Playing with Policies: Creating Awareness and Encouraging Dialogue on Refugee Education through a Board Game

Group Submission Type: Pre-conference Workshop

Description of Session

Workshop Description :

The proposed workshop addresses the critical issue of education for refugees. The workshop aims to bridge the gap between rights held within international documents and disparate realities by using a board game as an educational tool to raise awareness, encourage dialogue, and promote critical thinking and policy-making approaches that can better support refugees' education.

Through workshop, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and complexities of refugee education policies and how they intersect with human rights issues. By engaging in interactive and thought-provoking activities, participants will be able to reflect on their own assumptions, biases, and attitudes towards refugees and their educational needs, as well as learn from each other's experiences and perspectives.

The workshop is targeted towards policymakers, educators, civil society organizations, and the general public who are interested in learning more about refugee education policies and how they can contribute to creating more equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for refugees. The workshop will provide a unique and engaging platform for participants to exchange ideas, share best practices, and network with each other, while also contributing to a larger advocacy and activism movement for refugee children around the world.

Workshop Objectives:

• Raise awareness among policymakers, educators, civil society organizations, and the general public about the challenges and complexities of refugee education policies.

• Provide a platform for critical thinking and policy-making approaches that can better support refugees' education.

• Engage participants in discussions on the unique educational needs of refugees and ways to promote equitable educational opportunities for all.

• Introduce participants to a board game designed to educate players on refugee education policies and stimulate dialogue on this important issue.

• Create an alternative tool to collect data from participants.

Workshop Structure:


Introduction: A brief overview of the refugee crisis and its impact on education (15 minutes) .

Demonstration: Participants will be introduced to the board game and its objectives, structure, and rules (15 minutes).

Game Play: (75 minutes) Participants will be divided into groups and play the board game, engaging in discussions and debates on policy-making approaches that can better support refugees' education ( individual choices 15 minutes, small group discussion 30 minutes, big group 30 minutes).

Reflection and Discussion: Reflection on the game experience, discuss policy-making approaches, and exchange ideas on promoting equitable educational opportunities for refugees (30 minutes).

Targeted Participants:
The workshop is designed for policymakers, educators, civil organizations, and anyone interested in promoting equitable education policies for refugees. Participants do not need any prior knowledge or experience with refugee education policies to participate in the workshop. In CIES 2024, the workshop will be open to anyone who would like to understand the complexity of refugee education.

Conclusion:
This workshop will provide a platform for critical thinking on refugee education policies and equip participants with approaches for policy-making. We will use the board game to increase awareness and support equitable education opportunities. It aims to foster awareness globally on refugee educational policies.

Sub Unit

• Pre-Conference Workshops, Book launches, and Visual Art Exhibits / Pre-Conference Workshop

Chair

• Adnan Turan, Arizona State University

Workshop Organizer

• Adnan Turan, Arizona State University

Presenting author

• Adnan Turan, Arizona State University