Greek School Teachers Research Articles

The structure of teachers’ beliefs when they plan to visit a museum with their class

This study explores the structure of teachers’ beliefs regarding the planning of a museum visit with their class. We developed and administered the “Visit a Museum” (ViMu) questionnaire to 754 pre- and in-service Greek school teachers to examine teachers’ beliefs based on three dimensions: the cognitive, the affective, and the cultivation of positive attitudes towards museums. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that teachers’ beliefs are structured across the three uncorrelated dimensions tapping into the same factor that expresses their unity. This structure underlies teachers’ beliefs regardless of whether they are pre- or in-service. Implications for teachers’ education and professional learning are discussed.

Teachers' intercultural sensitivity in Greek public schools

This paper explores the intercultural sensitivity of primary school teachers and therefore their ability to communicate effectively in multicultural contexts. A survey of 148 Greek school teachers was conducted applying the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale of Chen and Starosta. Participants drawn from four Geographical prefectures. Analysis of research data revealed a very satisfactory degree of intercultural sensitivity, with participants achieving a total score of 98.6 out of 120. All five factors of the scale, namely “Interaction Engagement”, “Respect for Cultural Differences”, “Interaction Confidence”, “Interaction Enjoyment” and “Interaction Attentiveness”, revealed high scores but with some mean variations.

SCHOOL TEACHERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN GREECE

The aim of the present study was to examine the attitudes of Greek school teachers on the inclusion of students with special educational needs as well as the factors that may influence their attitudes (positive or negative). The sample of the survey consists of 120 (48 male and 72 female teachers) school teachers (Kindergarten and primary schools) from rural and urban areas of Northwest Greece. Research data was selected using the Greek version of ATIE scale, developed by Wilczenski (1992; 1995) and standardized in Greek by Tsakiridou & Polyzopoulou (2014). The results of the survey showed that school teachers generally are in favor of including students with SENs, although their perceptions differ significantly based on some demographic factors. Article visualizations:

Characteristics and attitudes towards smoking among Greek school teachers

Characteristics and attitudes towards smoking among Greek school teachers

The Neuroscience Literacy of Teachers in Greece

There is concern amongst neuroscientists and educators about the prevalence of neuromyths in education, which are often associated with poor or unevaluated practices in the classroom. The present study surveyed 217 primary and secondary school teachers in Greece. Analysis revealed that Greek school teachers held many misconceptions about concepts related to brain-based educational programs that have been observed elsewhere in Europe. These include believing that differences in hemispheric dominance (left brain, right brain) can help explain individual differences amongst learners, and the effectiveness of teaching to learning styles. However, international comparison with other studies also revealed some interesting differences reflecting the influence of cultural forces on teachers’ ideas about brain function. For example, teachers in Greece appear to possess a more complex construction of the mind-brain relationship than observed in the UK and Netherlands, with most considering that this relationship is mediated by the soul. A relationship was also observed between attributing educational outcomes to genetics and a belief in a biological limit to student achievement.

School teachers’ job satisfaction and personal characteristics

Purpose– The purpose of this paper (based on the relevant literature) is to: investigate, through empirical analysis, primary school teachers’ perceptions regarding their job satisfaction, and examine whether or not the personal characteristics of primary school educators (such as gender, age, family status, educational level, and the total years of service in public primary education) have any impact on their job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approach– In total, 360 questionnaires were administered to primary school teachers in the metropolitan area of Athens (region of Attiki). The sample was randomly selected. The questionnaire was based on 41 closed and was divided into two sections. The Job Satisfaction Survey developed by Spector (1985) was implemented.Findings– Greek school teachers are generally satisfied with their profession. There is no statistical correlation between personal characteristics and the overall satisfaction while indicated that teachers are more satisfied with three aspects (subscales) of job satisfaction, namely, “administration,” “colleagues” and “nature of work” and less satisfied with “salary,” “benefits” and “potential rewards.” Age correlates with the levels of satisfaction with reference to administration, potential rewards, colleagues and the nature of work. The overall satisfaction positively correlates with all nine aspects of job satisfaction (subscales) and gender affects the aspects of “promotion” and “colleagues.”Research limitations/implications– This study only analyzes a small sample from the Athens region and hence the results cannot be used to generalize about the whole of Greece. Since other Greek regions operate in different socio-economic environments, an analysis of additional data from other regions (rural and urban areas) would be necessary to compare and confirm the results.Originality/value– The findings of this study a valuable extension of other relevant research as it provides the first empirical study of the Greek school system, investigating the relationship between certain aspects of job satisfaction and the personal characteristics of school educators as well as the relationship between these aspects of job satisfaction and total satisfaction. In the context of efficient educational policy, a greater understanding of educators’ job satisfaction could facilitate the development of more effective policy practice that would increase not only the level of educators’ satisfaction, commitment and morale but also improve the performance of the school system.

