From recurring problems in scientific publications to a heuristic framework for quality control of the research and writing process

KONSTANTINOS LAVIDAS — Mediterranean Journal of Education

The quality of a scientific publication depends not only on the clarity of the writing but also on the soundness of the decisions made at all stages of the research process. This paper examines recurring methodological, writing, ethical, and publication-related issues reported in the relevant literature and investigates how these can be transformed into a practical framework for quality control of the research and writing process in educational research. The study was conducted as an integrative review employing a conceptual and methodological synthesis of 14 purposively selected publications. Their findings were organized and compared according to common categories related to stages of the research and writing process and types of errors. The synthesis highlighted recurring problems related to the formulation of the research question, research design, data collection and analysis, presentation and interpretation of results, bibliographic citations, language, ethics, and the publication process. Based on these findings, a framework comprising nine dimensions and 66 self-assessment and peer-review questions was developed. The framework is proposed as a heuristic and reflective tool rather than as a universal evaluation system, to support the early identification of potential weaknesses and enhance research transparency and quality.

Digital Game-Based Learning in Early Childhood and Primary Mathematics Education: A Systematic Review

Stamatina Kolovou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Anastasia Misirli, Warren Kidd, Vassilis Komis, Panagiotis Gridos — Advances in Mobile Learning Educational Research

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) has emerged as a promising approach for enhancing mathematics learning across educational contexts. Although previous reviews have examined the effectiveness of digital games in mathematics education, limited attention has been devoted specifically to early childhood and primary education. This systematic review synthesises empirical studies investigating the use of DGBL in mathematics education for children up to 12 years of age. Following PRISMA guidelines, studies published between 2006 and 2024 were identified through searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 103 empirical studies were selected for analysis. The findings reveal a substantial increase in research activity after 2015, with Educational Technology journals being the primary publication venue. Quantitative research designs predominated, while tablets and personal computers were the most frequently used devices. Puzzle games represented the most common game genre. The majority of studies focused on Number and Operations, followed by Algebra, Geometry, and Measurement. Results indicate predominantly positive effects on students' mathematical achievement, particularly in Number and Operations and Geometry. Furthermore, digital games were associated with improvements in motivation, attitudes towards mathematics, and collaborative learning. The review highlights the educational potential of DGBL in mathematics and identifies directions for future research and practice.

Teacher Education Students’ Practices, Benefits, and Challenges in the Use of Generative AI Tools in Higher Education

Stavros Athanassopoulos, Aggeliki Tzavara, Spyridon Aravantinos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Stamatios Papadakis — Education Sciences

Despite the growing adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools in higher education, limited research has examined how future educators perceive and use these technologies in their academic practices. This study investigates the practices, perceived benefits, and challenges associated with the use of GenAI tools—such as ChatGPT—among undergraduate students enrolled in programs that confer teaching qualifications. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 314 students from the Early Childhood Education, Philosophy, and Philology departments. The findings indicate that the majority of students use GenAI tools primarily for academic purposes, most commonly for information searching, data analysis, study advice, and exam preparation. Students reported several perceived benefits, including rapid access to information, time efficiency, improved comprehension of complex concepts, enhanced study organization, and support with assignments and research-related tasks such as summarizing or translating academic texts. At the same time, participants expressed notable concerns, particularly regarding over-reliance on AI, reduced personal effort, risks to academic integrity, diminished critical thinking, and weakened research skills. Additional challenges included misinformation, reduced creativity, improper use of AI-generated content, skill underdevelopment, and potential technological dependence. The study concludes that teacher education programs should systematically integrate AI literacy and responsible-use training to prepare future educators to address the pedagogical and ethical implications of GenAI in educational settings.

Preschoolers’ errors in length measurement: a case study

S KOLOVOU, K LAVIDAS, A MISIRLI, V KOMIS, S PAPADAKIS — Mediterranean Journal of Education 6 (1)

Measurement is an important part of mathematics in preschool education, covering many essential concepts for young children. However, research in this area is still limited. When learning about concepts like length, children often make errors due to their thinking strategies. Understanding these errors is crucial for teachers to improve their teaching. This study focuses on the errors preschool children make when using both standard and nonstandard tools for direct and indirect measurement. The research involved 20 preschoolers and included a teaching intervention that combined traditional methods with four digital educational games. The results showed that children often made common errors, such as: leaving gaps between nonstandard units when measuring, placing rulers incorrectly, and misunderstanding the numeric intervals on rulers. These findings emphasize the need for teachers to address such errors to improve children’s understanding of measurement. The study offers valuable insights into children’s challenges when learning about measurement. It also provides practical recommendations for teachers and policymakers to create effective teaching strategies and interventions.

Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Education: A Systematic Review of Teachers’ Professional Development Needs for AI Integration

Spyridon Aravantinos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Thanassis Karalis, Stamatios Papadakis — Computers

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how learning environments are designed and experienced, offering new possibilities for personalization, creativity, and immersive engagement. This systematic review synthesizes 43 empirical studies (Scopus, Web of Science) to examine the training needs and practices of primary and secondary education teachers for effective AI integration and overall professional development (PD). Following PRISMA guidelines, the review gathers teachers’ needs and practices related to AI integration, identifying key themes including training practices, teachers’ perceptions and attitudes, ongoing PD programs, multi-level support, AI literacy, and ethical and responsible use. The findings show that technical training alone is not sufficient, and that successful integration of AI requires a combination of pedagogical knowledge, positive attitudes, organizational support, and continuous training. Based on empirical data, a four-level, process-oriented PD framework is proposed, which bridges research with educational practice and offers practical guidance for the design of AI training interventions. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: a systematic review across academic disciplines

Stavroula Dimitriadou, Stavros Athanassopoulos, Vassilis Komis, STAMATIOS PAPADAKIS, Konstantinos Lavidas — University of Patras

This systematic review examines how higher education students use artificial intelligence (AI) across academic disciplines, including its benefits and concerns. Following PRISMA guidelines, 100 Scopus-indexed studies were analyzed. Findings show disciplinary differences in AI adoption, with Linguistics and Language-related Studies and Medical and Health Sciences reporting the highest use. Benefits include personalized feedback, increased engagement, self-regulated learning, and improved academic performance. However, concerns such as academic integrity risks, over-reliance on AI, ethical and privacy issues, uneven AI literacy, and limited pedagogical alignment persist. The review highlights the need for coherent frameworks, institutional policies, and discipline-specific AI training in higher education.

Teachers' Artificial Intelligence Practices, Benefits, and Challenges: A Systematic Literature Review of Scopus and Web of Science Papers

Spyridon Aravantinos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Stamatis Papadakis, Thanassis Karalis, Vassilis Komis — Teacher perspectives and responsible practice for integrating AI in the classroom

Since the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in aspects of everyday life and its introduction into the educational sector, teachers from primary and secondary education level have been attempting to implement it into their practices, recognizing its benefits while also trying to address the challenges it presents. This systematic literature review followed the PRISMA guidelines with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, analyzing 49 peer-reviewed empirical articles in English, published online by the end of 2024 from Scopus and Web of Science databases. The main objectives were to identify teachers' practices, the benefits and the challenges, as they were shaped by the integration of AI into their teaching, aiming to gather trends, update knowledge and understand how it can be useful for learning without posing any threat. The results identified key insights in areas such as AI literacy, personalization of learning, assessment and feedback, ethical and responsible use, human-AI collaboration, academic integrity, teachers' attitudes and perceptions, and continuous PD.

Humanities and Social Sciences Students’ views on the Use of AI Tools for Academic Purposes: Practices, Benefits, Challenges, and Suggestions

Konstantinos Lavidas, Eleni Koskina, Anastasia Pitsili, Vassilis Komis, Eugenia Arvanitis — Advances in Mobile Learning Educational Research

Students' views on AI tools can inform the development of a new policy framework for their use in higher education. In this context, this paper examines the views of higher education students at the University of Patras on the practices, benefits, challenges, and suggestions for these tools in academic contexts. A qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the research data, involving 17 humanities students at the University of Patras. Students seem to use AI tools mainly for writing papers and searching for information. They recognize benefits in terms of enhancing cognitive development, while also expressing concerns that need to be addressed, such as the weakening of academic integrity and the tendency towards plagiarism. At the same time, students suggest the need for institutional support for the proper and responsible use of artificial intelligence tools, through training seminars, integrating rules into the educational process, and cultivating digital literacy to promote conscious, creative, and non-passive usage.

Teaching Fractions to Third-Grade Students Using Enriched Books: A Case Study

Vasiliki Georgoulia, Aggeliki Tzavara, Andromachi Filippidi, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — Research on E-Learning and ICT in Education

This study examines the outcomes of a teaching intervention aimed at enhancing third-grade students’ understanding of fractions in Greece through the use of enriched books from the Digital School. Aligned with the third-grade mathematics curriculum, the intervention included initial and final assessments, along with four intermediate tests during the teaching process. Data were analyzed using NVivo software, enabling a thematic analysis of (a) the effectiveness of integrating traditional teaching methods with digital tools in fraction learning, (b) student engagement, and (c) the teacher’s role in the process. The findings indicate that using enriched books positively impacts student performance and fosters a deeper understanding of new concepts. Moreover, the study highlights the teacher’s multifaceted role in providing essential support to students throughout the learning process.

Teachers’ job satisfaction in multicultural classes: the role of autonomy, teacher-student relationships, and teaching materials

Kyriaki I. Chatzistavridou, Vassilia Hatzinikita, Konstantinos Lavidas — International Journal of Multilingualism

As more immigrant and refugee children enter the Greek school system, elementary school teachers strive to educate them while considering their cultural needs. Such an effort could influence their job satisfaction, tampering with the quality of their teaching. The study aims to determine the level of teachers’ job satisfaction in multicultural classes. To achieve the above aim, a questionnaire was administered to 250 elementary school teachers who teach in multicultural classes in Thessaloniki, Greece. The analysis of the teachers’ responses reveals that they are dissatisfied with the teaching materials available. At the same time, they are moderately satisfied with their relationships with the students and their perceived autonomy. Their demographic characteristics, namely age, gender, experience in years, and education level, do not correlate with their job satisfaction. As Greece is a host country for many culturally diverse students, policymakers are required to improve teachers’ professional satisfaction in these classes.

