Education In Greece Research Articles

Social Work in The Greek Schools: A Review of Policy Texts

Social work is an applied science that finds application in a multitude of fields, health, education, social protection, protection of the elderly, addiction, human rights, etc. Specifically, in the field of education both in America and in European countries, the social worker has an active presence in schools in various forms. This article will analyze the evolution of the role of the social worker in education in Greece through the study of the legislative framework from 1975 to 2018.

Clinical Virology research and medical education in Greece: An interview with Demetrios A. Spandidos, Professor of Clinical Virology at the University of Crete in Greece.

Professor Demetrios A. Spandidos, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Virology at the University of Crete School of Medicine in Crete, Greece, is a pioneer in world research in Virology, Oncology and medical education. He has been the first Professor of Clinical Virology at the University of Crete School of Medicine, the only School of Medicine with a separate Department of Clinical Virology in Greece. According to Professor Spandidos, the understanding of the interactions of viruses with human host cells is what enables the development of new vaccines and new therapies against a wide range of diseases in humans, including cancer. Over the past two decades, the expansion of new knowledge, treatments, prevention and management options and the emerging needs on neonatal and paediatric viral infections have made the role of future paediatric virologists more than necessary. For this reason, he strongly believes that Paediatric Virology should be recognized as a new paediatric subspecialty. Professor Spandidos declares that medical education is a continuous sequence from undergraduate to postgraduate/specialty/subspecialty medical training and continuing learning. He also supports the concept that the future of medical education represents the future of Medicine.

Using Podcasts to Change Learners’ Attitudes and Beliefs in Learning / Teaching English as a Second Language: A Case Study in Secondary Education in Greece

The main objective of this study is to explore how podcasting can be implemented in teaching English as a Second Language as a supportive technological tool and thus contribute to the development of positive attitudes and beliefs of the learners. To this aim, the field experiment research was conducted. The study was carried out with a total of 28 pupils of the first grade of high school at an educational institution on Rhodes, Greece in February 2018. The students were assigned to the experimental group (15 students) and the control group (13 students). The results of the research have shown a positive change in students‟ attitudes and beliefs, though no statistically significant difference has arisen regarding the students‟ interest in the course, their self-confidence in English, the role of gender in learning English, and the difficulties students come across when studying English. Similarly, no significant change has occurred regarding the usefulness of English, the importance of the English accent, and the knowledge of another foreign language as a contributing factor to learning English more easily. Finally, a negative change was found regarding difficulties in oral communication in English.

Public mission under scarcity: Behavioral insights into Greek higher education

Relying upon the heuristic presuppositions of behavioral economics, this study seeks to offer an expanded analysis of the public mission mandate of the Greek higher education sector. The examination outlines and parses qualitative evidence issued from the Greek Ministry of Education, and in particular from the hitherto untranslated document A Strategy for Higher Education in Greece: 2016–2020, in conjunction with a growing body of scholarship on the challenges of cultivating public trust in the Greek social landscape. The discussion negotiates the position of the Greek higher education system as a system of sustainable social prosperity and argues that its operational conditions of financial scarcity may entail broader and inadvertent ramifications, namely, the depletion of cognitive resources and the propagation of narrow mental frames in the pursuit of a public mission.

Inequality in Higher Education in Greece: Through an Era of Crisis

The present study explores factors and conditions that make the process of learning difficult and at times problematic for students in the University, through a period of crisis. The survey was conducted at the Department of Primary Education of the University of Ioannina. First-semester students were given a questionnaire, in order to explore their views concerning the factors that inhibit learning in the University. To collect the survey data, an anonymous questionnaire was used that included 44 open and closed-ended questions. There are six sections on the reasons concerning the difficulty of learning: A. Personal Issues B. Multiplicity of Roles C. Issues of Conditions and Learning Environment D. Issues related to the lessons and the classroom. E. Issues relating to teachers F. Quality of teaching and Frequency of attendance. The findings of the survey showed important evidence regarding the conditions that impede students' learning and attendance, highlighting important issues as: learning environment, classrooms, distance from/to the University, and the financial poverty of the students themselves which affects their daily routine. It is primarily noted that at the time of the crisis we are facing the under-funding of HEIs and this has caused problems. Therefore, the underprivileged and full of disadvantages area of the universities implies poor academic preparation, but also an "unfamiliar" and inappropriate environment of the Institution, which is unable to respond effectively to the needs of students, who are already under financial pressure from their families. These conditions may lead to the well-known situation of students who are "lingering" and probably never acquire their degree, as has been proved by other researchers (The Widening Gap in Higher Education, 1996).

