Experience the future of education at GESS Saudi Arabia 2026's EdTech in Action showcase. This dynamic programme brings together global innovators, education leaders, and technology pioneers to demonstrate how artificial intelligence, immersive learning, and digital solutions are revolutionising classrooms across the Kingdom and beyond. Through live demonstrations, interactive case studies, and hands-on experiences, participants will witness cutting-edge educational technologies in real-world applications. This programme aligns directly with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 educational transformation goals, showcasing practical solutions that enhance teaching effectiveness, improve student outcomes, and prepare learners for the digital future.
Conference (Conference Session)
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From AI Adoption to AI Advantage How Orchestrated Education Ecosystems Deliver Measurable Learning Outcomes
Session Summary:
Across education systems globally, AI investments are accelerating, yet outcomes remain uneven. The core challenge is not access to technology, but the absence of orchestrated ecosystems that align policy, platforms, institutions, educators, and learners around shared objectives. This session will introduce a practical, results-driven framework for moving from fragmented AI adoption to AI advantage in education. Understand why countries and institutions that focus solely on tools fail to scale impact, while those that design ecosystems succeed. The presentation reframes AI in education as an ecosystem design problem, not a technology problem. It explores how data flows, governance models, partner incentives, and human capability development must be intentionally aligned to deliver outcomes such as improved learner performance, teacher augmentation, institutional efficiency, and workforce readiness. Grounded in real-world cases and aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, the session provides education leaders with a clear blueprint to design AI-enabled learning ecosystems that move beyond experimentation and produce tangible, measurable results today.
This session explores practical and accessible AI tools that can be effectively integrated into everyday educational practice. Designed for educators, teachers, and academic leaders, this presentation demonstrates how artificial intelligence can enhance teaching and learning without requiring advanced technical skills or extensive training. Participants will discover AI-powered tools that support lesson planning, classroom activities, assessment design, and student engagement through real classroom scenarios and live demonstrations. The session emphasises how AI can save valuable time, support differentiated learning approaches, and encourage active student participation while maintaining focus on sound pedagogical principles. Join this session to:
• Identify practical and user-friendly AI applications for lesson planning, content creation, assessment design, and classroom management that require minimal technical expertise
• Implement AI-enhanced Teaching: Apply AI tools to create differentiated learning materials, generate engaging activities, and streamline administrative tasks while maintaining educational quality
• Practice Responsible AI Use: Develop strategies for ethical AI integration that supports pedagogical goals, protects student privacy, and maintains academic integrity standards
Speakers
Abdullah Alfuraiji
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Vocational Instructor - Technical and Vocational Training Corporation
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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Tech Audits in Schools – Building Safe, Secure and Future Ready Learning Ecosystems
Session Summary:
With the increasing use of digital technology in schools for teaching, learning, and administration, a safe, secure, and responsible digital environment is essential. A Tech Audit in Schools is a holistic examination that considers not only devices, infrastructure, and digital resources, but also the role of technology in supporting the achievement of educational objectives and the security of students, instructors, and institutional systems. In this workshop, we will examine the importance of technology audits, with an emphasis on cyber safety, data privacy, digital security, and risk management in schools. Topics will cover infrastructure preparedness, cybersecurity measures, data protection standards, access controls, ethical use of digital platforms, online safety guidelines, and compliance with privacy regulations. As schools collect more sensitive student and staff data, data security and the secure use of technology have become vital components of educational leadership. The deliberation will also offer practical frameworks to identify vulnerabilities, implement digital governance, mitigate risks and develop a culture of responsible technology use. Participants will learn how to conduct meaningful technology audits to verify that they are maximising their technology integration and developing secure, ethical, and future-proof learning ecosystems. In today's interconnected society, educational excellence, safety, security and trust are essential.
Responsible AI in Education: What It Actually Means in Practice
Session Summary:
Schools, universities, and learning organisations are adopting AI faster than they can decide what responsible use of it actually means. Most have a policy. Far fewer have a clear practical answer to the questions practitioners are navigating every day: When is it acceptable to use AI to plan a lesson? Generate feedback? Assess student work? Where does support end and substitution begin? What are educators expected to disclose, and to whom? A growing patchwork of guidance, from UNESCO, the US Department of Education, the European Commission, and others, offers principles, but principles do not tell a teacher what to do on Monday morning. The gap between high-level policy and lived practice is where most of the real ethical work in education now sits. This session looks at what responsible AI use actually requires of educators in day-to-day practice. It draws on existing frameworks and policies as reference points rather than blueprints, and turns the conversation toward the practitioner: what counts as appropriate use, what crosses a line, and how do we develop the professional judgment to tell the difference?
