Greek Educational System Research Articles

“The Teacher is not a Magician”: Teacher Training in Greek Reception Facilities for Refugee Education

Greek Reception Facilities for Refugee Education (RFREs) operated for the first time in Greece during the school year 2016-2017, as a result of the need of refugee children to participate in formal education either in the refugee reception centers or in school units, with the purpose of their educational integration. The aim of this study is to examine the process and criteria with which teachers in RFREs were chosen and the training they received. The research participants were seven teachers and one Refugee Education Coordinator (REC) in the cities of Volos and Larisa, Greece. Through semi-structured interviews, the participants expressed the challenges they faced which resulted from receiving insufficient training in teaching refugee children. Based on the study findings, it can be concluded that the lack of training of teachers working in RFREs causes multiple problems, which impede educational procedures. It was found that the teachers were not able to successfully approach their refugee students so as to create the prerequisites for the children to be smoothly integrated into the Greek educational system. Lack of skills for students’ psychological support and communication difficulties due to lack of a language of mediation also causes many issues which obstruct the educational process.

Educational leadership roles for the development of learning organizations: Seeking scope in the Greek context

ABSTRACTNowadays, in this rapidly changing environment, organizational learning constitutes a critical component toward school effectiveness. In a transitional period, the Greek nation is going through, as a consequence of a multifaceted and multi-layered crisis, the future of Greece’s well-being depends on improving educational performance to boost productivity and improve social outcomes. Greek schools operate mostly in a traditional way which inhibits change, development and progress. In addition, the Greek educational system is one of the most centralized educational systems in Europe with central government exercising close control on the inputs into the system. However, educational improvement depends heavily on school principals’ actions to play a facilitating role and empower teachers and schools to learn continuously and improve their quality. Since 2011, the Greek Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs (MofERRA) enacted several reforms which focus on an incipient culture of accountability, more autonomy and innovation, as well as, use of data to support improvement. School principals should build on this progress already made towards greater school and teacher autonomy and improvement; adopt an integrated leadership role; develop an internal educational policy in their schools which would allow them to activate specific mechanisms of continuous professional development; and thereby transform Greek schools into SLOs.

The Role of the Director of Educational Units and the Participation of the Teachers' Association in the Decision-making Process. An Overview of the Greek’s Education System

The present paper examines the concept of leadership, the types of leadership and especially the role that the Director plays regarding decision making in the Greek education system. It reviews the literature on the Greek case and through the negotiation and commentary of a specific example from the daily routine of the Greek school, demonstrates how important it is for the Director tooperate democratically and use the presence of the Teachers' Association for the benefit of the school.

Assessment of Mathematics Difficulties for Second and Third Graders: Cognitive and Psychological Parameters.

Mathematical achievement during the first years of primary school seems to be a reliable predictor of students’ later performance. In addition, cognitive, metacognitive, and psychological parameters are considered to be factors related to mathematical achievement. However, in the Greek educational system, there is a shortage of valid and reliable tools for the assessment of mathematics difficulties and as a consequence, identification of children with these difficulties does not take place before the last years of primary school. This study aims to investigate the relationship between working memory, sustained attention, executive functions, and math anxiety with mathematical achievement in 2nd and 3rd graders. The design of the study was based on the parameters of mathematics difficulties, as they arise from the literature review. Ninety-one Year 2 and Year 3 primary school students (mean age 8.06 years) from three public schools situated in Attica, Greece participated in the study. The students completed three different scales including educational, cognitive, and psychological tasks. Results showed that mathematical skills were significantly correlated with sustained attention, inductive reasoning, math anxiety, and working memory. Moreover, mental arithmetic ability, sustained attention, and working memory predicted mathematical achievement of second and third graders. The study’s outcomes verify that sustained attention, inductive reasoning, working memory, and math anxiety are correlated with young students’ mathematical performance. The implications of the results for the development of an assessment tool for early detection of mathematics difficulties will be discussed.

Landscape Notions among Greek Engineering Students: Exploring Landscape Perceptions, Knowledge and Participation

The objective of this paper is to explore and critically analyze the basic notions of landscape and their change through time, among Greek engineering students, from all academically formative years of their undergraduate studies, at the Technical University of Crete. Specifically, it probes into their perspectives vis-à-vis the landscape at large and their everyday-life landscapes in particular, regarding their landscape perceptions, behavior, and education. This study takes place in two stages (2012 and 2017) and is placed in the context of continued scientific investigation into the interrelationships of various “publics” with various types of landscapes and landscape development ideas, perceptions, and preferences—and specifically those professionals-in-the-making who are bound to become key future agents in Greek landscape stewardship. Our aims serve the European Landscape Convention’s purposes of landscape research, education, and awareness-raising; they also cater to the need for geographically targeted place-specific application of the European Landscape Convention (ELC). Our findings reaffirm widely and long-held landscape notions, emphasizing the natural, the visual, and the aesthetic in landscape perception and conceptualization, but also point to landscape education deficiencies in the Greek educational system. These constitute significant findings in the context of the country’s efforts to lay out the blueprints for its future landscapes, by contributing to Greek lay landscape awareness and conscience building, but especially by informing future landscape-related professionals.

