Renowned educational researcher from USA to give an open seminar in Tartu

From 22 to 26 May, the researcher and visionary in educational management and innovation Professor Thomas Hatch from Columbia University is visiting Tartu and will hold two seminars for doctoral students, their supervisors and for everyone who is interested.

Professor Hatch meets the researchers of the University of Tartu Institute of Education, visits several schools in Tartu, and gives two seminars, one for the university’s doctoral students and their supervisors, and the other “Improvement or Innovation? Possibilities and Challenges for Educational Transformation” (on 23 May at 14:00 in UT Centre of Educational Innovation) is open for all interested parties.

In Hatch’s opinion, instead of making too abrupt changes, step-by-step movement towards the desired result should be considered. The smaller the step, the easier and more realistic it is to take it and such an approach may open up new possibilities and directions, which might remain unnoticed in the case of taking a big step. “The seminar gives a good opportunity to listen to a professor of one of the USA’s most reputable universities sharing his observations and concepts of the functioning of different education systems, their problems and advantages,” said Professor of Educational Technology Margus Pedaste.

Professor Hatch also writes about what is going on in education around the world in the thematic news portal International Education News (www.internationalednews.com). Hatch is currently visiting countries that were very successful according to the PISA Report for 2015 (incl. Singapore, Estonia, Finland) and compares policies applied in these countries to those of the less successful countries.

Thomas Hatch began his career at Harvard, where he studied the development of children’s intellectual and social abilities. He has participated in different educational innovation projects and is the author of several books. His latest book “Managing to Change: How Schools can Survive (and Sometimes Thrive) in Turbulent Times” (Teachers College Press, 2009) describes various successful school development practices.

Additional information:
Margus Pedaste, UT Professor of Educational Technology, 515 6095, margus.pedaste@ut.ee
Maarja Taaler, UT Specialist of Educational Technology, 737 6022, maarja.taaler@ut.ee