Human-Centered AI and Graduate Readiness: Designing Learning for Vision 2030
Session Summary:
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping education by redefining how we understand learning, assessment, and graduate readiness in the 21st century. This presentation explores human-centered AI through post- and trans-human perspectives, positioning AI as a cognitive prosthesis that extends—rather than replaces—human thinking, judgment, and creativity. This approach aligns directly with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 emphasis on human-capital development alongside digital transformation, examining how graduate attributes evolve as learners increasingly partner with intelligent systems and exploring the implications for curriculum design, assessment validity, academic integrity, and learner identity in AI-rich educational environments. Join this session to:
• Explore how AI functions as a cognitive prosthesis to enhance human capabilities, examining the evolution of graduate attributes as learners work collaboratively with intelligent systems while maintaining essential human capacities
• Analyse the implications of AI adoption for curriculum design, assessment validity, and academic integrity, including both opportunities and risks
• Discover practical principles for integrating AI ethically into educational settings, emphasising AI literacy, ethical awareness, and reflective judgment while preserving cultural values and educational integrity in AI-augmented learning environments
Speakers
Sakinah Ismael
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Human Rights Lecturer - Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Bahrain
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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Leading AI Adoption Strategically in Higher Education
Session Summary:
This session addresses the strategic imperative of AI transformation in higher education, recognising the unique complexities universities face beyond classroom implementation. Unlike K-12 environments, universities must navigate research obligations, professional accreditation requirements, and extensive administrative ecosystems whilst embedding AI across teaching, learning, and assessment. The presentation provides senior leaders with a comprehensive framework for institution-wide AI adoption that builds sustainable capability, aligns with national policy frameworks, and maintains academic integrity. Participants will explore practical approaches to personalised learning, evidence-based decision-making, and accessibility enhancement whilst safeguarding assessment credibility and quality assurance standards. Participants will be able to:
• Evaluate strategic frameworks for institution-wide AI integration that address the unique complexities of higher education environments, including research obligations, accreditation requirements, and administrative system interdependencies
• Design comprehensive AI adoption strategies that embed artificial intelligence across teaching, learning, and assessment whilst maintaining academic integrity, quality assurance standards, and alignment with national policy frameworks
• Analyse capacity-building approaches including professional development pathways, ethical governance structures, and privacy safeguards that enable universities to lead responsible AI adoption rather than merely implementing technological tools
Speakers
Dr. Nadine Akkari
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Associate Professor - Computer Science and Information Technology Department, Jeddah International College
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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Support to Stretch: Technology, Tools, and Scaffolding for Every Learner
Session Summary:
This collaborative workshop brings together four educators to demonstrate how purposeful scaffolding using technology and non-digital tools can simultaneously support SEND learners, stretch gifted students, and engage all learners in mixed-ability classrooms. Through real classroom examples, participants will see how responsive scaffolding meets learners where they are while gradually building independence. The session shows how technology reduces cognitive load and amplifies student voice alongside strong pedagogy and meaningful relationships. Learn how to:
• Design flexible scaffolding by creating responsive support structures that adapt to diverse learners using technology and traditional tools
• Integrate inclusive technology that support all learners while maintaining pedagogical balance
• Differentiate effectively by using scaffolding approaches that simultaneously support and stretch different learners with the same foundational structures
Speakers
Batool Hassan
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Homeroom Teacher - GEMS Al Khaleej International School
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The Human Edge: What Teachers Need to Strengthen in the Age of AI
Session Summary:
AI is taking on more and more of what used to fill teachers’ days: generating practice problems, drafting personalised content, giving instant feedback, and pulling insights from student data. For many teachers, that feels like a threat. The more useful question is what AI now frees teachers to focus on, and which skills matter most to strengthen as routine tasks fall away. AI is not replacing teachers; it is redirecting where their professional value lies. The work AI cannot do is the work that defines great teaching: reading the room, knowing students as people, making judgment calls in the moment, navigating ethical grey areas, and adapting when a lesson is not landing. These are the dimensions of teaching that no system, however intelligent, can take over. This session is intended to open that conversation. It puts the question directly to educators: where do we focus now, what can we comfortably hand off to AI, and what must we deliberately strengthen so that teaching remains a fundamentally human practice in an AI-mediated classroom?
