2006 ORION Leadership Award of Merit Winner

ABEL Program Office and Learning Leads Team

ABEL Program Manager Janet Murphy, accepting the ORION Leadership Award of Merit on behalf of the ABEL Program Office and Learning Leads Team, at the 2006 ORION Award presentations in Toronto June 5, 2006.



It is a rare occasion when a team of extraordinary individuals creates a symmetry that leads to a significant change to the way we experience education and learning. The innovation and drive that has powered one of the country’s most celebrated applications of next-generation teaching and learning technologies – the Advanced Broadband Enabled Learning Program (ABEL) – has been fueled by the dedication of a dynamic team of leaders, inspired by a vision that has helped place Ontario at the cutting-edge of academic technology.

Under the guidance of project manager Janet Murphy, and a core team of learning leaders from York University, the York Region District School Board, the Toronto District School Board and Peel District School Board, ABEL has successfully implemented a nationally- and internationally-recognized initiative which has led to the creation of new and innovative communities and has been formally recognized as a model supporting Canada’s innovation agenda.

The ABEL Learning Leads Team consists of the following district leaders who have worked tirelessly to nurture and support teachers and students, and advocate and implement the ABEL Program:

- Robert Finlayson, Manager Computer Network Services, Faculty Support, York University

- Obadiah George, Technical Innovations Manager, ABEL, York University

- Anne Kerr, Principal and Learning Lead, Ursula Franklin Academy, Toronto District School Board

- Janet Murphy, Program Manager, ABEL, Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation, York University and York Region District School Board

- Gail Shotlander, Curriculum Consultant and Learning Lead, Peel District School Board

- Steve Smallwood, Teacher and Learning Lead, Dr. Denison Secondary School, York Region District School Board

- Susan Spence, Manager Computer Network Services, York University

- Dr. Wayne Sproule, Social Studies Course Director and Instructor, Faculty of Education, and Learning Lead, York University

The ABEL team has advocated for the use of broadband technology in the classroom, put in place a sustainable implementation model, facilitated collaboration and the sharing of resources across jurisdictions and between the public and private sector, supported teachers and students in classrooms with their expertise and worked diligently to realize their vision of broadband usage for student engagement, student learning, and student achievement.

For more information on the ABEL Team, visit their Web site at www.abelearn.ca.

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