General Session Keynote
Sunday, March 9
3:30 - 5:00 PM
Walter Parkes
Chair and Co-Founder, Dreamscape Learn
Creative Producer and Former Head, Motion Pictures, DreamWorks SKG
Keynote Address
The Power of Story: How Technology and Storytelling Can Help to Educate the World
A creative producer and former Head of Motion Pictures at Dreamworks SKG, Walter Parkes has produced or written iconic films like Gladiator, Men in Black, War Games, Minority Report, and Catch Me If You Can. With Dreamscape Learn, he's championing a new approach to curriculum and learning through virtual reality—an approach that captivates learners of all backgrounds and that is driving dramatic improvements in student success.
In his session, Parkes will explore how cinematic narratives, combined with cutting-edge immersive technology, can transform education by creating dynamic interactive worlds that inspire and engage, putting students at the heart of unfolding emotional narratives to connect and unlock their potential to learn, and empowering higher education leaders with practical strategies to transform teaching and learning through immersive experiences. Parkes and Dreamscape Learn, in collaboration with Arizona State University, are already demonstrating the transformative power of immersive storytelling, achieving remarkable results in STEM with tens of thousands of learners. This is a must-attend for anyone ready to embrace innovation and drive impactful change on their campus.
Biography
Walter Parkes is a motion picture producer, writer, former studio executive and currently the Co-Founder and CEO of the location-based virtual reality company Dreamscape Immersive. Films produced or executive produced by Parkes have garnered numerous awards and have grossed over $6B worldwide, and include Gladiator, Minority Report, the Men In Black series, Free Solo, Flight, Catch Me If You Can, Awakenings, The Kite Runner, Amistad. As a screenwriter, Parkes is largely acknowledged as a pioneer, along with writing partner Lawrence Lasker, in the development of the "tech-thriller" genre with WarGames, a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nominee, and Sneakers, starring Robert Redford. As the founding co-head of Dreamworks Studios, Parkes, along with partner and wife Laurie MacDonald, was responsible for the development and production of the studio’s diverse slate of films which included, for only the second time in Academy history, three consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners American Beauty, Gladiator, and A Beautiful Mind.
Parkes’ current focus is on Dreamscape Learn, a partnership with Arizona State University aimed at redefining remote and in-person learning through the implementation of emotional narrative and mixed reality technologies. Previous experience in education incudes serving on the Yale University Council for 10 years, and as its President for four. He is presently a Director of Para Los Ninos, a service organization that operates three charter schools in Downtown L.A.
