Session
WUD Silesia
Nobody planned the COVID-19 pandemic, nor did the the rapid digital transformation of education in Poland. Teachers, students and their parents were thrown into deep water to start remote learning within a few days. The education system in Poland has never passed such stress and endurance test. Remote lessons have proved not only a technological challenge, but also a test of teachers' resilience and ingenuity. The experiment on a live education system was called a success, but in the same time it strongly highlighted the problem of technological barriers and exclusion. Whole situation has shown blurred boundaries between exclusion due to access to technology and the level of technical competence.
Will the consequence of this liminal state be the introduction of technology to the school curriculum and the turning point in the history of education in Poland? What are the key takeaways for teachers, schools, parents, students and the education system from this situation? How Polish experiences can help in the implementation of inclusive digital learning processes in education systems in other countries?
Panelists:
dr Barbara Ostrowska – psychologist, teacher of theory of knowledge and psychology, as well as the coordinator of the IB DP international program at Międzynarodowe Liceum Ogólnokształcące in Lublin. Trainer and examiner of the International Baccalaureate Organization – facilitates workshops in both Polish and English. Cooperates with many non-governmental organizations, incl. Fundacja Szkoła z Klasą and Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Wiedzy THINK! Belongs to the Superbelfrzy RP community. Holds the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert title, awarded by Microsoft to the most innovative educators in the world, and the MCE: Microsoft Certified Educator certificate. In 2018, she was nominated for the Teacher of the Year award, and in 2019, was the winner of the EduInspirator competition for active involvement in the implementation of Erasmus + educational projects, their highest quality and sharing attitude. Co-hosts the educational podcast Educatio Perpetua!
Katarzyna Drożdżal - Psychologist, researcher, and designer of digital services. Her researches currently mainly focus on the fields of human-computer interaction, user experience, and service design. Since 2015 she has been involved in the organization of the World Usability Day Silesia conference. Co-author of the Value Match Canvas approach and co-founder of the Selkie Research Agency. Expert and consultant in programs connected with digital competence, i.a. "Zdalne Komplety" - a grassroots initiative dedicated to teachers facing new challenges of remote education. Co-author of publication "Cyfrowe Stany Przejściowe" [Digital Transition States] which summarizes researches on the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on relation society-technology.
On her credit, she has several dozen projects related to digital products and services. Her research interests include issues of cyberpsychology. She devotes special attention to the problems connected with processes of self-control and self-regulation of users of modern technologies.
Piotr Plichta, dr hab. – associate professor in the Institute of Pedagogy of the University of Wroclaw, special educator. Author and co-author of about 100 scientific papers. A member and leader of research teams in both, Polish and international grants. A member of international scientific networks (Management Committee in: COST IS 0801 “Cyberbullying: coping with negative and enhancing positive uses of new technologies, in relationships in educational settings”, COST IS 1210 “Appearance Matters: Tackling the physical and psychosocial consequences of dissatisfaction with appearance”, Cost Action 16207 European Network of Problematic use of the Internet, Cost Action 18115 TRIBES: Transnational Collaboration on Bullying, Migration and Integration at School Level). The field of academic expertise includes among others:
- The use of ICT by students with special educational needs and disabilities;
- The involvement of students with special educational needs in bullying and cyberbullying and other risk behaviours;
- Stress and burnout in helping professions.
Prof Jacek Pyżalski - Professor of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, PhD in humanities in the field of education studies. Participant and coordinator of about 60 national and international research projects. The author of many publications (https://scholar.google.pl/citations?user=NAkI88UAAAAJ&hl=en). A coach in the scope of communication and difficult behaviours and an expert in media communication. His research interests are connected with the following issues: electronic aggression, new media, communication at school, traditional peer aggression and cyberbullying among youth. In the years 2008-2012, he was a member of the international consortium of researchers of cyberbullying (COST IS801). A member of the European research network IS 1210 "Apperance matters". The author of the first monograph on the Poish market concerning electronic aggression Agresja elektroniczna wśród dzieci i młodzieży [Electronic aggression among children and youth] (GWP, Sopot 2011) and a book Agresja elektroniczna i cyberbullying jako nowe ryzykowne zachowania młodzieży [Electronic aggression and cyberbullying as new risk behaviours of youth] (Impuls, 2012). For more information, visit the website www.jacekpyzalski.pl
Paweł Nowak - Service and UX Designer working professionally since 2008. His professional mission it to design interventions and technologies that empower people and enhances their potential and competencies, always with respect to the human dignity and natural environment. Since 2016, Paweł has been developing research and design agency under the brand name "Nowy”. He is the founder and main coordinator of WUD Silesia conference – the biggest non-profit UX conference in Poland. He is also a lecturer and mentor at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Katowice and co-founder of Useful Knowledge school.