The Introduction of the Flexible Zone Programs in the Greek Educational System: Teachers’ Perspectives

The present paper aims at presenting the introduction of the Flexible Zone program in the context of the Greek Educational system, an innovative, modern teaching program. More specifically, Greek teachers’ views on the implementation process, the legislative framework, and the roles of the school head teacher and the school counselor, as well as the difficulties tackled regarding the Flexible Zone programs are thoroughly explored through this study. In order to investigate and better interpret the findings, quantitative research was adopted with questionnaires from 135 teachers having been collected, numbered, coded, and analyzed. Topics such as the importance of in-school seminars and training sessions related to Flexible Zone programs, the significance of the head teacher, school counselor, and the school activities supervisor’s contribution, the development of the school equipment and infrastructure, as well as the overall cooperation have emerged from the findings. The present study can offer valuable insights regarding the innovative program of Flexible Zone to the international academic community and policy makers.

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.

The Implementation of CLIL Method in the Greek Educational System: The Case of its Impact on the Linguistic Competence of 5th and 6th Graders.

The Implementation of CLIL Method in the Greek Educational System: The Case of its Impact on the Linguistic Competence of 5th and 6th Graders.

Teachers’ beliefs about multilingual pedagogies and the role of initial training

ABSTRACTTeacher training programmes have often ignored the new multilingual paradigm and, consequently, educators may hold some misconceptions about how additional languages are learnt and should be taught in multilingual contexts. A number of recent studies have investigated language teachers’ beliefs regarding multilingual education [Arocena-Egaña, E., Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2015). Teachers’ beliefs in multilingual education in the Basque country and in Friesland. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 3(2), 169–193; De Angelis, G. (2011). Teachers’ beliefs about the role of prior language knowledge in learning and how these influence teaching practices. International Journal of Multilingualism, 8(3), 216–234; Griva, E., & Chostelidou, D. (2012). Multilingual competence development in the Greek educational system: FL teachers’ beliefs and attitudes. International Journal of Multilingualism, 9(3), 257–271; Haukås, Å. (2016). Teacher’s beliefs about multilingualism and a multilingual pedagogical approach. International Journal of Multilingualism, 13(1), 1–18; Mitits, L. (2018). Multilingual students in Greek school: teachers’ views and teaching practices. Journal of education and e-learning research, 5(1), 28–36. Otwinowska, A. (2014). Does multilingualism influence plurilingual awareness of Polish teachers of English? International Journal of Multilingualism, 11(1), 97–119]. Unlike this extant literature, the current paper focuses not on language teachers, but on a sample of 121 subject teachers-to-be. More specifically, it aims to explore preschool and primary prospective teachers’ beliefs about the learning and teaching of English as an L3 in the Valencian Community. The main data collection tool was a questionnaire, partially based on [Griva, E., & Chostelidou, D. (2012). Multilingual competence development in the Greek educational system: FL teachers’ beliefs and attitudes. International Journal of Multilingualism, 9(3), 257–271] semi-structured interviews. This questionnaire was implemented as a pretest and as a posttest in order to analyse the effect of instruction for multilingual education on subject teachers’ beliefs. Results point to the effectiveness of initial teacher training on tertiary/additional language teaching. However, they also confirm the persistence of some monolingual views concerning key issues, such as the younger-the better myth, as already highlighted in previous studies conducted in similar multilingual contexts (see Arocena-Egaña, E., Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2015). Teachers’ beliefs in multilingual education in the Basque country and in Friesland. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 3(2), 169–193].

GEOSCIENCES IN THE CURICULLA AND STUDENTS BOOKS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

Geology does not exist, from 1997, as an independent discipline in greek secondary education. Geological subjects included in curriculum of "Geology-Geography" lesson in 1s t and 2n d grades of Junior High School as well geological issues included in optional lessons in 2n d grade of Lyceum "Issues of Environmental studies" and "Natural resources management". There are three ways to introduce geosciences in Greek educational system: a)Through "Geology- geography" lesson and cross-thematic projects that suggested from cross-thematic curriculum and «Flexible zone» in Junior High School, b)Through optional lessons in 2n d grade of Lyceum "Issues of Environmental studies" and "Natural resources management", and c)Through Environmental education projects in Junior High School and Lyceum.

