Education, Society, Science and Culture: Challenges and Changes in the (post-) Covid-19 era
The first of a series of training webinars titled “Education, Society, Science and Culture: Challenges and Changes in the (post-) Covid-19 era was held on Wednesday 3 February 2021. The webinars of the series are organized by the Center of Excellence for Research & Innovation in Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, of European University Cyprus. During the seminars, researchers and educators from various levels meet to discuss and highlight the challenges they have faced and are facing during the pandemic, the ways in which they have responded, but also possible positive changes in the field of education. The ultimate aim of this series of seminars is to bring together applied and innovative research trends and theoretical perspectives, as well as to aggregate researchers and professionals who share common questions and concerns, offering opportunities for their active involvement with society.
The first seminar was titled “Play as a framework for creative learning and learning as a context of free play in kindergarten. Examples of Natural Sciences and Mathematics during the era of Covid-19”. The seminar aimed at presenting the basic principles of play as an approach to teaching and learning in kindergarten and its correlation with modern teaching trends in primary education. Issues concerning the epistemology of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and their instruction, as well as the ways in which they relate to play were discussed through examples from real learning environments.
The scientific responsibility of the seminar belonged to Ms. Marianna Efstathiadou, Instructor, and Dr. Loucas Loucas, Associate Professor of Education of Natural Sciences at the Department of Educational Sciences of European University Cyprus. More than 750 preschool teachers from all over Cyprus and Greece registered for the seminar and the feedback received from the participants was very positive.
The next seminar of the series will take place on 3 March 2021, with the topic “Creative movement and the museum meet from a distance: Development of Educational Material & Teacher Training” (the link for registration can also be found here). The seminar, which will be implemented by Dance Teacher Maria Kamberi, aims to highlight how the visual arts and the art of dance and creative movement meet, promoting unique interdisciplinary learning experiences. Through an example of approaching a work of art from a distance and beyond, the seminar will discuss the production of educational material for children on the subject of creative movement, and its evolution through the use of creative tools.