The Fifth Annual Conference of the Relation-Centered Education Network (RCEN) will bring together educational scholars and practitioners for an exchange of ideas, research findings, and practices. We firmly believe that human relationships are foundational to any education and are looking for ways to impact educational practices through improvement of educational relations.
The RCEN-network includes educational theorists, researchers, practitioners and policymakers who believe that human relations are central to education. We agreed to work jointly on the following main goals:
1. Understand how educators create positive educational relations with and among students
2. Learn how to help novice and experienced educators develop their own relational skills
3. Offer a policy framework for the relational accountability, to complement the cognitive test-based accountability approaches
The value of relationships for human development and effective education is widely acknowledged by different fields of research. Numerous studies have emphasized the role of social interactions in cognitive development, demonstrating that social context and relationships are critical for learning and cognitive growth.
Therefore, the premise that relationships are foundational to effective education and human development is well established. Nevertheless, understanding and enactment of relational pedagogies in practice can be challenged by neoliberal agendas of measurement and accountability, structural issues like increasing class sizes, the complex conflicts and power dynamics that can overshadow the focus on individual student-teacher relationships, and lack of clarity on what is actually meant by ‘relational pedagogy’.
Key note
Professor Sharon Todd, Maynooth University
The conference will take place in Trondheim, Norway at Queen Maud University College (QMUC) and online on June 17-19, 2024. A more detailed program will come soon, including information about key notes. Deadline for abstract: Nov. 1st.
The registration fee will be about US $150 for members, with further discounts for students, and includes refreshments and three lunches.
Governing board:
Admission and more information:
Excursion to Frøset farm Tuesday afternoon/evening (pdf).
Conference Hotel: Scandic Solsiden
Bookingcode: BDRO170624