Delegates to the Stavanger congress will find a newcomer in the program after the opening ceremony on Wednesday. The ICSEI special parallels are invented to increase learning efforts during the congress. A follow-up parallel on Friday will build on the discussions and reflections from the ICSEI special on Wednesday.
We leave it to representatives from the steering group to explain with their own words what the ICSEI specials are about.
The purpose of the ICSEI Specials is to invite all participants to answer/ reflect on important questions and to develop new knowledge together. In a shifting word we need education systems who create students that is active in finding the solutions for the future. The big question is what we as educators can do to promote this? In what ways can we assess outcomes and progress for equity, excellence, wellbeing, democracy, and human rights?
How do we create relevant data on broad curriculum outcomes?
The ICSEI Specials will model the main theme of the conference: Bringing together. The steering committee will facilitate these sessions and sum up the findings for further learning.
The ICSEI Specials are organized as four parallels. The themes of the four parallels are broadly based on the ICSEI networks: 1) Early Childhood, 2) Leadership, 3) Teaching and Professional Learning, 4) Data Use.
Questions for enquiry in the Early Childhood parallel are:
- How do we stimulate children’s creativity and free play in early childhood education?
- To what extent should early childhood education include premeditated learning goals?
Questions for enquiry in the Leadership parallel are:
- How do we model future leadership through professional learning communities?
- How can learning between schools (district leadership) be initiated through leadership that empowers the profession?
Questions for enquiry in the Teaching and Professional Learning parallel are:
- How can the teachers be the driving force in innovation and school development?
- How to build partnerships in the community to enhance education and teaching for the future, equity, and inclusion?
Questions for enquiry in the Data Use parallel are:
- How can teachers assess learning outcomes related to a broad curriculum developing equity, inclusion and life skills?
- Is there a difference between the kind of data schools need as a basis for school development, compared to data for education policy Development.
The second ICSEI Special on Friday will build on the discussions and reflections from the first ICSEI Special on Wednesday, together with the participants reflections during the congress. In the end of the congress, the findings will be shared with all participants for further learning.
We are looking forward to your contribution on the ICSEI Specials!