The Second Learning and Development Conference

Note: This program is still preliminary, and it may be changed to reach the optimal status.

Day 1 – Saturday the 20th of Oct. 2018

8:30 – 9:00 Registration and Networking

9:00 – 10:30 Opening Ceremony

• Welcoming note & The Lebanese Anthem and the Finnish Anthem
• Conference Organizer: Tazkiah – Fawzieh Makkawi – Co-founder and Director
• Ambassador of Finland – (TBC)
• Research Manager at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences – Dr. Annica Isacsson – Phenomenon based learning
• Cedar Data CEO – Mr. Ahmad Abou Ammo
• Briefing from This day speakers about their workshops
• Ministry of Education – (TBC)

10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break and Networking

11:00 – 13:00 Concurrent Sessions:

• Session 1- part 1/2 – How to do Phenomenon Based Teaching and Learning at school? (Prof. Tuija Turunen and Mr. Jorma Turunen)
• Session 2- How is vocational teacher education personalized and assessed in Finland at Haaga-Helia School of Vocational Teacher Education? (Dr. Annica Isacsson)
• Session 3- Change Cycle (Mr. Pasi Mattila)

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 16:00 Concurrent Sessions:

• Session 1- part 2/2 – Continue- How to do Phenomenon Based Teaching and Learning at school? Prof. Tuija Turunen and Mr. Jorma Turunen
• Session 4- Why are emotional competences important in future working life? (Dr. Annica Isacsson)
• Session 5- Hands on methods and ways in phenomenon teaching (Riikka Kastu)
• Session 6- Excel: How Personal You Can Get (Eng. Rana Sayyid)

16:00 – 16:30 Coffee break

16:30 – 17:30 The importance of Networking:

• Physical Education Arab Network (Samer AlEter)
• International School Award (ISA) (Yesser Chidiaq)

First Day – Wrap Up

Day 2 – Sunday the 21st of Oct. 2018

8:30 – 9:00 Registration and Networking

9:00 – 10:30 Welcoming note
LIBNOR – Mr. Mohammad Chamas – ISO 21001 Published.
Teachers as researchers:

• i. Ms. Reem Antably – The impact of two class blogs and wikis on the academic writing fluency and accuracy of seventh and eighth graders
• ii. Ms. Manal Bakkar – “The effectiveness of blended learning (flipped classroom strategy) in the development of geometry thinking skills among eighth graders and their tendency towards mathematics “
  Briefing from This day speakers about their workshops

10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break and Networking

11:00 – 13:00 Concurrent Sessions:

• Session 7- Work based / Integrative learning (Dr. Annica Isacsson)
• Session 8- New pedagogy and phenomenal based learning (Mr. Pasi Mattila)
• Session 9- Planning / designing a phenomenon-based learning module and assessment of competencies (Sirkku Nikamaa-Linder and Randa Mikati)
• Session 10- New initiatives for the schools:
  • Manners Matters (Ms. Lisa Beyrouthi)
  • TANMO Project (Dr. Nassim Dennwi)

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break

14:00 – 16:00 Concurrent Sessions:

• Session 11- Phenomenon based learning and transversal competences in Finnish curricula and school practices. (Elisa Helin)
• Session 12- Development of new learning environments (Mr. Pasi Mattila)
• Session 13- Phenomenon Based learning in Vocational Schools (Mohamad Wannous)

16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break

16:30 – 17:30 Wrap up session – Thanks notes

Session 1: How to do phenomenon based teaching and learning at school? – Prof. Tuija Turunen with the assistance of Jorma Turunen

The world we live in is changing more rapidly than ever and digital tools including internet and social media provides a constant information flow. This calls for transformation of education and the way we teach and learn. 21st century skills emphasis collaboration and teamwork, creativity and imagination as well as critical thinking and problem solving as tools for learning in new era. Phenomenon based pedagogy is one solution and ICT provides an essential tool in working with the phenomena, finding information, collaborating and sharing.

This workshop aims to provide an overall picture of phenomenon based learning, its pedagogical background and orchestrating it a classroom activity. The workshop is based on Finnish examples as Finland is a leading country in education, even called an Education Superpower.

The workshop will consist of the following:

• Lecture to provide the basic information about phenomenon based pedagogy in Finland.
• Hands-on activities with various phenomena by using examples of Finnish curriculum and ICT.
• Discussions and sharing among the participants on the new practices and solutions.

