Indonesia is expanding professional learning in coding and artificial intelligence to more than 300,000 educators and education staff during 2026. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education says the training will reach educators across around 140,000 educational units. It forms part of a broader programme covering deeper learning, coding and AI, delivered through teacher workgroups as well as online platforms. A junior-high classroom in Indonesia. The country is scaling teacher development in deeper learning, coding and AI across a large national school system. Image: Fitrah 9131 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Professional learning at system scale The programme is another sign that AI capability is becoming a mainstream teacher-development issue. Indonesia is combining technical skills with subject implementation and encouraging schools to operate as places where teachers test and refine practice together. For international schools, the scale is a useful reminder that successful AI adoption depends on time for teachers to learn, experiment and compare approaches. Access to a tool is only the beginning. Read the Indonesian Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education announcement

Microsoft’s Student AI Guidelines allow teachers to set different expectations for AI use on individual assignments. Microsoft Teams for Education now allows teachers to set clear expectations for how students may use AI on individual assignments. The new Student AI Guidelines can be added when a teacher creates or edits an assignment. Teachers can choose from four levels: full AI use, AI for editing only, AI for brainstorming only, or no AI use. Students see the selected guidance alongside the assignment, making the expectations clear before they begin their work. Schools can also customise the wording of the guidelines to better match their own AI policies. Importantly, Microsoft says the guidelines communicate expectations rather than technically preventing students from accessing other AI tools. Why this matters for teachers and schools As schools move beyond simple debates about whether students should or should not use AI, the more useful question is increasingly when and how AI use is appropriate. A brainstorming task, an essay draft and an assessment of independent writing may reasonably have three different expectations. Putting those expectations directly into an assignment gives teachers a practical way to communicate that distinction to students. For school leaders, it also provides one example of how an institution-wide AI policy can translate into everyday classroom practice rather than remaining a broad set of principles. Read Microsoft’s announcement and feature details →

This September, we’re introducing EdEvents Connect — an evolution of the EdTech Connect gatherings we’ve been running for the international school community. EdTech Connect began as a simple way to bring together technology, digital learning and school leaders for informal conversations, practical ideas and the chance to meet colleagues from across different schools. That remains very much at the heart of EdEvents Connect. Technology and innovation in schools will continue to be a major focus of most of our gatherings, but we also want Connect to provide space for other topics relevant to the wider international school community. Different gatherings may have different themes, and anyone with an interest in the topic is welcome to come along. Starting in Singapore Our first EdEvents Connect will take place at GESS – International School on Thursday, 3 September. We’ll share a brief look at some of what is coming up across EdEvents during the year ahead, hear a few practical ideas from members of the community, and — most importantly — leave plenty of time to catch up with colleagues, enjoy a few drinks and make some new connections. There’s no long programme. The idea is simply to create useful opportunities for people working across international schools to get together more regularly. Join us at GESS on 3 September. Find out more and RSVP on Humanitix

Schools can list their workshops, conferences and other professional learning events on EdEvents for free. Hosting a workshop for teachers at your school? Share it. Putting on your own school conference? Share it. Running a professional learning session, network meeting or other event that educators from outside your school can attend? We would love to help more people find it. Schools can submit these events to the EdEvents directory with a free standard listing. It does not need to be an EdEvents event or a major conference. If it is taking place at your school and gives educators an opportunity to learn or connect, it belongs on EdEvents. Simply send us the event details, registration link and an image. Once reviewed, we will add it to the directory. There is no charge for a standard school event listing. Submit your school event

