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Education through imagination
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July 15, 2003
For centuries educators, sociologists and psychologists have debated the secret to successful learning. At the first International Conference on Imagination and Education, hosted by Simon Fraser University’s Imaginative Education Research Group (IERG), hundreds of educators are gathering to hear the latest research on imaginative learning and teaching. They will explore, debate and share ideas about the role of imagination in aiding the educated mind’s processing of information at various stages of development.
The conference, taking place July 16 to 19 at the Coast Plaza Hotel in Vancouver, is the first anywhere to explore how and why imaginative teaching accelerates learning. The conference features 120 presentations by high profile educators and researchers internationally and workshops and roundtable discussions with teachers.
Among the presenters are:
Kieran Egan, SFU professor and Canada Research chair in education, IERG founder and director. Egan will discuss his educational theory which links learning to a framework of techniques that pique the imagination based on cognitive tools at various stages of human development.
Elliot Eisner, keynote speaker, Stanford University education and art professor, will talk about the importance of the arts in children’s education in terms of enhancing learning abilities.
David Nyberg, visiting scholar in philosophy and education at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, USA, will discuss the role of imagination in developing human moral judgement.
Mark Fettes, SFU assistant professor of education, will discuss how engaging the imagination of multicultural students in their learning helps them achieve success in a bicultural setting, attain intercultural understanding and retain their primary identities.
Pamela Benson, lecturer, Massey University College of Education, Palmerston North, New Zealand, will present how a storytelling approach to engaging students’ imagination helped them learn about their culture and history. Storytelling is a key technique in Egan’s framework of imaginative educational development.
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Contact:
Isabelle Eaton, at conference, 604.688.7711, 604.724.3628 (cell), ieaton@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR, 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Websites:
For a complete list of the presenters and details about their presentations see: www.sfu.ca/conferences/ierg2003/
For other news releases about the conference see: www.ierg.net/news_media/html
The conference, taking place July 16 to 19 at the Coast Plaza Hotel in Vancouver, is the first anywhere to explore how and why imaginative teaching accelerates learning. The conference features 120 presentations by high profile educators and researchers internationally and workshops and roundtable discussions with teachers.
Among the presenters are:
Kieran Egan, SFU professor and Canada Research chair in education, IERG founder and director. Egan will discuss his educational theory which links learning to a framework of techniques that pique the imagination based on cognitive tools at various stages of human development.
Elliot Eisner, keynote speaker, Stanford University education and art professor, will talk about the importance of the arts in children’s education in terms of enhancing learning abilities.
David Nyberg, visiting scholar in philosophy and education at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, USA, will discuss the role of imagination in developing human moral judgement.
Mark Fettes, SFU assistant professor of education, will discuss how engaging the imagination of multicultural students in their learning helps them achieve success in a bicultural setting, attain intercultural understanding and retain their primary identities.
Pamela Benson, lecturer, Massey University College of Education, Palmerston North, New Zealand, will present how a storytelling approach to engaging students’ imagination helped them learn about their culture and history. Storytelling is a key technique in Egan’s framework of imaginative educational development.
—30—
Contact:
Isabelle Eaton, at conference, 604.688.7711, 604.724.3628 (cell), ieaton@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR, 604.291.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Websites:
For a complete list of the presenters and details about their presentations see: www.sfu.ca/conferences/ierg2003/
For other news releases about the conference see: www.ierg.net/news_media/html