EDUCA 2009 featured educational idea, innovations, and products showcase along with the International Conference on teaching techniques with an emphasis on active learning. This Event was initiated and hosted by Faculty of Education, Burapha University, which is one of the most important educational institutions in Thailand. The co-hosts are also from the renowned institutions from the public sector such as the Ministry of Education, Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC), Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Thailand Education Deans Council (TEDC), The Consortium of 16 Education Deans of Thailand, and Pico (Thailand) PCL. All of these organizations had foreseen the importance and necessity of partnership between public and private sector in Thailand’s educational development. Therefore, EDUCA 2009 and its International Conference was initiated and organized in that year.
Active Learning – It is the essence of a real educational development. With the word ‘active learning’, students are not supposed to be learning on their own, but they are supposed to be learning in a collective and active manner. It is, therefore, crucial to integrate this active quality into educational management throughout the process; from policy making, curriculum design, lesson planning, learningmanagement, and evaluation.
Active Teacher – while quality of teacher and quality of education always go together, teachers are to be active in their learning and self-development continuously either it is in the content, subject matter, or learning management. The challenge in the role of an active teacher would rather be to engage students in their classroom activities than to just deliver what they know to their students as they were originally supposed to do.
Active Learner – once this element comes into the picture, it can reform learning and teaching in which teacher is the one who delivers what they teach to their students. The students who learn with an active manner drive their teacher to be an active learner as well; this can mean learning from their colleagues, media, experiences, or even their students.
The Event featured:
o The 1st International Conference on Learning and Teaching (Active Learner) – the international speakers have presented knowledge and good practices for Thai Teachers such as
- “British Education Reform: How British Reshapes its Education and its Best-performing School System?” by H.E. Rt Hon The Lord Mandelson MP Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the United Kingdom;
- “Singapore Education Reform: the Singapore Practices and Strategic Development of Education Management” by Masagos Zulkifli, BMM, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs;
- “Finland and the Crucial Development of Education: How Finland Stays on Top?” by Mr. Sakari Karjalainen, Director General, Department of Education and Science Policy, Ministry of Education and Science, Finland;
o Variety of workshops – good practices from around the nation were presented here. Teachers could implement these practical knowledge into their own classrooms.
o Educational Showcases – a show case of certain interesting academic researches and innovations e.g. Active Learning Classroom
o Trade Exhibition
o Academic Symposium which presented academic researches selected from teachers, students, and academics in Thailand and around the globe
o Teaching and Learning Clinic where professionals give teachers advices about learning management and other problems in the classroom
o Educational Innovation Contest where the winner would be given a royal cup from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. There were lots of contestants from around the country.
