2014 Windsor Conference——Envisioning Reciprocal Learning between Canada and China

 

This first of seven projected conferences rotating among Partner universities took place at The University of Windsor, April 7-8 2014 with 150 academic and professional educators from Canadian, Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong, Singapore and US school boards and universities in attendance. The conference was on the critical topic of Chinese and Canadian education in a globalized world of international comparisons and competition. Keynote speakers were from mainland China, Singapore, Canada and USA. The conference was equally balanced between academic and professional presentations with important plenary sessions given by partnership school board members. The Directors of Education for both participating school boards attended and addressed the conference. The Chair of the TDSB was present and spoke. The first half day of the conference was organized by the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) and involved the board director, supervisory officials, principals and teachers. UW heavily supported the conference as well as giving key welcome addresses by the President, Provost, Vice President of Research and Acting Dean of Education. OISE’s Director of Research, International Initiatives & Knowledge Mobilization gave welcoming remarks. The Ontario Assistant Deputy Minister of Education addressed the Conference via teleconference. A short summary of keynote and plenary addresses follows. 

Ms. Mary Jean Gallagher, the Assistant Deputy Minister at the Ontario Ministry of Education, elaborated on Ontario’s multicultural features and the embracement of mutual learning among countries and educational systems. Dr. Ruth Hayhoe at OISE introduced the intrinsic connections between the Confucian values and the central role of teachers in China, calling for re-conceptualizing the notions of culture and teacher education. Dr. Zongyi Deng from the National Institute of Education Nanyang Technological University in Singapore pointed out the problematic nature of PISA results and conundrums in reciprocal learning between countries. Dr. Zongjie Wu’s (Zhenjiang University in China) presentation led people into the authentic cultural meaning of Chinese education. Dr. Cheryl Craig, AERA Fellow from the University of Houston, shared her 15-year school-based research, concluding that the teacher is the main element to create change in U.S. school reform. She remarked that this Partnership research project was the most significant research activity of its kind worldwide.

Concurrent sessions and plenary panels rounded out the input. Dr. Shijian Chen, the Vice-President of SWU in China, provided their practice to improve teacher education in SWU. To create “a peaceful and enriched ‘borderless’ world,” Dr. Geri Salinitri from UW explicated the global dimensions of teacher quality. Dr. Anthony Ezeife from UW maintained that it is quite urgent to realize and act upon a belief that teachers are “pillar” of math education. Dr. Doug McDougall from OISE focused on the practices of reciprocal teaching to make it central to support student learning. Dr. Yibing Liu from SWU talked about current trends of teacher education and student development policies in China’s education reform. Professor Lan Ye’s (East China Normal University) speech unfolded an intriguing cultural landscape in which the Confucian heritage evokes a group-centered experience of teacher professional development. Dr. Jim Cummins at OISE outlined an increasingly salient fact that ELL students are faced with challenges to shift to the host languages while maintaining the languages of their origin. To cultivate global competencies of students and educators, Ms. Donna Quan, Director of the TDSB, emphasized that the TDSB is devoted to inclusive education at school, cross-cultural programs and international studies. Dr. Yunpeng Ma, from the Northeast Normal University in China, introduced pedagogical ideas and strategies to make primary mathematics teachers effective. Dr. Clara Howitt, Superintendent at GECDSB, worked to build bridges between eastern and western education systems for a true reciprocal relationship between Canada and China.

Annual General Meeting (AGM): The AGM directly followed the conference, April 9-10 and provided a forum for two Project Directors, 26 team members, six members of International Advisory Committee, and the UW Vice President of Research to exchange ideas on strengths and weaknesses of six Research Team Plans, the curriculum policy survey, and their compatibility with the overall partnership project. All Teams gave plenary session updates on research team plans for the budget years 2013-2020, and what has been accomplished to date. Comment and critique from International Advisory Committee (IAC) members and other research team participants occurred. Research team members then met in private to revise plans to be submitted within one month. The IAC, VP Research and project directors met to review overall plans. Results from the pilot survey of all researchers were presented and plans for final field testing took place in a meeting with Chinese and Canadian research team leaders. The AGM concluded with an executive committee meeting attended by UW Vice President of Research and Innovation and the UW Executive Director, Research & Innovation Office of Research and Innovation Services. Coordinated understandings and plans were formalized which balanced financial accountability with research progress and accountability.