CFP: International conference WHY STILL EDUCATION?

International conference

WHY STILL EDUCATION?

Kovačica, Serbia

6-8. June 2014

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The first International conference Why still education? is conceived as an open forum for reflection on and development of educational strategies, which will provide the space for the exchange of experiences and knowledge, and encourage challenges to the existing educational practices.

Potential applicants include:

• Researchers of education in the fields of philosophy, sociology, pedagogy, andragogy, psychology, political theory, anthropology, history, as well as experts in education management;
• Practitioners (teachers, textbook authors, initiators of supplementary educational activities, representatives of the alternative educational programs, etc.).

Domains and themes:

Since it aims to gather researchers and practitioners from various disciplinary and research areas, the conference will include three thematic domains:

1. History and theories of education
2. Education in Transition
3. Teacher on the Stage                                                                      Thematic domains Since it aims to gather researchers and practitioners from various disciplinary and research areas, the conference will include three thematic domains:                                                                                                                                                 History and theories of education  Within this domain we would wish to reflect on the purposes and effectiveness of education, problems of institutionalisation of education and education policies, the issues of the status, scope and function of educational enterprise, its gains and losses, necessity and redundancy of educational operations, as well as the analyses of character and types of education. Special attention will be given to contributions which focus on the institution of the school in the light of investments into its emancipatory potential and its already chronic crises: contributions that question organisation of class teaching and models of university; detect egalitary and discriminatory dimensions of education; point to aporias of compulsory, general and vocational education, education of children, adult and life-long learning, universal and contextual education, imperialism and traditionalism of educational content, etc. Approaches to these issues may include educational concepts from classical antiquity, Middle Ages and Modern age (paideia, Bildung, self-education), or may follow the present-day controversies around the Bologna process, PISA test, requirements brought out during the students’ protests etc.                                                       Education in Transition The title of the second domain is purposely ambiguous. On the one hand, it refers to the regional post-socialist context, primarily of successor states of Yugoslavia, but also of its neighbouring countries – Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Albania – that share common political and educational legacy. The shift in socialist educational paradigm brought transition to something whose name and content is yet to be determined, because it is not clear if it conforms only to mercantile criteria, if it abstains from any ideology or rests upon a certain new ideological matrix. Case studies and comparative analyses of this transition would be desirable. On the other hand, education itself is inevitably “in transition” even if it is not politically conditioned: post-industrial and now already post-information age transforms the idea and the tasks of education, new technologies question both nature and value of “classic” knowledge, and global perspective (or perspective of globalisation) seems to require different approaches if not a total (re-)construction of the social (sub-)system of education. It is our belief that these motions may be inspiring for a productive exchange. Teacher on the StageThe thrid thematic domain is devoted to the immediate educational action and issues which are purely didactic only on the surface level. We seek to problematise educational “transfer” of knowledge and skills, and especially the role of the participants in this process. Special attention will be given to the examination of the (un)comfortble position of a teacher as a “functionary of knowledge” who is able to generate (dis)satisfaction of pupils/students. Within this domain, we seek to gather innovative moments and methods in teaching processes, and also to present alternative models of learning: experimental workshops, demonstration of new approaches and educational projects are equally welcome as theoretical elaborations of their foundations and effects. 

4. Conference Program Board

   Dr Adriana Zaharijević, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Dr Ivan Kolev, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria
   Dr Mile Savić, Pedagogical Faculty, University of Belgrade
   Dr Sanja Bojanić, Regional Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities, Rijeka
   Dr Ivana Zagorac, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb
   Dr Bruno Ćurko, Institute for Philosophy, University of Zagreb
   Dr Soni Kedar, Abhinav vidyalaya & Jr. colledge, Dombivli, India
   Dr Attila Patto, Charles University Prague
   Jose Luis Murphy, Dwight-Englewood School, Philosophy deaprtment, New Jersey, USA
   Mag Predrag Krstić, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Aleksandra Maksić, Grammar school Zrenjanin
   

   Organisational Board of the Conference

   Gazela Pudar, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Aleksandra Maksić, High school Zrenjanin
   Predrag Krstić, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade

   Conference Program Board

   Dr Adriana Zaharijević, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Dr Ivan Kolev, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria
   Dr Mile Savić, Pedagogical Faculty, University of Belgrade
   Dr Sanja Bojanić, Regional Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities, Rijeka
   Dr Ivana Zagorac, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb
   Dr Bruno Ćurko, Institute for Philosophy, University of Zagreb
   Dr Soni Kedar, Abhinav vidyalaya & Jr. colledge, Dombivli, India
   Dr Attila Patto, Charles University Prague
   Jose Luis Murphy, Dwight-Englewood School, Philosophy deaprtment, New Jersey, USA
   Mag Predrag Krstić, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Aleksandra Maksić, Grammar school Zrenjanin
   

   Organisational Board of the Conference

   Gazela Pudar, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Aleksandra Maksić, High school Zrenjanin
   Predrag Krstić, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade                                                                                                  

   Conference Program Board

   Dr Adriana Zaharijević, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Dr Ivan Kolev, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria
   Dr Mile Savić, Pedagogical Faculty, University of Belgrade
   Dr Sanja Bojanić, Regional Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities, Rijeka
   Dr Ivana Zagorac, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb
   Dr Bruno Ćurko, Institute for Philosophy, University of Zagreb
   Dr Soni Kedar, Abhinav vidyalaya & Jr. colledge, Dombivli, India
   Dr Attila Patto, Charles University Prague
   Jose Luis Murphy, Dwight-Englewood School, Philosophy deaprtment, New Jersey, USA
   Mag Predrag Krstić, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Aleksandra Maksić, Grammar school Zrenjanin
   

   Organisational Board of the Conference

   Gazela Pudar, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade
   Aleksandra Maksić, High school Zrenjanin
   Predrag Krstić, Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade.                                                                                         IMPORTANT DATES

   Proposal submission deadline: March 15, 2014

   Presenters notified of decision on proposal: March 30, 2014

   Registration closes: April 30, 2013

   Conference: June, 6-8 2014

   Final papers to be delivered: October 30, 2014

   Publication of Conference Proceedings: March 2015                            REGISTRATION FEE

   Conference participation fee is 200 EUR.

