Starting in February 2023, the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations (EAF) will host a three-part virtual discussion series focused on the purpose of education. The sessions will take place on Fridays from 10 a.m.–noon. All college personnel and community members are welcome to join. The free, open-to-the-public events are being led by EAF students from the higher education administration doctoral program.
Terry Jackson, who serves as cohort captain for cohort IX, is also the lead organizer for the series. He said the persistence of the question “What is the purpose of education?” in EAF doctoral coursework spurred the idea.
“It became a central theme that couldn’t be ignored when diving into the different topics of higher education. I knew we needed more time to discuss than a class would allow, and I knew it would be a richer conversation if we added more voices,” said Jackson, who also serves as the coordinator of data and clinical experiences for Illinois State’s Lauby Teacher Education Center.
However, in lieu of a traditional lecture, Jackson and his peers are creating an open-dialogue forum for students, faculty, and professionals of diverse backgrounds. Taking place virtually, the discussion series departs from the traditional lecture style and instead takes advantage of the expertise of the community by creating a participative experience in which the audience becomes direct contributors to their learning.
“We felt it was important to combine our experiences with the educational system with the larger community so that there could be a wider perspective,” he said.
Each installment of the discussion series will feature an introduction by Jackson followed by a 10-minute presentation by a national expert in the topic area. The remaining 90 minutes are earmarked for three 30-minute small group discussions among attendees. The topics will include:
- Societal perspective, presented by Dr. Sara Piotrowski, coordinator of student teaching for the Department of History at Illinois State University
- Friday, February 17, 2023; 10AM-Noon
- Institutional perspective, presented by Dr. Phyllis McCluskey-Titus, director of academic advising at Illinois Wesleyan University
- Friday, March 17, 2023; 10AM-Noon
- Consumer perspective, presented by Lysandra Barnett, a college career networks specialist at Chicago Public Schools
- Friday, April 7, 2023; 10AM-Noon
The students designed the forum this way to leverage the vast expertise and different backgrounds of the community.
“It will be a participative experience where audience members become direct contributors to their learning,” Jackson said. “The goal of this intentional dialogue is to generate new ideas, transfer knowledge, and make new meaning as it regards to the important questions that will shape the future of education.”
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