GRAFFITI, hints of future schools

Introduction

GRAFFITI, hints of future schools

ADi 2017 International Seminar will offer some creative ideas for meeting the challenges of today’s education, not final solutions but some hints for better schools.

In Italy, like in many other countries, schools are undergoing relentless changes, but changes do not always mean improvements. Schools are overwhelmed with projects, but they do not seem to have selected few clear goals and key objectives which should be unavoidable commitments for the present and the future: schools which are places where students like to go, inclusive, comfortable, equitable and effective.

The three sessions

The seminar is divided into three sessions: Friday morning February 24th, Friday afternoon Februaty 24th, Saturday morning February 25th.

Here follows some information about the three sessions.

First session: Friday February 24th, morning

The first session is chaired by Giovanni Biondi, President of INDIRE.

The speakers of this session come from very different experiences, but there is a fil rouge linking their presentations: the well-being of children and the pleasure of learning, the two prerequisites for enhancing learning and having students “ architects of a better world”.

Jensby Lene Lange will lead us into the world of the Danish schools: their strong commitment to well-being (equal to learning), their focus on developing social and emotional skills from a very early age, the role of parents in students’ well-being , the importance of school architecture and learning space design, etc.

Margret Rasfeld has made the Evangelische Schule Berlin Zentrum a beautiful progressive school, “courageous and cosmopolitan”. The Guardian wrote: “ No grades, no timetable: Berlin school turns teaching upside down. Pupils choose their own subjects and motivate themselves, an approach, some say, which should be rolled out across Germany”.The curriculum is based on UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/. Margret Rasfeld argues the most important skill a school can pass down to its students is the ability to motivate themselves. The main reason why the ESBC is gaining a reputation as Germany’s most exciting school is that its experimental philosophy has managed to deliver impressive results.

Giacomo Stella has devoted much of his studies to learning disabilities and disorders, and it is through the eyes of the weak that he looks at today’s school, at its bureaucratic organization, its old rituals, its rigid inflexible thinking. Stella sees today’s school as places where students, teachers and parents feel stressed and uneasy. But another school is possible, so he suggests seven rules to make schools more attractive places.

Lucia Suriano Her “light” and amusing presentation concludes the session. Lucia Suriano, is a teacher and author of Educating for happiness, 2016. She is also the founder of the association “SoRidere” ( I can laugh) and Laughter Yoga World Ambassador. Making students laugh to create a positive atmosphere for their bodies and their behaviors sounds rather odd and weird for Italian teachers, but….we’ll see….

2nd session February 24th Friday, afternoon

The second session, Teaching and Learning in a Digitized World, is chaired by Alfonso Molina, scientific Director of Fondazione Mondo Digitale.

This session will examine benefits and limits of digital technology in teaching and learning, in a world which is globally digitized .

Francesc Pedrò will examine the exciting possibilities and opportunities which “big data” can potentially provide to understand skills needs and education. He will then give us examples of how some countries around the world use them as a source or a solution to obtain relevant analysis.

Rachel Nichols will let us know the fantastic experience of High Tech High, San Diego (California). Despite the school’s name, digital technology isn’t a focal point. The school looks more like a craft space where things are designed, made and exhibited. This integration is at the heart of what the school is about. The influence of the American reformer John Dewey permeates the philosophy of the school with its integration of head and hand, thinking and doing. Project-based learning is an approach deeply rooted in Dewey’s thinking and is a foundation block for the practice at High Tech High, where learning is encouraged through active inquiry.

Damien Lanfrey is one of the main architects of the Italian National Plan for Digital Education, which has been implemented in Italian schools for a year now. What we expect from him is a realistic reporting of this challenging experience: its strengths and weaknesses, its varied diffusion in schools, teachers’ reactions, its successes and failures.

Allan Kjær Andersen has been principal of Ørestad Gymnasium since it was founded in 2005 . He will illustrate his school, which has become famous all over the world for its innovative architecture, completely free of traditional classrooms . ADI presented this school seven years ago, for the first time in Italy. Now our interest is addressed to the school use of ICT. The school went 100 percent digital in 2012. Free Wi-Fi encompasses the campus and all teaching materials are digital, and flipped classroom is used in their model of education based on part teacher-led and part student-led learning.