State and Universities in Greece (1974-2018): From the Demand for Democratization to the Constellation of Neoliberalism

This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the current developments in higher education in Greece. Towards this direction, it offers a historicized overview of the relation between the state and higher education in Greece over the last forty years by situating it within a broader context, that is, by taking into consideration both students’ protests from below and the wider global transformations from above. In order to conceptualize the historicity of these dynamics, we propose a periodization in three temporally discrete, though dialectically interlinked, phases as we set to explain the substantial penetration, through specific policies, of neoliberalism in the Greek university after 2008, a project that until that time had not been successful.

A critical consideration of the changing conditions of schooling for students with disabilities in Greece and the fragility of international in local contexts

ABSTRACTThe Salamanca Statement is held as a high-water mark in the history of the global development of inclusive education. It represented agreements bringing together representatives from 92 governments and 25 international organisations to advocate for a more inclusive education for students with disabilities. Since 1994 the Salamanca Statement has been referred to by international education organisations, national education jurisdictions, and disability advocacy organisations as a foundation for progressing inclusive education. In this respect the Salamanca Statement has been important for the inclusive education and Education for All [UNESCO 1998. From Special Needs Education to Education for All: Discussion Paper for the International Consultative Forum on Education for All. Paris: UNESCO] movements. However, international agreements and conventions are fragile in the face of local contingencies and become difficult to apply. We examine the case of inclusive education in Greece to reflect on this complex relationship between international aspirations and the real politic of individual nation states. Greece, like other nations, has embraced the discourse of inclusive education and its successive governments can demonstrate policy activity and public expenditure on the education of disabled students. This is remarkable in a climate of ‘crisis’ and ‘austerity’ where the only investment in the teaching workforce is in the area of inclusive education. However, is Greek education more inclusive in practice as well as rhetoric?

Організація та управління системою освіти у Грецькій республіці

У статті здійснено аналіз сучасного стану організації та управління системою освіти у Грецькій Республіці. Встановлено, що грецька система освіти залишається досить централізованою системою, оскільки основні компетенції щодо освітньої політики та управління централізовані під відповідальністю Міністра освіти, досліджень та релігій. Проаналізовано основні напрями освітньої політики Греції. Висвітлено найважливіші питання щодо організації і управління в галузі освіти на різних її ланках та науки у Греції. Розкрито зміст професійної підготовки, зокрема, педагогічної, та навчання дорослих у Греції. Система вищої освіти Греції виключно державної форми власності та децентралізована. З’ясовано, що призначення та працевлаштування учителів грунтуються виключно на рейтингових списках. Враховуються також академічні кваліфікації, соціальні критерії та фактична попередня педагогічна служба.

Regional disparities in access to higher education in Greece

This study examines the geographical dimension of access to higher education in Greece by mapping spatial disparities in the distribution of vathmos prosvasis, the decisive score for being accepted in one of the country’s tertiary education departments. Influenced by the ‘spatial turn’ in the humanities and the social sciences, this paper takes a geographical approach. Spatial autocorrelation indices (Moran’s I) show that examinees from mountainous settlements, insular areas, and inner city neighbourhoods are much less likely to achieve a score that would allow them to enter one of the country’s higher educational institutions. The authors use the ‘oval’ metaphor in order to describe these differences. A number of explanatory variables at school catchment area level reduce the variation in vathmos prosvasis, but no conclusions can be made with regards to casual relationships between school neighbourhood characteristics and individual scores. The alarmingly low scores in a specific geographical region, the so-called ‘Pomakohoria’, are discussed as an example of how access to higher education in Greece is being affected by location.

The ideas of Vygotsky in the greek preschool educational system

The preschool educational system in Greece is considered to be anessential component of public importance. Kindergarten is the first educational institution which affects the childrens’ desire to learn and to develop knowledge and skills, combining play and work. Among others, the current preschool educational program of Greece is based on Vygotsky’s ideas on child development and the proximal development zone as a key diagnostic principle of youngsters’ education in particular.In addition, kindergarten teachers’ education in Greece is also based on Vygotsky’s ideas about teachers’ training and the transition from a monothematic to an interdisciplinary approach in preschool education. This education takes place at the early childhood departments of the Universities in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs and at various conferences and seminars.

