Keynote I

Extended Education Conference - World Education Research Association

KOLBRÚN PÁLSDÓTTIR & RUTH RAUTERBERG 
(ICELAND)

Using fire and ice to create inclusive and extended education communities in Iceland

23 September from 10-11 AM – WATCH THE KEYNOTE

In this keynote, two extended education researchers from Iceland explore the links between formal and non-formal education and share thoughts on how education can be made more sustainable through extended education, informal learning and inclusive methods. The audience will be invited to participate in a dialogue and address questions such as: Has the COVID-19 pandemic change our conceptions of learning and education? What has been the role of extended education during the pandemic? How can extended education make educational practices more inclusive and sustainable? In what way can and should children be active participants in creating inclusive practices? What is the future we are preparing our children for and what is, or should be, the main goal of education?

About Kolbrún Pálsdóttir
Kolbrún Þ. Pálsdóttir is Dean of the School of Education at the University of Iceland, Reykjavik. She completed a BA degree in philosophy in 1997, an MA in education in 2001 and a PhD in education from the University of Iceland in 2012. Her research areas include leisure centers, formal and informal education, active participation and young people’s perspectives. She works with her colleagues to create a vibrant educational community with young people who have a passion to become professionals and future leaders within formal and informal education settings. In her academic work, Kolbrún has explored the connection between formal and informal learning, as children navigate their lives between school and out-of-school venues. She strongly believes that the way forward to a more sustainable future is to invest in a holistic education that promotes creativity and critical thinking; an education that empowers everyone to become active in shaping tomorrow’s world.

About Ruth Jörgensdóttir Rauterberg
Ruth Jörgensdóttir Rauterberrg is chair of the department of Social Education at the School of Education at the University of Iceland. Ruth completed a bachelor’s degree in social education from the Iceland University of Education in 2003 and a master’s degree in social education studies from the University of Iceland in 2015. Ruth has many years of experience as a social educator in compulsory schools and in the field of leisure. In her research, Ruth has focused on inclusive education and participation of all children. Her PhD study is a participatory action research (PAR) project in cooperation with a compulsory school and leisure centre in Iceland. The aim of the project is to identify, develop and strengthen inclusive practices within school and leisure and promote children’s participation in developing such practices. Ruth has also contributed to the development of inclusive higher education in within the University of Iceland, especially concerning accessibility of university programs for students with intellectual disabilities.