Vibe coding can help teachers turn their content expertise into simple, effective classroom tools—without needing traditional programming skills. You have an idea for an interactive quiz, a classroom game or a simple tool to help students practise a skill. Normally, turning that idea into working software would require coding knowledge—or help from someone who has it. Vibe coding offers another way. Put simply, vibe coding means describing what you want in everyday language and allowing an AI tool to build it for you. You might type: “Create an interactive vocabulary game for Year 6 students. Show one word at a time, offer four possible definitions and keep score as the student progresses.” The AI generates the underlying code and presents a working first version. You can then continue the conversation: “Make the text larger, add a hint button and explain incorrect answers.” Instead of writing each line of code yourself, you guide the process by describing the outcome, testing what the AI produces and asking for changes. What could teachers create? Vibe coding opens up possibilities well beyond traditional programming lessons. Teachers can use it to create: Interactive quizzes, games and revision activities Simulations and subject-specific learning tools More engaging alternatives to static slides and worksheets Simple websites or resources for a class project Tools that organise, summarise or transform information Small automations that reduce repetitive planning and administrative work This does not mean every teacher now needs to become a software developer. The attraction is precisely the opposite: teachers can begin with their knowledge of students, curriculum and learning design, while AI handles much of the technical construction. Is it really that easy? Getting started can be surprisingly easy. Producing something reliable, polished and genuinely useful still requires judgement. AI-generated tools may contain mistakes. Instructions can be misunderstood, buttons may not behave as expected and a tool that works in one situation may fail in another. Teachers also need to consider privacy, accessibility, age appropriateness and whether student information is being entered into an external platform. That makes testing an essential part of vibe coding. A useful process is: Start with one clearly defined classroom need. Describe the intended users and purpose. Ask the AI to create a simple first version. Test every part of it. Request one improvement at a time. Ask a colleague or student to try it before wider use. The teacher remains responsible for deciding whether the finished product is accurate, safe and educationally worthwhile. Why does vibe coding matter? Many teachers have useful ideas for digital learning but have never had a practical way to build them. Vibe coding significantly reduces that barrier. It allows educators to move from “I wish there were a tool that…” to creating and testing a first version themselves. It also shifts the important skill away from memorising programming syntax and towards defining problems, communicating clearly, evaluating results and improving a design through iteration. Those are valuable skills for teachers—and increasingly for students as well. Know the limits Vibe coding is best suited to simple, focused classroom tools where your expertise is in the content and learning purpose—not the technology. Don’t use it to build critical systems such as an LMS or student information system, particularly where sensitive data is involved. Start small, solve a clear classroom need and leave complex, high-stakes systems to established platforms and experienced developers. Learn how to use it in practice EdEvents is hosting Vibe Coding for Teachers with James Abela, Director of Digital Learning and Entrepreneurship at Garden International School and author of Vibe Coding: From Idea to App at the Speed of Flow. Designed specifically for teachers who do not teach Computer Science, the hands-on workshop will explore how tools including Canva, Gemini and Google Sites can be used to create interactive learning materials and practical classroom tools. Participants will work towards building and publishing a first project while also examining the limitations and responsible use of the technology. The workshop takes place at Singapore American School on Friday, 4 September 2026, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Learn more and register for Vibe Coding for Teachers

edSummit Phnom Penh 2026 brought together 23 educators and school leaders from Phnom Penh’s international schools community for an afternoon of professional learning, practical ideas, and connection at Canadian International School of Phnom Penh. A sincere thank you to Jon Horsnell, Geoff Jones, and the wider CIS team for hosting the event and creating such a welcoming setting for the community. We are also grateful to all of the presenters who contributed to the afternoon: James Sayer from AppsEDU, Geoff Jones from CIS, Shruti Sundararaman from upGrad International, David Burke from EdEvents, Sarel Myburgh from CIA FIRST International School, and Kate O’Connell for an excellent closing session facilitating discussion. Each session brought a different perspective, from Google for Education and school data systems through to AI, future learning, professional connection, and community reflection. Thank you to everyone who attended, shared ideas, and helped make the afternoon a valuable step in building stronger connections across Phnom Penh’s international schools community.

International School of Dongguan hosted a fantastic sold-out edSummit Dongguan, bringing together 80 educators from 20 schools across Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen and the wider Greater Bay Area. The event was a strong celebration of the vibrant GBA international school community, with educators coming together for a morning of professional learning, connection and conversation around the future of teaching and learning in the age of AI. The featured workshop was led by Dr Justin Zhang, who presented Helping Students Think, Reflect, and Thrive in the Age of AI. The session invited educators to consider how schools can support students to think deeply, reflect meaningfully and maintain their wellbeing in a rapidly changing technological landscape. A special thank you also goes to Macwyn Liu from upGrad, Dan Rosenberg from Otus, and Haena Kim from Beyond Classrooms for their support and contributions to the event. Their involvement helped bring together a thoughtful and engaged group of educators and partners committed to supporting schools across the region. Following the workshop, attendees stayed on for lunch and relaxed social networking, creating space for further discussion, new connections and continued community building. It was a day full of energy, warmth and genuine engagement — and a great way to kick off the weekend. EdEvents would like to extend a huge thank you to International School of Dongguan for delivering such an outstanding event for the GBA international school community. A special mention also goes to Mark McCallum, Head of School at ISD, for recognising the value of bringing the GBA international school community together and helping make this event possible. We are grateful to everyone who attended, contributed and helped make the day such a success.

EOIs Open – ISKL The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) is exploring the possibility of hosting a one-day School Operations Connect, bringing together non-teaching staff from schools across Malaysia for a day of practical learning, professional exchange, and shared ideas. The proposed event is designed for staff working across areas such as operations, administration, finance, IT, facilities, and other school support functions. With a focus on practical application, the day would provide opportunities for participants to engage in hands-on workshops, interactive sessions, and discussions centred on the real work of supporting effective school operations. The emphasis is on learning from how different teams approach their work, including the processes, workflows, and tools that help schools function well day to day. Whilst some sessions may touch on technology, the broader focus is on what works in practice and how useful ideas can be adapted within different school contexts. As part of the planning process, ISKL is inviting expressions of interest through a short form. Responses will help the team gauge interest and identify the topics most relevant to school operations staff across the sector. The form takes approximately 5–7 minutes to complete, and all responses will be used solely for planning purposes. Complete the expression of interest form here.

