Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the brain must be activated in order for the information to be permanent and said, "Memorized information activates a very small area in the brain. The transformation of knowledge into skill activates the whole brain. Information that activates the brain is permanent information. It is information that mobilizes and motivates the person. It is necessary to add energy, joy and excitement to knowledge." Tarhan also drew attention to three diseases of the education system.
Üsküdar University Science and Idea Festival, which encourages high school students to observe and "invent", will be held for the 5th time. On November 28th, after the meeting on the European side, principals and guidance counselors of high schools on the Anatolian side of Istanbul came together at the introductory meeting.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Brain-based education stands out"
Delivering the first speech of the meeting held at Ataşehir Sheraton Hotel, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Rector of Üsküdar University, said that the definitions of education have been rewritten and brain-based education has come to the fore. Stating that it is important for the brain to be activated in order for knowledge to be permanent, Tarhan said that memorized information activates a very small area in the brain, while the transformation of knowledge into skills activates the whole brain. Tarhan said, "In that case, information that activates the whole brain is permanent information. It is information that mobilizes and motivates the person. It is necessary to add energy, joy and excitement to knowledge. Thus, you add the emotional brain. Learning by adding emotions makes the information more permanent. We wanted young people to compete in a festival atmosphere where they learn and have fun."
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "It is necessary to give new answers to new questions"
Stating that institutions also have important duties in transferring knowledge to children, Tarhan said, "Institutions need to be learning organizations, that is, the teacher learns and the student learns, they learn together. It is very important that the teacher guides the student. Nowadays, access to information is easy thanks to technology, but it is important to direct it correctly. Current young people are questioning. In such a situation, teachers need to give new answers to old questions, if we give old answers to old questions, the child will not listen. We need to know new methods to give new answers to new questions. This also applies to education programs. As Üsküdar University, we have put the Project Cultivation and Entrepreneurship course as a compulsory course at the point of being open to new experiences and giving young people a new vision in science."
Three diseases of the education system!
Stating that there are three important diseases in the education system, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan listed them as totalitarianism, paternalism and hopelessness. Tarhan said the following:
"One of these is totalitarianism. Forcing students to think in a uniform way in the education system prevents the emergence of hidden potential. It is necessary to accept that students have different characteristics and talents, to emphasize them, and to give young people the opportunity to make the most of their chances. The second disease is paternalism. It is necessary to get rid of the disease of waiting for a savior. It is important to make personal efforts to overcome a problem instead of waiting for a savior. It is necessary to create a climate of possibility for the opportunities in front of the person. The teacher's job is not to impose knowledge, but to create a climate of possibility for the student. This climate of possibility is necessary for curiosity and a sense of wonder to emerge. The third disease is hopelessness, which causes educators and students to miss the opportunities in front of them."
Ömer Faruk Yelkenci: "These festivals develop thinking skills"
Ömer Faruk Yelkenci, Istanbul Provincial Director of National Education, stated that scientific research conducted at university level should be carried out at high school and secondary education level and that studies such as Üsküdar University Science and Idea Festival develop students' high-level thinking skills. Yelkenci noted the following. "The most important of these are the high-level thinking skills addressed in brain-based studies. These studies develop these skills. These studies are very important in terms of developing these skills. It is also important to develop affective skills. These two should come together."
Stating that the two most criticized parties in the education system are the ministry and the teachers, Yelkenci said, "I think these criticisms are out of place. The ministry paves the way for us, let alone hindering us in our work. Our teachers are working very well. The average age of our teachers has decreased. There are almost no teachers who do not allow children to question, they walk a path together with their students."
National Talent and Mentor Network introduced
Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Muhsin Konuk made a "Science and Idea Festival Presentation" at the ceremony where Üsküdar University's "National Talent and Mentor Network Project", which was realized with the support of the Ministry of Development and Istanbul Development Agency, was also introduced.
Halide İncekara: "Young people should be invested in today, not for the future"
Halide İncekara, 22nd, 23rd and 24th Term Istanbul MP, Chairperson of the TBMM Commission for Research on Gifted Children and Director of Üsküdar University's Special Talented Children Application and Research Center (ÖYEMER), pointed out the importance of raising children and investing in gifted children in her presentation on the project. Stating that she does not find the phrase "youth is our future" to be true, İncekara said, "I don't like this phrase. This is constantly investing in youth. I am concerned with saving the present, not the future. When I reach youth today, youth is not my future, when I reach youth today, education is meaningful and life is meaningful."
İncekara said that the "National Talent and Mentor Network Project" carried out by Üsküdar University with the support of the Ministry of Development and Istanbul Development Agency within the scope of the "Children and Youth Financial Support Program" aims to transform the development processes of gifted children into concrete outputs under the guidance of a mentor.
Prof. Dr. Sinan Canan, Faculty Member of Üsküdar University Department of Psychology, gave a presentation titled "What If We Don't Know Science? Whose Job is Science?" Educators followed the presentations of Konuk and Canan with interest.
The 5th Science and Idea Festival, organized by Üsküdar University in cooperation with Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education for high schools, will be held on April 19-20, 2018 this year. This year, applications will be accepted in three categories, namely Health Sciences, Science and Technology Sciences and Social Sciences, for the Üsküdar University Science and Idea Festival, where original projects will compete in order to strengthen the project culture and entrepreneurship practice of our high school youth and to make life easier for them.
The festival will be held on April 19-20, 2018. The first project in each category will receive 6 thousand TL, the second project will receive 4 thousand TL, and the third project will receive 2 thousand TL. Projects will be accepted at www.bilimvefikirfestivali.com until February 20, 2018.