Session 2: How is vocational teacher education personalized and assessed in Finland at Haaga-Helia School of Vocational Teacher Education?

The studies begin with recognition of the teacher student’s own competences. The recognition of one’s own competences has strong impact on the pedagogical studies.
The personal development plan (PDP) is negotiated between the teacher student and counsellor. The PDP form the basis of the vocational teacher educational studies. The plans all look different and are constructed and refined throughout studies. The plan takes into account earlier acquired competences and development. The personal development plan is an ongoing process.

Because working in different communities and teams is one core competence of the vocational teacher, the teacher studies students will work in groups of various sizes and formats during their studies. In the beginning of their studies, they form teams of 3-6 people in which they study, complete and share joint assignments. The processes that take place in the groups and teams are also subject to assessment.

The HH vocational teacher curriculum is hence competence-based with a holistic approach, consisting of constructivist features and inquiry-based principles, as discovered by a teacher student in the following

According to my interpretation and experience (Isacsson) there are three aspects that make the HH vocational teacher educational curriculum and implementations unique. Firstly, the individual teacher students’ own competences, working life contexts and professional needs that they bring along with them to the studies form a base and allow individual study implementations. Secondly, all implementations are multidisciplinary, with the distinct purpose of sharing and creating multidisciplinary competences. Thirdly, the teacher students are treated as subjects and collaborative actors, i.e. as active producers of their own learning. Learning occurs individually, in small groups, through reading circles, in individual trainer student discussions and in reflective social environments. The outcome of the studies is a future competence, working-life and developmentally oriented teacher, with a professional portfolio and a vocational teacher qualification. The teacher studies are evaluated though continuous reflection, self- and peer-assessment, and through development talks.

Session 4: Why are emotional competences important in future working life?
Dr. Annica Isacsson

According to the World Economic Forum, 65% of those who start school today will work in professions that do you yet exist. According to Goleman (1998) we will be assessed in the future with new measures and indicators: intelligence or education is no longer enough. We need to also be emotionally and socially skillful.
Transversal skills can be defined in many ways, of which cross-sectoral skills is the one used by the European Commission.
Emotional competence on the other hand refers to one’s ability to express or release one’s inner feelings (emotions). It implies an ease around others and determines one’s ability to effectively and successfully lead and express. It is described as the essential social skills to recognize, interpret, and respond constructively to emotions in yourself and others.

Personal emotional competence, self –evaluation               Social emotional competence

Knowledge on oneself                                                                                Empathy

Evaluation of oneself                                                                                  Service to others

Self-confidence                                                                                            Conscience of the organization

Conscience of her own culture                                                                 Conscience of the culture of others

How can we, as educator support the development of students´ emotional competences?

Session 6: Excel: How Personal You Can Get
Eng. Rana Sayyid

Dear Sir/Madam, Sirs, To whom it may concern…
We know that there is a way to address people more personally when the list of recipients is available. Whether it is an email, a circular, or a more personal document, we will tackle today different ways to personalize various documents.
We will start by going over the simple Word/Excel mail merge. We will then compare it to the Excel/Excel mail merge. Next, we will discover some brilliant Excel functions. Only then you will have the complete freedom to decide how personal you want your documents to get.

Session 7: Work based / Integrative learning
Dr. Annica Isacsson

Vocational education and training (VET) and HE (higher education) is in a process of change due to the demands that the knowledge society, globalization, learners new ways of acquiring information and the changing requirements of working life stand for.

There is a distinct need for educators to constantly assess and develop vocational education and training, to ensure and make sure that the competences acquired in educational institutions are in line with the competences required by future companies. Question such as how to embed, authentic working life needs, experiences and competences such as knowledge, attitude and skills, with theoretical research based content. One way of doing so, is through intensified collaboration between educational institutions and companies, as it is important that working life and schools are integrated, not separated.

The aim of the work-shop is to ensure that students and teachers develop the ability to integrate learning with work-related activities. What methods to apply, how to assess?
Through work-integrated learning, students can bring new ideas and innovation to industry, government and community organizations.

Session 9: Planning / designing a phenomenon-based learning module and assessment of competencies.
Sirkku Nikamaa-Linder

The participants will learn how to design and realize a phenomenon-based learning unit. The workshop will include discussions and demonstrations of using ICT tools. The participants will leave with concrete skills, plans and assessment tools that help them turn the plan into action in their own contexts.