EdEvents has launched EdEvents Alerts, a simple new Chrome extension designed to help international school educators stay on top of upcoming professional learning events across Asia-Pacific. The extension gives users a quick, convenient way to view relevant events directly from their browser toolbar. After setting preferences by country and theme, educators can instantly see a curated list of upcoming events that match their interests, without needing to search manually each time. Featured events appear with images at the top of the extension, followed by a streamlined list of other matching opportunities. Users can then click straight through to the full event listing on ed.events for more information. EdEvents Alerts has been built to keep things simple and useful. Educators can filter by country, including Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and others, as well as by themes such as Leadership, EdTech, Wellbeing, and Pedagogy. Online events can also be toggled on or off, and the extension includes a badge notification when new matching events appear. Importantly, the extension requires no account, collects no data, and is focused purely on making relevant events easier to find. The launch reflects EdEvents’ broader aim of making professional learning more visible, accessible, and easier to navigate for educators across the region. EdEvents Alerts is now available on the Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/edevents-alerts/coddjolikmknnapcmjklibcclcepjhbk

It was a pleasure to welcome 17 international school educators to the Steelcase showroom in Singapore for our latest EdTech Connect meetup. We extend our sincere thanks to Steelcase for hosting the evening and providing such an inspiring environment for conversation and connection. Denise from Steelcase led the session with insights into the evolving design of learning environments, encouraging educators to reflect on how physical spaces can better support technology use in schools. Her input sparked open discussion around innovation spaces, flexibility, and how schools are adapting to changing teaching and learning needs. At its heart, EdTech Connect is about community. It’s a relaxed, informal opportunity for those working in school technology, innovation, and leadership to come together—whether to exchange ideas, explore new thinking, or simply catch up with colleagues across the international schools network. We also shared early updates on the upcoming International Schools EdTech Summit on 6 November, with strong interest building across the community. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a positive and engaging evening. If you’d like to be part of future EdTech Connect meetups, make sure you’re signed up to the EdEvents newsletter to stay informed and connected.

Singapore in November will be the place to be for school leaders and those responsible for EdTech in schools. The International Schools EdTech Summit (EdTech Summit) will take place on Friday, 6 November 2026 at German European School Singapore, organised by EdEvents. Designed specifically for Asia’s international school community, the summit will bring together school leaders, EdTech directors, ICT managers, and innovation leaders to explore the intersection of leadership, strategy, and impact in school technology. Taking place the day after EduTech Asia, the EdTech Summit offers a natural opportunity for international school professionals already in Singapore to extend their visit and engage in deeper, school-focused conversations. The summit has been scheduled for November to align with the growing EdTech Connect community gatherings across the region, allowing the conversations and relationships built throughout the year to culminate in a focused leadership summit. The EdTech Summit will focus specifically on the realities faced by international schools — from strategic technology leadership and system design to implementation, governance, and long-term impact on teaching and learning. The theme for the 2026 summit is Leadership, Strategy, Impact , exploring how international schools can think more deliberately about the role technology plays in shaping learning, school operations, and institutional direction. More details, speakers, and partners will be announced in the coming months. A call for presenters will also open shortly, inviting experienced educators and school leaders to share practical insights, leadership perspectives, and real-world strategies from international schools across Asia. For those interested in learning more about presenting or sponsorship, please contact David Burke - dave@ed.events

Korea international school technology leaders with Korean EdTech startup representatives. Last Friday evening, EdEvents hosted an EdTech Connect gathering in Seoul, bringing together a small group of international school technology leaders, school leaders, and several Korea-based EdTech companies. The session primarily consisted of short presentations from the participating companies, giving them an opportunity to introduce their work and share what they are developing. For the educators in the room, it provided a useful window into some of the projects currently emerging from Korea’s growing technology sector. Just as importantly, this first event has established a space for people to meet in person, exchange perspectives, and begin building connections. These in-person conversations are an important part of helping local technology companies better understand the needs and realities of international schools, whilst also giving school leaders insight into local ideas being developed in the region. EdEvents appreciates the time and interest shown by those who attended, and we are grateful to everyone who contributed to the discussion. Special thanks to WeToon for hosting this meetup. This gathering is part of a broader effort to build a small but active EdTech Connect network in Korea, with additional events planned throughout 2026. As different topics are explored, we look forward to welcoming a range of technology leaders, school leaders, educators, and partners from across the international school community. We look forward to continuing these conversations at future EdTech Connect events in Korea. If you’re interested to attend future EdTech Connect meetups in Seoul, please email us: info@ed.events