Unplugged Activities for Teaching Decision Trees to Secondary Students—A Case Study Analysis Using the SOLO Taxonomy

Konstantinos Karapanos, Vassilis Komis, Georgios Fesakis, Konstantinos Lavidas, Stavroula Prantsoudi, Stamatios Papadakis — AI

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in students’ lives necessitates the systematic incorporation of foundational AI literacy into educational curricula. Students are challenged to develop conceptual understanding of computational frameworks such as Machine Learning (ML) algorithms and Decision Trees (DTs). In this context, unplugged (i.e., computer-free) pedagogical approaches have emerged as complementary to traditional coding-based instruction in AI education. This study examines the pedagogical effectiveness of an instructional intervention employing unplugged activities to facilitate conceptual understanding of DT algorithms among 47 9th-grade students within a Computer Science (CS) curriculum in Greece. The study employed a quasi-experimental design, utilizing the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy as the theoretical framework for assessing cognitive development and conceptual mastery of DT principles. Quantitative analysis of pre- and post-intervention assessments demonstrated statistically significant improvements in student performance across all evaluated SOLO taxonomy levels. The findings provide empirical support for the hypothesis that unplugged pedagogical interventions constitute an effective and efficient approach for introducing AI concepts to secondary education students. Based on these outcomes, the authors recommend the systematic implementation of developmentally appropriate unplugged instructional interventions for DTs and broader AI concepts across all educational levels, to optimize AI literacy acquisition.

Errors and misconceptions of secondary school students in absolute values: a systematic literature review

John P. Papadouris, Vassilis Komis, Konstantinos Lavidas — Mathematics Education Research Journal

Although absolute value is of interest to mathematics teaching researchers, since many students face problems with it, there does not seem to be an integrated record of students’ errors. The present study attempts to conduct a systematic review to identify and categorize errors and misconceptions of secondary school students aged 12–18 concerning the concept of absolute value. Following the PRISMA method, empirical studies published in English later since 1990 studying the errors and misconceptions of secondary school students with absolute value were looked up through the databases Scopus and Web of Sciences as well as through the Google Scholar search engine. From the 11 empirical studies that were eventually found, a categorization of misconceptions and corresponding errors arose. The first main category concerns the transition from the arithmetic to the algebraic domain while the second main category concerns the definition of absolute value in the form of a piecewise function. It is noteworthy that these two categories sometimes interact and are linked. Based on these findings, practical implications are discussed that strengthen the understanding of mathematical literacy.

IoT Devices and Their Impact on Learning: A Systematic Review of Technological and Educational Affordances

Dimitris Tsipianitis, Anastasia Misirli, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — IoT

A principal factor of the fourth Industrial Revolution is the Internet of Things (IoT), a network of “smart” objects that communicate by exchanging helpful information about themselves and their environment. Our research aims to address the gaps in the existing literature regarding the educational and technological affordances of IoT applications in learning environments in secondary education. Our systematic review using the PRISMA method allowed us to extract 25 empirical studies from the last 10 years. We present the categorization of educational and technological affordances, as well as the devices used in these environments. Moreover, our findings indicate widespread adoption of organized educational activities and design-based learning, often incorporating tangible interfaces, smart objects, and IoT applications, which enhance student engagement and interaction. Additionally, we identify the impact of IoT-based learning on knowledge building, autonomous learning, student attitude, and motivation. The results suggest that the IoT can facilitate personalized and experiential learning, fostering a more immersive and adaptive educational experience. Based on these findings, we discuss key recommendations for educators, policymakers, and researchers, while also addressing this study’s limitations and potential directions for future research.

A Sustainable Energy-Efficient IoT Smart Parking Prototype Based on Micro: Bit Microcontroller

D Tsipianitis, G Vlisidis, A Tsetsonis, K Lavidas, A Misirli, V Komis — 2025 16th International Conference on Information, Intelligence, Systems …

Nowadays, educational systems around the globe tend to integrate STEM in school programs in order to broaden students' perspectives and find alternative ways of integrating natural sciences into the curriculum. This paper presents an intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) parking system, developed using the micro:bit platform, AVR ATmega-328 microcontroller, and ESP-01 module. The proposed system incorporates a solar tracking mechanism to optimize energy harvesting through photovoltaic panels, thereby enabling autonomous battery charging. With the appropriate modifications, this system has the potential to become energy sufficient. Moreover, a ThingSpeak web page depicts data regarding power provided by the solar panel, voltage level on batteries, wind intensity and available parking slots. This system can be used in a simpler version for STEM education in schools; however, since it incorporates professional characteristics, it can be useful at the university level and, if scaled to real size, for commercial parking system applications.

Design and Deployment of an Educational IoT-Based Micro Ecosystem with micro:bit Integration

Dimitris Tsipianitis, Vasilis Koumenteas, Anastasia Misirli, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — 2025 16th International Conference on Information, Intelligence, Systems & Applications (IISA)

With the exponential advancement of technology, the need for education in the fields of science and engineering is more crucial than ever. Students must be introduced to scientific concepts at an earlier age and through more hands-on educational practices, in order to not only build a solid foundation in science and technology but also to develop a genuine passion for turning their ideas into reality. Educational IoT integrated systems offer an innovative methodology that combines fundamental sciences, emerging information and communication technologies, and insights from the study of human behavior. The integration of IoT-based projects into the “digital school” is supported by contemporary learning theories, which assert that knowledge creation becomes more effective when students are actively engaged in constructing products that hold personal meaning. Furthermore, educational IoT integrated systems foster critical thinking, creativity, and resilience by encouraging students to develop their own strategies for addressing challenges under proper guidance. The ultimate objective is to empower students to build functional projects from scratch using smart academic tools that automate the most complex processes, allowing them to first internalize essential concepts with confidence. This paper presents the design and implementation of a simple educational microecosystem, demonstrating how fundamental principles from control systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), and automation can be effectively combined to enhance student learning and engagement.

What if there is linguistic and cultural diversity in contemporary classrooms? Secondary school teachers’ attitudes, practices, and challenges towards student multilingualism

Myrto Michala, Polyxeni Manoli, Konstantinos Lavidas, Gerasimos Koustourakis — International Journal of Multilingualism

Despite cultural and linguistic diversity in contemporary societies, research revealed teachers' unpreparedness to welcome diversity in classrooms (e.g. Burner & Carlsen, 2019). Considering the impact of teachers' attitudes on their practices and students' learning (e.g. Fives, & Buehl, 2016), further research on teachers' attitudes to multilingualism and practices is needed, especially in countries where monolingual policies are adopted, such as Greece (Fotiadou et al., 2022; Gkaintartzi et al., 2015). The present study explores 237 Greek secondary education teachers' attitudes, practices and challenges regarding student multilingualism through a questionnaire and explains the relation between practices, attitudes, challenges and teachers' demographic features through a model. Quantitative data analysis shows that, despite teachers' positive attitudes towards multilingualism, they fail to integrate students' funds of knowledge. Simultaneously, their insistence on the official language use as the exclusive language of instruction and their belief that L1 maintenance is a family obligation reflects the impact of monolingualism and misconceptions about multilingualism in formal education. The effect of attitudes, challenges and certain demographic features (e.g. gender, age and training) on teachers' practices is also discussed. Findings imply the need for reconceptualising educational policies and teacher development programmes in the direction of multilingual education to consider all students' needs.

Criteria for evaluating digital technology used to support computational thinking via inquiry learning—The case of two educational software applications for mathematics and …

A Bounou, N Tselios, G Kaliampos, K Lavidas, S Papadakis — Computers 14 (3)

There is an ongoing need to evaluate whether commonly used educational software effectively supports inquiry-based learning and computational thinking skills development, which are key objectives in secondary STEM curricula. This research establishes criteria for characterising digital technologies, such as modelling and simulation software, virtual laboratories, and microcosms, to ensure their suitability in supporting students’ computational thinking through inquiry-based activities in STEM courses. The main criteria focus on six key areas: (a) production of meaning, (b) support in problem formulation, (c) ability to manage processes easily, (d) support in expressing solutions, (e) support in executing and evaluating solutions, and (f) ability to articulate and reflect on processes and solutions. Using this evaluation framework, two widely used software tools, Tracker 6.1.3 and GeoGebra 5, commonly employed in high school physics and mathematics, were assessed. The trial evaluation results are discussed, with recommendations for improving the software to support these educational objectives.

Marshmallows, Fun, and Constellations: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a STEAM Astronomy Workshop

Iro Voulgari, Simeona Mamo, Edward Duca, Konstantinos Lavidas — STEAM Journal For Elementary School Education

This study evaluates a STEAM-based astronomy workshop for children, delivered at two science engagement events in Malta: Science in the City 2023 and Unconventional Science Careers Days 2023. The workshop integrated storytelling, mythological narratives, creative making activities, and digital tools within the 5E instructional model and the creative pedagogy CREATIONS, with constellations as the central theme. Using a mixed-methods approach, we collected survey data from 122 participants (aged M=10, SD=2.4) and practitioner observations. Quantitative analysis showed that most children (80.3%) found the workshop easy to understand, though 91.8% reported not learning new content. Despite this, 51.6% expressed strong interest in learning more about astronomy, and 55.7% wanted similar school workshops. Significant differences emerged by setting: open-air festival participants reported higher levels of enjoyment and clarity than classroom-based participants. Qualitative analysis revealed children emphasized astronomy knowledge, enjoyment, and creative processes, often linking learning to personal contexts such as zodiac signs. Practitioner observations highlighted parental involvement as both supportive and potentially intrusive. These findings suggest STEAM workshops emphasising artistic processes, can stimulate curiosity, engagement, and cultural relevance in astronomy education, while underscoring the importance of facilitator training and careful scaffolding to balance creativity with conceptual accuracy. The study contributes to research on non-formal STEAM learning by demonstrating the potential and challenges of integrating arts, storytelling, and science in astronomy education.

