Annual Report 2006, Geneva

The activities of the network at the ECER 2006 Conference in Geneva followed from the decision at the Annual General Assembly in Dublin during ECER 2005 to consider the establishment of a network on didactics, learning and teaching. As a result the network held an opening symposium and a programme of related symposia and papers involving over 30 contributions from individuals and groups of educational researchers. In addition the EERA Council and Local Organising Committee arranged a well attended Invited Plenary Panel which complemented the activities of the network very well. The details of the opening symposium and related contributions can be found in the attached programme for ECER 2006.

The Annual General Assembly at ECER 2006 agreed to the establishment of the new network at its meeting on Thursday 14th September and the inaugural meeting of the network took place at 16:45 on Friday 15th September. The meeting was attended by the following people and apologies were received by several more:

Brian Hudson, Umeå University, Sweden and Sheffield Hallam University, England (Chair)

Linda Allal, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Elisabeth Bjornestad, University of Oslo, Norway

Michel Caillot, University René Descartes, Paris, France

Paul Conway, University College Cork, Ireland

Doris Elster, University of Kiel, Germany

Margaret Kirkwood, University of Strathclyde, Scotland

Kirsti Klette, University of Oslo, Norway

Mart Laanpere, University of Tallinn, Estonia

Florence Ligozat, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Meinert Meyer, University of Hamburg, Germany

Daniel Motta, Institut National de Recherche Pedagogique, France

Bernard Schneuwly, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Kartsen Schnack, Danish University of Education, Denmark

Andreja Starcic, University of Primorska, Slovenia

Piotr Szybek, University of Lund, Sweden

Following a long discussion the meeting agreed to name the network “Didactics - Learning and Teaching” and a Convenors Group was identified comprising Michel Caillot, Brian Hudson, Margaret Kirkwood, Kirsti Klette, Meinert Meyer, Bernard Schneuwly and Andreja Starcic. It was proposed that Brian Hudson would act as the main convenor for 2006-07 with the unanimous support of the meeting and he agreed to accept this responsibility.
Several items were discussed at the meeting and the main points arising were:
* there is considerable interest in the idea of "socio-constructivism meets didactics",
* there is potential to explore competing perspectives within didactics,
*  the promotion of ongoing activities between ECER conferences is a real challenge,
* the network needs to make its presence known and seek to make links with other networks with similar interests at national and international levels,
* we should think about publishing a monograph and establishing a peer reviewed academic journal in this field,
* with regard to future conferences we should encourage contributors to consider a range of potential contributions and also encourage structured and interactive poster sessions,
* with regard to paper sessions we should limit the number of papers to 3 in any 90 minute session,
* we should consider an invited symposium on the theme of "socio-constructivism meets didactics" for ECER 2007,
* we should plan a social event in addition to the network meeting at ECER 2007,
* the network should consider joint events with other networks.
 
Brian Hudson
Umeå, October 2006