Η διαμόρφωση θρησκευτικών ταυτοτήτων σύμφωνα με τις αλλαγές του μοντέλου διδασκαλίας του μαθήματος των Θρησκευτικών στην Ελλάδα από το 2011 και μετά

There are changes in the West Europe concerning religion such as the drastic decline of organized religion, secularization, the emergence of the individualized religion, and the new age spiritualties. These trends are reflected in Religious Education models applied in Great Britain. In 2011, the introduction of these models in the religious education in Greece results to dissemination of new religious movements, causing problems such as religious syncretism. Discourse analysis was utilized as a research tool in order to reveal policies/ideologies connected to religious education reform in Greece.

Critical Approaches to Inclusive Education

This paper examines the evolution of the case law of Special Education in Greece from 1981 to 2018 and the challenge of integrating people with special needs into the school context. Firstly, the definitions of the concepts of disability and special education are defined. In Part 1 are presented the legal framework for the operation of integration training with the guidelines of L.4547/2018 and the UN Convention on Disabled Persons, at the end of the law and the contract respectively criticized. In conclusion, in Part 2 are discussed the theories about special treatment through comparisons and criticisms.

Internship and employability prospects: assessing student’s work readiness

Purpose Changes in the workplace have raised serious concerns about the future of work and the effectiveness of undergraduate academic programs to sufficiently prepare students for business. The purpose of this paper is to address this concern by exploring how internship employment (placement) is implicated in the young business graduates’ employability prospects. Design/methodology/approach This research explored the students’ perceptions regarding their degree of “work readiness” after completing an internship program. The concept of “work readiness” is conceptualized in terms of role clarity, ability and motivation. An institution of higher education in Greece provided the sampling frame for this research. Online survey data have been used. Findings Students who attend internship programs assessed positively all aspects of the work readiness construct. They knew what it was expected by employers from them to do at work. They were able to effectively apply basic academic skills, high-order skills and professional skills required by employers on the job and placed greater importance to the intrinsic rewards than the extrinsic ones. Research limitations/implications This is an exploratory study and is designed as a foundation for future empirical studies. Further research could examine the dimensions of the work readiness concept in other geographic contexts and validate the scale measurement with larger samples. Originality/value The integration of scattered pieces of literature on graduates’ employability through the lenses of “work readiness” is a novel theoretical approach to explore the effectiveness of internship programs on employability prospects in the Greek context.

Student Self-Assessment in Primary and Secondary Education in Greece and Internationally

<em>The present study is a review of 36 empirical studies in Primary and Secondary Education, in Greece and internationally and aims at investigating: a) the benefits of student self-assessment, b) the contribution of self-assessment to the development of students’ skills to accurately self-assess. Moreover, this study presents the factors that affect student self-assessment ability. According to the main findings, self-assessment has been investigated more in Secondary Education. Furthermore, self-assessment has positive effects mainly on performance and learning in both secondary and primary students. Self-assessment ability and the factors that influence this ability have mainly investigated on Secondary Education with clearer and more positive findings, whereas there is a lack of research in Primary Education. In Greece, it was found only one study in Secondary Education that examines the issue of self-assessment ability with positive conclusions for students. Factors that contribute to the accuracy of student self-assessment in Secondary Education are the use of a video-based modeling examples, the observation of a human model engaging in self-assessment by students, the use of scripts and the training of students in self- and peer-assessment, whereas in Primary Education the social status, training and guidance in self-assessment and the entrance examinations affect self-assessment ability. </em>

Using Podcasts to Change Learners’ Attitudes and Beliefs in Learning / Teaching English as a Second Language: A Case Study in Secondary Education in Greece

The main objective of this study is to explore how podcasting can be implemented in teaching English as a Second Language as a supportive technological tool and thus contribute to the development of positive attitudes and beliefs of the learners. To this aim, the field experiment research was conducted. The study was carried out in a total of 28 pupils of the first grade of high school at an educational institution on Rhodes, Greece in February 2018. The students were assigned into the experimental group (15 students) and the control group (13 students). The results of the research have shown a positive change in students’ attitudes and beliefs, though no statistically significant difference has arisen regarding the students’ interest in the course, their self-confidence in English, the role of gender in learning English and the difficulties students come across when studying English. Similarly, no significant change has occurred regarding the usefulness of English, the importance of the English accent and the knowledge of another foreign language as a contributing factor to learning English more easily. Finally, a negative change was found regarding difficulties in oral communication in English.