Real-time Monitoring of IoT-based Educational Aquatic Microecosystem

Dimitrios Tsipianitis, Maria Filippou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — Procedia Computer Science

Ensuring high-quality water is essential not only for human health but also for the survival and welfare of marine organisms. In biomedical research, fish are increasingly utilized due to their significance in understanding biological processes and human diseases. However, the manual upkeep of fish tanks in laboratory settings often leads to errors that can compromise both the health of the fish and the reliability of research results. This paper presents an automated mini aquarium designed to provide an optimal living environment for various fish species without human intervention. The system is designed to be cost-effective, energy-efficient and equipped with self-regulating mechanisms. It uses sensors to monitor critical parameters, including pH, temperature, turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and water levels, ensuring accurate tracking and control of the microecosystem. By incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the solution enables fully automated operation and remote monitoring, making it an accessible and practical tool for laboratories, researchers and higher education biology departments to study, cultivate and breed specific fish species. This approach reduces the potential for human error and the need for manual maintenance. Progressively, it aims to improve research outcomes and educational processes while ensuring the health, well-being, and longevity of the fish.

Facilitating Inclusive Practices in Mathematics Education for All Learners

Tasos Barkatsas, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vasilis Gialamas, Patricia J. McLaughlin — Learning and Teaching Mathematics—Weaving the Nexus of Values, Attitudes and Beliefs

Inclusive education is now a global imperative driven by social and political dynamics. Yet realising this imperative for all students in mathematics education is difficult. The struggle of providing high quality inclusive mathematics education that meets the needs of all learners – including gifted, talented, creative and dissimilar learners – is one element of this challenge. A key component of inclusivity for these learners is the value they place upon their learning. This chapter explores the use of the previously developed What do I Find Important in Mathematics (WIFI) survey instrument to examine the measurement invariance of the instrument across learners in eight Countries/Economies: Ηong Kοng, Greece, Japan, Μacao, China, Μalaysia, Thailand and Turkey. Using a parallel analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) the good fit of the configural invariance as well as the metric invariance of the six-factor model was confirmed. Four of the factors: achievement, practice, ICT and development, showed satisfactory psychometric properties and the partial scalar invariance model showed a satisfactory fit. One-way ANOVA and pairwise comparisons tests were also conducted, showing that there was a certain degree of heterogeneity on how learners in the eight Countries/Economies view mathematics values. These results provide effective and valid identification of learners’ values about learning mathematics across the eight Countries/Economies and have implications for the teaching of mathematics to provide inclusivity for learners, especially the gifted, talented learners, creative and dissimilar learners.

KNOWLEDGE OF SCHOOL UNIT EDUCATION EXECUTIVES REGARDING THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Konstantinos Zogopoulos, Labrina Gioti, Vassilis Komis, Konstantinos Lavidas — European Journal of Education Studies

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) involves the integration of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics, and other advanced systems into all aspects of society, including education. School principals, as key educational leaders, play a vital role in addressing both the challenges and the opportunities that 4IR presents. Their role is dynamic and continuously evolving as technology advances, making it essential for them to stay up to date with educational and technological developments. This study, part of a broader research project, aimed to explore the level of knowledge that educational executives (Principals, Deputy Principals, and Heads) across Greece possess about the 4IR. It sought to answer two main research questions: (a) To what extent do school leaders understand technologies related to the 4IR? (b) Do demographic factors such as gender, additional qualifications, or school level affect this knowledge? The study adopted a quantitative research method, using a structured questionnaire created via Google Forms. The questionnaire was distributed via email to public school directorates, including Kindergartens, Elementary Schools, Junior High Schools, and High Schools across Greece. It consisted of two parts: the first collected demographic information (gender, age, school level, years of service, and role), while the second assessed knowledge of 4IR technologies through thirteen statements rated on a four-point Likert scale (1 = Not at all, 4 = To a very great extent). Data collection took place between October and mid-November 2023, with 886 school leaders ultimately participating. In terms of demographics, 55.5% of respondents were women, 58.7% were aged 51–60, and 65.5% held postgraduate degrees. Participants included 25.1% Heads of Kindergartens, 37.2% Principals/Deputy Principals/Heads of Elementary Schools, and 37.7% Principals of Junior High and High Schools (Lyceums). Regarding 4IR knowledge, participants exhibited limited understan

Attitudes and beliefs of Greek preschool teachers on the teaching of Science

Ε BALABANI, K LAVIDAS, K MELI, D KOLIOPOULOS — Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education 18 (2)

Introducing science activities in early childhood is very important for children's scientific development. Young children will need teachers who feel competent to teach science. This study explores teachers' attitudes and beliefs about teaching science and the relationship between teachers' qualifications and their attitudes and beliefs about science. The investigation was conducted using the specialized questionnaire P-TABS and the sample consisted of 269 Greek preschool teachers. The results showed that the teachers who participated in the survey have generally positive attitudes and a high level of self-efficacy beliefs, which are influenced by the number of science/science education courses they have taken during their undergraduate studies and their professional development (postgraduate studies, science education training programs). These results largely confirm the results of similar international studies and offer evidence to support the hypothesis that current teachers display improved attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs compared to their colleagues twenty years ago.

Educational Approaches with AΙ in Primary School Settings: A Systematic Review of the Literature Available in Scopus

Spyridon Aravantinos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Iro Voulgari, Stamatios Papadakis, Thanassis Karalis, Vassilis Komis — Education Sciences

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly prevalent, it has become a topic of interest in education. The use of AI in education poses complex issues, not only in terms of its impact on teaching and learning outcomes but also in terms of the ethical considerations regarding personal data and the individual needs of each student. Our study systematically analyzed empirical research on the use of AI in primary education, specifically for children aged 4–12 years old. We reviewed 35 articles indexed in SCOPUS, filtered them according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, analyzed them, and categorized the findings. The research focused on the studies’ objectives, learning content, learning outcomes, learning activities, and the pedagogy of activities or the AI tools. Our categorization resulted in three main categories of research objectives regarding the creation, implementation, and evaluation of AI tools and five categories for learning content: AI and ML (machine learning) concepts in STEM and STEAM, language learning, mathematics, arts, and various other subjects. The learning activities were split into four categories: apply, engage, interact, use; project-based learning with multiple activities; experience and practice; and students as tutors. The learning outcomes were split into three levels: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The pedagogy of AI tools falls into four categories: constructivism, experiential learning, AI-assisted learning, and project-based learning. The implications for teacher professional development are discussed.

Exploring the Role, Implementation, and Educational Implications of AI in Early Childhood Education

Iro Voulgari, Konstantinos Lavidas, Spyridon Aravantinos, Soultana Sypsa, Maria Sfyroera — Communications in computer and information science

In this paper we are examining the evolving landscape of the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in early childhood education. We are reviewing journal papers published over the past decade (2012–2023) (Ν = 29) and analyse them descriptively and through thematic analysis. We focus on the learning context and educational content of the AI applications in preschool settings. Research in the field has focused on areas such as the design and development of AI-powered tools and intelligent systems, the interaction of children with AI technologies and their impact on children’s skills and development, while more recently AI is being also viewed as a learning objective in the context of AI education and literacy. Our findings suggest that AI can be leveraged to foster a range of cognitive, social, and emotional skills through appropriate pedagogical frameworks and carefully designed pedagogical practices. The trends identified in the paper suggest the need for multidisciplinary approaches where technology, pedagogy, education, psychology, and policymaking intersect.

Determinants of Humanities and Social Sciences Students’ Intentions to Use Artificial Intelligence Applications for Academic Purposes

Konstantinos Lavidas, Iro Voulgari, Stamatios Papadakis, Stavros Athanassopoulos, Antigoni Anastasiou, Andromachi Filippidi, Vassilis Komis, Nikos Karacapilidis — Information

Recent research emphasizes the importance of Artificial Intelligence applications as supporting tools for students in higher education. Simultaneously, an intensive exchange of views has started in the public debate in the international educational community. However, for a more proper use of these applications, it is necessary to investigate the factors that explain their intention and actual use in the future. With the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, this work analyses the factors influencing students’ use and intention to use Artificial Intelligence technology. For this purpose, a sample of 197 Greek students at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences from the University of Patras participated in a survey. The findings highlight that expected performance, habit, and enjoyment of these Artificial Intelligence applications are key determinants influencing teachers’ intentions to use them. Moreover, behavioural intention, habit, and facilitating conditions explain the usage of these Artificial Intelligence applications. This study did not reveal any moderating effects. The limitations, practical implications, and proposed directions for future research based on these results are discussed.

