2023b

The 'Magic' of Neuro-Linguistic Programming: Creative Applications in Education and Counseling


Scientific Conference held on December 9th, 2023 at Akadimias 50 str., amphitheatre 'Antonis Tritsis'  in Athens (see it on map).
Organizer: International, Interdisciplinary Society entitled SY.N.TH.E.SI.: The Circle of ‘Dead’ Edudators

Under the Auspices
City of Athens

The need to find modern teaching methods is a fact. More and more teachers, who are usually 'lost' in the majority of resigned or fearful colleagues, are looking for inspiration to direct teaching practice on modern and innovative educational methods. After all, how can you communicate your thought, your vision, your feeling if you do not first connect with the 'other'? SY.N.TH.E.SI. attempts to advance teaching and learning in modern and innovative ways and methods seeking to inspire education people and their pupils as well as students through modern sciences and to emphasize the usefulness of these sciences that in the eyes of many may seem strange. We therefore announce this conference by addressing the "lost" educators and scientists who share our vision of the contribution of education to the personal development of citizens that is essential for the much desired social development.

In recent years we have seen developments in Neuroscience and its relationship with education and other scientific fields. Neuroscience and Education, Neuroscience and Society, Neuroscience and Psychology. Many connections and influences have been made with the term Neurosciences. Human needs to be able to understand their self has led them down many paths of research, theory and testing. In recent years there has been much interest in the study of the path that the human mind follows in order to conquer, create and structure new knowledge. For example, is AI, as the theory and development of systems capable of performing tasks that usually require human intelligence, capable of "building the world we want"?

And when human manages to take possession of the new knowledge and the new data, to process, analyse and store them, metacognition often takes the leading role. How do I learn what I learn? Which brain functions are carried out and finally can I undo them, repair them, improve them, become aware of them and, if necessary, modify or even adjust them as the case may be?

The whole mechanism of human brain function is a subject of study in global research, study and analysis. Unfortunately, most approaches to communication use the dominant linear model of communication, which is the Media model. According to the linear model - which is the dominant one in teaching - in any form of communication and in any learning process, the message sender seeks to "charm" the passive receiver to influence his/her thinking and behaviour. By attracting the interest of the receiver of the information it is considered that the targeting of the transmitter, the trainer, the informer is achieved. More specifically, a trainer needs to activate those synapses in the neurotransmitters so that the learner is influenced and takes in the new.

According to the Critical Developmental Model of Education [Kosmidou-Hardy 20061, Kosmidou-Hardy 20202, 20233], we are not talking about a simple reception of the new message but about its 'critical reading' by the recipient who is not considered as a passive receiver, but as a critical reader, when he/she, of course, has the chance, with the appropriate education in communication [and with 'grammar' semiotics (op. cit.),] to perceive the intentions of the transmitter but to proceed to his own critical as well as radical reading. In this reading, his/her self-perception plays a role, but also what he/she has been taught to notice and perceive by the dominant ideology of the surrounding world.

With the interaction of the stimuli to which one is exposed and his/her unique critical reading, human manages to handle a multitude of information, conditions, situations that arise in the environments in which he/she lives. The process of acquiring knowledge, the processing of new data, the emotions of the learner and the self-evaluation of the learning process are elements essential to the meaning of the term NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming).

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is an approach that was developed after years of research. It was originally developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler, and later joined by other scientists who believed that it was possible to identify patterns in the thinking and behaviour of successful individuals and teach them to others. Their research was based mainly on observation and analysis of successful professionals, leaders, mentors, consultants. They developed a number of techniques and methods that can be used in coaching and training executives and people in general. A key idea in this approach is that we can change the way we think and behave to communicate more effectively and achieve the goals we desire.

Training in Neuro Linguistic Programming can set a variety of goals such as:

Indicative subjects:

We believe that Nikos Lygeros' contribution to this event will be decisive, educational and moving for all the participants who will be: teachers, students, pupils, school counsellors, etc.

Our aim at SY.N.TH.E.SI. is to organise events on innovative topics and approaches that can be used creatively and inspire students.

Programme

Click here to view Conference's program in greek.


References

1Κοsmidou-Hardy, C. (2006), “Media Education as Critical Education across the Curriculum: Towards a Cross-border Pedagogy?”, in Waclaw Strykowski (ed.), From New Teaching Techniques to Virtual Education: Media Eduation. Poznan, Poland: Wydanie. (135-148).

2Κοsmidou-Hardy, C. (2020), "For the Professional Teacher: From the Battle of Skills to the era of Speed, towards Personal Development based on the Critical Developmental Model", in Kosmidou-Hardy C. and Sophos A. (2020, eds) The Teacher as Professional: The identity and work profile. Athens: Grigoris.

3Κοsmidou-Hardy, C. (2023) SELF AWARENESS: Critical Inter-pathways of Being. How do they 'lead' to the formation of theory and practice? With Exercises based on the Critical, Developmental Model of Education. Athens. Athens: Siderisbooks (Imprimatur)