2010

CELT Conference 2010

Creative Thinking: Re-imagining the university

The 8th Annual Galway Symposium

National University of Ireland Galway

10th -11th of June, 2010

Venue: Arás Moyola

About the event:

The 2010 Galway Symposium on Higher Education took place on June 10th and 11th, 2010. The theme of the conference is broad and encompassed submissions spanning a range of topics including:

• novel approaches to curricular design
• constraints and opportunities in developing new curricula and structures
• innovative approaches to teaching and the fostering of active learning
• the role of creativity in teaching, learning and research
• nurturing creativity in students
• imaginative approaches to the student learning experience
• creativity myths and reality

Keynote speakers addressed some of these issues and we had plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate.

Keynotes:

The keynotes speakers for the conference include:

• Prof. Keith Sawyer -  a well known researcher in the field of creativity, who has written a number of studies on creativity in group processes, challenging some of the myths (and psuedoscience) around conceptions of creativity, etc. Prof. Sawyer is based at the Washington University in St. Louis and has held visiting posts at a number of institutions internationally.

• Prof Anna Craft – from the University of Exeter, Prof Craft has published and coordinated research in creativity in education and is a government (UK) adviser on creative and cultural education.

• Prof. Norman Jackson – professor of Higher Education and Director of the Surrey Centre for Excellence in Professional Training and Education, Prof. Jackson coordinated the UK-wide, higher education Imaginative Curriculum Project.

• Prof. Timothy Emlyn Jones – Dean and Graduate Director of the Burren College of Art, Tim has a distinguished career as both a visual artist and an educator.

• Prof. Finbarr Bradley – Previously Professor at UCD, NUIM and DCU, Finbarr has published works on innovation, culture and networks. http://www.intinn.ie/

• Anna Newell – from Queen’s University Belfast

The event also hosted workshops on topics such as ‘The Creative Researcher’, ‘Design of Learning Spaces,’ along with other engaging activities including Pecha-Kucha (look it up!) sessions.

Programme of Events:

Download Conference Programme

Conference Scribing

Cognitive Media were on hand at the event to scribe the proceedings in visual format. The result is a beautiful illustration of the keynote talks that synthesise and communicate key points.

Blog:

Our Higher Education blog will also provide updates and other useful news : http://ollscoil.blogspot.com

Abstracts, Posters, Pecha-Kucha submissions:

Abstracts were invited on topics relevant to the symposium themes (350 words).  For those who want to tell their story or present a paper in an innovative and fun way we will also be organising a ‘Pecha-Kucha’ style session. In this, presenters are allowed 20 slides, each of which displays for only 20 seconds. Presenting in this way can be particularly effective, ensures a large number of contributions and presents a challenge to authors to come up with imaginative and attention grabbing images or designs. Practice is essential though because the timing is automated! However, those who have participate in such sessions in the past have found them to be very enjoyable and there is a camaraderie shared with the others in the session. So if you want to be bold, please consider also this option!

Abstracts and related information (format, contact details, etc) were submitted online by March 1st 2010.