Samuel Beyer, NSLA Learning Network co-convenor, attended the National Education Summit in Brisbane on July 30–August 1. The summit featured two key conferences, ‘Capacity Building School Libraries’ and ‘AI in the Classroom,’ offering rich insights into the evolving role of libraries in education. In 2025, identified thought leaders across the NSLA program are being awarded funding to attend conferences and sector events, to bring the learnings back to their NSLA network or group and uplift the entire collaboration with the latest insights and thinking.
Key takeaways included the importance of school libraries as dynamic learning hubs that support learning across the curriculum and can be key to fostering media and information literacy. Sessions highlighted the importance of library leadership, and how school librarians can support, or lead, AI integration.
The ‘AI in the Classroom’ stream explored how AI can personalise learning, provide real-time feedback, and support diverse pedagogical approaches. Ethical use, data privacy, and academic integrity were recurring themes, with libraries positioned as leaders in promoting responsible AI engagement.
Attendance at the National Education Summit enabled valuable synthesis of ideas around AI, pedagogy, and media and information literacy, reinforcing the role of libraries in shaping future-ready learners.