Στατιστικές μέθοδοι και τεχνικές στις κοινωνικές επιστήμες με τη χρήση SPSS

Β Γιαλαμάς, Κ Λαβίδας, Δ Μάνεσης — Κάλλιπος, Ανοικτές Ακαδημαϊκές Εκδόσεις

Το παρόν σύγγραμμα αποτελεί μια σύντομη περιγραφή των βασικότερων διαδικασιών στατιστικής ανάλυσης ποσοτικών και ποιοτικών δεδομένων. Σχεδιάστηκε κυρίως για φοιτητές ή και εκπαιδευτικούς που παρακολουθούν μαθήματα μεθοδολογίας εκπαιδευτικής έρευνας και για όλους όσοι επιθυμούν να σχεδιάσουν και να υλοποιήσουν τη δική τους έρευνα. Η παρουσίαση των στατιστικών διαδικασιών ανάλυσης δεδομένων γίνεται παράλληλα με την παρουσίαση του περιβάλλοντος επεξεργασίας και στατιστικής ανάλυσης δεδομένων SPSS. Σε κάθε περίπτωση, γίνεται αρχικά μια εισαγωγή του θεωρητικού μέρους των στατιστικών διαδικασιών και στη συνέχεια, ακολουθώντας συγκεκριμένα παραδείγματα κυρίως της εκπαιδευτικής έρευνας, παρουσιάζονται στο περιβάλλον του SPSS λεπτομερώς η ανάλυση των δεδομένων, η ανάγνωση και η ερμηνεία των αποτελεσμάτων, καθώς και η διατύπωση των συμπερασμάτων. Αρχικά γίνεται μια περιγραφή των βασικών στατιστικών εννοιών που χρειάζονται για τις αναλύσεις με τη χρήση του SPSS, καθώς και των κύριων σταδίων της διεξαγωγής μιας ποσοτικής έρευνας. Στη συνέχεια, γίνεται μια σύντομη παρουσίαση των βασικών στατιστικών που περιγράφουν την κατανομή μιας μεταβλητής, παρουσιάζονται οι ερευνητικοί σχεδιασμοί ανεξάρτητων και εξαρτημένων δειγμάτων και οι παραμετρικοί και οι μη παραμετρικοί έλεγχοι υποθέσεων. Επιπρόσθετα, αφενός εξετάζονται το υπόδειγμα της πολλαπλής γραμμικής παλινδρόμησης και η λογαριθμική παλινδρόμηση και αφετέρου γίνεται μια εισαγωγή στη διερευνητική παραγοντική ανάλυση (Factor analysis), καθώς και στα βήματα που απαιτούνται για την ανάλυση αυτή στο περιβάλλον …

Utilizing Physics Teachers’ Epistemological and Pedagogical Conceptions to Develop a Research Instrument for Training Programs

K Meli, D Koliopoulos, K Lavidas — Teaching and Learning Physics Effectively in Challenging Times

In this research, we used a theoretical framework for physics teachers’ training as a starting point to develop a new research instrument (online questionnaire) for exploring teachers’ conceptions on the epistemology and pedagogy of physics, using thermodynamics as the field of reference. Our goal was to validate the theoretical framework and also use it as a methodological framework to make informed decisions on the design and evaluation of future training programs based on teachers’ ideas. Our analysis (N = 42 in-service physics teachers in Athens, Greece) indicated four factors that can facilitate a practical use of the theoretical framework. These factors addressed the teachers’ prior knowledge, alternative instructional design, traditional framework perception, and intention to change their current instruction. We suggest that further research should address larger populations and make adaptations for additional physics fields to validate and generalize these results.

Investigation of Preschoolers’ Mathematical Skills: A Systematic Literature Review

Antonia Petropoulou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Stamatis Papadakis — Educational Process International Journal

Background/purpose. Awareness of the mathematical skills and knowledge children possess in their early years is widely accepted. This includes various common positive aspects, not only for educators but also for researchers and policymakers. This study presents a systematic review conducted to meticulously identify empirical studies published in the Scopus-Index Journal database about the mathematical skills children aged 3 to 8 years old have mastered. Materials/methods. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and the research database comprised of Scopus-indexed journals. The technique followed used “keywords” and Boolean operators. The screening processes included reviewing abstracts, scanning complete texts of published articles, and rejecting those not meeting preset inclusion criteria. Moreover, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and papers not written in English were also excluded. Of the 801 studies initially identified, a total of 15 empirical studies were included in the systematic review. Results. Children master various math skills from a very young age, mainly in “numbers and operations”, but face difficulties in skills related to “algebra” as well as “geometry and measurement”. Additionally, several preschoolers’ characteristics help to explain the acquisition of these skills, with “age” being the primary factor. Researchers use various research instruments and mainly conduct individual semi-structured interviews. Children’s geometry skills and knowledge appear to have been studied to a small extent. The areas of “measurement” and “data analysis and probability” were found to be under active investigation. Conclusion. It is worth noting that not only does a noticeable research gap exist for the math domains of “measurement,” “geometry,” and “data analysis and probability”. Factors that seem to affect young children’s math skills, such as “gender”, “parents’ educational level”, and “attendance to a preparatory preschool” need further investigation. T

The Construction of Precursor Models in the Thinking of Young Children: The Case of Expansion and Contraction of Metals

Paraskevi Charalampopoulou, George Κaliampos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Konstantinos Ravanis — Education Sciences

The aim of the current study is to examine how preschool children overcome their difficulties regarding thermal expansion and contraction and construct in their minds a precursor model; that is, an entity compatible with school knowledge. Having investigated these difficulties through a pretest, a teaching intervention was implemented based on both the telling of a fairy tale and the carrying out of experimental activities. Finally, the changes in children’s thinking were studied with a posttest. The study involved 36 children aged 4–6 years who voluntarily participated in individual semistructured interviews conducted by three researchers in a special kindergarten setting. The results of the study revealed statistically significant progress in children’s responses between pre- and posttests. Furthermore, the finding of almost 1/3 of children’s responses being compatible with school knowledge indicates that (a) it is possible for children of that age to construct a precursor model for thermal expansion and contraction and (b) the combination of storytelling along with experimental activities is probably an appropriate teaching strategy.

Correlation between High School Students’ Computational Thinking and Their Performance in STEM and Language Courses

Aikaterini Bounou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Stamatios Papadakis, Polyxeni Manoli — Education Sciences

According to numerous researchers, a clear and direct correlation exists between Computational Thinking (CT) and courses falling under the purview of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), thereby advocating for the integration of CT into the curricula of STEM courses. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that only a few studies have scrutinized this correlation in-depth. Most such studies connect the correlation tacitly and predominantly concentrate on the empirical assessment of CT within the curriculum of one STEM discipline. This research seeks to evaluate the Computational Thinking abilities of 80 high school students in Greece and discern the extent of correlation with their academic performance in STEM and Greek language courses. A longitudinal survey was executed to accomplish this objective, commencing with administering a test designed to gauge the fundamental components of Computational Thinking. It is worth noting that this test draws its inspiration from internationally recognized computer competitions and serves as a credible assessment tool. Subsequently, an assessment was carried out to ascertain the degree of correlation between students’ Computational Thinking aptitude and their written performance in the subjects encompassed by the STEM category and the Greek language courses. The outcomes of this investigation revealed the presence of a statistically significant correlation between students’ Computational Thinking proficiency and their performance in these academic subjects, further extending to the academic direction of study chosen by the students. Based on the findings of this research, implications and pedagogical recommendations are delineated while concurrently acknowledging the limitations encountered during this study.

Preservice preschool teachers’ mathematics experience and math anxiety on their beliefs about and attitudes toward teaching mathematics

Konstantinos Lavidas, Irini Skopeliti, Konstantinos Zacharos, Efthimios-Panagiotis Panagiotounakos — Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education

Only a limited number of research has examined preservice preschool teachers’ attitudes toward and beliefs about teaching mathematics, likely because there are no instruments aimed at preschool settings that have appropriately established psychometric properties. In the current study, we addressed this deficit and aimed to adapt the Preschool Teacher Attitudes and Beliefs toward Science (P-TABS) instrument in a sample of 164 Greek preservice preschool teachers and test its validity and reliability. Using a version of the P-TABS that had been adapted to mathematics, we investigated participants’ beliefs about and attitudes toward teaching mathematics and the impact of their previous experiences with mathematics, as well as their math anxiety, on their beliefs about and attitudes toward mathematics teaching. The results showed that this adapted version of the P-TABS was valid and reliable, and therefore it can be useful in the assessment of preservice preschool teachers’ beliefs about and attitudes toward teaching mathematics. The results also showed that teachers’ math anxiety and their previous experience with mathematics explained their beliefs about and attitudes toward teaching mathematics. This suggests that introducing courses on mathematics into teacher education programs could have a positive effect on preservice teachers’ beliefs about teaching mathematics.

Preservice teachers’ attitudes towards teaching History

M Michala, C Chaliamalia, P Kiprianos, K Lavidas — Academia

The current study presents the results of a research conducted at the University of Patras to measure 120 university students’ of Letters and Philosophy attitudes towards teaching History. Additionally, it proposes a valid and reliable instrument for the measurement of preservice teachers’ attitudes towards teaching History in secondary education. The development of the instrument is expected to fulfill the need to measure History teachers’ attitudes about four dimensions: anxiety, perceived benefits, self-efficacy and perceived difficulties, which were found to affect teachers’ attitudes towards History teaching, according to the review of the literature. The exploratory factor analysis indicated satisfactory construct validity and reliability of the instrument. The data analysis showed that preservice teachers demonstrate medium levels of anxiety and self-efficacy. Furthermore, they acknowledge the benefits of History teaching to students’ intellectual development and social prosperity, even though they perceive History as a demanding subject in the school curriculum. The research results suggest further research on the field and advocate preservice History teachers’ support with academic courses focused on teaching methodology and effective strategies in History, internship programs, and counseling during their university education.

Leveraging Cognitive and Social Engagement in Blended Learning Through an AI-Augmented Pedagogical Framework

Andromachi Filippidi, Christophoros Karachristos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Nikos Karacapilidis — Lecture notes in networks and systems

This paper proposes a new methodological approach for assessing and leveraging student engagement in a tertiary education course that builds on recent artificial intelligence advancements and the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) model. We describe how, through the design of a course that is based on Moodle and the utilization of different pedagogical and conceptual tools, we collect and process data aiming to enhance the course with techniques that may provide students and tutors with valuable insights and recommendations towards achieving better performance.