Learning with the AppInventor programming software through the use of structured educational scenarios in secondary education in Greece

The continuous technological development nowadays acts ancillary and supportively in student-centered learning, in both formal and informal education settings. Effective learning environments, such as the AppInventor software, could spark the students’ interest and allow them to develop programming skills and strengthen their algorithmic capabilities. In this paper, we present a study on the use of eight educational scenarios for the use of the AppInventor software into a secondary education lesson’s context. These scenarios were initially evaluated by secondary education informatics teachers. After that, they were implemented in two public Lyceums in Greece gathering teachers’ and students’ opinions. The results were very positive for the use of AppInventor during the teaching and learning process through the structured educational scenarios that were provided. According to the students’ and teachers’ opinions the content of these educational scenarios is presented with clarity and helps in learning the lesson’s content without being related with any previous knowledge of programming languages or environments.

Mobile Learning in Science: A Study in Secondary Education in Greece

Mobile technology can facilitate students’ learning in anytime, anywhere. Different tools can be used to support science learning, while mobile devices with internet access can facilitate students’ online investigations of simulations, video and virtual labs. However, there are few studies that reported mobile supported science activities and this topic is not covered within the Greek context. This paper presents a small scale study from Greece, with examples of mobile technology-supported learning activities in science lessons (in secondary schools). In parallel, it discusses studies on science learning with mobile technology and presents the context of mobile learning in Greece. Implications for educational policy makers, teachers and students are finally discussed.

The Contribution of Learner Self-Assessment for Improvement of Learning and Teaching Process: A Review

The present study is a literature review of 37 empirical studies from Greece and internationally of the last decade and aims at investigating the contribution of learner self-assessment to: a. enhancement of learning motivation, b. improvement of academic performance/learning, c. development of self-regulating learning and d. raise of self-esteem. According to the findings, enhancement of learning motivation as an outcome of learner self-assessment process has been identified in Greek Higher education, in Secondary education in Physics and in Primary education in English, whereas internationally has been identified in Secondary education in English and Physical education. In Greece, improvement of academic performance/learning as an outcome of learner self-assessment has been found in Higher education, in Secondary education in Physics and in Primary education in English, whereas internationally at all levels of education, in almost all subjects of Secondary education and in Primary education in Language Arts, English and Mathematics. Development of self-regulating learning has been identified in Higher education in Greece and internationally, whereas in Secondary education in Geography and Geometry only internationally. Furthermore, raise of student’s self-esteem as an outcome of self-assessment has been found internationally, in Secondary education in Religious education and in Greek Primary education in English language learning. Moreover, self-assessment process has also been examined internationally in non-formal education where English is taught as a second language with positive outcomes in performance/learning. Finally, self-assessment is implemented through various practices and tools such as rubrics, checklist, scripts, think boards, reflective journals, mind maps and in combination with learning or teaching models.

An Approach of Shadow Education in Greece: Sociological Perspectives

An Approach of Shadow Education in Greece: Sociological Perspectives

Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge about palliative care and attitudes towards end-of-life care: A three-cohort, cross-sectional survey

BackgroundEnsuring adequate knowledge about palliative care and positive attitudes towards death and dying are crucial educational aspects when preparing undergraduate nursing students to respond effectively to the complexities of care for people affected by a progressive, life-limiting illness. In undergraduate nursing education in Greece, the level of students' attained knowledge and developed attitudes towards palliative and end-of-life care remain unknown. PurposeTo investigate undergraduate nursing students' knowledge about palliative care and attitudes towards death and end-of-life care, and explore demographic and academic factors as potential moderators of student knowledge and attitudes. MethodsWe conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey. We recruited 2nd, 3rd and 4th year undergraduate nursing students from the country's two University Faculties. Participants completed a demographic form, the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN), and the Frommelt Attitudes Towards Care of the Dying (FATCOD) questionnaire. ResultsThe final sample was 529 students (response rate = 87.6%). Mean total PCQN scores revealed low levels of knowledge. Knowledge about pain/symptom management and psychosocial/spiritual care was insufficient. Mean total FATCOD scores indicated positive, liberal and supportive attitudes towards end-of-life care, with 60% of respondents keen to care for a dying person and their family. We noted less positive attitudes mainly in relation to student comfort with the care of a dying person and his/her imminent death. Academic parameters (year of study) and student demographic characteristics (older age) were the most significant moderators of both knowledge and attitudes. Greater knowledge about palliative care was a relatively weak, yet significant, predictor of more liberal attitudes towards care of the dying. ConclusionOur findings suggest that structured courses in palliative care can be a core part of undergraduate nursing education. Specific attention could be given to such areas patient-health professional communication, misconceptions and biases towards death and dying, and comfort in caring for the dying in order to prepare student nurses to psychologically deal with the sensitive and challenging process of death and dying.