3rd Session Saturday February 25th, morning

The third session, Lessons Learned from International Education, is chaired by Norberto Bottani.

This session will try to connect the experience of International Schools to the new Italian experimentation of four year diploma, which is replacing the traditional five year diploma.

The opening keynote presentation will be made by Nicholas Tate, a well-known experienced author in the field of International Education and curricula. He will reflect on the meaning of an ‘international education’ and what its implications can be for ‘national’ schools.

Mauro Bordignon will illustrate the experience of the Italian H-International School, a new private school created in H-CAMPUS where students follow the IB Diploma Programme. H-Campus is part of H-Farm, a digital platform set up in 2005 to help young entrepreneurs launch new initiatives.

Nadia Cattaneo will refer about the new experimental Italian four year diploma courses in a state school, their potentialities and their limits due to the present Italian context of normative rules.

Matteo Pompili, will show the positive impact of European Projects on school curricula and teaching methods, through the description of an Erasmus+ KA2 project which is now going on.

The session will be concluded by Carlo Marzuoli, who, together with Alessandra Cenerini, president of ADI, will present a legislative proposal for a new type of autonomous schools which have more freedoms to innovate and whose motto should be “Teach less and learn more”.

Programme

1st session February 24th Friday morning, 8:30-13:00
8:30 Registration
8:45 Opening remarks	Alessandra Cenerini, President of ADi
9:00 Distinguished regards
ANOTHER SCHOOL IS POSSIBLE Chaired by Giovanni Biondi
9:10 Introducing the session		Giovanni Biondi, Chair of Indire
9:20 Education in Denmark: the happiest country in the world		Two Italian presenters
9:30 Wellbeing and learning in the Danish Schools		Lene Jensby Lange, Head of Global Schools’ Alliance
10:00 Discussion
10:15 An entirely different kind of school. The present system is growing old, lazy and boring		Giacomo Stella, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
10:40 Discussion
10:50 Coffee Break
11:10 A school turning teaching upside down: Evangelische Schule Berlin Zentrum			Two Italian presenters
11:20 Learning for sustainability: global goals curriculum			Margret Rasfeld, Head of Evangelische Schule Berlin Zentrum
11:45 Discussion
12:00 Happiness and education: the irresistible fascination of laughter			Lucia Suriano, teacher and laughter yoga Ambassador
12:20 Discussion and conclusion of the session
2nd session February 24th Friday afternoon 14:40-18:30
TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A DIGITIZED WORLD Chaired by Alfonso Molina
14:30 Introducing the session	Alfonso Molina, Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale
14:40 Data-driven instruction: benefits and limits	Francesc Pedro, Chief of Section Policy Advice and ICT in Education, UNESCO
15:05 Discussion
15:20 Destination California : High Tech High	Two Italian presenters
15:30 High Tech High: where craft embraces digital technology	Rachel Nichols , Director of High Tech High Media Arts
15:55 Discussion
16:10 Italy’s national Plan for Digital Education: the current state of the art	Damien Lanfrey, MIUR Chief innovation officer
16:35 Discussion
16:50 Coffee Break
17:05 A visionary school in a smart city	Two Italian presenters
17:15 The paperless school of the future is here! Orestad Gymnasium in Copenhagen	Allan Kjær Anderse, Principal at Orestad Gymnasium
17:40 RECONNECTING! Work in progress	*Lorenzo Benussi, Chief Innovation Officer,Fondazione per la Scuola*
17:50 Discussion and session conclusion
3rd Session Saturday morning, February 25th , 8:45-13:00
LESSONS LEARNED FROM INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION Chaired by Norberto Bottani
8:45 Introducing the session	Norberto Bottani, education policy analist
9:00 International Schools and international curricula	Two Italian presenters
9:10 What do we mean by an ‘international education’ and what are its implications for ‘national’ schools?	Nicholas Tate, Vice Chairman of Trustees of Richmond International University, London
9:40 Discussion
9:50 International School at HCampus	Mauro Bordignon, principal at H-International School
10:10 International classes in a state Italian school	Nadia Cattaneo, principal at Istituto Tosi, Busto Arsizio
10:30 The impact of European Projects on national curricula: an example	Matteo Pompili, Vice Chairman of Tecnoscienza
10:45 Discussion
11:00 Coffee Break
11:15 A new type of autonomous school aiming at revamping vocational education and state high schools in Italy	Alessandra Cenerini, President of ADi, Carlo Marzuoli, University of Florence
11:45 Discussion and Conclusion

