Workshops
Philosophy in the Curriculum and That Cat Called Democracy: Can Museums Join the Game?
Workshop Presentation Jenny Anghelikie Papasotiriou
In this workshop, we will draft the museum as an ally to plot with all learners, whatever guise they come under, school, teacher or student. We will share tools from analytical philosophy, philosophy of mind, political philosophy and epistemology to develop ways for interrogating objects. The proposed activity operates on the premise that museums are essentially spaces of questioning and critical engagement. We will work on our feet within the allocated space and beyond to activate each other’s responses to a number of questions, before sharing our ‘finds’: the rules, tools, enquiries and interventions that we made. During this game, we could find ourselves moving along and beyond Aristotle’s categories, Spinoza’s views on democracy, Wittgenstein’s notion of game, Thomas Kuhn’s analysis of scientific revolutions and the Sex Pistols' attack on the "dream of a shopping scheme." This practical approach allows for a diversity of views to be played out into actions, where collective accidents are combined with individual choices and, inevitably, humour. It provides a tool for interrogating, subverting and creating spaces where opposed perspectives and identities can co-exist and where questions can be asked.
Developing Inquiring Minds through Models of Engaged Learning and Teaching in a Time of Austerity and Social Turbulence
Workshop Presentation Sophie Karanicolas
How do we identify our most valuable resources in a time of austerity, to deliver quality education for the development of inquiring minds? Building student capacity to think critically and inquisitively, builds a level of creativity and self determination that will prepare our students for a modern workplace that is defined by technological advances. However, in contrast to these advances, the modern workplace is also influenced by measures of austerity and at times, social turbulence. This is why students and teachers need to be fully immersed in MELT, to develop a student's sense of self efficacy and self empowerment to enable them to maximise the use of their available resources in creative ways, despite the 'real-world' challenges that they may face. This workshop will present an evidence-based, adaptable and transferrable MELT framework for the design of learning activities that build on the concept of discovery learning. The different aspects of the MELT framework will be expanded upon through cross-disciplinary exemplars to enable participants to unpack the criteria of each facet . Participants in this workshop will be able to select one of their current learning and teaching approaches and re-develop associated learning activities to align with the University of Adelaide’s MELT framework. A key aspect of this activity will be the creative utilisation of existing resources to provide a more engaging learning experience for students. Participants will then work in teams to receive feedback on their newly re-designed approaches through a collegial and peer reviewed approach.
