Papers by Vassilis Tsafos
Aspects of the professional identity of preschool teachers in Greece: investigating the role of teacher education and professional experience
In this paper, we present the results of a research programme we developed to investigate the pro... more In this paper, we present the results of a research programme we developed to investigate the professional identity of preschool education teachers in Greece. Our aim was to investigate parameters affecting not only the creation but also the reform of professional identity and to highlight potential differences in terms of professional identity. Contemporary approaches to professional identity-developed since the 80s-raise issues related primarily to participatory processes, reflection, autonomy and emancipation. Teachers' professional identity is gradually developed through an ongoing process of three interrelated and complementary steps: (a) pre-service teacher education, (b) vocational integration and (c) exercise of professional duties and in-service training. We interviewed 20 teachers on their professional identity. We chose two categories of teachers based on two criteria: (a) their studies, and (b) their professional experience in the field. Tentative findings showed tha...
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Greek Language and Linguistics (EAGLL) is a unique work that brings t... more The Encyclopedia of Ancient Greek Language and Linguistics (EAGLL) is a unique work that brings together the latest research from across a range of disciplines which contribute to our knowledge of Ancient Greek. It is an indispensable research tool for scholars and students of Greek, of linguistics, and of other Indo-European languages, as well as of Biblical literature. The EAGLL o�fers a systematic and comprehensive treatment of all aspects of the history and study of Ancient Greek, comprising detailed descriptions of the language from Proto-Greek to koine. It addresses linguistic aspects from several perspectives including history, structure, individual singularities, biographical references, schools of thought, technical metalanguage , sociolinguistic issues, dialects, didactics, translation practices, generic issues, Greek in relation to other languages, etc., and on all levels of analysis including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon, semantics, stylistics, etc. It also includes all the necessary background information regarding the roots of Greek in Indo-European. As and when, excursions may be made to later stages of the language, e.g. Byzantine or even later. The focus, however, will predominantly be Ancient Greek. With well over 500 entries on all aspects of Ancient Greek, this new encyclopedia aspires to become a basic research tool and the recognized reference work on the subject.
The paper presents an alternative practice, a school based curriculum development, less standardi... more The paper presents an alternative practice, a school based curriculum development, less standardised and bureaucratic than the typical, implemented in Second Chance Schools (SCS), focusing on the different role of educators in terms of curriculum development. In this context, it will be presenting the first results of a research ongoing on the ways the educators themselves perceived and managed this new and unprecedented and unusual for them role, as curriculum developers. The educators' attitudes were recorded based on data collected by questionnaires with open-ended questions, completed by the educators of four SCSs. In the discussion part emphasis is placed on the ways the educators analyse the new educational situation as well as their attitude and the effects they believe that it has broadly in the educational process and in their educational theory.
Student-teachers as researchers: towards a professional development orientation in teacher education. Possibilities and limitations in the Greek university
Educational Action Research
ABSTRACT
Η πρακτική άσκηση στην αρχική εκπαίδευση των εκπαιδευτικών: Ερευνητικές προσεγγίσεις
The main aim of this paper is to illustrate the process through which curriculum development util... more The main aim of this paper is to illustrate the process through which curriculum development utilizing critical action research can contribute in the democratization in education. So it focuses on the potential of the interaction between teachers and students through developing cooperative and participatory practices in the context of conducting action research. All the specific examples presented in this paper are derived from the Greek educational system which is fully-controlled and highly-centralised. This choice makes the argument presented in the paper stronger: even in our times when in most western countries the neo-liberal policies in education are dominant and impose homogenisation, centralisation, austere accountability, and the disempowerment of teachers, there is still room for freedom, where teachers and students can interact, reflect and judge in the classroom, where the real curriculum can be developed. And-as we try to show in the paper-critical action research can suggest interesting processes in this prospect.
In 2003, a new curriculum was enacted in Greek preschool education, replacing the previous one of... more In 2003, a new curriculum was enacted in Greek preschool education, replacing the previous one of 1989 and following the development of new curricula for the other rungs of compulsory education. Within this context, the new curriculum development policy aimed at an equal integration of preschool education into the unified design of primary and secondary education. A basic issue in any such educational change is how teachers make sense of the new curriculum and what impact it has on their thinking and daily practice. Considering the need to better understand the relationships between curriculum and parameters that shape practice, the study examines preschool teachers' perspectives of the new early childhood curriculum and its implementation, as well as the extent to which the new curriculum has influenced preschool practices.
