Pre-ICET Workshops 2023 Organizer’s Guide

Pre-ICET Workshops 2023 Organizer’s Guide

Pre-ICET Workshops are preliminary events of The International Conference on Education & Teaching in K-12 Schools (ICET).

About Pre-ICET Workshops 2023

Pre-ICET Workshops are preliminary events of The International Conference on Education & Teaching in K-12 Schools (ICET).

Pre-ICET Workshops intend to work toward solutions for the educational needs within ICET categories with contributions from leading educational experts and institutions in prominent cities of Iraq and KRI.

An exclusive group of academicians, educational experts, and community leaders from the prominent educational institutions will be contributing to the workshops

  • To analyze and discuss the de facto situation and experiences in education in the country within ICET categories
  • To analyze the factors behind the educational issues and challenges to hinder the educational goals that ICET promotes
  • To scrutinize and discuss the possible solutions to the needs and challenges within ICET categories
  • To guide and report these proposals of possible solutions to the educational authorities

ICET 2023 Theme:

Theme: “Exploring education that can nurture and appeal to Generation Z and Alpha.”

Categories:

Presentations in ICET 2023 should be under the following category options:

  • Digital Literacy & Technology Education
  • Employability & 21st Century Skills
  • Creativity at Schools
  • Learner Autonomy & Self-directed Learning
  • Teachers as Coaches of Learning
  • Interactive Classrooms
  • Hands-on Learning
  • Project-based Learning
  • Student Engagement
  • Inclusivity in Teaching and Education
  • Climate & Environmental Awareness
  • Customized & Personalized Learning
  • School Leadership
  • Teacher Professional Development
  • Character Education
  • Emotional Wellbeing & Mental Health
Attendees/Contributors (Delegates)
  • Well-known educational experts in the city
  • Academicians specialized in education
  • Teacher trainers
  • Representatives of the leading figures in public and private education
  • Experts from local educational authorities and officials

Preparations and Procedures

  • The Workshop Organizing Committee in the city takes the relevant official permissions from the General Directorate of Education in the city and other relevant official authorities; thus, they are involved as a partner to the organization.
  • In this sense, logos of the official partners in the city and contributing universities could be used in the event invitation.
  • The Workshop Organizing Committee in the city announces the workshop and event schedule and invites the designated delegates.
  • The Workshop Organizing Committee in the city communicates the workshop aims, topic, agenda, and requirements clearly with the designated delegates.
  • The Workshop Organizing Committee assigns an event coordinator that will collaborate with the supervisors from the main ICET Organizing Committee. The assigned event coordinator will be responsible for all coordination of the workshop on behalf of the organizer. The event coordinator in the city communicates with the main ICET Organizing Committee for each step of the process. The supervisors from the main ICET Organizing Committee will have regular meetings with the event coordinator.
  • Supervisors from the main ICET Organizing Committee could assist in communicating and organizing the workshop when deemed necessary.
  • The number of delegates should not exceed 6 for each “table.”
  • An audience would be invited to attend the panels.
  • The Workshop Organizing Committee is responsible for assigning a roundtable leader and a workshop secretary for each table to record and commit the workshop report to the paper.
  • A recording device should be provided for each roundtable.
  • While assigning the delegates to the roundtables, diversity is prioritized –diversity in delegate profile, expertise, profession, background, experience, etc.
  • The Workshop Organizing Committee is responsible for assigning a moderator for the panel sessions.
  • Supervisors from the main ICET Organizing Committee will assist in training and guiding the workshop secretary, panel moderator, and all organization assistants.

Workshop Sessions

  • The delegates are required to get prepared for the workshop on the topic assigned.
  • The delegates focus their preparations and materials on the questions as follows:
    • What might the topic mean for the educational context in the schools in KRI and Iraq?
    • What is the de facto situation about the topic at schools?
    • What opportunities for the schools could the discussion topic provide?
    • What might be the challenges for the implementation of the topic discussed at the schools?
    • What improvements could be made?
    • What solutions could be put in place to deal with the challenges and de facto needs?
  • The delegates are encouraged to consider the issues/factors below in their preparations and discussions:
    • International education trends vs de facto situation at schools
    • Objectives in education
    • Physical facilities and resources
    • Curricula
    • Assessment
    • Teacher profile(s)
    • Teaching methods, approaches, etc.
  • The delegates are required to include the following in their preparations:
    • Field studies and reports relevant to the topic if available
    • Facts and figures relating to the topic within school contexts
    • Questions and concerns to guide education communities and authorities
    • Examples and samples
    • Well-developed models for solutions
  • The workshop sessions are conducted in 45-minute sessions in which the delegates discuss their insights, investigate the factors behind the issues discussed, and explore possible solutions, suggestions, and models for these challenges.
  • A workshop moderator/leader moderates the sessions and ensures all delegates contribute fairly.
  • A workshop secretary records and commits the workshop report/minutes to the paper.
  • Delegates could be divided into groups for the relevant aspects of the topic; these delegates could discuss in the first workshop session, and all delegates come together in the second workshop session to discuss the different aspects and insights.
  • The delegates take their notes for the concluding panel.

