Association québécoise pour l’enseignement en univers social (AQEUS) 2024 Annual Conference – Montréal
On November 7 and 8 2024, members of the Association québécoise pour l’enseignement en univers social gathered for AQEUS’ annual conference under the theme “US: Our society, our origins and our future.” The event, which took place in Montréal, brought together close to 200 people from the world of education, as well as some twenty online participants. All were able to benefit from a rich program of lectures and workshops.
The event kicked off on the evening of November 6 with a cocktail featuring the launch of the latest issue of Enjeux de l’univers social, and an exhibition of key works associated with the Rebellions of 1837-1838. Professor Luc Guay, the man behind the exhibition, spoke to the participants about the pieces, some of which are little-known sources illustrating a slice of history. After a good night’s sleep, author Bryan Perro took over to connect past and present with a lecture on the importance of following one’s passions. He spoke of his own passion for mythology, and invited us to discover the world today through the lens of ancient beliefs, while humorously recalling his journey through the world of literature.
The last major lecture of the conference was given by Jean-Herman Guay, who reflected on the future in the light of the results of the American elections held on November 5. To further their pedagogical development, participants were also able to choose five workshops from a selection of nearly forty, covering resources, teaching approaches, inspiring projects and more. Two excursions were also offered to those who wanted to learn through exploration. These included a walk in the footsteps of the Patriotes in Old Saint-Eustache and a visit to the Beauharnois hydroelectric power station. Numerous exhibitors were also on hand to meet and greet participants at their booths, where it was possible to discover a wealth of relevant resources for social sciences education. Of course, the Social Studies Educators Network of Canada was also present, distributing its resources and those of its partners at the reception table. We’re delighted with the experience, and it goes without saying that the SSENC will be present at the next edition of the AQEUS conference, which will take place on December 4 and 5, 2025, in Rivière-du-Loup. Jot down these dates and keep an eye on the AQEUS’ spring and summer publications to join us.