In this article, we try to present the scientific tendencies on the students' role in designing a... more In this article, we try to present the scientific tendencies on the students' role in designing and developing the curriculum in order to highlight the contribution of this process in the improvement of the educational practice. The article is divided into three parts. At the first part, the introduction, we give the student picture according to the interdisciplinary field of sciences of education and the subsequent role of the student in the educational process. The second part presents the alternatives perspectives and trends that emerged (students as researchers, critical pedagogy), that is the gradual path to the stage where the students realise their voice and demand their presence. The article concludes with a quote of the criticism that is mainly based in the postmodern approach and focuses on the ways student voice is created, displayed and legitimised.
Από το αμφιθέατρο στον προσφυγικό καταυλισμό: η έρευνα δράση ως μέσο ευαισθητοποίησης υποψήφιων ε... more Από το αμφιθέατρο στον προσφυγικό καταυλισμό: η έρευνα δράση ως μέσο ευαισθητοποίησης υποψήφιων εκπαιδευτικών στο προσφυγικό ζήτημα Κώστας Μάγος 23 Έρευνα-δράση, πολιτιστική και κοινωνική αειφορία. Με αφορμή μία μουσειακή έκθεση για την προσφυγιά και τη μετανάστευση Μαρία Βλαχάκη 45 Έρευνα-δράσης: Μέθοδος ή θεσμός; Κριτική θεώρηση και προοπτική στο ελληνικό συγκείμενο Γιώργος Μπαγάκης 59 Επίσημη εκπαιδευτική πολιτική, επιμορφωτικές ανάγκες των εκπαιδευτικών και δυναμική αξιοποίηση της έρευνας δράσης στην πολυπλοκότητα της εκπαιδευτικής πράξης, μέσα από το παράδειγμα της μετάβασης από το νηπιαγωγείο στο δημοτικό σχολείο Ελένη Διδάχου & Γιώργος Μπαγάκης 68 5 Γ. Εκπαιδευτικές παρεμβάσεις και επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη εκπαιδευτικών -Υπηρετώντας την προοπτική συγκρότησης επαγγελματικών κοινοτήτων μάθησης Η «χειραφέτηση» και η «αλλαγή» στην έρευνα δράσης κατά την εποχή του νεοφιλελευθερισμού: εμπειρίες και κριτικός μετα-αναστοχασμός ακαδημαϊκού ως ερευνητή και διευκολυντή και εκπαιδευτικών-ερευνητριών Κυριάκος Μπονίδης, Δώρα Αγάπογλου& Κωνσταντίνα Ηλιοπούλου 99
In this paper, we present the results of a research programme we developed to investigate the pro... more In this paper, we present the results of a research programme we developed to investigate the professional identity of preschool education teachers in Greece. Our aim was to investigate parameters affecting not only the creation but also the reform of professional identity and to highlight potential differences in terms of professional identity. Contemporary approaches to professional identity -developed since the 80s -raise issues related primarily to participatory processes, reflection, autonomy and emancipation. Teachers' professional identity is gradually developed through an ongoing process of three interrelated and complementary steps: (a) pre-service teacher education, (b) vocational integration and (c) exercise of professional duties and in-service training. We interviewed 20 teachers on their professional identity. We chose two categories of teachers based on two criteria: (a) their studies, and (b) their professional experience in the field. Tentative findings showed that professional experience was more important than studies in the construction of their professional identity. Professional identity also relates to both their professional experience and the dominant beliefs about early childhood education.
In this paper we present and discuss the action research we conducted with the main purpose to in... more In this paper we present and discuss the action research we conducted with the main purpose to investigate the proper ways to introduce action research to our student-teachers in the university so as to empower them in a lifelong professional development perspective. Although the obstacles we faced were many, it seemed possible and beneficial for our students to get involved in real action research projects in the framework of an undergraduate course. They had the chance to appreciate the theory and practice link, to investigate their implicit theory, to construct collective knowledge and to participate in reflective practices.
