BEYOND SUSTAINABILITY: AI, EDUCATION AND REGENERATIVE
FUTURES MEAGAN PERRY IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. MARIA VAMVALIS
M 26 ETFO VOICE | WINTER 2025
aria Vamvalis was an In- termediate educator in the TDSB who went on to engage in doctoral re- search on the intersec- tion of climate justice,
regenerative systems change, and transforma- tive learning. She credits ETFO’s Reflections on Practice: Women’s Leadership program with being a bridge between the classroom and her research. Tose investigations have led her into the realm of artificial intelligence. She is a co-leader of Canada’s first national climate education course and the Toronto District School Board’s climate camp. She is also a Director with the Critical Tinking Consortium, an organization that nurtures quality thinking that inspires action for a flourishing world. She is also the founder of Anayennsi, a regenerative field of practice for changemakers.
Meagan Perry: How did you become interested in the intersection of AI and climate justice?
Maria Vamvalis: I was always very interested in the intersections of the environment and justice issues, but over 20 years ago, when I first started teaching about the accelerating climate crisis and the impact on youth well- being, I was thinking a lot about our respon-
sibilities as educators and how we were go- ing to support youth in their response to the climate and nature emergency. Tat led me ultimately to doctoral studies focusing on the question of how we can teach about climate justice in ways that nurture a sense of mean- ing, purpose, and hope. Given the ecological impacts and justice concerns around AI, and the rapid integration of AI and education, I began to carefully consider how we could support leaders, educators, and learners in navigating this complex moment.
MP: We’re seeing AI grow and change very rapidly. Educators are really struggling to keep up with it, particularly with large and complex classes. What’s most important as we consider the uses of AI?
MV: Tis is a profound opportunity within education to think in integrative ways about what’s happening, about the intersections be- tween our commitments to equity and our commitments to ecological sustainability.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIA VAMVALIS
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