‘Invisible’ bilingualism – ‘invisible’ language ideologies: Greek teachers' attitudes towards immigrant pupils' heritage languages

This paper presents data from two studies – a nationwide quantitative research and an ethnographic study – on Greek schoolteachers' attitudes towards immigrant pupils' bilingualism. The quantitative data come from a large-scale questionnaire survey, which aimed at the investigation of the needs and requirements for the implementation of a pilot programme teaching migrant languages in Greek state schools. The findings provide an updated comprehensive view on how Greek teachers perceive their pupils' bilingualism and the inclusion of their heritage languages in the state school. Complementing and enhancing the quantitative data, the analysis of four teachers' semi-structured interviews, which were conducted in the context of the ethnographic study, provides insights into their language ideologies, which underlie their language views and school practices.

A study of the Greek school teachers' moral judgment structures

The purpose of the present paper is to examine the teachers' cognitive structures through moral judgment schemas, as well as whether the above‐mentioned structures diversify among teachers, depending on education level, specialty, age, teaching experience, and gender. Moreover, another aim is to examine whether these cognitive structures can predict students' behaviors. Two hundred and fifty eight in‐service teachers (men, n = 83; women, n = 175; M age = 41.24, SD = 8.06; M experiences = 14.91, SD = 9.46), in elementary (n = 96), and intermediate education level (n = 158), participated in the study. The results revealed that the primary education teachers' moral judgment is based on the moral concepts of the maintaining norms schema, while the one of those of secondary education is rather based on the postconventional schema. Furthermore, the results of the present study revealed that age, experience, and gender do not constitute causes of diversification of moral concepts and that the personal interest schema can forecast any irresponsible behaviors on the part of the students.

The Perceptions of Greek School Teachers for the History and the Mythology as Signifiers in the School Practice

The Perceptions of Greek School Teachers for the History and the Mythology as Signifiers in the School Practice

In‐service training for teachers who work in full‐day schools. Evidence from Greece1

The purpose of this paper is to examine teachers perceptions of the effectiveness of training for teachers who work in ‘full‐day’ schools in the professional development of teachers and the implications for education policy. Through an empirical investigation this paper points out that recent education reforms regarding in‐service teacher training cannot be considered as the most important positive influence on teachers' progression and consequently on meeting the learning needs of pupils in full‐day schools. The lack of encouragement and motivation offered by the Greek school administration is linked to the unwillingness of Greek school teachers to participate in in‐service training. As a result of the latter, there are teachers in full‐day schools offering extra curricula activity who are without the appropriate knowledge and the skill of reflection, teachers who have not developed the qualifications to teach effectively. Thus, it is evident that teacher in‐service training in Greece needs careful recon...

Reproducibility and relative validity of an extensive semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire using dietary records and biochemical markers among Greek schoolteachers.

We evaluated the reproducibility and relative validity of a 190-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to be used in a large prospective study in the Athens area of Greece. In all, 42 men and 38 women, aged 25-67 years, completed two self-administered semi-quantitative FFQ spaced approximately 1 year apart. Within this 1-year interval, participants visited the study centre monthly and completed an interviewer-administered 24-hour diet recall questionnaire. We also collected two venous blood and three 24-hour urine samples from participants at randomly selected periods during the year between the two administrations of the dietary questionnaire. Mean values for intake of most nutrients assessed by the two FFQ were in good agreement while those assessed by the two different dietary methods were reasonably similar for most nutrients. Intraclass correlation coefficients for energy-adjusted nutrient intakes assessed by questionnaires one year apart averaged 0.57 (range 0.24-0.75) and were not substantially different between genders. Correlation coefficients between the energy-adjusted nutrients measured by repeated 24-hour recalls and the semi-quantitative FFQ ranged from 0.25 for beta-carotene and polyunsaturated fats to > 0.50 for saturated fats, cis-linoleic acid, calcium and phosphorus (average: 0.46 for men and 0.39 for women). Reliability and relative validity were very high for alcohol intake. Dietary intakes from the FFQ were significantly correlated to plasma levels of vitamin C, but not beta-carotene or cholesterol. Dietary protein intake assessed by both FFQ was correlated (0.36, 0.30) with average urinary nitrogen excretion levels from three 24-hour urine samples. These data indicate that the semi-quantitative FFQ is reproducible and provides a reasonably reliable measure of intake. Significant correlations between diet and an independent biochemical marker further corroborate the relative validity of our questionnaire in this Greek population.