Conference discusses reflection in education

On 28 and 29 August, international research conference “Reflective Minds and Communities” takes place at the University of Tartu. The conference introduces the objectives and methods of reflection and presents ways to apply these to solve the key issues in modern education.

Reflection is a systematic process of thinking where you learn from experience. Reflective thinking helps integrate knowledge and makes it better accessible and applicable. This way reflection also supports deep learning.

According to head of the organisation committee and Head of UT Institute of Education Äli Leijen, reflective thinking is an important part of learning in many subject areas: “Until now individual reflection has been used more but the newer approach promotes group based reflection, which, if necessary, could help break away from the traditional models of thinking and action through a more critical viewpoint.”

Leijen added that both approaches relate well to the modern learning concept because, on the one hand, we need to encourage learners to take on a more active role in planning, conducting and evaluating their learning process and, on the other hand, developing cooperation skills and learning together have become increasingly more important.

The conference includes presentations about the conceptual bases and applications of individual as well as group based reflection. Keynote speakers are Roger Säljö of the University of Gothenburg, Peeter Torop of the University of Tartu and Gill Crozier of the University of Roehampton.

Roger Säljo’s presentation introduces the main principles of sociocultural learning, Peeter Torop discusses how to establish a dialogue between different cultural practices and Gill Crozier focuses on the problem of educational inequality of ethnic minorities in a multicultural society.

More than 110 people from 19 countries will participate in the conference. The conference is organised by UT Institute of Education together with three interest groups of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI).

More information about the conference is available at the website http://earlisigtartu.ut.ee.

Additional information: Äli Leijen, Head of UT Institute of Education, 737 6441, ali.leijen@ut.ee