by Mari Sasano

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests 15 year-olds from 65 countries on mathematics, reading, and science. Administered every 3 years, the 2009 results echo the scores that Canada has received in the past. On each of those three scales, Canada appears near the top. However, Alberta students often better their counterparts nationally, and appear to be giving some of the highest performers- China (Hong Kong, Shanghai), Japan, Finland, Korea, Singapore- a run for their money, particularly in science.

A Global Citizenship Experience in Africa led Louis Williams to a teaching position at a First Nations reserve

One hot afternoon, Louis Williams lay down in a field to gaze at a Ghana sky, but was soon interrupted by worried students - and a cold splash of water. "The kids were asking, 'Are you sick?' while pouring water over me to make sure I was okay," he says.

A decade ago laptops, iPhones, and Smart Boards in the classroom might have seemed like science fiction. But technology has migrated from the isolated applications of scientists and engineers into the sphere of education.

First came computer labs and the internet. Now, students bring personal devices and communicate wirelessly. This phenomenon has transformed the face of learning in Alberta classrooms and around the world.