KU Annual Conference 2018 KU Annual Conference Program | Page 3

Introduction and Welcome A warm welcome to the 2018 KU Annual Conference. Our theme for this year ‘New Frontiers from Strong Foundations’ is intended to be both provocative and reaffirming. Just as we recognise a collective desire to be perpetually growing and reaching for greater heights, we remain steadfastly rooted in our respect for children’s rights, strengths and potential. In the face of many new challenges confronting the sector, we must step confidently into the future and embrace our collective responsibility to consider not only the strength of our pedagogical viewpoint, but the socio-political and advocacy tenants of our work. With this aspirational vision, we are delighted to offer a conference program that will showcase a strong cohort of KU Annual Conference 2018 renowned speakers across diverse domains of learning. Through our conference streams and the pooling of knowledge and ideas amongst guests and delegates, we hope to initiate a new social discourse that will explore the educator’s preparedness to embrace early education through an everchanging contemporary lens. We hope to inspire and challenge the early education fraternity to consider a landscape of possibilities, so that educators can, with confidence, begin to really consider the new frontiers of education. To rethink and reshape teaching and learning so that it is congruent with the shifting demographic of contemporary society, inclusive of the promise and challenge of digital literacy and technologies, issues of social justice and social competence. The contemporary early childhood landscape is complex and intricate. It invites educators through a dialogue of this nature to innovate change, where possibilities are freely explored, ideals are considered attainable and reform is always within reach. With the provocative offerings of our keynote speaker Steve Sammartino and featured speaker Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, along with an impressive list of other speakers, we anticipate this encounter will enable educators to take formidable strides towards new frontiers of learning. One that involves the consideration of multiple truths and perspectives, to enable pedagogies of innovation and imagination; humility and harmony. KU CEO, Christine Legg 3