Thomas TJ McKenna

In the age of AI, information is everywhere—but understanding is rare. This keynote explores how educators and leaders can foster true sensemaking: helping people ask better questions, work with evidence, and navigate uncertainty. Grounded in my book and global work with NGSSPhenomena.com, this talk blends science, systems thinking, and storytelling to reimagine how we teach, lead, and learn.

Why do so many great learning innovations fail to spread? In this talk, I share practical strategies for designing professional learning and instructional models that scale—without losing what makes them effective. Drawing on two decades of experience leading national STEM education initiatives and my work as Director of the Center for STEM Professional Learning at Scale, this session offers actionable tools for leaders and teams building for impact.

AI is transforming how we access knowledge—but the real challenge is helping people make sense of it. This talk explores how to center curiosity, critical thinking, and joyful learning in a time of accelerating automation. Whether you're an educator, team leader, or executive, you'll leave with concrete strategies to support human learning in complex systems.