Supervisors info:
Κωνσταντίνα Τσώλη, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης, Ε.Κ.Π.Α
Κωνσταντίνος Μαλαφάντης, Καθηγητής, Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης, Ε.Κ.Π.Α
Θωμάς Μπαμπάλης, Καθηγητής, Παιδαγωγικό Τμήμα Δημοτικής Εκπαίδευσης, Ε.Κ.Π.Α
Summary:
The investment in an educational system that supports the development of a wide range of student skills, is a requirement of the modern society, as concerns both the European and National standards. In the light of this fact, the innovative lesson called “Skill Labs” was introduced in the school curriculum of both Elementary and Secondary schools, during the current school year (2021-2022). These workshops aim at students to develop simple everyday skills, life skills as well as technology and science ones. The detailed curriculum of studies of this lesson, defines its realization through clear educational activities, together with the use of alternative methodology processes and approaches.
A survey on the relevant bibliography has shown that very little research has been made into the piloting application of “Skill Labs”, which was introduced in certain school units during the previous school year and also there is more ongoing research for this years’ evaluation. This research meets the need for examining the teachers’ familiarity on the teaching methods suggested in the school curriculum, as being the basic prerequisite for the effective materialization of the lesson.
This research is based on a quantitative scale method, occupied 110 teachers of various specialties who work in the Regional Directorate for Primary & Secondary Education of Attica. An analysis on the research findings, confirmed the familiarization of teachers with alternative teaching methods such as “Experiential”, ‘Cooperative” and “Personalized”. The majority of teachers, though, do not simultaneously seem to take full advantage of these teaching methods in class. This is mainly due to the fact that teachers lack scientific and pedagogical training as well as teaching experience.
Also according to the research results, the thematic unit “I am interested and I Act” which comprises Human Rights, Respect towards each other, and Diversity Acceptance, mostly met the students’ preferences. Furthermore, the research finds that the effectiveness of the lesson is in connection with various factors, the most important being the learning readiness, the adequate teaching time and the proper classroom infrastructure at schools.
All in all, the conclusions drawn from the research, point out the need for continuous support towards teachers providing them with educational seminars which will enhance their teaching efficiency, and their flexibility on using teaching methods, which are presupposed by modern evolutions in education. The teachers who participated in the survey would rather they attended the training seminars within their daily working schedule, in the school premises, while they suggest the experiential teaching methods be evaluated during the training.
Keywords:
Teaching Methodology, Skill Labs, Elementary education, Experiential learning
