TORONTO, February 27, 2003 -- A conference at York University will examine the ways in which education is changing in light of challenges such as involving local communities, accommodating diversity, coping with educational reforms and cuts to programs.

"Expanding Paradigms: What is Education Anyway?", which will be held this Saturday, March 1, 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., in York's Vari Hall, will bring together education students, scholars and practitioners from across Canada and the United States to discuss emerging issues, trends and approaches in education and teaching practices.

The conference will feature a keynote address by Ontario MPP and education critic Gerard Kennedy (L--Parkdale-High Park). His address, "Public Education In Ontario: A System Under Attack", will provide a critical overview of the current state of education in Ontario and will take place 5 - 5:45 p.m. in the Underground restaurant located in York's Student Centre.

Panels and roundtables will include:

Community involvement in education: its role in pre-service teacher education programs; opportunities for immigrant and inner-city communities;

Imagination, creativity and the arts in education: the importance of the arts in education; funding cuts to arts programming and the negative effect on students;

Multiculturalism and anti-racist education: how diasporic conditions impact learning; the disproportionate number of minority students streamed into sports, often at the expense of academic progress;

Educational reform in Ontario: standardized testing and new graduation requirements;

Alternative education: educating street youth; learning spaces in museums and zoos; outdoor/environmental education.

The conference, sponsored by the Graduate Program in Education, will take place at York's main campus located at 4700 Keele St.

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For further information, including the conference itinerary and list of presenters, please visit: http://www.edu.yorku.ca/gcined or contact:

Jennifer Gee	Ken Turriff
Conference Organizer	Media Relations
York University	York University
416-741-2863	416-736-2100, ext. 22086
Jennifer_Gee@edu.yorku.ca	kturriff@yorku.ca

YU/019/03