Digital Games as Learning Tools: Mapping the Perspectives and Experience of Student Teachers in Greek Universities

Iro Voulgari, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — Research on E-Learning and ICT in Education

In this chapter we explore the gaming habits, game preferences and attitudes towards game-based learning (GBL) of university students as perspective teachers in primary and secondary education. The implementation and effectiveness of GBL specifically in formal education settings depends, among other factors, on the attitudes of teachers towards GBL, their experience with digital games, their understanding of the learning potential of games, and their competence to integrate GBL in their classrooms. Understanding the gaming profile, student teachers’ preferences, and experience with games may help develop appropriate curricula and materials to better prepare and support them in GBL interventions in their future classrooms. Data for this study were mainly quantitative and collected through an online survey of university students from various departments in Greek universities. The study explores the students’ game preferences, their gaming habits such as game platform used and frequency of play, their attitudes towards games as learning tools, and their intention to use them in their future classroom, as well as demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and field of study. We further examine the relations among these variables in order to identify potential links. The results suggest links between the perceptions of the learning potential of games, the intention to use games in the classroom, and the game preferences and game-playing frequency of student teachers. Indicatively, participants who played games more often and those who preferred role-playing games had more positive attitudes towards games as learning tools and were more likely to use them in their future classrooms. Our goal in this study is to gain a better insight of current trends in GBL regarding potential future teachers in Greece, as well as to identify ways to better prepare and support them during their studies for implementing GBL activities in their future classrooms.

Misconceptions about Numbers and Operations–A Case Study of Preschoolers

Artemis Eleftheriadi, Konstantinos Lavidas, Gerasimos Koustourakis, Stamatios Papadakis — Educational Process International Journal

Background/purpose -Investigation into the misconceptions of preschool students in mathematics and their differences between the ages of 4-5 and 5-6 years old helps form appropriate developmental mathematics teaching programs. However, although several studies have been conducted examining preschoolers' previous knowledge and misconceptions about mathematics, no corresponding research has been found in Greece. This study aims to investigate preschoolers' misconceptions about numbers and operations and to reveal differences between preschoolers aged 4-5 and 5-6 years old. Materials/methods -Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to content analysis methodology.

Predicting the Behavioral Intention of Greek University Faculty Members to Use Moodle

Konstantinos Lavidas, Stamatios Papadakis, Andromachi Filippidi, Christopher Karachristos, Anastasia Misirli, Aggeliki Tzavara, Vassilis Komis, Nikos Karacapilidis — Sustainability

An emerging area of research is the study of factors that influence the use of e-learning systems in higher education. Previous studies have mainly focused on the factors that influence the adoption of learning management systems (LMS) from the student’s point of view, and rarely from the point of view of the university lecturers. Moodle is an open-source LMS that has been used increasingly by the higher education community worldwide in the past few years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that explain the acceptance of Moodle by academic personnel (faculty members) in the Greek higher education system. The convenience sample consists of 85 lecturers from different universities in Greece. All of them reported having used Moodle. Using the technology acceptance model, the correlations between the six latent variables (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, behavioral intention to use, perceived self-efficacy, subjective norms, and technology complexity) were examined. Five of the eight hypotheses were supported by variance base structural equation modelling. The total explained variance of the faculty members’ behavioral intention to use Moodle was estimated to be 68.3%. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use had a high overall effect. Subjective norms, self-efficacy, and technological complexity influenced the teachers’ intentions to adopt Moodle. This study recommends training as well as technical support for academic personnel. In addition, stakeholders should address these factors to increase usability, awareness of new opportunities for the educational community, accessibility, and the general dissemination of the benefits of learning management systems in education.

Results and prospects from the utilization of Educational Robotics in Greek Schools

Ιωάννα Θεοδωροπούλου, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — Technology, Knowledge and Learning

Nowadays there is a growing research interest in the developments in the domain of Educational Robotics. The present paper is a systematic review of recently published Greek research pertaining to teaching interventions using robotic devices in order to present: a) a synthesis of the available results and the benefits from the utilization of educational robotics and b) a synthesis of research prospects for the educational utilization of robots. After a systematic online search, 54 relevant articles on Greek research approaches and published in conference proceedings were found and their content was analyzed by level of education (i.e., early childhood, primary, secondary). According to the findings of the published research, Educational Robotics appears to support the development of 21st century skills and can be utilized in teaching various subjects at the three levels of education. The conclusions of the present review could be used as reference for future research.

Διδακτική παρέμβαση για τη διδασκαλία των κλασμάτων με την αξιοποίηση περιβάλλοντος ψηφιακού παιχνιδιού σε μαθητές Γ’Δημοτικού

Κωνσταντίνος Λαβίδας, Βασιλική Γεωργούλια, Βασίλειος Κόμης, Λαμπρινή Βουτσινά — Θέματα Επιστημών και Τεχνολογίας στην Εκπαίδευση 15

Περιορισμένα εμπειρικά δεδομένα έχουν παρουσιαστεί για τη διδασκαλία των κλασμάτων ιδιαίτερα σε μαθητές Γ΄ Δημοτικού. Η παρούσα έρευνα αποτελεί μία οιονεί πειραματική διαδικασία με στόχο να εξετάσει την αποτελεσματικότητα μιας

Using Personal Learning Environments before, during and after the Pandemic: The Case of “e-Me”

Aggeliki Tzavara, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Anastasia Misirli, Thanassis Karalis, Stamatios Papadakis — Education Sciences

The rapid developments in early 2020 with the emergence of COVID-19 have led humanity into unexpected situations with significant implications at all levels. In trying to cope with the urgent need for distance education, the Greek educational community has incorporated various platforms and digital tools previously unknown to most teachers and students. This study uses a mixed research method to capture (a) the frequency of use of a Personal Learning Environment called ‘e-me’ by the teachers before, during, and after the quarantine, and (b) the reasons why some teachers did not use this environment during these three periods. A total of 902 Greek teachers from primary and secondary education participated in this research. The results showed an almost universal non-use of ‘e-me’ before the pandemic and universal usage during the pandemic. Moreover, about 40% of these teachers used this personal learning environment after the pandemic. The main reason for not using this learning environment in the three periods is teachers’ familiarity with the interface of another platform. Implications for educational policy and teacher development programs are discussed.

An investigation on alternative ideas on thermal phenomena of pupils with and without learning difficulties

Maria-Aggeliki Katsidima, Konstantinos Lavidas, Athina-Christina Kornelaki, George Κaliampos — SN Social Sciences

In the last decades, constructivism has dominated Early Childhood Science Education. Within this context, alternative ideas of pre-school pupils have been thoroughly explored and analyzed. Nevertheless, research on these ideas in individuals with learning difficulties remains scarce. Aiming to fill this gap, the present study explores alternative ideas on thermal phenomena of pupils with learning difficulties and compare them with those without learning difficulties. For this purpose, an experimental investigation was conducted with 25 pupils with learning difficulties ( M = 72,50 months, s.d. = 8,11) and 25 pupils without learning difficulties ( M = 72,50 months, s.d. = 9,50). Drawing from constructivist theory, a structured, computerized tool (A.I.H.E.T) was developed to fulfill research’s goal. Findings suggest that pupils with and without learning difficulties use almost the same ideas on thermal phenomena, on a different frequency though. The results support further the findings of other research, according to which inclusive science education not only is feasible but also it has great benefits for students with and without learning difficulties.

Μελέτη της χρήσης και της ευχρηστίας του ψηφιακού περιβάλλοντος προσχολικής εκπαίδευσης ΕΛΠΕΙΔΑ

Anthi Arkouli, Alex Georgopoulos, Maria Georgopoulou, Christoforos Karachristos, Ι Kefalas, F Kritikou, Anastasia Konstantopoulou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Dimitrios Markouzis, Anastasia Misirli, Dimitris Nikolos, M Parissi, Eleftheria Petafraki, Ageliki Tzavara, Georgios Fesakis, Andromahi Filippidi, Maria Hatzigianni, Sofia Holodi, Vassilis Komis — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας & Επικοινωνιών στην Εκπαίδευση

Η παρούσα εργασία αφορά στην διερεύνηση της χρήσης και της ευχρηστίας μιας σειράς μαθησιακών αντικειμένων από τους/τις νηπιαγωγούς που συμμετείχαν στην πιλοτική εφαρμογή του έργου ΕΛΠεΙΔΑ

Συστηματική ανασκόπηση της συμβολής των ψηφιακών εκπαιδευτικών παιχνιδιών στη μάθηση των μαθηματικών στην Πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση

Κωνσταντίνος Λαβίδας, Αναστασία Μισιρλή, Σταματίνα Κολοβού, Σταύρος Αθανασόπουλος, Βασίλης Κόμης — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας & Επικοινωνιών στην Εκπαίδευση

Για την παρούσα συστηματική βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση της συμβολής των ψηφιακών εκπαιδευτικών παιχνιδιών στη μάθηση των μαθηματικών Πρωτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης, επιλέχθηκαν και αναλύθηκαν 96 εμπειρικές έρευνες. Συγκεκριμένα κατεγράφησαν οι χρονικές περίοδοι δημοσίευσης των εμπειρικών ερευνών, τα είδη ψηφιακών παιχνιδιών που μελετήθηκαν, μεθοδολογικά θέματα που ακολούθησαν οι ερευνητές καθώς επίσης οι μαθησιακές περιοχές των μαθηματικών στην Πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση που οι ερευνητές μελέτησαν, αλλά και η οποία επίδραση των ψηφιακών παιχνιδιών τόσο σε γνωστικές όσο και σε μη γνωστικές δεξιότητες. Από την ανάλυση των παραπάνω αναδεικνύεται μεταξύ άλλων η σημαντική συμβολή των ψηφιακών παιχνιδιών στη μάθηση των μαθηματικών σε διάφορες θεματικές περιοχές. Η έρευνα αυτή αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό βήμα στην ανάδειξη της όποιας υποστήριξης παρέχουν τα Ψηφιακά Παιχνίδια για τη διδασκαλία των μαθηματικών, αφού παρέχει κυρίως σημαντικές πληροφορίες σε εκπαιδευτικούς και ερευνητές αναφορικά με την αξιοποίηση των ψηφιακών παιχνιδιών στη μάθηση και διδασκαλία των μαθηματικών.

