Rationale

          As a founding member of an International Education Reform Alliance, Office of the Education Council, Thailand Ministry of Education, has continuously promoted education reform as an international issue pursue excellence in education policy development and implementation for the betterment of all learners. To date, twenty seven international organizations, educational institutions, and embassies in Thailand have cooperated to support various academic endeavors including an annual forum to exchange experiences on reform initiatives in their own countries. The annual international Forum on Education Reform was established in Bangkok, Thailand and has been praised as an international event that all reform champions should earmark in their own calendars.

          Following the tradition that offers experiences and recommendations from both policymakers and practitioners in many fields, the Third International Forum on Education Reform: Education Decentralization Revisited: School-based Management in September 8-11, 2003, Bangkok, 450 participants from 30 countries. The consensus drawn from all participants in 2003 was the need for education reform that will enable learners’ thinking, analyzing, synthesizing, and practicable skills. The organizing committee of the Alliance,a partnership with 27 international organizations, therefore has agreed to co-sponsor the Fourth International Forum on Education Reform. This year’s forum will also incorporate an APERA Research Seminar. The conference title is Learner-centered Approach: International Process, Trends, and Practices and will be held in Bangkok September 6-10, 2004.

Objective

          To review and evaluate current developments, strategies, and performance of all stakeholders in learner- centered approaches to student learning in participating countries.

          To compare and synthesize on going actions and support factors of this approach in terms of policy development and research agendas.

          To expand and support reform initiatives of the Alliance in Thailand and participating countries.

Theme

          All presentations and discussions will be focused on Learner- centered Approach and will include the following topics;
          Curriculum development
          Pedagogy in formal, non- formal, informal learning
          Innovative learning media
          Educational evaluation and assessment
          Learning and teaching education, training, and professional development
          Local wisdom and learning process in the community
          Public participation in learning process

Participant

          Thai and international participation is estimated to be about 450 persons as including:

1. Education officer, researchers, and professionals in education reform.
2. Key executives from foreign organization as World Bank, UNESCO, and foreign embassies in Thailand.
3. Participants from 30 countries as members of APERA who formulate education policies around the world.
4. Education Officers, researchers, school administrators and teachers, and organization agents in Thailand.

Date and Venue

September 6-10, 2004, at Ambassador Bangkok hotel

Language

          The official language of the forum will be English. Thai translation shall be provided only in morning sessions.

          1. Keynote addresses with 5 prominent speakers from all regions.
          2. Four plenary session with 12 policymakers, leading researchers, and practitioners of this approach.
          3. Country reports on International Progress, Trend, and Practices of Learner- centered Approach from 30 countries.
          4. Paper presentation from participants (See Call for Paper).

Publication

          Research papers, keynote speeches, texts, and summaries of group discussions from every session will be documented in the form of a forum proceeding paper to be issued in 2005.

Call for Papers

          All participants are invited to submit papers on the said themes that highly focus on the empirical evidences of Learner-centered Approach. Abstract (600 words) should be submitted by August 1, 2004. A panel of experts will select those papers to be presented at the Forum. Relevance to the theme of the forum and freshness and originality of the approach are among the major considerations in the selection. Each accepted paper will be assigned to a parallel session to be presented by the author for 15-20 minutes. Only accepted papers for presentation will be compiled into the official proceedings. The format of Calling for Paper can be accessed at www.worldedreform.com.

Expected Outcome

          Identification of research strategies and research needs for learner-centered approach to teaching and learning development.
          An understanding of the factors affecting success, failure, and direction of learner-centered approach in of 30 countries.
          Identification of priorities for research cooperation between participating countries.

Registration Information

- International participants 60 USD
- Thai participants 2,000 Baht

          The registration fee covers attendance to all sessions, forum materials, refreshment breaks, and lunches (September 7-10).

Payment Information

International participant
To make registration payment,
1. Please issue a bank draft/cashier cheque payable to:
          Mrs. Rattana Kongchareon
          Account Number: 053-2-04097-4
          Bankthai Public Company Limited
          Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Please also indicate to the Bank the following:
          “Payable in US. Funds drawn on a US. Bank.”
2. The registration process will be done only after the Forum Organizer receives the posted registration form as well as authorized bank draft/cashier cheque.
3. Please kindly mail the complete bank draft/cashier cheque to
Director
Center for International Policy and Cooperation in Education the Office of the Education Council (OEC) 99/20 Sukhothai Rd., Dusit, Bangkok 10300 Thailand.
4. Due to limited seats of the forum venue, participants are asked to make early registration.

Thai participant

การแสดงความประสงค์สมัครเข้าร่วมการสัมมนาการปฏิรูปการศึกษานานาชาติสามารถกระทำได้โดย
1. ซื้อเช็คธนาคารหรือดราฟเงินสด สั่งจ่าย
          นางรัตนา คงเจริญ
          เลขที่บัญชี 053-2-04097-4
          ธนาคารไทยธนาคาร จำกัด (มหาชน) กรุงเทพฯ 10330
2. ส่งใบสมัครและเช็คธนาคารหรือดราฟมาที่ผู้อำนวยการศูนย์พัฒนานโยบายและความร่วมมือทางการศึกษาระหว่างประเทศ สำนักงานเลขาธิการสภาการศึกษา 99/20 ถ.สุโขทัย ดุสิต กรุงเทพฯ 10300
3. การสมัครเข้าร่วมการสัมมนาฯ จะสมบูรณ์ต่อเมื่อผู้สมัครชำระค่าลงทะเบียนตามข้อ 2 แล้วเท่านั้น
4. ฝ่ายเลขานุการการสัมมนาฯ ขอสงวนสิทธิ์ในการปิดรับสมัคร หากเห็นว่าผู้สมัครมีจำนวนมากเกินกว่าจำนวนที่จะรับได้

The Forum Secretariat Office

c-o International Cooperation Relations Center for Education Reform
Office of the Education Council (OEC)
Tel. 0-2668-7123 Ext.1410 and 0-2243-4174
E-mail : sydmap4@onec.go.th or edforum@onec.go.th