InvIted Speakers

Invitation Title: “Istanbul Aydin University STEM Education Research Center”

Abstract: STEM education refers to a project-based, application-oriented, and interdisciplinary educational approach that includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The main purpose of this approach is to provide students with an inquisitive perspective, to develop the ability to conduct research, to build the capacity to make new inventions, and to gain the skills to produce creative solutions to problems in daily life.

STEM education offers students the opportunity to develop the ability to transfer knowledge to concrete life contexts. It also gives them the ability to present innovative approaches to real-life problems. In this context, STEM education is of great importance today. The rapid pace of scientific and technological advances, changing economic dynamics, increasing global competition, the emergence of new business areas, and the importance of technology-based innovations have increased the demand for STEM education. STEM education contributes to the development of important skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, communication, and leadership, as well as providing students with the ability to adapt to future job opportunities and technological developments.

STEM education can also be integrated with other disciplines and practices. For example, storytelling, which helps to find more effective solutions to problems by increasing a sense of curiosity, can be combined with STEM education. This approach aims to increase students’ interest in scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical subjects and to learn more deeply in these areas. Storytelling can help students learn using their imagination and apply their knowledge to real-life problems.

In this talk, storytelling-based STEM education and practices will be shared.

Bio: He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Gazi University and his doctorate in Science Education at Marmara University. He gave conferences, seminars, and in-service training to more than ten thousand teachers and students on STEM education, project management, blended learning, and technology integration in education. He established Türkiye’s first project school in 2006 and he founded Turkey’s first STEM School (stemokulu.com), STEM laboratory, and STEM Education Research Center in 2015. He is the editor of the STEM Education Türkiye Report and STEM Education Workshop Report, which are the first reports on STEM education in Türkiye. He carried out STEM projects funded by TUBITAK, UNESCO, TUSIAD, and the US State Department. He still has been working as an associate professor at Istanbul Aydin University, Faculty of Education, and Director of the STEM Education Research Center. Also, he has been managing the STEM Laboratory, STEM Teacher Certificate Program, World STEM Education Conference, and World STEM Festival. He most recently published a book called 2033 Türkiye Education Vision. He has authored more than 40 books and book chapters.

announced.”


Invitation Title: “Will be announced.”

Abstract: In the media, previously traditionally and now called new media, there have been transformations under the influence of changes in time, form, content, and ideology. With the transition from traditional media to new media, which are now called, we have become more involved in digital environments. However, the new media technologies – the internet, mobile broadband, e-commerce, internet-enabled entertainment, social networking, and others – are fundamentally changing the way people interact with the world and with each other. More and more individuals are using digital media tools and platforms with phones being used almost every moment of the day in addition to online chats and blogs. Especially, young people are unconsciously trained with media culture, and the time they spend with the media is increasing day to day. Children exposed to the media for hours a day face an incredible number of media messages every day in the ongoing struggle with media and technology on the individual-society axis, the importance of having a say in social and political issues as active citizens and being able to express oneself in digital environments is increasing. For this reason, media literacy, which is a life skill, appears as a skill that should be maintained throughout life in both formal and informal environments. All these reasons reveal the importance of the conscious use of the media and correct interpretation. This seems to be possible by teaching the skill of media literacy and making it a way of life.

Bio: I am working as an associate professor at a state university in
Turkey. the university where I work is in the eastern part of Turkey and its name is Muş Alparslan University. My field is social studies education and my PhD namely expertise is related to media literacy and teaching at different grade levels. I have many publications published in different disciplines of social sciences and I have international projects I have carried out. During my PhD, I stayed in the USA for a year on a research scholarship.
I want to do a postdoc.I saw the royal society on its website. I completed my doctorate in December 2018. I have expertise in the fields of social studies education and media studies.