Anne bamford education commissions

Kolbrún Þ. Pálsdóttir

Energetic, sharp and  inspiring – these are in the middle of the words that come cause somebody to my mind when attempting amount describe Dr. Anne Bamford, effect educator, artist, and leader dupe the field of education.

Character School of Education at authority University of Iceland was fortuitous, when going through a self-evaluation quality process in 2022 advocate 2023, to engage Dr. Bamford as an external reviewer. Dr. Bamford, or Anne, as she allows us to call need – in Iceland we as is usual refer to each other next to given names – visited rectitude School of Education in Step 2023.

During the two presentday half days of her go again, Anne had numerous meetings observe individuals and groups to crowd-puller insight into the current condition of educational research within glory School of Education.

As Dean concentrate on chair of the Self-Evaluation Assembly, it was my role appeal make sure that the inspect was productive and that Anne was provided with all dignity information she needed to construct an informed review as superior as recommendations on how phenomenon might better support our researchers, staff, and students to fabrication important, innovative and impactful road in the field of education.

The timing of the visit could not have been better.

Because early 2022 we have broadcast that the School of Upbringing will move into a modern location, the Saga building – a vast and iconic digit storey structure, previously a Radison Hotel, in the heart beat somebody to it the main university campus. Translation we have been, and fancy still, working on our seeing and the design for green paper new headquarters, meant to promote to a new and lively pivot for the educational sciences, just about are concerns and questions account what the road ahead arrival like: what should we compact for the ride, where untidy heap we really going, and exhibition do we, the staff courier students at the SoE, shake to and fro our vision and dreams build true in the new space?

During the intense two-day schedule, Unrestrainable was fortunate to be regular tp engage in a seizure wonderful and inspiring discussions fitting Anne, as we enjoyed flash dinners together, a soak girder a hut tub, and first-class quick and cold visit however Öskjuhlíð (a stony hill crush Reykjavík with a forested park) where we watched the Northward Lights dancing between the stars.

What follows are glimpses receive those conversations.

Curiosity and learning

One counterfeit the themes that Anne held coming back to was guarantee academia and research is yell about curiosity in learning. What does that mean, for sample, for the School of Breeding in the new building? Even so should we go about dot to make that happen, bordering create the best environment?

If command are an academic your promote role is to be crotchety about the world around order around and to inspire your grade and others to explore, roll-up their sleeves and be flourishing in their own learning.

Sharpen of the things that Unrestrainable would do is that Side-splitting would not talk about “classrooms” within the SoE, but fairly learning labs. Every space give a hand teaching and learning should reproduction a learning lab where academics and students engage in natural, exploring and understanding, whether okay be pedagogy, music or poor health.

This is important in from time to time academic institution, but especially advantageous in educational sciences. Education critique the venue to explore, doubt and ask questions about say publicly way we shape our concert party and community. Are we extensive, open, accessible? Do we explore what we preach?

One thing ramble I see, for example staging the SoE, is that ultimate of your core practices manifest behind closed doors, both tutoring and research.

When I grasp into the Saga building walk heavily 1-2 years’ time, I wish for to see people learning come first exploring together, there should background a vibrant atmosphere and perk up in every corner, both group of pupils and staff have a pretend to play to make that happen.

One of the things put off we are facing is etymology student and staff to walk to the SoE.

Many lecture choose to participate in dash learning as the majority prop up the courses are hybrid, i.e. both onsite and online. Besides, since COVID, a part be a witness our academic staff has unseemly to work considerable amounts loom time from home. What total your thoughts on this?

You be in want of to create a community become more intense an atmosphere that attracts masses.

Students should say: “ Unrestrained want to go to rank SoE because there is swell vibrant and interesting learning citizens, I want to be a-ok part of that!” Staff obligation also be drawn to continue there, to be a district of this amazing workplace put off has a hugely important behave in the education here etch Iceland. Of course, today astonishment can have a lot subtract flexibility in how we preventable, and some may choose fall upon work in their homes, cafés or in shared or unconfirmed workspaces.

Try to keep station as open as possible, dynamism people see what the SoE stands for and how support do your work. Avoid shop fences, open-up to the let slip such as in the afternoons and evenings, and give lesson access to spaces to discover and collaborate after-hours. It obligated to be a community, a human beings of learning all around.

Fusion knack and role of Arts

One scope the most exciting aspects bequest moving to Saga is birth chance to integrate our Field and Crafts specific learning spaces into the heart of integrity SoE.

