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UNESCO World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education

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World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education will be held in Moscow (Russia), 27-29 September 2010. 

Early childhood is a critical period. Children are most vulnerable and most dependent then on relationships for survival, emotional security and cognitive development. Yet large proportions of the world’s children are denied access to the benefits of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), which in turn limits the development potential of countries and regions.

Wealth should not be defined as material gain alone. It should also take account of whether countries are able to nurture their human capital with values important in a globalized world: tolerance, a sense of justice and cooperation, respect for diversity and for the environment. The first World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education addresses the importance of starting early.

The Conference program includes general and special events organized by the scientific and political institutions of the countries participating. Moscow State University of Psychology and Education is helding several Special Events at the Conference.

Development in Early Childhood and ECCE: Vygotsky’s Perspective

Organizer: Moscow City University of Psychology and Education and UNESCO Moscow

Time and date: 18:30-19:30, Tuesday 28 September 2010
Room: Congress Hall
Languages: English, Russian

Description  
Basic theoretical and practical issues of ECCE within the contemporary education from the perspective of cultural-historical theory and practice of early childhood education, puts forward a range of issues for the EFA Goal 1 on ECCE. The basic provisions by L.S. Vygotsky and his collaborators are addressed with regard to contemporary issues in ECCE, such as main approaches to ECCE all over the world, quality of ECCE, etc. Today, there are, broadly speaking, two different approaches to understanding the prospects of ECCE development: First, the one oriented to the child development; and second, the one oriented to the needs of the authorities.

The objectives of the Special Event are thus to:

  • discuss the basic theoretical and practical issues of ECCE from the perspective of Vygotsky’s theory and from general contemporary cultural-historical approach to early childhood development and education;
  • provide theory and practice of ECCE with age-appropriate approaches and developmental methods of educating young children

Moderators:

  • Vytaly Rubtsov, Rector, Moscow City University of Psychology & Education, Russian Federation
  • John Bennett, Senior Consultant on ECCE, France

Speakers: 

  • Vytaly Rubtsov, Rector, Moscow City University of Psychology & Education, Russian Federation
  • John Bennett, Senior Consultant, France
  • Alexander Asmolov, Director of Federal Institute of Development of Education, Russian Federation
  • Alisher Umarov, Programme Specialist for Education, UNESCO Moscow
  • Elena Smirnova, Director of Center “Play and Toy” (MCUPE), Russian Federation

Specialists Training for Teachers and Practitioners Working in Early Childhood Care and Education

Organizer: Pentti Hakkarainen, Kajaani University Consortium, Finland, and Arkadij Margolis, Moscow City University Psychology Education Vice-Rector, Russian Federation

Time and date: 18:30-19:30, Tuesday 28 September 2010

Room: Amphitheatre

Languages: English, Russian

Description
The quality of early childhood care and education is largely determined by the professional competence of ECCE personnel. In this regard, specialists’ training for teachers and practitioners working with preschool-aged children is urgent and important. The objective of the Special Event is to consider the current state and prospects of specialists training in the field of ECCE. The event will address issues such as:

  • Current conditions, trends and prospects of professional training and  development for early childhood teachers and practitioners;
  • Modern standards of professional training in the field of ECCE;
  • Examples of Master’s programmes and postgraduate training of early childhood teachers and practitioners; and
  • Teachers’ and practitioners’ competences for promoting narrative learning and child development.

Moderator: Arkadij Margolis, First Vice-Rector of the Moscow City University of Psychology and Education, Russian Federation

Speakers: 

  • Tatiana Kuzmishina, Associated Professor of Preschool Education and Psychology Chair, MCUPE, Russian Federation
  • Pentti Hakkarainen, Professor, Kajaani University Consortium, Finland
  • Irina Burlakova, Head of the Preschool Education and Psychology Chair, MCUPE, Russian Federation
  • Milda Bredikite, Executive, Kajaani University Consortium, Finland

Collaborating with Parents in Early Childhood Care and Education

Organizers: Moscow City University of Psychology and Education

Time and date: 13:00-14:00, Wednesday 29 September 2010

Room: Enisei

Languages: English, Russian

Description
Parents are the first educators and caregivers of young children. This Special Event addresses the important role of parents in ensuring the well-being, development and education of young children, and explores effective ways of providing psychological and material support for enhancing their children’s early socialisation and adaptation to ECCE programmes, such as kindergartens, through the establishment of advisory centres and internet, etc. The event seeks to promote global exchange of good practices in parents collaborating in ECCE.

Moderators:

  • Maria Tsapenko, Deputy Director, Preschool Education Administration, Moscow - Department of Education, Russian Federation
  • Natalia Avdeeva, Head, Centre of Age and Psychological Counselling, Moscow City University of Psychology and Education (MCUPE), Russian Federation

Speakers:

  • Maria Tsapenko, Deputy Director, Preschool Education Administration, Moscow Department of Education, Russia Federation
  • Marina Egorova, Dean, Faculty “Psychology of Education”, MCUPE, Russian Federation
  • Natalia Avdeeva, Head, Centre of Age and Psychological Counselling, MCUPE, Russian Federation
  • Mary Crowley, President, International Federation for Parent Education

Psycho-Pedagogical Follow-up of Children in ECCE

Organizers: Moscow City University of Psychology and Education, Russian Federation, and Erevan State University, Armenia

Time and date: 13:00-14:00, Wednesday 29 September 2010
Room: Selenga
Languages: English, Russian

Description

The Special Event aims to present some developmental lessons for children in early childhood care and education establishments and in centres for psycho-pedagogical rehabilitation, to discuss urgent issues in psycho-pedagogical support for children with ‘atypical’ development, and to suggest psychological tooling of pedagogical practice in work with such children. It will project the film “From the experience of carrying out a programme of psycho-pedagogical follow up of children with developmental variations” which serves as a basis for an enriched discussion.

Moderators:

  • Ludmila Obukhova, Professor, Head of the Chair of Developmental Psychology, Moscow City University of psychology and Education, Russian Federation
  • Svetlana Arutyunyan, Professor, Head of the Chair of Psychology of Personality, Erevan State University, Armenia

Speakers:

  • Galina Loginova, Professor, Moscow City University of Psychology and Education, Russian Federation
  • Nina Salmina, Professor, Moscow State University, Russian Federation
  • Natalia Shumakova, Scientific Researcher, Psychology Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Russian Federation

Elena Yudina (Ph.D, leading researcher, professor, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education) will make the report "ECCE quality in terms of content" in the course of the main program.

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