Πρόθεση των εκπαιδευτικών να χρησιμοποιήσουν προσωπικά περιβάλλοντα μάθησης στην εκπαίδευση: Μια εφαρμογή του UTAUT2

Κ Λαβίδας, Β Κόμης, Λ Βουτσινά — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας …

Πρόσφατες έρευνες αναδεικνύουν την αξία των Προσωπικών Περιβαλλόντων Μάθησης (ΠΠΜ) στην εκπαιδευτική διαδικασία. Ωστόσο, έρευνες που να μελετούν την πρόθεση των εκπαιδευτικών να χρησιμοποιήσουν τα περιβάλλοντα αυτά είναι ελάχιστες. Με την έρευνα αυτή σε δείγμα 485 Ελλήνων εκπαιδευτικών πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης διερευνούμε χρησιμοποιώντας το μοντέλο UTAUT2, τους παράγοντες που εξηγούν την πρόθεση αλλά και την πραγματική χρήση των εκπαιδευτικών να χρησιμοποιήσουν τα ΠΠΜ. Τα ευρήματα αναδεικνύουν ότι η προσδοκώμενη απόδοση, η συνήθεια, και η ευχαρίστηση από αυτή την πλατφόρμα αποτελούν βασικούς παράγοντες της πρόθεσης των εκπαιδευτικών να την χρησιμοποιήσουν για εκπαιδευτικούς σκοπούς. Επίσης, τόσο η πρόθεση όσο και η συνήθεια αλλά και οι διευκολυντικές συνθήκες φαίνεται να εξηγούν και την πραγματική χρήση των ΠΠΜ. Στη βάση των ευρημάτων συζητιούνται πρακτικές εφαρμογές αλλά και προτάσεις για περεταίρω έρευνα.

The use of ChatGPT as a learning tool to improve foreign language writing in a multilingual and multicultural classroom

Stavros Athanassopoulos, Polyxeni Manoli, Maria Gouvi, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — Advances in Mobile Learning Educational Research

The association of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and education has attracted researchers’ attention, as it is very beneficial for learners affecting the whole teaching procedure. ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI and based on the Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT)-3.5 architecture, though newly introduced in November 2022, became very popular even within the first two months. Researchers have already explored and acknowledged the affordances of ChatGPT for language learning and teaching. In this context, the study aimed to examine the effectiveness of ChatGPT as a feedback tool on foreign language writing, especially for socially vulnerable populations, such as refugees/migrants, who face extra language difficulties. The study was conducted in a Junior High School (Gymnasium) classroom in an urban city in south Greece, which consisted of 8 students with a migrant/refugee background aged 15 years old who were attending German as a foreign language learning. The focus of the study was to analyze how the use of ChatGPT could improve foreign language writing in terms of vocabulary and grammar. After the students' first writing attempt, we asked ChatGPT to enhance the vocabulary and grammar of the texts. In contrast, the students received an improved version in terms of language and grammar, and then, they were asked to produce another writing piece of work on a similar topic to their first attempt. The study results indicated an increase in the total number of words, the unique words and the average word number per sentence in the improved version of their work. Overall, the study results were promising, indicating that ChatGPT could act as a language learning tool and support the teaching procedure, especially for students with a refugee/migrant background. However, further research is needed to investigate its use and effectiveness in diverse contexts.

Developing a research instrument to record pre-school teachers’ beliefs about teaching practices in natural sciences

Aikaterini Draganoudi, George Κaliampos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Konstantinos Ravanis — South African Journal of Education

In the last 30 years, 4 distinct theoretical approaches have been described for early childhood science education. The approaches are, empiricist, Piagetian, socio-cognitive and socio-cultural. Drawing on the differences among these approaches regarding the theoretical framework adopted in teaching, the role that is assigned to the teacher during the activity and the actions that are expected from the children, we aimed to serve 2 purposes with this research. Firstly, to elicit the in-service pre-school teachers’ beliefs about teaching practices for natural sciences and to record the approaches that these beliefs match. To fulfil this purpose, a new instrument was developed. Secondly, to examine the instrument’s validity and reliability. The participants in the study were 94 pre-school teachers who served in public schools in 2 prefectures in Greece. Research findings suggest that pre-school teachers tend to state that they mainly adopt practices that fit the empiricist approach while practices that fit the socio-cognitive approach are not used so often. Finally, they seem to rarely follow practices that fit the socio-cultural and Piagetian approaches.

How Does Students’ Knowledge About Information-Seeking Improve Their Behavior in Solving Information Problems?

Marioleni Parissi, Vassilis Komis, Gabriel Dumouchel, Konstantinos Lavidas, Stamatios Papadakis — Educational Process International Journal

Background/purpose – This study investigates how the teaching intervention and familiarity with the search topic enhance Greek students’ behavior while solving information problems. Materials/methods – Seven university students solved three information problems on the same search topic during an academic semester. Between the first and second information problems, a didactic intervention was implemented aimed at familiarizing the participant undergraduates with the information problem-solving process based on the Big 6 model of Eisenberg & Berkowitz (1990) and the use of essential online search tools. Qualitative data were collected via observation and the think-aloud protocol. Results – The findings indicated that following the didactic intervention and familiarity with the search topic, the participants were able to realize a greater variety of actions in order to locate the required information. Conclusion – The study’s findings deepen the comprehension of how students’ information behaviors evolve, and indicate suitable interventions that could help to support students in performing more effective Internet searches.

Facilitating Inclusive Practices in Mathematics Education for All Learners The Cross-Country Invariance Properties of a Survey Instrument Designed to Measure Students’ Valuing …

A Barkatsas, K Lavidas, V Gialamas, P McLaughlin — RMIT University

Inclusive education is now a global imperative driven by social and political dynam- ics. Yet realising this imperative for all students in mathematics education is difficult. The struggle of providing high quality inclusive mathematics education that meets the needs of all learners – including gifted, talented, creative and dissimilar learners – is one element of this challenge. A key component of inclusivity for these learners is the value they place upon their learning. This chapter explores the use of the previ- ously developed What do I Find Important in Mathematics (WIFI) survey instrument to examine the measurement invariance of the instrument across learners in eight Countries/Economies: Ηong Kοng, Greece, Japan, Μacao, China, Μalaysia, Thailand and Turkey. Using a parallel analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) the good fit of the configural invariance as well as the metric invariance of the six-factor model was confirmed. Four of the factors: achievement, practice, ICT and development, showed satisfactory psychometric properties and the partial scalar invariance model showed a satisfactory fit. One-way ANOVA and pairwise comparisons tests were also conducted, showing that there was a certain degree of heterogeneity on how learners in the eight Countries/Economies view mathematics values. These results provide effective and valid identification of learners’ values about learning mathematics across the eight Countries/Economies and have implications for the teaching of mathematics to pro- vide inclusivity for learners, especially the gifted, talented learners, creative and dis- similar learners.

Mobile learning-technology barriers in school education: teachers’ views

Κλεοπάτρα Νικολοπούλου, Vasilis Gialamas, Konstantinos Lavidas — Technology, Pedagogy and Education

Despite the significant growth and capabilities of mobile technologies, there is limited empirical evidence on teachers’ perceived mobile technology-learning barriers. This study investigated Greek teachers’ perceptions of barriers to using mobile technology in school classrooms. A 28-item questionnaire was administered to 557 teachers and six barrier-factors were extracted: ‘lack of resources’, ‘lack of support’, ‘lack of time’, ‘lack of teacher confidence’, ‘class conditions’ and ‘concerns about students’. The questionnaire was a valid and reliable tool for the investigation of various dimensions of teachers’ perceived barriers. Gender, school level, age and ICT training had significant but small effects on specific barrier-factors. The order of importance of barrier-factors was similar for users and non-users (‘lack of resources’, ‘support’ and ‘class conditions’) independently of the type of mobile device used in class. ‘Concerns about students’ was identified as a major barrier only by non-users. Implications for educational policy and professional training are discussed.

INVESTIGATION OF IN-SERVICE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ SELF-EFFICACY IN TEACHING BIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

Tzovla, Eirini, Kedraka, Katerina, Lavidas, Konstantinos — Hellenic Journal of Psychology

This article reports a study exploring in-service teachers’ personal self-efficacy beliefs (PBTE) and outcome expectancy (BTOE) of teaching biological concepts in elementary school. The sample comprised 509 teachers, who completed the bio-STEBI-A instrument, which measures the self-efficacy of in-service elementary school teachers in teaching biological concepts in elementary school. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analyses suggested that bio-STEBI-A is a reliable and valid instrument. Moreover, teachers had moderate self-efficacy and their personal self-efficacy beliefs were higher than their outcome expectancy. Gender, age, and years of experience did not affect teacher-reported self-efficacy. However, teachers who had selected science, economics, and computer orientation in the last grade in Lyceum reported higher PBTE in biology teaching in comparison to teachers with Lyceum orientation in humanities. In addition, teachers who held a postgraduate degree showed higher PBTE and BTOE than those they have not, whereas teachers who taught classes in the last grades of elementary school and had attended professional development courses showed only higher PBTE than BTOE.

