“It’s a Small World After All”
The Global Education Symposium
Sponsored by the College of Education, Office of International Programs
In what has become a bleak excuse for a year, 2020 has put the kibosh on many things: parties, dining out, in-person education and, probably the hardest hit, travel. The days of hopping on a plane to visit family, sunbathe in the islands, or study abroad has went the way of the wooly mammoth and saber-toothed tiger. However, there are some things the pandemic cannot restrict: the expression of the mind and the freedom of learning.
Proving stronger than an epidemic, the University of Illinois College of Education and Office of International Programs presented the “Global Education Symposium” on October 14-17, 2020. Educators and students from around the world shared knowledge and personal thoughts, albeit, through the travel agent known as Zoom.
The event was shared by College of Education faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, international partners and other scholars. Attendees numbered in the hundreds and logged in from over nine countries, including Japan, China, Brazil and Canada. Topics ranged from education and sustainable development to library research and translingualism. Intrigued? Read on.
Have you ever wondered about the effects play-based learning has on vocabulary acquisition in pre-schoolers has? Covered. Interested in expanding higher education in Angola? Check. Want to delve into the rich history of India? The symposium was the place to be.
Feeling sad you missed this educational enlightenment? Well, lucky for you, there’s links to the many fascinating panels and presentations here: https://education.illinois.edu/international/global-education-symposium
Why is an opportunity to engage and build relationships globally still such an important thing? Well, if there’s one thing Covid-19 has shown us is that there really are no walls or borders when it comes to our world. It has also shown us that, “In a dark place. We find ourselves. And a little more knowledge lights our way.” (Thanks, Yoda.)
