15TH SEAMEO INNOTECH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE THRIVING IN THE MARGINS Inclusive Education Re-imagined 15TH SEAMEO INNOTECH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE THRIVING IN THE MARGINS Inclusive Education Re-imagined March 6-8, 2018 | Philippines CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Contents Preface 1 Proceedings 3 Session Reports 33 Priority Areas in 163 Inclusive Education Individual Action Commitments 165 Affirmed, Added, and Altered in Inclusive Education 175 Graphic Documentation 177 Stories of Inclusion 187 Conference Team 279 Preface “ How can we grow a learning community that welcomes everyone? ” SEAMEO INNOTECH convenes its International Conference every two years in response to the emerging education needs of the region. The Conference, first held in 1986, continues to serve as a platform for education stakeholders to discuss education concerns and collaborate for possible solutions. In line with the Center’s vision to provide a better future for every learner in Southeast Asia, the conference focused on the theme of inclusive quality education. This year’s conference is one of the many programs and initiatives undertaken by the Center to modestly contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Inclusive Quality Education and the SEAMEO Priority Area 2 on addressing barriers to inclusion and access to basic learning opportunities through innovations in education delivery and management. The conference adopted the title, “Thriving in the Margins: Inclusive Education Re- imagined.” This year’s conference used the power of stories to explore inclusive education from the perspective of learners who are traditionally unseen, unheard, and underserved. Selected compelling stories of people thriving in the fringes of mainstream society were gathered and presented during the event. Said stories served as triggers for the participants to re-think and reflect on the current and good practices in implementing inclusive teaching and learning strategies in their individual contexts and realities. Discussions about the Four Pillars of Balanced and Inclusive Education by the Education Relief Foundation (ERF) provided framework for concurrent learning conversations which were facilitated using modified Open Space Technology (OST). Participants were encouraged to share and exchange ideas on education-related issues and concerns, to answer the big question: “How can we grow a learning community that welcomes everyone?” 1 15th International Conference “ IN FIGURES 267 25 267 participants from 16 25 inspiring stories on countries attended the inclusive education conference were compiled and displayed as part of the conference exhibits. 9 3 9 storytellers 3 storyweavers made encouraged and sense of the stories sparked passion for and discussions for balanced and inclusive the duration of the education. conference. 82 5 82 learning conversations 5 priority areas on emerged from the three inclusive education days of storytelling and were identified from the discussions on inclusive 82 reports. education. ” 2 Program Proceedings “ PROCEEDINGS ” Day 1 | March 6 Opening Program The conference formally opened with the Entrance of Colors, followed by the Philippine National Anthem. The opening program was hosted by Ms. Monique Adalem from the Learning Management Office of SEAMEO INNOTECH. She welcomed the audience and thanked everyone for joining the conference. She then acknowledged the help of the conference’s co-organizers (Philippine Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Education Relief Foundation, and Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education), sponsors (Resorts World Manila, Local Government of Quezon City, Private Education Assistance Committee, The HEAD Foundation, Government Service Insurance System, Lopez Group Foundation, and Servicio Filipino, Inc.), and supporter (Philippine Network for Inclusive Education). 3 15th International Conference Welcome Remarks Dr. Ramon C. Bacani Director, SEAMEO INNOTECH Dr. Ramon C. Bacani, Center Director of SEAMEO INNOTECH, welcomed the participants to the 15th SEAMEO INNOTECH International Conference, “Thriving in the Margins: Inclusive Education Re-imagined.” He started by acknowledging the presence of the esteemed guests and the representatives of the conference’s co-organizers. He warmly welcomed everyone present in the conference and thanked them for joining. Dr. Bacani gratefully mentioned that the number of participants exceeded the organizer’s target number. As inclusive education is gaining a lot of interest recently, Dr. Bacani mentioned that this conference is a modest contribution of the Center in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4: Inclusive Quality Education. He also added that the conference is aligned with SEAMEO’s 7 Priority Areas, particularly on addressing barriers to inclusion. Dr. Bacani pointed out that for the 3-day Conference, participants will be able to listen to compelling stories on inclusive education. These stories were meant to trigger the discussions during the breakout sessions. He hoped that the stories and discussions will help the participants in re-imagining inclusive education in their respective areas, to ensure a better future for every learner in the region and beyond. SEAMEO INNOTECH Director Dr. Ramon C. Bacani welcomed the guests and the participants in the conference. He hoped that the stories and discussions will help in re-imagining inclusive education to ensure a better future for every learner in the region and beyond. PHOTO FROM SEAMEO INNOTECH 4 Program Proceedings ERF President Sheikh Manssour Bin Mussallam explained the Four Pillars of Balanced and Inclusive Education in his keynote speech. He emphasized the need to tackle inclusive education in terms of access, social policies, curricula and content, and pedagogy. PHOTO FROM SEAMEO INNOTECH Keynote Speech Sheikh Manssour Bin Mussallam President, Education Relief Foundation (ERF) Sheikh Manssour Bin Mussallam, President of the Education Relief Foundation (ERF), greeted the conference organizers, as well as the participants and dignitaries. He said that the theme, Thriving in the Margins: Inclusive Education Re- imagined, is quite ambitious. It challenges us to momentarily set aside our common thinking, and dares us to look beyond the future of “what could have” and “what should have”. He cited Albert Camus’ acceptance speech for his Noble Prize for Literature, where he believes that each generation thinks it is bound to remake the world. He said that, more than remaking the world, we have to make sure that the world does not “unmake” itself. The task at hand, compared to that of 60 years ago, is far more complex and urgent; making sure that the world does not “unmake” itself, while at the same time “remaking” it. He pointed out that our societies are no longer sustainable—a planetary titanic. Our presence in this conference means that we have recognized this situation, that education and culture will allow people to elevate themselves towards progress. He said that there are no better ways in remaking the world than making education more inclusive. 5 15th International Conference This task cannot be undertaken by just one government, organization, or generation; it is a concerted, collaborative, collective, and sustainable effort from all concerned. He pointed out that the meaning of “inclusive education” varies for different groups of people. In order to re-imagine inclusive education, Sheikh Manssour said that we should have the courage to unlink the system that made the world in this structure, that we should have courage to critique the existing power dynamics. He emphasized the need to tackle inclusive education in terms of access, social policies, curricular content, and pedagogy. There is a need to talk about access, because there is no inclusion when there is no protection of the right nor the means to gain an education. There is a need to talk about holistic, humanistic, and progressive social policies because education and policies in education cannot be discussed separately. Perpetual novelty, curricula content, and pedagogy should be discussed to avoid alienating learners. With these in mind, the ERF aims to promote a balanced and inclusive education through its advocacy of the Four Pillars of Balanced and Inclusive Education—intraculturalism, transdisciplinarity, dialecticism, and contextuality. He differentiated interculturalism from intraculturalism; interculturalism being respect and understanding of other cultures, while intraculturalism is a conversation within one and the same culture, a deep cultural introspection where you try to understand how your history contributes to the culture of others and how their history affected your own culture. Transdisciplinarity is transcending beyond the gaps of the different disciplines. It is allowing students to think and solve problems through different views and approaches. Dialecticism is the need for learners to be more resourceful than passively acquiring knowledge from their teachers. He pointed out that in this age of technology, it is crucial that students be able to select and process information that is relevant and valuable. Contextuality is tailoring the values and skills expected from the learners to their needs. It is contextualizing education to the realities of the country, their national priority, and individual aspirations. These Four Pillars of Balanced and Inclusive Education, according to Sheikh Manssour, would allow