Explaining faculty members’ behavioral intention to use learning management systems

Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Anthi Achriani — Journal of Computers in Education

Utilizing learning management system (LMS) in higher education and the factors could explain it is an emerging research field. Limited research has investigated factors influencing the adoption of LMS as a distinct system of e-learning as well as these studies mainly investigate the determinants of intention to use LMS from students and less from the point of view of the university instructors. This study investigates the factors that explain LMS acceptance from the faculty members. A version of the technology acceptance model including five external factors (perceived self-efficacy, subjective norm, image, technological complexity, and facilitating conditions) is proposed. The sample consists of 378 faculty members from 20 universities of Greece who declared to use LMS. A variance-based structural equation modeling was applied and ten out of thirteen hypotheses were confirmed. The total explained variance of behavioral intention to use LMS is estimated at 73%. Attitudes toward use, perceived usefulness, perceived easy of use, technological complexity, perceived self-efficacy, and subjective norm are the main determinants of faculty members’ behavioral intention to use LMS. Implications for training, educational policy, as well as the design and/or use of educational information systems are discussed.

Determinants of Greek students’ intention to use Facebook for academic purposes

K Lavidas, D Manesis, S Athanassopoulos, A Jimoyiannis, V Komis — Innovating Higher Education Conference 2022

Even though Facebook is now one of the most popular social media sites for college students, its affordances are rarely utilized for educational purposes. Limited studies have been conducted about the usage of Facebook and most of them mainly explore the acceptance of the academic usage of Facebook by students, using the technology acceptance model (TAΜ), without using multivariate analysis. Moreover, previous studies have scarcely investigated factors such as trustworthiness and perceived enjoyment. Data were collected from 128 Greek students from the department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Athens. The study applied the TAM to examine the factors that affect students' behavioral intention to use Facebook for academic purposes. Particularly, it investigated the influence of four external variables on the original factors of the TAM for a better understanding of students' intentions to utilize Facebook in their studies: a) Perceived self-efficacy, b) Social influence, c) Trustworthiness, and d) Perceived Enjoyment of Facebook. All constructs showed a high level of internal consistency reliability and satisfactory discriminant validity. Partial Least Squares and SEM (PLS-SEM) application indicated all these external factors affect the Greek students' intention to use Facebook for academic purposes. The analysis supported that this TAM version is an excellent adaptation to the factors which determine the students' behavioral intention to use Facebook and explained 60% of the total variance of the specific intention. The constructs of Perceived Use, Attitudes, Trustworthiness and Perceived Enjoyment have a direct effect on …

The Effects of Social Desirability on Students’ Self-Reports in Two Social Contexts: Lectures vs. Lectures and Lab Classes

Konstantinos Lavidas, Stamatios Papadakis, Dionysios Manesis, Anastasia Sofia Grigoriadou, Vasilis Gialamas — Information

Attempts to detect socially desirable responding bias have mainly focused on studies that explore sensitive topics. However, researchers concur that the sensitive character of the survey could be affected by the social context within which the research is conducted. Little research has been reported worldwide investigating the potential effects of social desirability on students’ self-reports, considering the social context within which the survey is conducted. In this paper, we investigate the potential effects of social desirability on students’ self-reports in two social contexts within which the survey was conducted. More specifically, with a sample of 111 Greek students, we explored the effects of social desirability on students’ attitudes towards statistics in two cases: when the questionnaire was administered to participating students after attending (a) lectures and (b) both lectures and laboratory classes. Only in the second case were the items’ attitudes toward statistics associated with a score of socially desirable responding; moreover, social desirability accounted for the relationship between attitudes toward statistics and perceived competence in mathematics. Implications and limitations are also discussed.

Interviewing preschool children in Greece about their usage of mobile devices at home

Maria Pogiatzi, Iro Bardoutsou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — SN Social Sciences

The time children spend with mobile devices has increased in recent years. Preschoolers' home usage of mobile devices has mainly been investigated through parents' perceptions. Listening to the children's voices can help us understand this matter more directly. Therefore, in this study, a convergent mixed methods approach was employed to help us investigate the home usage of mobile devices by young children, focusing on children's comments. The participants were 55 Greek children aged 4-6, attending two public kindergartens in Patras. Children described in detail their activities on mobile devices, through semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that the most popular activity for the children was playing digital games. The children were able to demonstrate and describe activities for educational purposes (letters, numbers, digital puzzles, documentaries, etc.) during the home usage of mobile devices. The circumstances in which they are allowed to use their mobile devices is when their parents want to keep them calm during quiet hours or in public places. Implications for introducing mobile learning activities in Greek education are discussed. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43545-022-00522-5.

Factors Affecting Response Rates of the Web Survey with Teachers

Konstantinos Lavidas, Antonia Petropoulou, Stamatios Papadakis, Zoi Apostolou, Vassilis Komis, Athanassios Jimoyiannis, Vasilis Gialamas — Computers

Although web survey has been a popular method of data collection in the academic community, it presents meagre response rates, which primarily affect the validity of the results as well as the reliability of the outcomes. Surveys worldwide that study the response rate only of teachers have not been found in the relevant literature. In this survey, with a sample of 263 Greek teachers, we investigate possible factors that explain teachers’ intention to participate in web surveys that are conducted by online questionnaires indicating, therefore, the factors that probably influence the response rate of web surveys. Our findings support those factors such as (a) authority, (b) incentives, (c) survey structure/form, (d) ethical issues, (e) reminders and pre-notifications, and (f) survey time received, which seem to explain the teachers’ intention to participate in web surveys with questionnaires. Based on the findings, methodology implications and limitations for researchers are discussed.

Challenges and Opportunities of Mathematics in Digital Times: Preschool Teachers’ Views

Konstantinos Lavidas, Zoi Apostolou, Stamatios Papadakis — Education Sciences

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented crisis. Worldwide, preschool teachers were invited to develop the students’ learning experience in a new digital environment for mathematics. This research investigates preschool teachers’ mathematics practices during remote teaching and the use of digital tools in teaching mathematics after their return to actual classes. Views from sixteen Greek preschool teachers were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that mathematical activities such as Numbers and Operations, Geometry, and Measurement occurred during distance learning in digital preschool classrooms. They made little reference to activities related to Algebra, while they did not refer to Data Analysis and Probability. They also seemed to prefer mathematical activities based on Connections and Representation processes in their digital classrooms. Preschool teachers reported that parents supported this process by their presence, and digital learning communities supported learning activities by providing guidelines and innovative approaches to them in digital times. However, after returning to face-to-face schooling, preschool teachers seemed to use digital tools to a lesser degree. They also mention that in face-to-face schooling, they prefer to utilize the authentic communication frameworks emphasizing problem-solving activities to enhance all mathematical processes. Implications for preschool teacher professional development are discussed.

A Model-Based Constructivist Approach for Bridging Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects in Teaching and Learning the First Law of Thermodynamics

Meli Kalliopi, Koliopoulos Dimitrios, Lavidas Konstantinos — Science & Education

Teaching and learning introductory thermodynamics has drawn considerable research attention over the last two decades, especially in several disciplines of higher education. Under particular investigation is the First Law of Thermodynamics (FLT), which offers an expression of energy conservation in thermodynamic systems, as the evidence shows that students struggle with this fundamental principle. At the upper secondary education level, existing research on this issue is rather limited. This study is concerned with the above, presenting epistemological and cognitive perspectives on the FLT and, based on these, proposes a constructivist approach for its teaching and learning. We place a special focus on the meaningful bridging between thermodynamic processes and a suitable constructivist model (Energy Chain Model) that can accurately describe the mathematical expressions of the First Law. To accomplish this, we implemented a teaching and learning sequence (12 45-min lessons) in the second year of the upper secondary school (ages 16–17). A significant part of the sequence (six lessons in 2 weeks) employed a model-based educational simulation (Ideal Gas Educational Simulation), which was designed and developed for this particular purpose. In this study ( N = 19), the results indicated gradual improvement in students’ representations of thermodynamic processes, wherein they were able to more accurately describe these processes in terms of energy chains and mathematical expressions of the First Law. Some barriers that students could not seamlessly bypass were detected, which are in line with the findings of the existing literature for tertiary education students.

Les représentations des enseignants du cycle maternel relatives aux leurs pratiques empiristes lors des activités en sciences

A DRAGANOUDI, K LAVIDAS, G KALIAMPOS, K RAVANIS — Mediterranean Journal of Education 2 (1)

The purpose of this research is to investigate the traces of empiricist influences in kindergarten teachers' representations of the practices they tend to follow when developing natural science activities in kindergarten. A quantitative approach was used, with the research tool being an electronic questionnaire that was completed online by 94 kindergarten teachers working in publics preschools. The questionnaire was first used in a pilot survey and, after receiving feedback, was expanded for the main research. Analysis of the results showed that kindergarten teachers' representations of their teaching choices and their students' actions are characterized by practices that are influenced by the empiricist teaching strategy.

Content and technological knowledge of computer science teachers in a French-speaking environment= Connaissances du contenu et connaissances technologiques des enseignants en …

V Komis, S Bachy, O Goletti, G Parriaux, M Rafalska, K Lavidas — Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education 16 (2)

In this article we study the content and technological knowledge of teachers who teach or are preparing to teach computer science in a francophone environment. The research is based on the questionnaire elaborated with the reference to the TPACK model. The content knowledge is studied on the base of the five main domains of computer science (algorithms, languages and programming, machines and networks, data representation, and computer science and society) and the technological knowledge on the base of professional and educational programming languages currently used at school. The study presents a multiple correspondence analysis of the 339 responses that were collected and estimated as valid ones. The findings show that the knowledge declared by the teachers vary. The content knowledge can be grouped in 4 categories (from quite poor and badly structured knowledge to more complete knowledge with stronger links). The technological knowledge falls in two categories depending on the knowledge of professional and educative languages declared by teachers.

