10 – 12 November 2026
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Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Saeed Halls 1, 2 & 3
Darren McCormick
Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation "The ADHD AI Teacher" - GEMS Metropole Al Waha
Darren is a UK-trained educator, curriculum designer and innovation lead with a passion for turning classrooms into creative studios and an advocate for authentic, experience-driven learning. Having worked in industries outside of education, he brings a multidisciplinary edge to everything he does in the classroom. He is the architect behind a pioneering entrepreneurship curriculum and a vocal advocate for integrating AI and EdTech in ways that empower, not replace, student thinking, classroom-first perspective to innovation, focusing on what works.
Blending structured pedagogy with real-world relevance, he focuses on transforming learning from static lessons into dynamic, student-driven experiences. From building businesses in Year 3 to integrating generative AI in creative writing and product design, he helps learners move from imagination to impact, beyond theory and into the real-world. Darren’s classroom-tested approaches have positioned him at the intersection of curriculum development, future skills, and immersive learning design. He is passionate about designing learning experiences that empower students to take ownership, think critically, and create with purpose, bridging the gap between curiosity, creativity, and curriculum. Whether turning salt dough into mythical monsters or handmade bath bombs into stop-motion marketing assets, Darren’s philosophy is clear: we don’t just teach lessons, we create learning experiences that last.
Speaker Sessions
EdTech in Action
1609
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Beyond Content: Rethinking Learning: From Industrial-Era Curriculum to Future-Ready Skillsets
Session Summary:
As we enter a new age of artificial intelligence, global uncertainty, and rapid technological change, the education system continues to operate on a model designed over a century ago, one built for an industrial economy that no longer exists. In this session, Darren McCormick invites educators and leaders to reflect on this disconnect and explore a radically different approach to curriculum design: one built on skills, adaptability, and creativity, not just content coverage.
Drawing from his own experience designing a skill-based, interdisciplinary curriculum that places creativity, problem-solving, and application at its core, Darren challenges delegates to consider what education could, and should, look like in an age where knowledge is everywhere, but the power lies in how we use it.
This is not a session about removing content, it’s about transforming how we use it. It's about learning experiences, not just lessons. And it's about preparing young people not for yesterday’s world, but for tomorrow’s unknowns.
Key Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will:
Understand the limitations of current industrial-era curriculum structures in the modern world
Explore a framework for designing future-ready, skill-based learning experiences
Reflect on the role of AI, creativity, and real-world application in deepening understanding
Gain practical insights into how content and skills can co-exist to develop adaptable, capable learners
Leave with provocation and inspiration to rethink their own school's approach to curriculum, assessment, and purpose
Speakers:
Darren McCormick
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Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation "The ADHD AI Teacher" - GEMS Metropole Al Waha
Categories:
AI and EdTech
Workshop Space
1627
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From Learners to Founders: Designing Entrepreneurial Pathways from Year 1 Up
Session Summary:
What if entrepreneurial thinking could be nurtured from the age of 6, not as a gimmick, but as a structured, curriculum-aligned journey?
In this session, Darren McCormick shares the core design principles behind a full entrepreneurship curriculum spanning Year 1 to Year 11. Grounded in pedagogy, driven by creativity, and built for real classroom implementation, the curriculum helps students move from playful idea generation to real-world problem-solving, branding, pitching, and beyond.
With insights drawn from live piloting in international classrooms, this talk offers a concrete, age-appropriate roadmap for embedding entrepreneurship into the DNA of your school.
Learning Outcomes:
Explore a full skill progression from early years to secondary business pitches
Understand how entrepreneurship can be embedded across subjects or taught standalone
Learn how to build a sustainable programme without overburdening teachers
Discover how creative tools (AI, Canva, prototyping apps) can deepen entrepreneurial thinking
See how tracking pathways, reflective journals, and real product outcomes build transferable skills
Why This Talk is Relevant Now:
Future-ready education isn’t a buzzword, it’s a necessity. Schools must go beyond surface-level - innovation days and offer structured, meaningful opportunities for creativity, resilience, financial literacy, and leadership. This curriculum shows how.
Speakers:
Darren McCormick
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Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation "The ADHD AI Teacher" - GEMS Metropole Al Waha
GESS Talks Live
1628
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Panel Session: EmpowerED Tech: Actionable Strategies for Advancement; harnessing AI, collaboration and innovation in schools
Speakers:
Tai Paschall
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Head of Digital Education & Innovation - Al Yasat Private School
Darren McCormick
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Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation "The ADHD AI Teacher" - GEMS Metropole Al Waha
