Over four days, you will:
- Apply Concept-Based Inquiry in real classroom contexts
- Learn directly from experienced practitioners
- Collaborate with educators from around the world
- Leave with strategies you can implement immediately
Whether you’re beginning your journey or leading implementation across a school, Learning Labs is where practice deepens and leadership grows.
CBI Learning Labs is not a traditional Conference...
ABOUT THe COnference
Keynote Speaker
Carla Marschall is currently serving as Head of School at Yokohama International School. She previously acted as Director/CEO of Dresden International School in Germany and Director of Teaching and Learning at UWC South East Asia in Singapore. She has co-authored two books Concept-Based Inquiry in Action (2018) and Worldwise Learning: A Teacher’s Guide to Shaping a Just, Sustainable Future (2022), focusing on concept-based and global citizenship learning. She has also written for educational organizations Edutopia and Oxford University Press. Carla has held other leadership roles in Switzerland, Hong Kong and Germany and served as a classroom teacher both in the United States and Germany.
Worldwise Learning:
An Inquiry Approach to Teaching Real-World Issues
Pedagogical Change as a Complex Contagion: Beyond Traditional Change Management
Pre-Conference Session
February 25
Conference Keynote
February 27
Carla Marschall
Keynote Speaker
Founder of Professional Learning International, Rachel French is an international educator, consultant, and author with over 12 years of experience transforming curriculum and teaching practice.
Mentored by Dr. Lynn Erickson and Dr. Lois Lanning, she was granted exclusive worldwide rights to deliver the CBCI Trainer Certification. Rachel now supports educators globally through practical, high-impact professional learning to support meaningful, sustained change in classrooms across the globe.
Introduction to Concept-Based Inquiry
The Courage Not to Know: Creating the Conditions for Understanding to Emerge
Pre-Conference Workshop
February 25
Conference Keynote
February 26
Rachel French, M.A. Ed.
Keynote Speaker
Tiffanee Brown is a certified Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction Presenter and Trainer, experienced educator, thought partner to teachers around the world, and co-author of ‘Concept-Based Literacy Lessons: Designing Learning to Ignite Understanding and Transfer.’ She holds a National Board Certification in English Language Arts and an MS in Special Education.
Tiffanee is passionate about the power of Concept-Based Literacy, and she has developed a framework for putting it into action.
Tiffanee Brown
Getting Started with Concept-Based Literacy
Pre-Conference Workshop
February 25
Clear Goals, Open Possibilities
Conference Keynote
February 28
Keynote Speaker
Carla Marschall is currently serving as Head of School at Yokohama International School. She previously acted as Director/CEO of Dresden International School in Germany and Director of Teaching and Learning at UWC South East Asia in Singapore. She has co-authored two books Concept-Based Inquiry in Action (2018) and Worldwise Learning: A Teacher’s Guide to Shaping a Just, Sustainable Future (2022), focusing on concept-based and global citizenship learning. She has also written for educational organizations Edutopia and Oxford University Press. Carla has held other leadership roles in Switzerland, Hong Kong and Germany and served as a classroom teacher both in the United States and Germany.
Worldwise Learning:
An Inquiry Approach to Teaching Real-World Issues
Pedagogical Change as a Complex Contagion: Beyond Traditional Change Management
Pre-Conference Session
February 25
Conference Keynote
February 26
Carla Marschall
Keynote Speaker
Founder of Professional Learning International, Rachel French is an international educator, consultant, and author with over 12 years of experience transforming curriculum and teaching practice.
Mentored by Dr. Lynn Erickson and Dr. Lois Lanning, she was granted exclusive worldwide rights to deliver the CBCI Trainer Certification. Rachel now supports educators globally through practical, high-impact professional learning to support meaningful, sustained change in classrooms across the globe.
