International Workshop on Community Mapping and Conflict Resolution as Opportunities for Educational Development
On February 16, 2023, the Biology Education Department, Faculty of Education at Tishk International University, organized the International Workshop on Community Mapping and Conflict Resolution as Opportunities for Educational Development. The workshop aimed to provide a platform for academics, researchers, practitioners, and community members to come together and discuss the potential of community mapping and conflict resolution strategies to foster educational development.
The workshop aimed to explore how community mapping and conflict resolution can be used to identify and address educational challenges and to facilitate the sharing of best practices and case studies from around the world. More than 90 participants from different universities participated in the workshop, which hosted two presenters who shared their experiences regarding review articles and systematic reviews. Dr. Augusto Gamuzza from the University of Catania (Italy) presented the first session in which he tackled community mapping as a social process. In the second session Mr. Bernado Monzani, President of the Agency of Peacebuilding, discussed conflict as an opportunity in education.
The objectives of the workshop included the following:
1. To raise awareness about the potential of community mapping and conflict resolution as tools for educational development and to share knowledge about their applications and benefits.
2. To explore the challenges and opportunities associated with using community mapping and conflict resolution in different educational settings, such as formal and non-formal education, and across diverse cultural contexts.
3. To identify gaps in knowledge and practice related to community mapping and conflict resolution in educational development and to propose strategies for addressing these gaps.
4. To promote the use of community mapping and conflict resolution as means of fostering inclusive and participatory educational development processes that are responsive to the needs and perspectives of local communities.
After a great discussion between the presenter and participants, the workshop objectives were achieved. The Biology Education Department is planning to hold other national and international workshops to create further collaboration with other academic institutions, both public and private, where sharing different ideas and experiences results in better research and learning environment.
