART, we aim to inspire a sense of purpose and joy by changing hearts and shaping minds. Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to inspire thousands of teachers, parents, students and advocates, and we look forward to the positive impact this year’s line up of speakers will bring,” said Lou Yeoh, Executive Director of FrogAsia.
During the conference, five keynote sessions were conducted with each embodying one H-E-A-R-T value, zooming in on the importance of each HEART value by addressing current issues, trends and initiatives in the education landscape.
Lou Yeoh took to the stage to speak about changing hearts and shaping minds. Focusing on the H in HEART, Lou spoke about the values that FrogAsia believes are the foundation to <b>making a difference</b> in education. “At FrogAsia, we see our technology as a tool that helps us make education relevant in today’s world, it helps us to be more effective and efficient; creative and engaging. But at the end it’s not really about technology, but what you do with it that matters. Behind this technology, are real people, people whose purpose is to make a difference,” Lou added.
Nicholas Piachaud, Policy and Advocacy Manager for the Varkey Foundation and Swaroop Rawal, Global Teacher Prize Finalist 2019, Vice President of Early Childhood Association India and a former Miss India took the stage for the E value. Nicholas talked about the Global Teacher Prize and how it celebrates teachers who enjoy what they do and who they do it with whereas Swaroop explained how she uses the performing arts and elements of fun to teach children life skills.
Meanwhile, Datin Kathleen Chew, Programme Director of YTL Foundation, interviewed educationist, consultant and trainer Puan Sri Sherina Leong-Aris on how education has evolved throughout the years, and the importance of acting with integrity by having the right character and values in education. Besides that, Dzameer Dzulkifli, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Teach For Malaysia, Soonufat Supramaniam - an English teacher and Teach for Malaysia alumnus as well as Tay Sue Yen, Co-Founder of MYReader discussed how teachers can continue to start new initiatives to reach for perfection for the future of education in Malaysia. Lastly, Malaysian artist-architect Red Hong Yi gave insight on how individuals can think ahead and out of the box to wrap up the keynote session.
During the seminar sessions, insightful discussions on topics such as how individuals can manage a school on Cloud, implications of exam stress on students, Frog’s new features, respectful parenting and best practices for students to protect themselves from predators. The seminar sessions were led by speakers such as Martyn Soulsby, a teacher and senior leader at North Lakes School; Dr Anjhula Mya Singh Bais, an International Psychologist, Life Coach and 2019’s Young Global Leader; Racheal Kwacz, a Child and Family Development Specialist; Aizat Izyani, Head of Product in FrogAsia and Karen Wong, an Early Childhood Educator and Head of Kindity Preschool.
The conference not only included keynote sessions and seminars but also included a playground where participants were able to solve challenges together. The participants had the opportunity to step into a world of wonder and excitement by solving puzzles and challenges with friends and strangers alike. Upon completion of each activity at the playground, participants get the opportunity to show support for two high-need communities. Together with YTL Foundation, FrogAsia brought together partners like Me Books, CzipLee, Pelangi, Leaderonomics, and Pops Malaya to build community centres in Kampong Sion, Sarawak and Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.
The annual Leaps of Knowledge Conference was first started in 2013 and has thus far featured over 55 workshops sessions, inspiring more than 20,000 teachers, parents, students and advocates. In the past, the conference has featured international thought leaders, shapers and technologists such as Nick Vujicic, Dr Sugata Mitra, Dr Alice Wilder and Shaheen Mistri, and local education heroes such as Cheryl Fernando and Alvin Ung, who have all made a strong impression.
For more information on Leaps of Knowledge, please visit https://www.leapsofknowledge.com/
