Building a Future-Ready Education System: Daniela Silva Chong’s Vision

In this episode of the EDULearn Ask Me Anything Podcast, Daniela Silva Chong, an accomplished leader of educational strategy and innovation, shares her extensive experience in driving transformative change across global educational institutions. With a background that spans leadership roles such as Director of Strategy, ESG, and Innovation, and Chief Innovation Officer, Daniela brings a wealth of knowledge in digital transformation, information literacy, and innovative teaching and learning practices. Her commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and ethical governance highlights her values-driven approach to educational leadership. Listeners will gain insights into the evolving landscape of educational technology, the importance of integrating strategic planning with innovation, and how schools can foster a culture of sustainable growth and forward-thinking practices. Daniela’s discussion also touches on the challenges and opportunities of aligning digital advancements with educational goals; preparing students for a future that demands adaptability and resilience. This episode invites educators, administrators, and change-makers to explore how holistic leadership and ethical AI strategies can drive impactful, lasting progress in schools worldwide. Timestamps [02:50]  Daniela’s Journey in Educational Leadership [04:20] Change Doesn’t Equal Loss [07:25] Building a Culture of Innovation [08:55] Transparency with Stakeholders [12:53] Engaging with Stakeholders: Parent Academy [15:23] Daniela’s Course on EDULearn [19:20] Vetting the Many, Many Tools [21:15] Integration or Innovation? [22:05] Keeping Individuals & Organizations Safe [23:22] Teaching Students to Be Ethical Data Citizens? [24:32] National Guidelines, Frameworks and Opportunities [26:33] Embracing and Learning from Failure [27:50] How to Connect with Daniela Notable Quotes “AI could do 80%... but you, as a human, you have to do that 20%. It's all about augmenting your own intelligence and not replacing you. It's just helping you with efficiency, with the operations, with some of the tasks that were very time consuming, and that it's giving you that time back. So you can focus on your students. You can focus on the learning and the teaching that is happening within the classroom.” “identify those teacher-preneurs or lighthouse practitioners who had, you know [...] I would say [have] no fear of making errors, no fear of trying new things, and I would really partner with them to really test things out because you know Directors of Learning,  Innovation Directors, Chief Learning Officers, we are very far from the classrooms, and, you know, getting the feedback from the people within the classroom is the most powerful thing, that we can do [...]” “[...] my recommendation for whoever's hearing this is, “just start start doing it, and you'll continue to grow with it.’” Let’s Connect Connect With Daniela Silva X: @iLearnDSilva LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielasilvachong/ More Resources Jamie explains how uncontrolled learning environments can benefit learning , Interview Jamie Steckart went live on the HundrED Facebook Page asking the key question- Are our schools designed in a way to take advantage of what we now know regarding intrinsic motivation, brain development, relationships, experiential learning and creating healthy adults? The Value of Wild Places, Reflection Head over iss.idu to check out ISS website for events and more. Sign up for Moreland University to elevate your career as an educator at www.moreland.edu Join the community of professional educators considering the role of inclusion in the classroom culture at seniainternational.orgCheck out inspirecitizens who inspire schools to live their mission of global citizenship at inspirecitizens.org