On November, 10, Dr. Buxarrais was invited to the University Trás-os-Montes e Alto d’Ouro, in Vila-real (Portugal). There, she gave a lecture in the morning entitled: “How to behave ethically: values education”

Abstract:

The lecture starts with a clarification of the concept of “ethical values” and its classification, showing examples for each of its typologies. Then, we shall explain the ways of learning values: 1) practice: experiences lived where we can put our values into practice; 2) Observation and imitation of our models of values and ethical behaviour; 3) autonomous and rational reflection, personal moments to reflect on our values and how we show them in our everyday routines. Being familiar with how we learn ethical values, we will be able to think about how to teach them. Therefore, we will also talk about educational strategies to help develop certain moral dimensions of the person. Finally, we will conclude with the proposal of a design of contexts and ways of being successful in this task.

In the afternoon, Dr. Buxarrais was part of a PhD thesis jury in the School of Human and Social Sciences, presided  over by Dr. Manuel Luis Tibério (in the picture below).

Dr. Buxarrais took part in several activities in the AME conference this year, which took place in St Louis, Missouri (USA) (2 – 4 November).

On Thursday 2nd, she participated in the symposium “Teaching Common Values in Europe: Democracy and Tolerance in Education Policy and Practice in the EU Member States”, organized and chaired by Dr. Wiel Veugelers. Her paper was entitled “Case Study Spain: Revitalising Education for Citizenship”. Abstract of the symposium: “The European Union has always stressed the relevance of the values of democracy and tolerance for Europe as a community as well as for its Member States. This research focuses on the policy of teaching the common values of democracy and tolerance in secondary schools, and how this policy is implemented in practice. Further, it covers how teachers, local communities and NGOs influence the teaching of common values. Data on the formal education policies of all 28 European Union Member States has been collected by national academic experts, and in-depth curriculum studies have been performed in 12 Member States”.

On Saturday, the last day of the conference, Dr. Buxarrais took part in an invited special session coordinated by Dr. Ann Higgins d’Alessandro and Dr. Kaye Cook entitled “AME Collaborations: Ideas for Impacting International Moral Education”. The objective of this international panel was to highlight AME’s many areas of expertise and enhance its global reputation, perhaps by aligning with government or educational priorities in various countries.  After brief presentations, the session left substantial time to ideas from the audience.

Finally, Dr. Buxarrais presented officially in Saint Louis what will be the 44th AME Conference in 2018, in Barcelona, organized by herself and Dr. Elena Noguera.

Photo: Dr. Balakrishnam (University of Malaya), Dr. Berkowitz (University of Missouri-St. Louis), Dr. Buxarrais (Universitat de Barcelona) and Dr. Gross (The Hebrew University)