Introduction to Concept-Based Inquiry
The Courage Not to Know: Creating the Conditions for Understanding to Emerge
Pre-Conference Session
February 25
Conference Keynote
February 26
Rachel French
Keynote Speaker
Tiffanee Brown is a certified Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction Presenter and Trainer, experienced educator, thought partner to teachers around the world, and co-author of ‘Concept-Based Literacy Lessons: Designing Learning to Ignite Understanding and Transfer.’ She holds a National Board Certification in English Language Arts and an MS in Special Education.
Tiffanee is passionate about the power of Concept-Based Literacy, and she has developed a framework for putting it into action.
Getting Started with Concept-Based Literacy
Clear Goals, Open Possibilities
Pre-Conference Session
February 25
Conference Keynote
February 28
Tiffanee Brown
Tiffanee Brown
Using strategies and skills as a foundation for deeper conceptual understanding builds disciplinary expertise and enables students to transfer learning to new situations.
But what does this look like in practice, and where do you begin?
Together, we’ll explore these questions through practical examples and experiences that reveal where concepts emerge in literacy, how to facilitate concept formation, and how to begin designing lessons that foster meaningful thinking, understanding, and transfer.
Rachel French
Introduction to Concept-Based Inquiry
Carla Marschall
Education can be a humanizing force that prepares students as knowledgeable, compassionate, and engaged citizens.
How do we build this kind of global competence, and where do we start?
This pre-conference workshop explores how to create Worldwise Learners: students who apply their thinking to improve environmental and social conditions in their communities. Through an inquiry model, we'll examine strategies, systems thinking tools, and classroom examples for connecting, understanding, and taking action, leaving you with a practical toolkit for your classroom.
Worldwise Learning:
An Inquiry Approach to Teaching Real-World Issues
Join Rachel French for a dynamic introduction to the Concept-Based Inquiry (CBI) model, developed with Carla Marschall.
This full-day workshop explores the model’s seven phases through interactive activities, student work samples, and classroom video clips that illustrate CBI in action.
Perfect for educators new to the approach, it offers a practical foundation to begin implementing CBI and to enrich your experience at the Learning Labs conference.
Option 3
Option 1
Kick off your Learning Labs experience with an inspiring full-day deep dive. Our pre-conference intensive workshops are designed to go beyond introductions and offer immersive, hands-on learning that gives you practical strategies, model lessons, and resources you can use right away.
Led by internationally recognized facilitators, these sessions provide a rare chance to explore powerful approaches in depth and to connect with fellow educators before the main conference begins.
Option 2
February 25, 2027
Pre-Conference
Getting Started with Concept-Based Literacy
Tiffanee Brown
Using strategies and skills as a foundation for deeper conceptual understanding builds disciplinary expertise and enables students to transfer learning to new situations.
But what does this look like in practice, and where do you begin?
Together, we’ll explore these questions through practical examples and experiences that reveal where concepts emerge in literacy, how to facilitate concept formation, and how to begin designing lessons that foster meaningful thinking, understanding, and transfer.
Rachel French
Introduction to Concept-Based Inquiry
Join Rachel French for a dynamic introduction to the Concept-Based Inquiry (CBI) model, developed with Carla Marschall.
This full-day workshop explores the model’s seven phases through interactive activities, student work samples, and classroom video clips that illustrate CBI in action.
Perfect for educators new to the approach, it offers a practical foundation to begin implementing CBI and to enrich your experience at the Learning Labs conference.
Carla Marschall
Worldwise Learning:
An Inquiry Approach to Teaching Real-World Issues
Education can be a humanizing force that prepares students as knowledgeable, compassionate, and engaged citizens.
How do we build this kind of global competence, and where do we start?
This pre-conference workshop explores how to create Worldwise Learners: students who apply their thinking to improve environmental and social conditions in their communities. Through an inquiry model, we'll examine strategies, systems thinking tools, and classroom examples for connecting, understanding, and taking action, leaving you with a practical toolkit for your classroom.
Option 3
Option 1
Kick off your Learning Labs experience with an inspiring full-day deep dive. Our pre-conference intensive workshops are designed to go beyond introductions and offer immersive, hands-on learning that gives you practical strategies, model lessons, and resources you can use right away.
