Meet the OEB25 Speakers: Keynote Adam Salkeld

We are thrilled to welcome Adam Salkeld as keynote speaker for the OEB Annual Debate. Adam is the Co-Founder and Director of Digital Learning Associates, a former BBC producer who now brings broadcast-quality storytelling to education, reaching over 15 million language learners worldwide.

What was your first thought about this year’s conference theme “Humanity in the Intelligent Age: Empathy, Responsibility, and the Duty of Care”?

At last, an event that has the imagination, sophistication and basic guts to look beyond the shallow AI hype and explore the defining issue of our age – what it means to be human.

If you could look into the year 2045, what do you envision learning will be driven by?

If I am being optimistic…the burgeoning Human Renaissance of the 2030s and 2040s. Learning will be there to support, guide and inspire us to excel at all the things that only humans can do.

Which learning technology has recently impressed you?

The AI tools on the Busuu app as I have been brushing up my modern languages this year. The speaking practice and real-time corrections on Busuu are excellent.

Which book should everyone read?

Hard Times by Charles Dickens because it crystallises the key arguments about why we have education. What Dickens saw, and portrayed brilliantly, over a century and a half ago remains just as true today.

What was your most significant learning experience?

Visiting Africa for the first time

Which question is asked too rarely when we talk about learning?

How can we make this less boring for the learner?

What would be the title of your autobiography?

“I’m not a Celebrity, but …”

What are you looking forward to the most at this year’s OEB?

Meeting friends old and new and continuing the conversations that I have valued so much in twenty years of attending OEB.

Thank you, Adam! Adam Salkeld will be speaking at the OEB25 Annual Debate “This House believes that catering to shorter attention spans is dumbing down education” on Thursday, 4 December.