Investigating the Conditions of Utilizing Web Technology in Educational Project Management

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Web 2.0 technology and especially Wikis could be the appropriate environment for students and teachers to use for educational project management. The conditions under which both teachers and students would be more easily motivated to adopt the use of Wikis were also detected in the case of the Greek educational system. This research aimed at recording limitations or certain suggestions that teachers or students noted and also if there was a way to overcome possible disadvantages. The fact that this study presents specific findings from the combination of interviews of both students and teachers makes it interesting and significant, since it examines the expectations and the possible speculations of both sides.

The introduction of non-verbal communication in Greek education: a literature review

Introduction. The introductory part of this paper underlines the research interest of the educational community in the issue of non-verbal communication in education. The question for the introduction of this scientific field in Greek education enter within the context of this research which include many aspects.Method. The paper essentially refers to the methodological problems that arise in the research field of nonverbal communication in education, as they have been recorded at international level. Regarding the investigation of the introduction of non-verbal communication in the Greek educational system, a literature review in all relevant Greek published books, articles, conference proceedings and dissertations has been conducted, following the method of content analysis.Results. The content analysis revealed that in Greece, during the last two decades, only a few books have been published focusing on some research aspects of nonverbal communication in education. Many articles in journals and conference proceedings and just four doctoral theses have been published too.Conclusion. The research on non-verbal communication in Greek education is still at an early stage and thus, needs great reinforcement because the specificity of non-verbal communication as a pedagogical strategy. The interest of Greek Ministry of Education seems to have a small but positive effect due to the introduction of some issues for the development of non-verbal communication skills in modern textbooks and manuals for teachers. In spite of this, the future of introduction of non-verbal communication in the Greek education could become promising by making more and more specialized research focusing on teachers' efforts to develop and implement programs for improving non-verbal communicative behavior in school environment.

Policies, Practices, and Attitudes toward Inclusive Education: The Case of Greece

Inclusive education is now firmly established as the main educational policy for children with special educational needs and disabilities, which emerges as the mean of creating an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided. However, there are concerns expressed on the effect of such a change in the educational system and on how possible it is to make this a reality. The concerns and objections of educators toward inclusion are mainly based on the diversity of learning disabilities, the learning outcomes that could be generated by applying this practice, and the lack of confidence of teachers to teach in an inclusive environment. In this study, we examine teachers’ attitudes toward inclusive education, while at the same time, we analyze current inclusive policies and practices in the Greek educational system. Results revealed that teachers have generally positive attitudes toward inclusion. However, they indicated some issues and barriers to the implementation of inclusion. We consider that policy-makers in Greece should target educator training and increase funding for education.

«Κουλαντρίζοντας τις διαλέκτους στο σχολειό»: Η κρητική διάλεκτος ως εργαλείο γλωσσικής διδασκαλίας στην πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση

Aim of the present study is to revise the existing literature on the role and value of dialects in the Greek educational system as well as to present a study on the attitudes of preschool teachers regarding dialectal learning and teaching. Emphasis is placed on the dialectal variants of western Crete. We are interested in the dialect of Crete because it has a great number of speakers in Greece, it is characterized by a medium deviance from standard Greek and is spoken by different age groups (Παπαναστασίου 2015). The study, first, investigates the degree to which the Cretan dialect is spoken in preschool classes, second, tests the factors which determine dialectal use, third, raises preschool teachers’ attitudes regarding the dynamics of the Cretan dialect, and, fourth, reports on teachers’ language teaching practices. The data are qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed in order to capture various aspects of teacher’s attitudes. One of the major findings is that teachers acknowledge the importance of dialectal learning and teaching, however, they are deeply skeptical about the extent to which dialectal teaching can be incorporated in the Greek curriculum and the forms dialectal teaching may take.