Panel Sessions

Panel 1:

  • The first panel session is an introduction to the workshop sessions.
  • The delegates put forward the issues to be discussed, give insights about the factors behind the issues, introduce different aspects of the issues, introduce points to consider, and provide brief information about their studies/points of view.
  • In the first panel session, the delegates do not introduce solutions to the issues. Solutions are to be discussed in the workshop sessions and introduced in the concluding panel in the end.
  • Each delegate could have no more than 5 minutes to talk in the panel. Depending on the number of delegates, this could be increased for each participant within the 50-minute panel session.
  • An assigned panel moderator moderates the panel, introduces the panelists, and manages the time.

Concluding Panel:

  • In the concluding panel session, the delegates talk about the concluding insights about the issues discussed. They talk about the possible solutions, models, and considerations to the issues discussed. Based on the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop sessions, the delegates present the solutions and conditions for those solutions in the panel session.
  • Each delegate could have no more than 5 minutes to talk in the panel. But the delegates could also choose certain delegates as representatives to talk in the concluding panel. So, the time allocated for the speakers is considered accordingly.
  • The presentations in the concluding panel is an overview of the contents, solutions, and models to be included in the workshop report.
  • An assigned panel moderator moderates the panel, introduces the panelists, and manages the time.

Reporting

  • In the final session of Pre-ICET Workshops, the delegates report the workshop proposals of possible solutions for the communities and authorities.
  • Based on the notes of the workshop secretary and the delegates, under the supervision of the workshop leader, the delegates bring together an official workshop report including the elements/contents below:
  • An introduction to the topic and workshop aims.
  • An introduction and overview of the issues discussed and the factors/reasons behind the issues.
  • The solutions, recommendations, recommended models, modifications, and proposed action plan.
  • An overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of the recommended models.
  • Points and conditions to consider.
  • Concluding remarks
  • The report will also have full name, positions, and signatures of all delegates and the workshop secretary.
  • All the notes of the workshop secretary and final workshop report are submitted to the ICET Organizing Committee to be officially prepared and submitted to the educational authorities.
  • The workshop report will also be published for education communities in the country.

Venue Requirements

  • The event hall should be suitable with the facilities to host panels:
  • Suitable seating for the audience
  • Stage (or a visible location) with suitable seating for panelists
  • Podium for speakers
  • Efficient data show and sound system
  • Internet connection for the organization
  • The workshop halls/rooms/roundtables should be suitable for delegates to conduct workshops
  • A meeting table with enough seating
  • Data show
  • Internet connection for the delegates
  • Materials for delegates to take notes
  • A recording device for each workshop roundtable
  • The venue/organization should be able to provide refreshments such as tea, coffee, or other drinks for the audience and delegates.
  • The venue should be suitable to provide certain catering services such as lunch and cookies or pastries for coffee breaks.
  • The organizing partner must provide technical personnel to sustain technical wellbeing of the organization and for troubleshooting when required.
  • The organizing partner must assign photographer staff (both for photos and video) during training sessions and panels.

Pre-ICET Workshops 2023

Designated Workshop Focus and Categories

  • “Focus” designated for each event refers to the “characteristics of Generation Z and Alpha.” Thus, each event in each city will explore opportunities and perspectives for teacher professional development and educational leadership that will bring new approaches on schooling, curriculum development, and professional development to nurture and appeal to Generation Z and Alpha.

  • The “roundtable topics” on the right column of the table below refer to the topics that will be assigned to each round table group for the workshops sessions.

CITY

FOCUS

ICET 2023 CATEGORIES

(Roundtable topics)

SULAYMANIYAH

Gen Z & Alpha prefer independence and welcome change.

They are co-creators

  • Learner Autonomy & Self-directed Learning

  • Teachers as Coaches of Learning

  • Interactive Classrooms

  • Hands-on Learning

  • Project-based Learning

  • Customized & Personalized Learning

DUHOK

Gen Z & Alpha are digital natives.

Digital Literacy and Technology Education

  • Digital Literacy

  • Technology Education

  • Digitally-supported Education

KIRKUK

Gen Z & Alpha love doing things the unconventional way.

Creativity at Schools

  • Creativity in Curriculum

  • School activities to foster creativity

  • Critical thinking

  • Project-based learning

BAGHDAD

Gen Z & Alpha are less focused and depressive.

  • Student Engagement

  • Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

Youth problems and solutions

Student counseling

-Supporting emotional wellbeing

-Parent counseling

-Teacher counseling

-Drug addiction

Violence and bullying

-Cyberbullying and internet security

BASRAH

Gen Z & Alpha value inclusivity

Inclusivity in Teaching and Education

  • Gender equality in education

  • Cultural awareness in education

  • Differentiation and catering different levels in classroom

Gen Z & Alpha are environmentally Conscious and value sustainability

Climate & Environmental Awareness

  • Environmental awareness at schools

  • Sustainable and eco-friendly schooling

  • Curriculum that fosters environmental awareness

Gen Z & Alpha are pragmatic and financial-minded entrepreneurs

Employability and 21st century skills.

  • Entrepreneurship Education

  • Economics curriculum

  • 21st Century Skills

Learning and innovation skills: critical thinking and problem solving, communications and collaboration, creativity and innovation

Digital literacy skills: information literacy, media literacy, Information and communication technologies (ICT) literacy

Career and life skills: flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural interaction, productivity and accountability