Το Πρόγραμμα TOCSIN: διαστάσεις και επιπτώσεις της οικονομικής κρίσης στην πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση
Διάλογοι! Θεωρία και πράξη στις επιστήμες αγωγής και εκπαίδευσης, 2016
<p class="Summary">Σύμφωνα με τη Eurostat (2014) περισσότερο από το ένα τρίτο (1/... more <p class="Summary">Σύμφωνα με τη Eurostat (2014) περισσότερο από το ένα τρίτο (1/3) του ελληνικού πληθυσμού βρίσκεται κάτω από το όριο της φτώχειας. Η παρούσα έρευνα υλοποιήθηκε στο πλαίσιο των δράσεων του προγράμματος TOCSIN (βλ. www.tocsin.uth.gr) με την υποστήριξη του Χρηματοδοτικού Μηχανισμού του ΕΟΧ (ΓΓΕΤ – ΧΜ ΕΟΧ), με στόχο τη μελέτη των απόψεων και των αναπαραστάσεων των εκπαιδευτικών σχετικά με τις συνέπειες της ολοένα αυξανόμενης οικονομικής κρίσης σε ευάλωτους πληθυσμούς της πρώιμης σχολικής και προσχολικής ηλικίας. Στην έρευνα συμμετείχαν 316 διευθυντές και προϊστάμενοι δημοτικών και νηπιαγωγείων, κυρίως από τους Νομούς Αττικής, Θεσσαλονίκης και Μαγνησίας, οι οποίοι συμπλήρωσαν ηλεκτρονικά ένα ερωτηματολόγιο ειδικά κατασκευασμένο για τους σκοπούς της έρευνας. Τα στοιχεία της έρευνας αφορούν συνολικά σε 20.155 μαθητές, 5.688 της προσχολικής εκπαίδευσης και 15.070 των τριών πρώτων τάξεων του δημοτικού. Η έρευνα έδειξε ότι αυτό που επλήγη περισσότερο είναι η συμμετοχή των παιδιών σε σχολικές δραστηριότητες, όπως οι εκδρομές και άλλες εκπαιδευτικές και ψυχαγωγικές δράσεις, ενώ οι περισσότεροι από τους μισούς εκπαιδευτικούς ανέφεραν προβλήματα στη σίτιση, ένδυση και υπόδηση των μαθητών. Η μείωση της γραφικής ύλης και των υλικών που απαιτούνται από τους μαθητές, τα προγράμματα συναισθηματικής υποστήριξης των μαθητών καθώς και η επικοινωνία-συνεργασία με άλλους φορείς, αποτελούν τις πιο συχνά επιλεγόμενες στρατηγικές από τα σχολεία για την υποστήριξη του μαθητικού πληθυσμού τους, σύμφωνα με τους εκπαιδευτικούς.</p>
Teacher and School Support Confronting Social Inequalities: Using a Digital Platform
EDULEARN16 Proceedings, 2016
Developing Inquiry and Reflection Skills in Student-Teachers: The Use of Action Research
Journal of Teaching and Teacher Education, 2013
The Reflective Perspective of Narrative in Educational Action Research
Promoting Change through Action Research, 2014
Collaborative school innovation project as a pivot for teachers' professional development: the case of Acharnes' Second Chance School in Greece
Teacher Development, 2008
A collaborative school innovation project is explored as a pivot for the professional development... more A collaborative school innovation project is explored as a pivot for the professional development of the teachers involved. The Second Chance School (SCS) of Acharnes in Greece constitutes such a collaborative innovative project, regarding the underlying theory of multiliteracies, ...
Teacher–student negotiation in an action research project
Educational Action Research, 2009
University of Athens, Greece Taylor and Francis REAC_A_391589.sgm (Received ; final version recei... more University of Athens, Greece Taylor and Francis REAC_A_391589.sgm (Received ; final version received ) 10.1080/09650790902914175 Educational Action Research 0965-0792 (print)/1747-5074 (online) Original Article 2009Taylor & Francis 172000000June 2009 ...
Developing a practice-theory model in pre-service teacher education in GreeceThe implications of action-research: A case study
Action Research, 2010
This paper deals with the use of action research in a post-graduate teacher education programme. ... more This paper deals with the use of action research in a post-graduate teacher education programme. The first part of the article presents the initial education of secondary teachers in Greece, as well as a postgraduate university programme that could be viewed as an ...
Developing a practice-theory model in pre-service teacher education in GreeceThe implications of action-research: A case study
Action Research, 2010
This paper deals with the use of action research in a post-graduate teacher education programme. ... more This paper deals with the use of action research in a post-graduate teacher education programme. The first part of the article presents the initial education of secondary teachers in Greece, as well as a postgraduate university programme that could be viewed as an ...
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Papers by Vassilis Tsafos