What do an article on philanthropy in Asia, a political oration and a design seminar have in common? They all point to future trends that will have an impact on education, leadership and fundraising.

As many of you head into a holdiay break we thought it was timely to offer you some extended reading and food for thought. We hope you enjoy this article from The New York Times,Learning by Playing: Video Games in the Classroom, as much as we did.

And with a touch of whimsy we leave you with the latest viral campaign to swirl through cyber-space. 'A hunter....[insert your own verb here]....a bear' campaign from Tipp-Ex is a great example of the intersection between customer, product and social media.  A word of warning though, it can be very addictive......

As always, if you liked this e-news why not Forward to a Friend? Until next time...

John and Sharee

Love him or hate him, one thing we can all agree upon is his ability to hold a crowd, tell a story and mesmerise an audience.

We're talking of course about influential activist, writer and intellectual, Noel Pearson. As part of the recent Melbourne Writers Festival, Pearson delivered the 2010 John Button Oration. Strong-willed, controversial, and not afraid to show it, Pearson shows in this speech the incredible range of his thinking and his great skill as an orator. As The Monthly notes, he speaks about progressive politics, the plight of Indigenous Australians, our need to discover what he terms our 'radical centre, and his discourse on the nature of leadership makes for compelling listening.

For anyone who loves language, make a cup of tea, take the phone off the hook and close the office door to enjoy a masterclass in oration.
(Part 1 and 2 both approx 25 minutes).

Ian McLean from the Leysin American School in Switzerland spoke at the recent ADAPE conference about the growth of philanthropy in countries such as China and Kazakhstan.

Two news items caught our attention this week, both relating to philanthropy and the potential generational transfer of wealth in Asia.This article from the Washington Post, China's Wealthy Ponder Whether to Help Others, talks about the local response to an upcoming visit by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett and from The Wall Street Journal, a video on Asia's next generation of the super rich .

The Smart Green Schools Team is finalising the second Talking Spaces Symposium called 'Dissolving Barriers' and registration is now open.

The Symposium is an opportunity for educators, architects, designers, facility managers and engineers to hear experts from across the professions discuss challenges and solutions around the provision and occupation of new learning spaces.Last year's Symposium was a great success and this year’s program includes another great line up of presenters, workshops and school visits.

DATES AND VENUE
28-29 October 2010
Woodward Centre, Level 10, Law Building, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton