Symposium explores new frontiers in education
Students in Concordia’s Department of Education have lined up internationally renowned experts as keynote speakers for their Global Education: Towards New Frontiers interdisciplinary graduate symposium on May 4.
The research being presented by 40 graduate students from Concordia and other universities also promises to be enlightening and covers diverse topics.
“I’m so excited about this opportunity for students to gain confidence in their communication skills by sharing what they know in this welcoming environment,” says Orzugul Kamolova, a second-year education technology graduate student and symposium chair.
“One student has researched where young people are getting their sex education these days,” says Ian Yen, a first-year education studies graduate student and the symposium’s marketing officer. “Another is looking at the education difficulties in the North.”
“The global theme encompasses the applied linguistics, child studies, education studies and educational technology programs within the Department of Education,” he says. “It also welcomes research from other fields, such as psychology and sociology.”
Yen is particularly eager to welcome keynote speaker George Sefa Dei, a professor of Sociology and Equity Studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.
“Dr. Dei is a world leader when it comes to recognizing the still-inherent racism in many classrooms,” Yen says. “He deals with the root causes – some of which we might not even fully realize – that lead to students of some ethnicities, religions or cultures not having the same educational opportunities.”
The dozen graduate students who organized the conference also invited Keenan Wellar, co-founder and co-leader of the Ottawa-based LiveWorkPlay charitable organization. LiveWorkPlay helps people with intellectual challenges to experience life as integrated, welcomed members of their community.
“Here’s a chance to find out how to make education more inclusive,” says Kamolova. “It’s also amazing how Wellar has used social media to connect with his community and motivate people to support the organization through donations or by becoming volunteers.”
Wellar’s keynote presentation is particularly relevant to the theme of global education, an area that Kamolova says is so quickly evolving because of the online world. “Technology has transformed education into a global phenomenon through email, online courses and the information we can now instantly share through the Internet,” she says. “It’s opened up all kinds of new possibilities for education graduates.”
Other guests include Patrick Devey, the chief learning officer at KnowledgeOne, the company that develops Concordia’s online courses, and Sonia Di Maulo, whose company, Harvest Performance, uses her self-reflection and feedback strategies to help talented individuals within organizations to recognize and develop their strengths.
Kamolova recommends the symposium to anyone interested in pursuing education studies or ready to explore work opportunities as education graduates.
Yen also encourages teachers, administrators, parents and even politicians to attend the day-long conference. “Anybody interested in education or just in hearing some new ideas should definitely come,” he says.
When: Friday, May 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Fifth floor of the J.W. McConnell Library Building (1400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W.), Sir George Williams Campus (Follow the signs.)
Admission is free of charge and open to the public.
Related links:
• Global Education: Towards New Frontiers
• Concordia Department of Education
• KnowledgeOne