Ninth International Conference at the Graduate School of Education
Between April 20 and 22, the Graduate School of Education brought together educators from Turkey, the United Kingdom and the USA to share thoughts, ideas and innovations in education. The conference was entitled Critical Thinking and Creativity: Learning Outside the Box. It focused on the ways students learn to be creative thinkers, vital for their success in the future. Schools gave examples of programs that foster divergent ways of thinking with activities outside the classroom. In addition, practices regarding teacher assessment, mentoring and support, and models of innovative education strategies were discussed.
A unique feature of the conference was having the participants partake in hands-on activities to test their own creative thinking and problem solving skills. School leaders from throughout Turkey joined school heads and program directors from the University of Cambridge, St. Edmunds School, Eton College, The King's School, and Oakham School in the UK; and Deerfield Academy and Columbia University in the USA. Since trainee-teachers in the Graduate School of Education recently completed an internship in those UK schools, it was a fine time for them to reconnect with attendees from the respective schools. Other GSE students had the opportunity to meet directors from leading schools in Turkey, and many were interviewed for positions for their first professional teaching positions.
Dr. Margaret Sands, Director of the Graduate School of Education, observed: "It was a very successful conference. It achieved all we had planned in terms of exploring critical thinking, introducing international colleagues to our university, and making professional connections for our faculty and students."