Empowering Teachers to Use AI to Bridge Gaps, Not Widen Them
Session Summary:
Technology is reshaping education, and students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) risk being left behind without intentional, inclusive implementation. This workshop breaks down the four categories of SEND and demonstrates how AI can be strategically used to support different areas of need in personalised and adaptive ways that make learning truly accessible. Participants will explore practical applications and ethical considerations for leveraging AI tools to create equitable learning opportunities rather than widening existing educational gaps. Join this session to:
Understand the four categories of SEND and identify specific AI applications that can support communication, cognition, social-emotional, and sensory-physical needs effectively
Learn to select and deploy AI tools that provide adaptive, individualised support while maintaining pedagogical quality and student agency in learning
Develop strategies for using AI ethically and inclusively to bridge educational gaps, ensuring technology enhances rather than replaces human connection and support for SEND learners
Speakers
Kemi Oluyinka
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SENCo - Royal Grammar School Guildford, Dubai
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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Flipping the Classroom with Canva & Wayground: A Practical Workshop
Session Summary:
This interactive workshop explores flipped learning as a future-ready instructional model using Canva and Wayground to enhance engagement and maximise class time. Participants will experience a flipped lesson, view a live demonstration of creating pre-lesson content and formative assessments, and explore AI-supported features while maintaining teacher control. Educators will leave with a practical framework and ready-to-use strategies they can immediately apply to create more active and responsive learning environments. Join this session to:
• Experience and learn to design flipped classroom models to create engaging pre-lesson content and formative assessments that maximise active class time
• Explore AI-supported features in educational technology while maintaining teacher control and pedagogical decision-making in lesson design and delivery
• Gain a practical framework and immediately applicable strategies for creating more active and responsive learning environments through hands-on workshop experience
Speakers
Sharouq AlMatrouk
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Elementary Homeroom Teacher - American Creativity Academy
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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Pedagogical Leadership in the Age of AI
Session Summary:
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing what counts as evidence of learning in schools, challenging traditional indicators of understanding and creating new leadership dilemmas for curriculum, assessment, and teaching quality. As AI reshapes how students produce work, receive feedback, and engage with learning, educational leaders must navigate complex decisions about maintaining learning integrity while embracing technological advancement. Examine how pedagogical leadership rather than tools or policies, make principled decisions when student work, feedback mechanisms, and instructional planning are increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. Join this session to:
• Navigate AI-era assessment challenges for evaluating student learning when traditional evidence indicators are disrupted by AI-generated content and assistance
• Lead principled decision-making to make coherent leadership decisions about curriculum, assessment, and teaching quality in AI-influenced educational environments
• Maintain learning integrity through policies and practices that preserve authentic learning experiences while acknowledging AI's role in student work and educational processes
• Support teacher confidence and support systems that help educators adapt their practice and maintain pedagogical expertise in AI-enhanced classrooms
Speakers
Maged Abdallah
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Deputy Principal - Greenfield international school
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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From Struggle to Success: Tech for Learning Difficulties
Session Summary:
This session will explore how innovative technology can transform learning experiences for students with learning difficulties. This practical session demonstrates digital tools, strategies, and techniques that empower students to overcome learning challenges while enhancing classroom engagement and motivation. Discover accessible technology solutions that create personalised learning experiences tailored to diverse learning needs. The workshop emphasises easy-to-implement approaches that support both students and educators in building inclusive, supportive learning environments where every learner can achieve success. Through interactive demonstrations and practical application, attendees will gain confidence in selecting, implementing, and adapting technology tools that address specific learning difficulties while maintaining focus on student empowerment and academic achievement. Join this session to:
• Implement assistive technology solutions, digital tools and platforms that support students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and other learning differences in academic settings
• Create personalised learning experiences through individualised technology-enhanced learning pathways that accommodate diverse learning styles, processing speeds, and communication needs
• Enhance student engagement through interactive digital strategies that increase motivation, participation, and confidence among students facing learning challenges
• Support educator implementation to develop skills for selecting, adapting, and integrating accessible technology solutions that are practical and sustainable in diverse classroom environments
Speakers
Dr. Nissrine Merhi
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Educational Consultant & Academic Head - Jeddah International School
التصنيفات
AI and EdTech
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Digital Equity and Inclusive Technology Access
Session Summary:
This panel addresses the critical challenge of ensuring equitable access to educational technology across diverse student populations. As schools increasingly rely on digital tools and platforms, disparities in device access, internet connectivity, and technical support create significant barriers to learning. Panelists will explore strategies for bridging the digital divide, examining successful initiatives that have expanded technology access while addressing socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural factors that impact implementation. The discussion covers funding models, community partnerships, and policy frameworks that support inclusive technology integration. Join this session to:
• Identify access and infrastructure solutions and strategies for providing reliable device access and internet connectivity to underserved student population
• Build collaborative relationships with local organisations, businesses, and government agencies to expand technology resources and support
• Develop sustainable equity frameworks and long-term approaches that ensure ongoing technology access while addressing evolving student needs and technological advancement
Speakers
Soha Kamel
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Science Head of department & Gifted Students Program Mahwiba Coordinator - Riyadh Schools Hittin
Mahmoud Amer
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English Literature Teacher, IELTS & GAT Trainer - Riyadh Schools
Rahma Mohammad AbuDhais
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Steam and AI Educators and AI Competition Judge - Alforsan International school
Teacher and PhD Student, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Department of Computer Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia