Oxford University Press (OUP) organized a conference on the theme “Transformative Learning: Encourage, Engage, Empower” for school teachers in Karachi.
The annual conference was held as part of OUP’s continuous efforts to impart contemporary pedagogical skills to teachers with a view to improve teaching outcomes.
The objective of the conference was to explore the ways in which transformational learning can result in a fundamental change in learners as they shift from simple knowledge acquisition to reflective, conscious, and meaningful learning experiences that truly empowers them.
The conference was conducted by OUP authors and trainers from Pakistan and abroad. Around 150 teachers from schools across Pakistan attended the conference which provided the participants, facilitators, and trainers a valuable platform to discuss the shifts in teaching methods, using classroom time effectively, and ways to engage students to transform their learning journeys.
Constructive sessions were held around the subjects of promoting student engagement through effective assessment and feedback systems, integrating 21st Century Skills in classroom teaching, increasing access to digital learning, and use of reference materials and library resources.
Innovative practices, tools, and resources for the teaching of Mathematics, Social Studies, Urdu, Science, and English were discussed. A session dedicated to developing reading and comprehension skills and another one highlighting the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach were also organized.
Katie Palmer, Dr Shehzad Jeeva, Zubeida Mustafa, Michael Pearson, Dr Farhana Akbar, Hajra Haq, Abdul Haseeb, Fozia Ahsan Farooqui, and Zahra Sethi spoke about useful strategies to enable teachers to maximize the curriculum outcomes using OUP resources.
In a session on the challenges and intervention in encouraging early reading, the participants were introduced to OUP’s first of its kind early childhood education resource My Learning Train which aims to fulfill the educational needs of young learners through a variety of enjoyable activities that aid cognitive and psychomotor development.
The conference also featured an informative video presentation on “Empowerment through Language” by the leading Pakistani journalist Zubeida Mustafa.
A panel discussion titled “Classroom Coaching or E-learning?” took place featuring Dr Baela Raza Jamil, Dr Faisal Bari, Dr Shehzad Jeeva, and Dr Shahid Siddiqui as speakers.
Managing Director,OUP Pakistan Arshad Saeed Husain addressing the conference, said “Learning does not end with the formal pedagogical education of childhood and youth, but continues into adulthood.
The key point is that, with the arc of new knowledge and new technologies rising as rapidly as it is today, the need for continual retraining and relearning has become an overwhelming necessity for everyone.”
He said in his closing remarks that this interactive forum has helped all of us share our experiences and together we can forge our way forward as key contributors to the evolving education landscape in Pakistan.”
The eminent public policy professional, Mosharraf AliZaidi, presented the keynote address at the conference.