IASCE Conference 2004

Cooperation and Collaboration:
Diversity of Practice, Cultural Contexts, and Creative Innovations

Main Conference Programme

Jointly hosted by
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University
International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education

Cooperative learning is a vital and well-researched educational concept. It has proven to be effective in helping students learn academic content and skills, develop critical and creative thinking abilities, build productive and equitable relationships with diverse peers, as well as value and enjoy learning. Through both application and research, our understanding of the power of cooperation continues to increase and so does our commitment to expanding the use of cooperation, to deepening understanding of how cooperation can be appropriately developed in differing contexts, and to encouraging innovation based on collaborative principles.

With a focus on these commitments, the National Institute of Education (NIE) is proud to join with the International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education (IASCE) to host this conference. NIE, as the sole teacher education institution in Singapore, has the primary responsibility of preparing teachers for the school system. IASCE, established in 1979, is the sole international, non-profit organization founded specifically to support educators who research and practise cooperative learning. Previous conferences co-hosted by IASCE have been held in Europe, Australia, North America and the Middle East. NIE is pleased to bring IASCE and this exciting conference opportunity to Asia for the first time.

Participants – those new to the use of cooperative learning, experienced teachers, and researchers alike – will find this conference to be dynamically inviting and engaging. IASCE conferences typically develop a spirit of collaboration that extends throughout the event and continues beyond the conference.

Conference Convenors

Christine Lee, NIE/NTU
Lynda Baloche, Co-president, IASCE

Local Organizing Committee

Keynote speakers

Lynda Baloche

Lynda Baloche is the current Co-President of IASCE and a Professor of Education at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA. At West Chester, she works with both undergraduate and graduate students - teaching courses in social learning/group processes in the classroom, cooperative learning, reflective practice, and creativity; she also works with fellow faculty seeking to develop more interactive and collaborative teaching styles. Dr. Baloche is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, the author of numerous articles in scholarly journals, and the author of the text The Cooperative Classroom: Empowering Learning. She enjoys working closely with teachers and administrators who are committed to building collaborative community in classrooms and throughout schools.

Kirpal Singh

Kirpal Singh is increasingly recognized as a thinker, a creativity/innovation guru and certainly as one of the most powerful voices to emerge in Southeast Asia in recent years. His scholarly output is vast and his capacity to embrace several disciplines and work across cultures is now highly valued. Dr. Kirpal is one of those rare scholars whose basic strength is the ability to synchronize and strategically link apparently disparate factors. His latest book Thinking Hats and Coloured Turbans: Creativity Across Cultures sold out within 3 months of its publication. He is now working on a new book, The Necessary Triumph: Leadership Across Cultures. Currently he co-ordinates the Creative Thinking Programme at the Singapore Management University.

Spencer Kagan

Spencer Kagan is author of numerous books, book chapters, and articles on cooperative learning. He developed the concept of cooperative learning structures; structures he created are used in many parts of the world. His work on cooperative learning is translated into numerous languages. Dr. Kagan was a founding member of the International Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education and founding president of the California Association for the Study of Cooperation in Education. He founded and directs Kagan Publishing and Professional Development — the largest publisher and distributor of cooperative learning books, resources, and training institutes in the world.

Celeste Brody

Celeste Brody is the Instructional Dean at the Central Oregon Community College. She was appointed to the position in 2000, and her responsibilities include policy, fiscal development, budget oversight, instructional development, faculty professional development, and academic and administrative oversight for the instructional division of the College. She obtained her Ph.D. in curriculum, instruction and teacher education from the Ohio State University in 1971. She has published extensively, and her recent works include Studying Gender Consciousness in Single Sex and Coeducational High Schools, and Going Beyond Sex Equity: Lessons Learned from Studying Females’ Experience in Single Sex and Coeducational Catholic High Schools.
She is also the co-author of Professional Development for Cooperative Learning:  Issues and Approaches, Gender Consciousness and Privilege, and Teaching Cooperative Learning: The Challenge of Teacher Education.