Led by internationally recognized facilitators, these sessions provide a rare chance to explore powerful approaches in depth and to connect with fellow educators before the main conference begins.
Option 2
February 25, 2027
Pre-Conference
Getting Started with Concept-Based Literacy
breakout sessions
optional add-on
conference dinner
A Learning Labs exclusive, Live Lessons let you become a student again. In a 90-minute classroom experience, you’ll feel the power of inductive teaching as concepts emerge through guided inquiry. A 30-minute debrief then unpacks the strategies, helping you see exactly how to adapt them for your own teaching. This rare format bridges theory and practice in a way few conferences ever attempt.
Join virtual classroom visits where experienced CBI educators share real lesson videos. Watch students respond to case studies and guiding questions to build understanding, then take part in a debrief to explore the strategies behind the learning.
Learn directly from Certified Erickson & Lanning CBCI Trainers as they share how they’re bringing Concept-Based Inquiry into their classrooms. Each session combines practical strategies with small-group interaction, giving you the chance to ask questions, exchange ideas, and explore focused topics in a comfortable, collaborative setting.
Round table discussions create space to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and dive into Concept-Based Inquiry within specific subjects or contexts. These small-group conversations bring more voices to the table, spark fresh perspectives, and allow for honest dialogue about the unique challenges and opportunities of implementation.
Gather with fellow educators for an evening of connection and conversation at the Conference Dinner. Share ideas, stories, and laughter in a relaxed setting that celebrates community and the shared journey of transforming education.
Our keynote presentations set the stage for Learning Labs, bringing visionary educators and thought leaders to share insights that challenge, inspire, and reframe the way we think about teaching and learning. These sessions invite you to see the bigger picture, connect ideas across disciplines, and spark the conversations that will carry through the conference and beyond.
Join us in
South Korea
Be part of the global CBI community at Learning Labs 2027.
Earlybird pricing ends 1 December—don’t miss the best rate. Choose from individual or group options.
From immersive live lessons and virtual classroom visits to keynote presentations and roundtable discussions, the CBI Learning Labs offers a range of experiences designed to inspire and connect educators.
The CBI Learning Labs Conference is designed around active, applied learning:
WHAT TO EXPECT
Intensive Workshops
Conference sessions
Korean-Language Conference Stream
Four-hour Intensive Workshops on Day One offer a focused, hands-on deep dive into a specific aspect of Concept-Based Inquiry, with six sessions in English and two in Korean. Through practical, interactive work, participants apply key ideas directly to their own classroom, curriculum, or leadership context. By the end, they leave with a draft, plan, or resource ready to develop further.
This year's conference introduces a dedicated Korean-Language Stream, with 1–3 Korean-language sessions offered in every concurrent block. The stream spans all formats — Live Lessons, Virtual Classroom Visits, Round Tables, Breakout Sessions, and Intensive Workshops — with sessions presented fully in Korean.
Kickstart your Learning Labs journey with a full day of immersive pre-conference workshops. Designed to go deeper than a typical session, these hands-on experiences give you practical strategies, rich resources, and direct access to world-class facilitators. It’s a rare chance to dive in early, connect with peers, and leave already inspired before the conference officially begins.
keynote presentations
pre-conference
pre-conference intensives
LIVE lessons
conference sessions
ROundtable Discussions
conference sessions
conference sessions
conference sessions
conference sessions
conference sessions
virtual classroom visits
Adopting Concept-Based Inquiry asks educators to take real risks. This kind of change rarely starts with a single inspiring teacher or leader. It requires reinforcement from trusted peers, again and again. This keynote debunks conventional wisdom about pedagogical change, drawing on the science of networks to reveal the counterintuitive conditions behind lasting transformation.
