European Comenius Association Reunion Conference

Some forty Comenius delegates were recently welcomed to St Patrick's College by College President, Pauric Travers and College Registrar, Olivia Bree to the Comenius Association Conference which took place 28-30 September.  The Association was established in 1988 and St Patrick’s was among the founding members.  “The basic philosophy of the Association … is to contribute to furthering the intercultural dimension in training European teachers …..” SPD has a strong historical capital and legacy in the Association which to date is comprised of 25 Teacher Education HEIs specializing in Primary Sector Education. The last time that the College hosted the Reunion was in 1992.

The main theme of the Conference was The Centrality of Teaching Practice for Students at Home and Abroad – Academic and Practical Issue,andthe keynote was entitled Teaching Practice: From the Now towards the Futurewhichwas delivered by Dr Bernadette Ní Áingléis, Director of Teaching Practice (TP) at St Patrick’s.  The enthusiastic response to Bernadette’s highly interactive presentation was led by Comenius Association President, Geneviève Laloy, Louvain-la-Neuve, setting the scene for following speakers who included Dr Brigette Bruschek, Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule, Vienna; Ms Monika Rothle, Faculty of Education, University of Stavanger;  Ms Jette Laursen, IA Coordinator Teacher Education, UC South Denmark; Dr Marianne ÖbergTuleus, School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (HumES) - Dept of Education, Orebro University; and Ms Laurence Siberry, Stranmillis University College, Belfast, who kindly sent a PPT presentation, Perspectives on Internationalisation and Student Movements from Belfast.

Workshops based on the theme of TP and on-going Comenius comparative questionnaire work included: (i) Evaluation of TP; (ii) Quality Assurance concerning TP tutors / supervisors and their training (Chaired by Dr Daire Keogh, Director of Quality Promotion at St Patrick's and a member of the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR)); (iii) HEI –School Partnerships and (iv) Professional development of the student teacher. Our European partners greatly appreciated otherworkshops also and how we do things in Drumcondra, in relation to: (a) Drama Education animated by Mr Colm Hefferon, College Lecturer in Drama, and (b) Human Rights Education led by Ms Rowan Oberman, College Lecturer in Development, Intercultural, Human Rights and Citizenship Education. While Dr Kia Kimhag, from the Swedish University of Gavele, coordinated an innovative computer laboratory workshop promoting the work of the Association.

Dr Ruth McManus, Head of the Geography Department at St Patrick's led the session concerning special courses offered by Comenius HEIs for International Students with a presentation entitled: Reading Irish Landscapes and Heritages. This helped introduce educational concepts for the following day long fieldtrip entitled: How can fieldwork have an impact on student learning in the internationalization process, which took place in the Boyne Valley.

The Dublin Conference was organised and hosted by the College International Affairs Office, IA Coordinator Dr Gerry O'Reilly and IA Administrator Ms Bernie Donnelly.

 

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Friday October 07 2011