On April 25, 2024, Professor THOMAS HATCH from Columbia University's Teachers College delivered a lecture titled "The Education We Need for a Future We Can’t Predict". The lecture was hosted by IICE Professor TENG Jun.
As the Director of the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST), Professor HATCH has long been dedicated to researching various school improvement initiatives at the school, district, and national levels. His lecture primarily focused on his latest research findings and addressed four key questions: "Why should schools change?", "Why is it so hard to change schools?", "How can we improve the schools we have?", and "What will it take to transform education in the future?". Professor HATCH analyzed the state of school education in countries such as the United States, Norway, Finland, Singapore, Estonia, and Vietnam, sharing numerous case studies on school improvement initiatives. He argued for the significance of "micro-innovations" and their cumulative impact, offering deeper insights and inspiration for creating more effective learning experiences both inside and outside schools in developed and developing countries.
Throughout the lecture, the attendees, including faculty and students, actively engaged in discussions. They enthusiastically explored topics such as "the change and continuity of school education", "the fundamental purpose of school education", "the key factors in educational reform", and "the role of principals in school education reform". Professor TENG Jun emphasized that making change happen requires two essential conditions: raising awareness of the importance of change and improving capacity. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an equal professional learning community where all parties can actively participate, explore solutions through dialogue, and put them into action. This aligned with Professor HATCH's views and resonated strongly with the audience.
After the lecture, Professor HATCH shared relevant documents with the attendees to facilitate further discussion among faculty and students interested in this topic.