1st SESSION SPEAKERS
Another school is possible

Lene Jensby Lange

Lene Jensby Lange is the founder of Autens Future Schools , Denmark . Autens is an educational consultancy specialising in 3rd Millennium learning, and educational architecture. Autens inspires visionary projects , transforming school spaces to embrace and support all kinds of children growing up in the global world of today.

Lene Jensby Lange is also head of the Global Schools’ Alliance, a network of progressive schools across the world with the shared purpose of continuously pushing the frontiers of learning by improving, inspiring and collaborating at both student and teacher level, providing access to cutting-edge practice in all corners of the world.

She is also Mentor for Vega Schools in Delhi, schools aspiring to show new ways in Indian education based on discovery, with real-world experiences, student voice and relevant learning activities that have enduring value and application beyond the school setting.

Giacomo Stella

Giacomo Stella is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Scientific Director of I.RI.DE. ( Dyslexia Research Institute), Director of the” Centro di Neuropsicologia Clinica dell’Età Evolutiva”(“Clinical & Developmental Neuropsychology Centre”) at the University of Urbino, Co-Director of the journal “Dislessia”, founder of the “Associazione Italiana Dislessia (AID), member of the board of the European Dyslexia Association. Author of many books, his last one is about the major challenges facing today’s school, “Tutta un’altra scuola! Quella di oggi ha i giorni contati, Giunti Editore, 2016.

Margret Rasfeld

Margret Rasfeld is past head of Evangelische Schule Berlin Zentrum, a German hotspot of innovation in education. At present she works as a consultant of the German chancellor, of various NGOs, foundations and schools. She is the founder of Schule im Aufbruch (“Schools on the move“), which supports schools in transforming their traditional educational patterns, towards a new culture aiming at the development of each student’s potential . Margret Rasfeld was awarded with the Vision Award 2012 & the querdenker Award 2013. Her school received several awards for the education of gifted students and for social and emotional learning. She is co-author of the book “EduAction – Wir machen Schule” and “Schulen im Aufbruch – Eine Anstiftung”.
She is member of the Global Goals Curriculum.

Lucia Suriano

Lucia Suriano is an Italian teacher in a junior school and , at the same time she is a Laughter Yoga teacher certified by Madan Kataria. She believes in a happy school that cares about the peaceful growth of pupils, and the positive relationship between parents and teachers. In 2012 she founded the association “So Ridere” (I can laugh) and started laughter yoga sessions with students and teachers in order to to make the school climate more relaxed and happier.

She is the author of Educating to happiness. New paradigms for a happier school, and has been appointed World Laughter Yoga Ambassador.

2nd SESSION SPEAKERS
Teaching and learning in a digitized world

Francesc Pedrò

Dr. Francesc Pedró joined UNESCO’s education sector in Paris (France) in 2010, where he leads the work on teacher development and education policies in the division of teachers and higher education. His team looks after teacher policies and development, technology in education and education policies, including national policy reviews and comparative research. Prior to this he was senior policy analyst at the OECD Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. Francesc Pedrò was formerly Professor of Comparative Education and Public Policy at the Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona) and Academic Director of its Program for Educational Quality.

Rachel Nichols

Rachel Nichols is the Director of High Tech High Media Arts in San Diego, California. High Tech High Media Arts is part of High Tech High, the charter school created in 2000 by the work of Larry Rosenstock and colleagues. High Tech High is guided by four connected design principles—equity, personalization, authentic work, and collaborative design—that set aspirational goals and create a foundation for their approach.

This textbook-free school fosters personalized project learning with pervasive connections to the community.

