«Learning by Design:
Under-graduate students' Practicum & New Forms of School-based Training»
University of Ioannina, 22-23 May 2013
Description - Scope
The 1st International Symposium on Early Childhood Pedagogy is a pre-conference event to the 20th International Conference on Learning organized by Common Ground & the University of Illinois and will be held at the University of Aegean, Rhodes between 11-13 July 2013.
The 1st International Symposium on Early Childhood Pedagogy focuses on the presentation of Learning by Design approach and its application for the first time in Greece in the design and implementation of practical exercises of undergraduate students / future kindergarten teachers of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Ioannina in the context of their Preschool Pedagogy courses.
Learning by Design employs a diverse and coherent pedagogical approach based on the active participation of teachers and students in the design of dynamic learning environments through the use of electronic media & social networking tools. Moreover, constitutes an innovative model of school-based training that can be used at regional and national levels.
The use of such innovative approaches in undergraduate Student Placements / Future Preschool educators:
- Develop synergies between higher education and actual school routines
- Facilitates an ongoing debate in the school learning community on the redesign of and reflection on preschool education curriculum
- Transforms prospective early childhood educators to acting learning agents, but also to designers and producers of knowledge with the innovative and practical use of new technologies.
- Enhances self-directed professional learning of future early childhood educators through a process of action research.
At the 1st International Symposium on Early Childhood Pedagogy emphasis will be given both on Theoretical Framing of Learning by Design approach, and the synergy between theory and practice as well as the efficiency / applicability in the context of Greek kindergarten / pre-school education.
More specifically invited scholars will demonstrate the use of the approach as:
- a model of initial and ongoing training of teachers in the Greek educational system.
- an innovative form of collaborative training with the use of new technologies that enhance professionalism.
- an epistemological framework / tool of differentiated teaching and in managing diversity.
- a systemic intervention to shape regional responses and models of school-based training.
The theoretical justification takes place in the context of Comparative Education. At the 1st International Symposium on Early Childhood Pedagogy is attempted to draw up a Synergy between theory and practice by presenting the Learning Elements (produced in the undergraduate courses of Teaching Applications I & II) designed at laboratory level and taught at schools by undergraduate students a part of their compulsory Practicum exercises (Mar-Apr 2013) in kindergartens in the city of Ioannina.
Finally, the 1st International Symposium on Early Childhood Pedagogy is a prime opportunity for fruitful reflection on modern scientific and artistic applications / interventions in the field of Early Childhood Education.
Informal dialogue will be supported and strengthened by events such as:
- the presentation of the Greek edition of the book New Learning: Elements of a Science of Education/ Kalantzis & Cope (from Kritiki Publications)
- the presentation of relevant Web pages
- Painting Exhibition
- Exhibition of multimodal teaching materials
- Exhibition of Student work produced in Practicum exercises
Co-ordination
- Scientific Coordinator Maria Sakellariou, Associate Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina.
In association with:
- The Learning by Design Research Coordinator in Greece, Eugenia Arvaniti.