2019 International Symposium on Technology Education in Schools Held Successfully in Beijing

The 2019 International Symposium on Technology Education in Schools was held successfully in Beijing by the College of Education of Capital Normal University, joined by School of Computer Science and Technology, North China University of Technology, and the Research Center for Education and Teaching, Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences from October 31 to November 1 in 2019. The symposium was attended by about 150 people including the representative teachers from more than 20 colleges and universities, and the representative teachers and teaching and research staff from 70 primary and middle schools, as well as many foreign guests from the United States, the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea.

Themed as the Transformation of Technology Education in Advanced High-Tech Times: International Trends and Chinese Explorations, the conference discussed the following four topics: technology education policy and reform and development, labor and technology education reform and development, STEM education and maker education research, technology teacher education and teacher professional development. The conference lasted two days during which keynote speeches, sub-themes discussion and demonstration class exploration and other forms of activities were conducted.

The opening ceremony of the conference was held at 8:30 am on October 31. The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Cai chun, dean of the College of Education of our university. Professor Meng Fanhua, and Prof. Marc J. de Vries of Delft University of Technology delivered speeches. President Meng Fanhua hoped that the conference could enhance the in-depth dialogue between theoretical researchers and practitioners in the field of technology education so as to propel China's normal universities to consciously build a high-level technology education discipline.

After the opening ceremony, the conference entered the keynote speeches in the morning. Prof. Marc J. de Vries, Dutch Delft University of Technology, Professor Yu Shengquan, Beijing Normal University, Prof. John G Wells, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Professor Gu Jianjun, Education Science Research Institute, Nanjing Normal University, and Professor Xing Zhiqiang,North China University of Technology delivered absorbing keynote speeches from multiple perspectives such asthe reality and future of technology education and industry education in STEM education, the connotation and characteristics of STEM learning, integrated STEM education paradigm. In the afternoon, the participants shared their research results and work experience in sub-seminars, showing a harmonious academic atmosphere.

On the second day morning, Professor Wild Angus, the Japan Hiroshima Technology, Professor Liu Bing of Tsinghua University, Wu Xiangdong, special-class teacher of Shenzhen Longgang District Education Bureau, Professor Fang Haiguang, our College of Education, Professor Ma Kaijian, Tianjin Education Science Research Institute, Diractor Meng Xianjun, Beijing Institute of Education Science, Professor Lai Xiaolin, Shantou University, and Professor Ding Bangping, our College of Education and initiator of the conference focused on the topics over technological literacy, the internal mechanism of STEM learning, the ideas orientation of technology curriculum and the transformation of technology education, which were thought-provoking for the teachers and students present. In the afternoon, Snezana, the technology teacher from the Netherlands and Yang Jie, a teacher from the Secondary School attached to Beijing Normal University showed two technology lessons for everyone, and the guests had a heated discussion with them.

At 16:30 pm, at the closing ceremony four hosts of sub-seminars gave summary statement, Professor Lai Xiaolin from Shantou University expressed special thanks to the conference organizers, and finally Professor Zhang Zengtian, the secretary of the Education College, delivered the closing speech and expressed his wish that everyone would continue to focus on the discipline construction of technology education of Capital Normal University, and he was looking forward to meeting everybody at the College Of Education of Capital Normal University again! So far, the 2019 International Symposium on Technology Education in Schools has come to an end successfully.

Contributor: Zhao Kexuan, Du Kuo, Liu Xiuying, Li Yingtao, Yin Hong

Reviewer: Ding Bangping, Shen Leina

Nov. 1, 2019