PUBLIC SPEAKING
Mike is a frequent public speaker and interview subject on the use of technology in education around the world, and on topics related to the use of information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) more broadly.
He has been quoted in publications from The Economist to The Guardian, The New York Times to The Verge, The Globe and Mail to the China Education Daily.
He has been a featured and keynote speaker at events in over 25 countries, including the Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID); the Education World Forum; Eduvision Jamaica; eLearning Africa; EMINENT; the Global Symposium on ICT Use in Education; the London Book Fair; the Mobile World Congress; Online Educa Berlin; Wireless EdTech; the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE); and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
He also regularly serves as a 'master of ceremonies' or moderator at international conferences and industry events, including the annual Global Symposium on ICT use in Education (GSIE) in Seoul, which he helped found, and helps to faciliate off-the-record ministerial exchanges at the Education World Forum, the world's largest annual gathering of education ministers.
Mike has helped organize a number of FAILfaires, exploring how can people and organizations can more openly talk about, and learn from, 'failed' projects and initiatives, in the hope that sharing lessons from 'failure' might make 'success' more likely in the future.
He can be reached via Twitter @trucano.
long podcast interview:
selected print interviews:
- Digital Dividends
- Ed tech that's working in the poorest countries
- Exploring gaming, eBooks and ‘interactive phone instruction’ in Africa
selected clips on YouTube:
- two short interviews in Berlin with EduWest and Online Educa Berlin
- a long lecture at the University of Pennsylvania
- a keynote speech at eLearning Africa
- moderating a session at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE)
PUBLIC SPEAKING
"If you think technology can solve your education problems, then you don't understand the problems and you don't understand the technology."
"Too many planning efforts related to large scale investments in ICT use in education dwell too long on what is possible, while ignoring much of what is predictable."
"If you think technology can solve your education problems, then you don't understand the problems and you don't understand the technology."
"If you're pointed in the wrong direction, technology will get you there more quickly -- and expensively."
"Increasingly the Internet provides the dial tone for development, and it will do so for education as well."
"When it comes to education, the best technology is usually the one you already have, know how to use, and can afford"
"Treat teachers like the problem … and they will be"
"There is much talk in international development circles of the potential to 'leapfrog' forward with the aid of new technologies. It is also possible to leapfrog in the wrong direction."
"A Matthew Effect in Educational Technology is frequently observed: Those who are most able to benefit from the introduction of ICTs (e.g. children with educated parents and good teachers, who live in prosperous communities, etc.) are indeed the ones who benefit the most."
"We know a lot about worst practices -- we should make sure we don't repeat them. If we make a mistake, at least let it be a new one."
"In education as in other sectors, technological innovations typically far outpace the ability of policymakers to keep up."
"Dump hardware in schools, hope for magic to happen: This is, in many cases, the classic example of worst practice in ICT use in education. Unfortunately, it shows no sign of disappearing soon."
"The first time you try something, especially if it is with new technologies, you will almost always fail. It’s what you do after you fail that’s important."