EMU Education Faculty Discussed ‘Pretending in Education’

Invited speaker Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak, who delivered a presentation within the framework of Eastern Mediterranean University International Career Week, talked about pretending in education. Prof. Dr. Gürkaynak started her presentation by stating that the respect she has towards people who pretend that they are doing something but not doing anything is less than the respect she feels towards people who openly refuse to do that job.

Gürkaynak provided numerous samples from her experiences regarding pretending in education. and added that currently, educators claim to bring up inquisitive students or state that they offer student-centered education. However, according to Gürkaynak, they all pretend to do so. Gürkaynak added that in one of the schools she visited, the administration presented her a list of classroom rules supposedly prepared by students as a proof for student centered education. However, when she carefully read into the document, she realised that it was just done for the sake of it as the document contained expressions such as: "We will listen to our teacher", "We will not run in the corridors", "Talking in class is forbidden". Gürkaynak put forth that especially the last expression "Talking in class is forbidden" is an expression conflicting with current efforts in motivating students to talk in class.

Gürkaynak stated that such behavior is not only limited to the field of education but is also frequently encountered in other areas and added that regardless of one's profession, a person should avoid pretending and perform his/her job by paying special attention to details.

During the last part of her speech, Prof. Dr. Gürkaynak talked about fossilised prejudices with a specific focus on gender discrimination..

EMU Education Faculty Acting Dean Prof. Dr. Ülker Vancı Osam thanked Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak for her vision developing speech and presented her a plaque of appreciation.

Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak is a graduate of Middle East Technical University Psychology Department. She holds a master's and doctoral degree in Psychology from Kansas University, the USA. Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak worked abroad as a trainer for some time. She worked at Ankara University Educational Sciences Faculty as an academic staff member. In 1990s, she worked as a consultant in TV program Sesame Street and International Labor Organisation's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor.

Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak was the coordinator for a number of projects including "To Become a Citizen" by the Hope Foundation between 1995 and 1998 and "I am a Human" between 2000 and 2002. Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak was a member of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights between 2000 and 2005. She is also the executive board member of the Educational Reform Initiative. Since 2000, Prof. Dr. İpek Gürkaynak has been living in Biga and is the co-chair of Gürkaynak Citizenship Institute.