Nurturing Critical Minds: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Education and the Workforce
Nurturing Critical Minds: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Education and the Workforce
We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming international conference on “Nurturing Critical Minds: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Education and the Workforce”. The conference is interdisciplinary, it will cover a diverse range of fields and perspectives on the development of critical thinking skills in different academic fields at universities and labour market institutions. Showcasing the holistic approach, the conference aims to explore the vital role of critical thinking in diverse academic disciplines and its significance in the ever-evolving landscape of labour market institutions.
The conference aims to bridge the gap between universities and labour market institutions, fostering a culture of critical thinking that thrives in the classroom and enhances professional growth in the workplace. This conference will serve as a platform for educators, researchers, and labour market professionals from diverse fields to explore innovative strategies, and share best practices and collaborate on integrating critical thinking skills into educational curricula.
Keynote speakers
Alistair Starling
Co-Founder and Managing Director of the European Diplomats
Luís Sebastião
Associate Professor in the Department of Pedagogy and Education, Director of the Center for Research in Education and Psychology, University of Évora
Dimitris Pnevmatikos
Professor in the Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Western Macedonia
Erika Vaiginienė
Associate professor in the Department of Business, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Vilnius University
Inga Jončienė
Head of Business Development at Alliance for Recruitment
Adam Mastandrea
Assistant Professor in the Department of Foreign Language Teaching and Research, Institute of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Philology, Vilnius University
Daiva Penkauskienė
Director of Modern Didactics Center, Associate Professor in the Institute of Educational Sciences and Social Work, Mykolas Romeris University
Sandra Kairė
Associate Professor, Director of the Institute of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Philosophy, Vilnius University
Kay Hemmerling
Dr Kay Hemmerling, Chairman at the Institute for Moral-Democratic Competence (IMDC e.V.)
Programme
Programme
Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė & Jolita Kudinovienė
Action Research-based Practice as a Basis for Developing Critical Thinking in Primary School Pupils
Action Research-Based Practice As a Basis for Developing Critical Thinking in Primary School Pupils
Daiva Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė & Jolita Kudinovienė
Academy of Education, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
Abstract
Action research in educational practice is defined as a systematic exploration of how to change the status quo in educational practice, and how to find new ways of doing things in order to bring about positive change for all those involved in the educational process, i.e. to improve student learning and achievement (Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen, 2007; Menter, Eliot, Hulme, & Lewin, 2011; Efron & Ravid, 2013). It is an activity that enables the planning of a strategy for action, which is implemented, systematically monitored, reflexively reflected upon and modified (Dolbec & Clément, 2000; Mertler, 2009; Lafontaine, 2006, 2016; Clark, 2012; Carignan, Beaudry, & Larose, 2016; Eden & Ackermann, 2018). In action research, the teacher as researcher takes on the responsibility of solving a particular learning problem (Macaire, 2007), and this cannot be done without deep critical thinking skills, which is why it is important to have deep, reflective educators in schools. Action research enhances teachers' capacity for professional development, autonomy, and the ability to evaluate and take responsibility for educational practice and its improvement (Efron & Ravid, 2013).
Research question: How does action research help develop students' critical thinking capacities?
Conclusions: It is important to note that most of the focus group participants in our study demonstrated their deep understanding of action research through examples of their work and their reasons for using certain aspects in their educational process. In addition, some aspects were transferred by the teachers to other activities, and some action research projects were so relevant to the children that they carry the experience even when they are in a different classroom and in a different context.
Keywords: Action research, critical thinking, primary school pupils
Biographies
Daiva JAKAVONYTĖ-STAŠKUVIENĖ: Professor, Head of the Didactics Research Cluster, Academy of Education, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. European Commission Inspector of Pre-school and Primary Education in European Schools, Representative of Lithuania. Research interests include curriculum theory, pedagogy, general didactics, didactics of elementary language arts education, integrated didactics of languages, cooperative learning, assessment of students’ learning and progress, teacher leadership that transforms educational practice. Email: .
Jolita KUDINOVIENĖ: Head of the Department of Pre-School and Primary Education at the Academy of Education, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. Research areas include the action research method, development of the social-emotional competence, educational projects and inclusive education. Email: .
