Open Journal for Educational Research

57-72

Authors: Daimond Dziva, Maroni Runesu Nyikahadzoyi, Dimitrios Koliopoulos & Konstantinos Ravanis

This study explored the teacher knowledge manifestation of Integrated Science (IS) teachers who have specialised in Chemistry, Biology or Physics during their pre-service teacher education. 60 experienced Integrated Science teachers responded to an ‘Integrated Science Teacher Knowledge’ questionnaire which embraced different dimensions of teacher knowledge. The results of the study indicate that the IS teachers have a common set of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are, in their professional opinion, needed and in some instances, would enable them to teach IS. The research participants had considerable knowledge as well as clear views about what it meant for them to be IS teachers. It however should be noted that there was a marked variance in the perception of the three cohorts of teachers towards teaching through Practical Work, importance of pre-service teacher education specialisation towards teaching IS and knowledge of students’ culture. This study provides contextual inputs to effective IS teacher education re-alignment informed by the IS teacher practitioners, those with the craft knowledge of the contextual environment of the IS classrooms.

89-102

Authors: Antonia Skopelitou, Panagiotis Giavrimis & Ekaterini Nikolarea

This study presents, discusses and assesses the findings of a research into All-day School (AS) and All-day Primary School (APS) institutions and the teacher’s role in them in Greece. The AS in kindergarten and primary school emphasizes the children’s process of development and learning, is flexible to shape the curriculum, prepares children for the next day’s lessons, thus pedagogically utilizing students’ free time; it helps change the pedagogical climate, develops new forms of teaching and is considered educational innovation. As far as the participants of the present research is concerned, it is made up of 22 Primary School teachers who worked in the APS in the past. The criteria for their selection were gender, years of service in Primary Education and whether they had worked in an APS. In terms of gender, the men who participated in the research were 9 and the women were 13. According to the teachers, the APS was established having the best standards. Teachers seem to support the institution and recognize the important role it can play in the students’ all-round development. However, the problems that arise are many and teachers have been trying to do their utmost with the few resources available and the absence of the State. The State must ensure that the APS will find its place in the education system and will play its social and pedagogical role.

1-18

Authors: Konstantina Gene, Konstantinos Zacharos, Konstantinos Lavidas & Gerasimos Koustourakis

his study aims to analyse the content of school Mathematics textbooks, based on whether they are cross-thematic in character, or not. In other words, it examines the connection of the mathematics content to knowledges drawn from other school subjects, something that is promoted as much by the curricula of Greek compulsory education, as by the institutional agencies of the European Union, in their attempt to formulate community education policy for the shaping of school knowledge. More specifically, in this research school mathematics textbooks from two consecutive Greek school grades, in which the pupils are between 12 and 13 years old approximately, and which are linked to the transition from primary to secondary education, are examined. The content analysis method was used for the approach to the research material. The results of this study revealed that Greek school textbooks do, to a small extent, achieve the pedagogical goal of a cross-thematic approach to knowledge, linking mathematics to other subjects on the curricula of Greek compulsory education.

31-44

Authors: Ružica Tokić

The number of single parent families is on the rise. There is a lack of father figure both in the family and kindergarten where children are exposed to female influence. Eurostat statistical data (2015) show that female teaching staff is dominant in pre-school education with 95%. The number of female preschool teachers in France is 83%, in Netherlands 86.6%, in the United Kingdom 90%. Male preschool teachers are a rare breed in Croatia too, only 2.3% work in preschool institutions. The aim of the research was to examine motivation of male students for preschool teacher profession. Interviews with all male students enrolled at Undergraduate preschool education in Osijek and Slavonski Brod were conducted. The results showed four clusters of male preschool students’ motivation. Students are intrinsically motivated and see this profession as a calling. This topic sheds new light on family pedagogy and opens up insufficiently explored area of research.