Session 10, i: Manners Matter
Lisa Beyrouthi

“Manners Matter”. For the 1st time in Lebanon a curriculum with different activities concerning manners for kids, teachers and parents!
A pre-launch for the curriculum of “Manners Matter”, what is the purpose about it? Why we are going back to ABC of respect and etiquette rules? How we have to deliver this curriculum?

Session 10, ii: TANMO Project
Dr. Nassim Dennwi

Project TANMO is a national project in three phases:

Phase 1
The first phase of the program aims to identify and preserve the talents of public school students in the first stages of education (cycle one, two, three / intermediate classes) by preparing and training educational staff from within and outside the educational system in the targeted public schools.
‏
Phase 2
Is concerned in finding the links or establishing specialized centers in order to work on managing these talents and developing it in order to bring out the best in these talents. To invest these talents so it benefits directly and indirectly to the community.

‏Phase 3
‏To spotlight the talents through festivals in the regions and at national level to showcase the potential of these talents and open the way for them to be appreciated by the community and companies involved in the adoption of these talents and work to invest their abilities, which benefits themselves and their community.

‏When we talk about talent we do not mean the talents that are recognized in the world of art, such as singing, acting and dancing, but beyond the patterns of intelligence and talents of scientific, cultural, physical and all that under the category of talent in science, poetry, mathematics, speech, writing, management, cooking, craftsmanship, each with a special curriculum and in academic mechanism for discovery, conservation and development.

Session 11: Phenomenon based learning and transversal competences in Finnish curricula and school practices.
Elisa Helin

– A phenomenon-based learning in Finnish curricula (core curriculum and local curricula) and how to implement it to school practices
– Some examples of the phenomenon-based learning projects of Finnish schools (pre-primary and basic education)
– What phenomenon-based learning could be in Lebanese education? Changing ideas and thoughts.
– How to integrate different subjects into a phenomenon-based entity? Planning and training.

Session 13: Phenomenon Based learning in Vocational Schools
Mohamad Wannous

We will go through fun methods of teaching the students about cars, some of the methods are used by all the teachers in Stadin ammattiopisto: the automotive field, and some of the methods are made up by me.
Also we’ll go through a study I myself made back in 2017. Taking tests on a paper sheet vs. having the tests while working on cars: it contains the results of students and then taking the same test 2 months later, comparing the results and studying which method was more effective for the students to remember the knowledge they learned.

Tazkiah, s.a.r.l.

Tazkiah, s.a.r.l. is a new company established on the first day of the first learning and development conference, Oct. 21st, 2017. The idea of Tazkiah came after years of freelance consultation work from its co-founder and director Fawzieh Makkawi. “Tazkiah” the company name was taken from the Arabic word “تزكية” (Tazkiah), which highlights the importance of “the sustainable virtuous development of the soul, the person, and the organization”.

Tazkiah’s main services are learning and development consultancy and training services. At Tazkiah, you will find the needed consultation to empower and to enrich your company to ensure a healthy development, influence, and success. At Tazkiah, we will help you to do the work, we won’t do the work for you. We work at building capacity inside your institution. We work with institutions, groups, and individuals. Tazkiah provides also ISO consultation. Tazkiah’s director is one of the experts who wrote the newly published ISO 21001 – Educational Organization Management System.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in every aspect of our life is one of Tazkiah’s concerns, and the use of ICT in education is at the top of the list. ICT has changed our life, and we need to master it and participate in its development and innovations.

The change management is another expertise at Tazkiah. You need to understand the change, its factors, impacts, and effects to lead a successful fruitful change. At Tazkiah, we will help you to do this.

Connecting people is another service provided by Tazkiah. Connecting people is a very important concept in life, and it is one main reason in humanities’ development and flourishment. At Tazkiah, we look for building everlasting productive human relations.

Fawzieh Makkawi

Fawzieh Makkawi is an ISO member who participated in writing the newly published ISO 21001 standards: “Educational organizations management systems – Requirements with guidance for use”. She has a diverse rich educational background, work experience, social responsibility knowledge, and social network. She cherishes work, human relations, and values. She is the director and co-founder of Tazkiah, s.a.r.l., a learning and development consultancy company that supports organizations, groups, and even individuals in designing and implementing their change and improvement plans. Fawzieh Makkawi is a model for a lifelong learner; she graduated from the American University of Beirut with a computer and communication engineering, kept learning in her life while working, and went through different areas in several universities, and reached an educational doctorate route at King’s College London, UK.