Rachel Nichols is from Bloomington, Indiana, where she graduated. She moved to San Diego in the fall of 2008. She has had the pleasure of teaching high school students for seventeen years. She loves to watch and play basketbal

Damien Lanfrey

Damien Lanfrey is Chief Innovation Officer at the Italian Department of Education. He was one of the member of the team in charge of writing the Italian school reform document in 2014-15 and is one of the main architects of the Italian National Plan for Digital Education. He is co-founder of “A scuola di OpenCoesione”. He has developed open government projects for two Government Departments, and in 2012-13 was a member of the innovation think tank at the Education Department. He was Research Fellow at Oxford Internet Institute, Lecturer at London City University 2007/2011 and PostDoc at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Allan Kjær Andersen

Allan Kjær Andersen has been the principal of Ørestad Gymnasium since the school was founded in 2005. He holds a Masters of Art in Danish Language and Literature from University of Southern Denmark in Odense, a Masters of Art in History from Roskilde University, and a Masters of Public Administration from Copenhagen Business School, University in Frederiksberg.

He has an extensive background, knowledge, and experience in teaching as well as school leadership and has been the principal of several other schools prior to joining Ørestad Gymnasium. Mr. Andersen has been the key figure in defining and outlining the school’s pedagogical approach of student-activated teaching in open-space classrooms, the school’s media profile, and the decision to be a 100% digitalized school with ICT-based teaching. His ultimate goal is for Gymnasium students to become active learners with the skills and awareness to transform knowledge into action, as engaged members of society.

3rd SESSION SPEAKERS
Lessons learned from international education

Nicholas Tate

Nicholas Tate was Chief Executive of England’s School Curriculum and Assessment Authority and its successor body the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, during the years 1994-2000. Since 2000 he has been Head of Winchester College (2000-2003) and the International School of Geneva (2003-2011),as well as of a global network of schools. He chaired the IB’s Education Committee for five years and served on the French Education Minister’s Haut Conseil de l’Evaluation de l’Ecole. He is currently Vice Chairman of Trustees of a London University. He has a doctorate in history and has written extensively, most recently What is Education For? (2015)

Mauro Bordignon

Mauro Bordignon is the principal of H-International School ( Roncade, Treviso) , a new private school created in H-CAMPUS. H-CAMPUS is a place dedicated to education and research, where students, managers, entrepreneurs and startuppers can share ideas and collaborate on innovative projects.

H-International School is an International Baccalaureate Organization World School (IBO), with an approach in which digital technology and soft skills make the learning process engaging, interesting and future oriented. Within H-CAMPUS, the school offers a complete academic program: Early Years Units, Primary Year Programme , Middle Year Programme, Diploma Programme. In the third and fourth year of high school (grades 11 and 12) students of H-International School follow the curriculum of the IB Diploma Programme, which allows them to obtain an international diploma recognized by Italian and foreign universities.

Nadia Cattaneo

Nadia Cattaneo is the principal of the state high school Enrico Tosi, Busto Arsizio, a school designed for 14-19 year olds. Since 2014 the school has had experimental International Classes which allow students to achieve their diploma in four years instead of five, that is to say they get it at the end of grade 12 instead of grade 13, which is the rule in the Italian School system.

E.Tosi School is a very innovative school , it was one of the 22 pioneer schools founders of “Movimento delle Avanguardie Educative” by INDIRE.

Matteo Pompili

Matteo Pompili is Vice Chairman of Tecnoscienza and head of the Energy and Environment Showroom in Bologna.

He has written many popular science books for kids.

He studied Biotechnology at the University of Bologna, has a master in Environmental Education for Sustainable Development and a second level one in Science Communication.

Carlo Marzuoli

Carlo Marzuoli is Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Florence . His main research interests lie in the areas of Public Administration and Local Government, Public Services, Environment, Education and Cultural Goods. On these items he has published numerous journal articles and book chapters. He was chairman of the “Comitato tecnico Consultivo” at the University of Florence, Director of the Department of Public Law, Director of the “Scuola di specializzazione per le professioni legali” University of Florence. He is member of the Editorial Board of the journal “Diritto Pubblico “ (Pubblic Law), of which he was chairman.

He has given many important presentations at ADI seminars, which are published in ADI Website.

GRAFFITI, hints of future schools

Introduction