Pedagogical Change as a Complex Contagion: Beyond Traditional Change Management
Carla Marschall
Inquiry asks students to offer ideas before they are certain and revise their thinking as understanding develops. It asks teachers to move beyond being the sole source of knowledge and create space for students to construct meaning. This does not mean abandoning knowledge, skills, rigor, or expert teaching. It requires careful sequencing, purposeful questions, and responsive guidance. This keynote explores how productive uncertainty can inspire courageous thinking and deeper understanding.
The Courage Not to Know: Creating the Conditions for Understanding to Emerge
rachel french
Learning Labs 2027: Keynotes
What might become possible when we clarify the learning we want students to develop?
Together, we’ll explore how clear goals and flexible approaches can reshape how we think about rigor and learner variability, and how Universal Design for Learning can open new possibilities without compromising the depth or challenge of learning.
Clear Goals,
Open Possibilities
Tiffanee Brown
Tickets for the 2027 CBI Learning Labs Conference at Chadwick International are available now.
SAVE €100 off your main conference ticket with our Early Bird Pricing before December 1, 2026.
optional add-on at checkout
(INCLUDED IN ALl-Access pass)
Early Bird Pricing
Conference tickets
- Saturday evening
- Networking + community experience
- Connect with peers in a relaxed setting
Saturday Dinner
- Access to all sessions (Feb 26–28)
- Keynotes, live lessons, workshops
- Roundtables + networking
Main Conference
- Full-day intensive workshop (Feb 25)
- Deep-dive learning with expert facilitators
- Resources + practical strategies
Pre-Conference
USD$450
Early-Bird
USD$590
USD$50
USD$690
Accommodation in Songdo tends to book out fast, so once you’ve secured your Learning Labs ticket, we suggest reserving your room right away!
Songdo is a compact city and easy to walk in all seasons. All of the hotels listed are within a 15-30 minute walk from Chadwick International’s campus.
Recommended Hotels:
Holiday Inn Incheon Songdo
Hotel Gyeong Won Jae Ambassador
Oakwood Premier Songdo
Orakai Songdo Park Hotel
Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel
Bridge Hotel (furthest from school)
Songdo, Incheon, South Korea
ACCOMODATION
February 25
thursday
pre-conference
February 26-28
Times:
Friday 26 February: 9.30 am - 4.30 pm
Saturday 27 February: 8.30 am - 5:00 pm (followed by optional Conference Dinner)
Sunday 28 February: 9.00 am - 1:00 pm
friday - sunday
conference
Full session details and presenter announcements will be released in the coming weeks.
At A Glance
DATES OVERVIEW
Chadwick International
our hosts
We’re proud to partner with Chadwick International as the host venue for Learning Labs 2027.
Located in Songdo International Business District in Incheon, South Korea, Chadwick International is an independent, non-profit international school serving students from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12.
Established in 2010 and founded on the educational philosophy of its sister school, Chadwick School in California, the school is known for its strong commitment to academic excellence, character development, and global citizenship.
Chadwick International offers the full International Baccalaureate continuum (PYP, MYP, DP, and CP), creating a learning environment that encourages inquiry, conceptual thinking, and meaningful connections across disciplines.
The school’s modern campus, designed to support collaboration, creativity, and innovation, provides an inspiring setting for professional learning. With exceptional facilities and a vibrant international community, Chadwick International offers the perfect environment for educators to gather, exchange ideas, and explore new approaches to teaching and learning.
We look forward to welcoming you to this dynamic learning community in Songdo.
Stay tuned for speaker announcements and program updates.
COming SooN
Speaker Announcements
Full Program and Session Details
Travel and Accommodation Guidance
A detailed program will be released soon, including session options, workshop topics, and daily schedule, so you can plan your Learning Labs experience with clarity and purpose.
We’ll provide recommended hotels, travel tips, and local information to help you plan your visit to South Korea with ease and confidence.
We’ll be sharing our lineup of expert facilitators and keynote speakers soon. Each brings deep experience in Concept-Based Inquiry and a commitment to practical, impactful learning.
