MIEE Aotearoa Hui 2025: Collaboration Woven Through Every Session

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So, the MIEE Aotearoa Hui 2025 has wrapped up, and what a two-day celebration of ideas, laughter, and genuine connection it turned out to be! Held at the Microsoft offices in Auckland, the Hui proved once again that when educators come together, the real magic lies in collaboration. 

As the whakatauki for the event stated: 

‘Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini’

‘My success is not mine alone, it is the success of the collective.’

Keynotes That Sparked Connection

On day one, we were privileged to host a duo of inspiring keynote speakers. Brett Salakas set the tone with a global message of connection and community. His keynote was less about shiny tools and more about the power of the humanity in us all, reminding us that the strongest educational systems are built on finding a North Star.

Day two had Yaritza Villalba bringing a powerful lens on culturally responsive and sustaining education. Her stories encouraged participants to reflect on how equity and collaboration must walk hand in hand if we are to serve all ākonga well.

Workshops That Built Togetherness

Workshops were led by a rich mix of voices. We had Claire Wigley blended design, inquiry, and local issues, inviting teachers to prototype alongside her. Her interactive approach showed how creativity becomes a shared act when colleagues roll up their sleeves together. Dr Tim Gander grounding the conversation in equity and AI, sharing examples from the AiEdCoP and challenging us to see AI as a collaborative tool to open doors for diverse learners. 

Danny Bedingfield gave us a peek into the world of Microsoft Copilot and future-focused digital transformation. His workshops weren’t just demonstrations, they were dialogues, as teachers shared use-cases and co-designed ideas. Benny Pan on small language models and metacognition in prompting using small model agents. Jordan Priestley on using Seesaw and Brisk to capture learning. Bex Rose on AI tools that lighten leadership loads but still put teachers and learners first. Dr Geri Harris on assessment in the age of AI based on her own experiences as a lecturer. Kelsey Hallahan on equity and bridging the digital divide through the nationwide recycle a device program.

Each session emphasized co-construction. Teachers left with shared Padlets, Onenote pages full of notes, and, more importantly, fresh collaborations stretching across schools and sectors.

MIEE Sharing Sessions

Our own MIEE community brought it home with vibrant sharing sessions. Sam Harris on curriculum design and Minecraft for learning. Monika Limmer on inclusive strategies and supporting complex needs. Gavin Beere on a whole-school digital transformation journey. Ryan Higgins on integrating AI to lift writing achievement. Mehwish Hassan on computational thinking and AR activities. Rachel Chisnall on navigating curriculum change her in New Zealand, in what is a challenging time for the sector and Carmen Kenton on inclusive and accessible learning design.

These weren’t one-way presentations; they were working bees. Attendees jumped in with questions, shared local adaptations, and even planned term-time collaborations together.

The Professional Panel

Our panel Tim Gander, Brett Salakas, Yaritza Villalba, Claire Wigley, and Bex Rose brought diverse perspectives on how AI and digital tools shape educational journeys. The panel reinforced that the future isn’t about tech replacing teachers, but about tech empowering educators to collaborate more effectively and creatively and but the human at the heart of the system.

Hui After Dark

Collaboration didn’t stop when the sessions ended. At Saint Alice, over kai and drinks, conversations deepened. New partnerships were sparked, and laughter reminded us that professional networks are also human networks.

The Hui’s Legacy: From Me to We

By the closing circle, it was clear the legacy of Hui 2025 wasn’t a list of sessions attended, it was the collaborations born. Teachers left with new contacts and project partners. Ideas shared by speakers were already being adapted for classrooms. Equity, creativity, and innovation became shared commitments, not individual goals.

As one participant put it beautifully:

“I came expecting strategies, but I’m leaving with collaborators and friends.”

That’s the true measure of success.

Final Reflection

To our keynote speakers, our workshop leaders, to my fellow MIEE Fellows who help organize this event, our MIEE sharers, and every single attendee, to our sponsers at PB Tech and Nex thank you. MIEE Aotearoa Hui 2025 proved that when educators gather with open minds, collaboration isn’t just an outcome. It’s the kaupapa itself.

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