Conversation on Conversations

08/11/2009

Conversation on Conversations

Expect that what you tend to will grow. Expect that what you feed with your care and attention, what you shine your light on, will thrive. Choose wisely.
Maggie Smith, American poet

Many conferences produce reports that are "proceedings" — collections of the speeches presented at the event. However, the World Forum book, Conversations on Early Childhood Teacher Education, pioneered a new way of capturing all the discussions taking place at a conference — not just the formal presentations. We hope our experience in this experiment will inspire other conference planners to think differently about capturing what goes on. Here, in a nutshell is the process that was followed:

To begin with, the organizers of the 2008 Working Forum for Teacher Educators in Auckland, New Zealand decided from the very beginning to have an important product of the conference to be a book that would enable teacher educators who could not attend to benefit from all the discussion that took place. As a result, every aspect of the Working Forum was structured to capture all ideas that were bounced about.

Each half-day of the forum was designated as a "Conversation." Several teacher educators started off each "conversation" with provocative presentations. These presenters were faced with unique challenges. First, they not only had to prepare a speech, but they also had to compose a document for publication. In addition, their presentation needed to address a highly diverse international audience with all the cultural, linguistic, and economic differences to factor in. To help presenters with these challenges, the editors of the book, Colin Gibbs and Andrew Gibbons, coached these presenters, well in advance, to ensure that their presentations were on target, appropriate, and thought provoking. These conversations focused on topics such as...

Conversations on Multiculturalism in Teacher Education
Conversations on Adults as Learners in Teacher Education
Conversations on Learning Online

After each set of presentations, all attendees gathered around tables and discussed the ideas that had been shared. A designated recorder at each table captured these conversations. To ensure that the dialogues following presentations were spirited and open, great attention was paid to community building exercises including one set of sessions being conducted in and with a Maori community.

After the event, the editors worked for months to fine tune the presentations and incorporate all the conversations in a way that would not only capture all aspects of the event faithfully, but also provide inspiration for ongoing conversations. Conversations on Early Childhood Teacher Education was launched at the 2009 World Forum on Early Care and Education, with every delegate receiving a complimentary copy.

Conversations on Early Childhood Teacher Education

This book captures, shares, and sparks the continuation of conversations initiated at the inaugural Working Forum for Teacher Educators in Auckland, New Zealand. Vibrant, challenging, and inspiring conversations at the Working Forum have led to the bringing together of this book with the intention of continuing professional dialogues and of adding voices to the growing global commitment to early childhood teacher education.

The Working Forum for Teacher Educators began conversations with a wealth of experienced voices from around the world. What better place to start the conversations than with the tapestry of voices, thoughts, and experiences that came together on these days. This book is for all student teachers, teacher educators, and early childhood professionals who choose to share in, and continue, these inspiring conversations within their own early childhood experiences and settings.

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