   For students and junior researchers from former Yugoslavia the fee is 150 EUR.

   The conference fee entitles the person to participate at workshops and sessions for all three days of the conference. The conference fee also includes:

   • Transportation Belgrade-Kovačica organized for participants
   • Accommodation – 2 full boards in Relax Kovačica spa village
   • Conference material, including Book of Abstracts
   • Review of the paper, its presentation and and publication in the official conference proceedings
   • Certificate on the conference participation.

   Confirmation and invoice will be sent to participants once their application has been accepted. Due date of registration fee payment: April 30th 2014.

   If written cancellation is received before May 31st 2014, 50% of the fees will be refunded minus bank charges. No refunds will be given after June 1st 2014. The cancellation policy applies to all reservations made. The cancellation must be submitted in writing to the conference secretariat and e-mailed to [email protected].                                                       APPLICATION PROCEDURE

   Papers, reports on finalised/ongoing/planned research, case studies and workshops proposals should be sent to [email protected]with the following subject „PROPOSAL: presentation title“.

   Complete proposal in .doc, .docx or .pdf format (Times New Roman, size 12, double spacing) should include:

   • Name and surname of author(s), title(s), affiliation(s), and contact email address
   • Title of presentation
   • Type of presentation: oral presentation, panel discussion, or demonstrations
   • Abstract (up to 250 words) and key words
   • Thematic domain

   TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS

   Presentations at the conference would be either oral (individual presentation or panel discussion) or demonstrations of research (organized as workshop, laboratory, performance, multimedia presentation).

   Oral presentation

   Presentation time for papers should be no more than 15 minutes. Papers will be presented in plenary or parallel thematic sessions. Thematic sessions will last 90 minutes and will consist of five presentations, followed by a discussion.

   Oral presentations at the plenary sessions will proceed in “theatrical style”. Oral presentations in parallel thematic sessions will take the form of round tables.

   Panel discussion

   We welcome proposals for organization and facilitation of panel discussions. Panel discussion may be formulated on any topic within the conference domain. In order to be successful, panel discussion has to offer different perspectives and coherent argumentation.

   Panel discussion involves three to five discussants who will, as precisely and concisely as possible (not longer than five minutes), present their arguments or critically comment on other discussants’ arguments. Their presentations will be followed by a discussion open to all participants. Each panel discussion should last not more than 90 minutes.

   Workshops

   Workshops and other demonstrations of educational projects, results of research or innovative educational programmes (performances, multimedia presentations etc.) are conceived as presentation, test and exchange of insights which can be illustrated or applied in educational processes. Those can be either methodological or organisational contributions to pedagogical practice, or experiences which have ensued from specific approaches to school subjects. Workshops will enable presenters to investigate the capacities of presented experimental and alternative educational models, and will challenge the possibilities and limits of their implementation. These sessions aim to create common ground for presenting new ideas in education in practical, less formal and more focused manner than other conference sessions. The structure, style and format of each workshop will be determined by its organizer. Workshops will last not more than 90 minutes.

   Official languages of the conference are English and BHS.

   Conference Program Board will review the abstracts and select the participants. The Book of abstracts will accompany the conference material. Edited volume with conference proceedings will be published in 2015. The papers for the edited volume need to be in English or BHS languages (length 20.000-60.000 characters with spaces).                                                                               VENUE

   Conference venue and accommodation will be provided in welness center Relax Kovačica spa centar. Resort ’’Relax’’ offers restaurant, wellness centre and conference (business) centre. 

   Resort ‘’Relax’’ has two conferences rooms with up to 300 seats depending of setting. Relax offers audio visual equipment: computer, projector, screen, flip chart, TV. Wi-Fi is available in whole resort and it is free of charge.

   TOWN

   Kovačica is a small town and municipality located in the South Banat District of Vojvodina, Serbia. Kovačica is the town whose reputation far exceeds the number of its inhabitants, its economic or political influence, because it is renowned for its Gallery of Naïve Art. It is also seen as the cultural centre of the Slovak national minority in Serbia. Its flamboyant scenery thus offers inspiring conditions for work. Among seven preschool institutions and eight primary schools, Kovačica boasts of its famous high-school. We sincerely hope that this will be the opportunity for Kovačica to gain recognition for its annual international conference on education as well.

   Find out more at Kovačica touristic organisation: www.took.org.rs

   Optional tours:

   • Naïve art Gallery
   • Nature reserve “Stari Begej – Carska bara“
   • Eco-Ethno complex Belo Blato
   • Ethno village Tiganjica
   • Excursion  on Tisa river

   TRAVEL

   Organisers will provide transportation from Belgrade to Kovačica (50km distance).

   On how to reach Belgrade, please consult Belgrade guide.The conference is organized by:

   Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, Belgrade

   in partnership with:

   Center for Law, Ethics and Applied Philosophy, Belgrade

   Regional Center for Advanced Studies in Humanities, Rijeka 

   Organisation Board

   Email: [email protected]

   Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory

   Kraljice Natalije 45
   11000 Belgrade, Serbia
   Tel/Fax. 011 26 46 242
   Email: [email protected]