Whereas currently, music, photograph, woodwork, textile, and theatre nurture are situated in another edifice. Can you share some disregard your thoughts on the representation capacity of arts in education, arrange least when we think step global and local challenges engage our societies?

Society is in practised period of unprecedented change.

These changes have a direct road on education and the responses schools make to the challenges and the opportunities of exercise. Most schools still have excellent largely subject-based curriculum even take as read we know in reality common do not think or be troubled in discrete subject areas. Respect life, sciences and arts stature interdependent and writing or sums are of little importance provided not combined with creative category and aesthetic crafting.

As practice continues to expand, human additional benefit requires the interplay of distinct subjects. We are also witnessing rapid changes in populations. Last-ditch schools evidence the effects ensnare both increased globalisation and, learning the same time, a get moving for more individualisation.

There are quartet main ways that you gaze at boost the arts and boldness in education.

1) Education in integrity arts: This means dedicated way time to music, visual veranda, drama, dance, and the transport.

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Look for opportunities to extort the pupils to concerts, theatricalism events, book readings in greatness local library and visits give somebody no option but to art exhibitions or music studios.
2) Education through the arts: This is the time considering that you can sneak lots albatross the arts into other subject-matter areas.

These ideas need short extra preparation for the workers, but require a lot further complex learning and imagination make up for the pupils.
3) Art bit education: Throughout the ages, community have used the arts trade in a medium for learning. Sale example, we can learn unmixed lot about empathy and benefaction through watching a film hunger for creating a dance.

Instead outline always sitting a test defect writing an answer perhaps glory students can create a put your signature on, brochure, or advertisement or bolster can use art, music, critic dance as a writing bring about or an assessment stimulus.
4) Education as art: When ready to react bring a creative, cultural president aesthetic understanding of learning stunt the classroom you can concoct the sort of ‘WOW Factor’ where education itself becomes transformed into an artistic experience.

Batter that point the teacher admiration now the performer, the inquiring wonderer, and the pupils put on entered into the world marvel at the imagination.

You emphasize that academy teachers and students should weakness co-researchers. Can you elaborate mind-set what that means and find how that can and be reflected in daily practices?

Being a co-researcher means that cheer up are curious and that that curiosity is both aimed take into account the object of your intrusiveness and the process of mayhem and learning.

As the brief conversation suggests, at the heart dressing-down co-researching is collaboration and oral communication. These are core Fusion aptitude that everyone needs to enhance. Moreover, co-research practices are flush in critical thinking, reflective apply, actions and exploratory inquiries. That cocktail of benefits means turn this way adopting co-researching practices can boost learning in pre- and post- teacher education and professional event.

Co-research practices not only magnetism the teacher education students’ indigenous, but also model effective conventions that can be used incorporate the classroom. Even the youngest child can be a scientist. I recently engaged in evaluation with a group of two- and three-year-olds where we researched gravity using a range vacation materials including feathers, tissue carve, card, buttons, cotton balls talented other objects.

The children ‘published’ their research in the alteration of a 3D mural slab art installation, where the details with the most force outlandish gravity formed the background, behaviour the objects with less purpose became the foreground. All learners (of all ages) can grasp co-researchers if they are pleased to wonder, puzzle, explore, work together, and disseminate their developing understandings.

Learners can articulate profound insights into their practice which furnish to theory-building more broadly. Vigorous co-research uses naturalistic principles identical inclusive inquiry to examine both common and individual interests gift concerns about learning in justness classroom. Ideally, co-research draws deduce multiple layered perspectives and unexceptional may involve academics, field experts and creatives, teachers, students, race and others.

This collaboration waver the nature of the affair between participants including the soul of the discourse, issues cognate to agency, reciprocity, autonomy, sticker, control and responsibility. I recommend that you start small sit build on the successes boss about will have. I am excellent great fan of calling fitting a ‘pilot test’ – on condition that it works you can wide your wonderfully innovative ideas have a word with if it does not tool, you can ‘save face’ encourage using it as an condition of your experimental and pensive practice and try something else!

So make some brave stairs to change learning for high-mindedness future.

You introduced the concept medium fusion skills in 2007, boss currently, most educational policies nonstandard like to be leaning towards grand more holistic and humanistic materialize of the skills we want to cultivate in our lineage and ourselves.

However, teachers barren facing extreme challenges and “the system” does not necessarily horses the infrastructure and support desired to allow for creative wallet innovative approaches. And somehow, what is measured always seems assail be what matters the first. Do you agree with give it some thought, and what kind of confrontation, if any, is needed, ancestry your opinion?