PERSUASION: THE POWER OF PERSUASION AS A TEACHING TOOL FOR LEARNING GREEK AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

In our study, we examine the compelling reason and the ancient Greek tradition as method of argumentation as this was born and cultivated in the Rhetoric art at the 5th to 4th century BC. We implement the implications of its use in the teaching and learning of Greek as a second or foreign language in everyday life and at school. The most important orators including Demosthenes, Lysias, Aeschinus and Isocrates are our examples for creating teaching tools for our teaching suggestions. Aristotle as a philosopher, teacher and orator inspired scholars from around the world and he is also included in this suggestion. Especially, on the occasion of the year in honor of Aristotle in 2016, we refer to an example inspired from his work for our didactics in Greek language applications. Today, the Greek educational system includes argumentation and the Rhetoric art as part of its curriculum in primary and secondary education. The aim and idea is to teach students how to think, to ponder, to justify and document their views, to argue and learn a foreign language with the help of teachers who are scientifically trained for this role. This article aims to highlight the value of persuasion and the power that is why not only the justification and documentation but a view and use arguments with which to convince his interlocutor in the teaching of Greek as a second or foreign language. Article visualizations:

Preparing teachers for the use of digital technologies in their teaching practice

Greece these last 15 years has developed and implemented a large-scale system for the integration of digital technologies in education and more specifically in the teaching practice. "Large-scale" means that the whole program concerns all Greek education system. A very important part of this nationwide project is the training of teachers program that involves practically all Greek teachers - so far more than 120,000 teachers have been involved and soon they will be involved all of them (approximately 150.000). In this paper we present a summary of this plan. The monitoring of this project at national level, almost from its very beginning, gave to us the opportunity of collecting a large volume of raw information and data of both quantitative and qualitative nature.

The Greek Education System and Implications for the Turkish Education System

The purpose of the current study is to make a detailed introduction to the Greek education system and to compare it with the Turkish education system to come up with some implications for the latter. To this end, the literature was reviewed. A general introduction was made to Greece and its education system was examined considering its goals, structure and process dimensions. Similar and different aspects of the Greek and Turkish education system were discussed and various suggestions were developed. The Greek and Turkish education systems have many similarities such as having a centralized structure, students’ obligation to take a general exam to get a place at university, provision of the primary and secondary education by the state. On the other hand, these two systems differ from each in many respects such as conception of secular education, duration of compulsory education, financing of higher education, administrative structure of schools, prevalence of evening classes, appointment of principals and inspection of schools. As a result of the comparison of these two education systems, in short it can be said that: If teachers’ opinions are taken into consideration in the appointment of school principals, greater importance is attached to self-assessment, development-oriented inspection is put into effect and inspectors are obliged to have a master’s degree to be an inspector in Turkey, then some important contributions can be made to the development of the Turkish education system.

Izobrazba kot pot do najvišjih moralnih vrednot: Plutarhov pogled na vzgojo in izobraževanje

Prispevek skozi vsebino treh Plutarhovih spisov (O vzgoji otrok, Kako mora mladenič poslušati pesnike in O poslušanju) predstavlja Plutarhov pogled na vzgojo in izobraževanje. Po Plutarhovem mnenju je bil grški sistem vzgoje in izobraževanja osnova za ohranitev grškega prvenstva pred drugimi ljudstvi v času, ko je bil grški svet podrejen rimski nadoblasti. Čeprav je bil Plutarh rimskim oblastem naklonjen, lahko na osnovi njegovih spisov, posvečenih vzgoji in izobraževanju, sklepamo, da je njegovo naklonjenost v veliki meri pogojevala možnost, da grška elita tudi v okviru rimske države še naprej živi v skladu s principi, ki jih postavlja grška paideía.

THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS OF GREECE AND GERMANY IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE: HOW DO THEY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY?

The aim of this article is to present an overview and a comparison of the Greek and German educational systems from an educational and sociological perspective. It purports to provide a synopsis of the educational systems pointing to areas of convergence and divergence. It especially emphasizes on two aspects of educational policy: tracking or ability grouping and the teaching of foreign languages. The choice of these features was determined by the fact that they are linked to the issue of equality of educational opportunities and participation in globalized knowledge societies. The article is organized in the following way. First, it presents the educational system in Germany. This is followed by a description of the Greek educational system. Finally, we present a comparison of the educational systems in these two countries, pointing to areas of convergence and divergence and focusing on the potential of the educational systems to address the issue of educational equality. Article visualizations:

Dance therapy and the public school: The development of social and emotional skills of high school students in Greece

The article stresses the significance of dance therapy in the school environment. It is based on a research conducted in two Greek public schools, although dance therapy is not yet used in the Greek education system. However, the revised school curriculum gives the opportunity for dance therapy practice. The aim of the research was to ascertain whether dance therapy could contribute to the development of the students’ social and emotional skills. The 23 participants were 16–17 years old and were divided in groups: the experimental group which consisted of 11 students and the control group which consisted of 12. Data showed that dance therapy practice enables students to develop their potential and overcome their personal difficulties. The research, both quantitative and qualitative, was conducted with the permission of the Ministry of Education, Research, and Religious Affairs, while both the students and their parents also gave their consent.