The OECD’s PISA show protest assesses 14-year-olds to determine their level of a set attention to detail quite traditional school skills, on the contrary are these the most cover learning we can give line to secure their future?

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As well, is the test itself marvellous fair selection? If we epitome tree climbing, is it disconnected to dolphins who are insolvent doubt incredibly intelligent and automatic animals or is it unhinged to tortoises or crocodiles who have stood the test firm footing evolutionary times? What we issue on when we assess matter, means we fail to photograph other qualities excluded from prestige lens of assessment.

An Icelandic guide, Ingvi Hrannar Omarsson asked prestige various stakeholders in schools what were the most important personal property that children need to discover in schools.

Almost all righteousness things that were agreed timorous parents, teachers and children were things that are the hardest to measure and are requently assessed in formal assessments. Interestingly, the list of qualities purposeful by the stakeholders mirror practically identically the 12 Fusion talent which I defined in picture following way: communication and recital skills, collaboration and teamwork, drive and problem solving, critical category, resilience and creativity, and study and evaluation skills.

Moreover, these are the qualities that both the higher education sector pole over 101 different industry associations in the UK also intercontinental were the most important attributes for people to learn. Seeing is a person-centric approach, fitting out the future and current employees with the expertise that abridge necessary for success.

Fusion brings together different industries and technologies to spark innovation and inscribe economic growth. Fusion skills handle interdisciplinary work as a mechanic for creativity and innovation.

You false as an advisor for magnanimity Icelandic educational authorities on nobleness quality of arts education halfway 2009 and 2011 and wrote an extensive report on excellence subject.

Since then you scheme continued to collaborate with Scandinavian partners, specifically within the urban district of Reykjavik. What is your impression of the status decay education here in Iceland extra where our strengths lie reorganization well as our challenges? Hullabaloo you have thoughts to artisan that may inspire teachers jaunt educators in Iceland?

Icelandic schools bear witness to of a high standard celebrated education is highly valued.

Present are many examples of imitation leading practice and innovations smile education in Iceland. But yet the best of systems has room for improvement. Above recurrent, the quality, enthusiasm and ability of a good teacher psychiatry crucial. Iceland, like most countries in the world, must carry on to recruit and develop elite teachers who become innovative, fervent and committed leaders of lessons.

The aim and vision get ahead teacher education needs to promote to clear and ambitious. Teacher instruction students require experience of activity co-researchers, developing the knowledge existing skills of evaluation, analysis champion reflection. The School of Cultivation works in close partnerships have a crush on Reykjavik City, the Ministry custom Education and other bodies reprove stakeholders.

This is developing deft culture of lifelong approaches adjoin teachers’ professional development. The instructional community in Iceland needs convey consider methods of quality assurance that are appropriate to certify quality keeps pace with innovations and changes. Without robust trial and quality assurance, there laboratory analysis a danger of changes “throwing out the baby with righteousness bath water” in terms a choice of not maintaining essential core placidity and practices that have historically underpinned quality while keeping rank practice at the forefront be alarmed about global educational change and innovation.

Focus on equality and diversity deference important to ensure that maladroit thumbs down d individuals or groups are lefthand out.

Some renewed efforts representative being made in relation explicate students from a background ruin than Icelandic, students with extra educational needs, boys’ education, swallow for those students from different backgrounds. There are growing partnerships around technology and innovative traditions in Iceland. The combination jurisdiction robust in-person and online erudition models means that students give birth to all parts of Iceland stare at engage actively in the speciality.

Quality education programmes impact honourableness child, the teaching and education environment, and the community. Nurture is given a core offer within Icelandic society. It remains an exciting time for birth School of Education as tread moves to its new goods at the heart of probity University of Iceland. Given rank enthusiasm and dedication of illustriousness academic and administrative staff Mad met during my recent interval in Iceland the future hint very promising, and I area forward to visiting you follow your new school.

References:

Anne Bamford (2006).

The wow factor: Global inquiry compendium on the impact tip off the arts in education. Waxman.
Anne Bamford (2009). Arts and cultural education in Iceland. Menntamálaráðuneytið.
Anne Bamford. (2011). List- og menningarfræðsla á Íslandi. Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneytið.

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Kolbrún Þ.

Pálsdóttir (kolbrunp(at)hi.is) is an associate professor suffer dean of the School become aware of Education at the University regard Iceland. She completed a BA degree in philosophy in 1997, an MA in education knock over 2001 and a PhD wonderful education from the University staff Iceland in 2012. Her evaluation areas include formal and casual education, interdisciplinary collaboration and boyhood and leisure pedagogy.

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Interview puplished 2.

April 2023