PHYSICS TEACHERS’TRAINING WEBINARS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING INTRODUCTORY THERMODYNAMICS IN UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL

K Meli, D Koliopoulos, K Lavidas — —

This study refers to a training program addressing upper secondary school physics teachers for the development of Teaching and Learning Sequences (TLSs) for introductory thermodynamics courses. To accomplish that, we presented essential epistemological and pedagogical elements of thermodynamics and proposed an alternative approach to the relevant lessons. To investigate the status of teachers' knowledge and approach to teaching and learning of this field, we conducted an online survey addressing physics teachers in the educational district of central Athens (Greece). The pre-webinar results (N= 42) indicated that teachers were rather disappointed with the traditional approach that the official curriculum promotes, and they agreed on enhancing their respective knowledge and skills to design and implement a TLS that could improve the course and advance the respective educational research. The training program was held through four webinar sessions that lasted two hours each. The participants were 30 in-service physics teachers from different upper secondary schools in Athens. The webinars addressed the teaching and learning of introductory thermodynamics in terms of (a) epistemology,(b) traditional instructional approach,(c) alternative instructional approaches, and (d) design of a TLS. For the evaluation of the training program, we collected qualitative data during the webinars and after the last webinar, using recordings of four group discussions and five semi-structured interviews accordingly. Our results indicated that participating teachers were willing to change their traditional instruction towards a researchbased TLS.

Connaissances du contenu et connaissances technologiques des enseignants en Informatique en milieu francophone

V Komis, S Bachy, O Goletti, G Parriaux, M Rafalska, K Lavidas — Review of Science, Mathematics & ICT Education 16 (2)

(fr) Cet article porte sur les connaissances disciplinaires (connaissances du contenu) et les connaissances technologiques des professeurs qui enseignent ou se préparent à enseigner l’Informatique en milieu francophone. La recherche repose sur un questionnaire qui a été conçu en se référant au modèle TPACK. En particulier, nous étudions les connaissances du contenu à partir des cinq domaines principaux de la science informatique (algorithmique, langages et programmation, machines et réseaux, représentation des données, informatique et société) et les connaissances technologiques à partir des langages de programmation courants et des langages de programmation éducationnels. L’étude présente les résultats de l’analyse des correspondances multiples des 339 réponses que nous avons récoltées et estimées comme valides. Plus précisément, nous avons pu constater que les connaissances déclarées par les enseignants sont assez variées. En ce qui concerne les connaissances du contenu des enseignants, elles peuvent être regroupées en quatre catégories (des connaissances épisodiques et mal structurées aux connaissances plus complètes avec des liens multiples). En ce qui concerne les connaissances technologiques, nous avons pu constater qu’elles s’ organisent en deux groupes en fonction des connaissances des langages professionnels et des connaissances des langages éducationnels qui ont été déclarées par les enseignants.

Why Answer this Question? Experts’ Behaviors on Educational Community Question-Answering Platforms

Harry Stokhof, Kalliopi Meli, Konstantinos Lavidas, Dimitrios Grammenos — The Electronic Journal of e-Learning

This study explores the factors that influence experts’ regular contribution to educational community question-answering (CQA) platforms. Providing answers is essential for sharing knowledge on CQA platforms, but it also affects learners’ progressive inquiry. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop and test a theoretical model that aims to explain which factors influence whether experts answer questions on educational CQA platforms and how these factors correlate with each other to form a “map” of experts’ respective behavior. We examined experts’ perceptions of three dimensions: the CQA platform’s usability, the quality of questions asked, and the added value of answering these questions. We examined the factors involved in these dimensions from the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behavior to connect them with the experts’ perceptions, intentions, and actions on a CQA platform. As our case study, we took the 100mentors web and mobile app, a small-scale platform that addresses learning communities around the world, and we conducted a survey for their registered experts (N=126). The factorial structure indicated that experts first perceived the question quality mostly based on its relevance to their expertise or experience (question quality); secondly, that their intention to answer was mainly set by their motives to make a difference for the learner and partially by the user-friendliness of the platform (added value of answering and CQA platform’s usability); and finally, that their actions were connected to the regular use of the platform for answer-sharing (CQA platform’s usability). A future research challenge is to test the factorial structure in large-scale educational CQA platforms. The further confirmation of the expert behavior pattern can have a practical implication for the platforms to guide their expert community more efficiently and for the learners to pursue their learning through progressive inquiry.

Habit, hedonic motivation, performance expectancy and technological pedagogical knowledge affect teachers’ intention to use mobile internet

Κλεοπάτρα Νικολοπούλου, Vasilis Gialamas, Konstantinos Lavidas — Computers and Education Open

Utilizing mobile internet via mobile phones and tablets in school education is an emerging area of research, and different factors may affect this usage. Although the application of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and the Use of Technology (UTAUT model) is credible in the mobile learning field, it is still scarce when studying mobile technology-internet acceptance by primary or secondary school teachers. Therefore, in this study the UTAUT2 model was employed and extended to include the Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (perceived self-efficacy) factor, in order to investigate the constructs-factors that influence teachers’ intention of mobile internet use in the educational process. Two hundred and sixty-two primary and secondary school teachers across Greece completed an online questionnaire. It was found that Habit, Hedonic Motivation, Performance Expectancy, and Technological Pedagogic Knowledge significantly predict teachers’ intention to use mobile internet, while Behavioral Intention, Technological Pedagogical Knowledge, and Habit affect actual use. No moderating effect was shown. The findings of this study contribute to the research applying the UTAUT2 approach with the Technological Pedagogical Knowledge construct, for the exploration of teachers’ behavioral intention to utilize mobile internet in their teaching. The identification of specific constructs that predict teachers’ intentions and use of mobile internet, may have implications for teacher training, educational policy, as well as the design and/or use of educational computer systems.

STUDENT FACEBOOK GROUP AS A DISCUSSION PLATFORM FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Stavros Athanassopoulos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — ICERI proceedings

Social networks are utilized more and more in our daily lives. Facebook is one of the most popular Social Networks mainly among young people. Many studies have investigated the use of Facebook groups (FG) for academic purposes. More of them have investigated the FG as a learning support and material repository platform, and less as a discussion platform. In this research, we investigated the potential use of university students' FG as a discussion platform. In this way, we explored the students’ posts on the FG of the Department of Educational Science and Early Childhood Education at the University of Patras. Specifically, we recorded the 1547 students' posts (activity) for a whole academic year and analyzed them using the thematic content analysis method. For each post, we recorded the number of characters, the words, the date, the “likes” and the number of students who responded. Moreover, we categorized the posts that employed the students in five issues: “Teaching courses” (22%), “Exams” (29%), “Course context” (29%), “Academic staff” (8%), “Faculty practical Issues in terms of studies” (12%). In parallel, we mainly observed that the posts’ categories have similar distribution across the various periods except for the posts’ category about “exams”. Students during the examination periods presented more posts than other periods. Implications for using e-learning systems and educational policy are discussed.

Digital games in early childhood education: greek preschool teachers’ views

Stamatina Kolovou, Ioanna Koutsolabrou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Iro Voulgari — University of Patras

Research examining preschool teachers' views on the use of digital games in teaching and learning is quite limited. This study aims to investigate preschool teachers’ views about the integration of digital games in the classroom. Views from ten Greek preschool teachers were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Teachers mention that use various digital environment such as "KidMedia", "RamKid", "Kidepedia", "TuxPaint" as digital games and use them mainly for students’ assessment or just for relaxation, while fewer choose to teach through digital games. Teachers observe that children are more focused and are more productive without complaining and getting bored easily. Finally, participants report as barriers mainly the lack of equipment. Implications for in-service teacher training and educational policy are discussed.

Effectiveness of In-Service Elementary School Teacher Professional Development MOOC: An Experimental Research

Eirini Tzovla, Katerina Kedraka, Thanassis Karalis, Marina Kougiourouki, Konstantinos Lavidas — Contemporary Educational Technology

Teachers’ Professional Development Massive Open Online Courses (TPD-MOOCs) are a new form of MOOCs and have influenced an intense research interest. This study reports on the design and implementation of a TPD-MOOC which utilizes digital educational content and Open Educational Recourses (OER) and supports in-service elementary school teachers to enhance their self-efficacy beliefs. In the design framework we take into consideration the findings of previous research and the educational needs of the participants. We conducted an experimental design research and compared the teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs before and after their participation in a TPD-MOOC. A total of 251 teachers enrolled in this course and 142 of them completed it. We used quantitative data to measure the enhancement of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and the effectiveness of the course. The results provide evidence that our TPD-MOOC improved in service elementary school teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in teaching biological concepts. Recommendations are made for future research.

Άγχος και δεξιότητες εκπαιδευτικών κατά τη διαχείριση της εκπαιδευτικής κρίσης λόγω της πανδημίας COVID-19

Ν Ράικου, Γ Κωνσταντοπούλου, Κ Λαβίδας — 1ο Διεθνές Διαδικτυακό Εκπαιδευτικό Συνέδριο Από τον 20ο στον 21ο αιώνα μέσα …

Η παρούσα μελέτη διερευνά τις άμεσες ψυχολογικές συνέπειες που είχε η απότομη μετάβαση σε εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση λόγω της πανδημίας COVID-19 στους Έλληνες εκπαιδευτικούς, όσον αφορά το άγχος και την αίσθηση επάρκειας των προσωπικών τους δεξιοτήτων. Η ανησυχία λόγω των συνθηκών και η αλλαγή της εκπαιδευτικής τους ρουτίνας αποτελούν, σύμφωνα με τη βιβλιογραφία, παράγοντες που είναι δυνατό να οδηγήσουν τους εκπαιδευτικούς σε άγχος και δυσκολία διαχείρισης του νέου τρόπου διδασκαλίας. Στην έρευνα, η οποία υλοποιήθηκε από το Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών δύο μήνες μετά την έναρξη της εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης, συμμετείχαν 98 εκπαιδευτικοί πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης Δυτικής Ελλάδας. Ως εργαλείο της έρευνας αξιοποιήθηκε ένα ερωτηματολόγιο, το οποίο περιλάμβανε δημογραφικά στοιχεία, το Ερωτηματολόγιο Αυτοεκτίμησης (STAI) και επιλεγμένες ερωτήσεις από το Ερωτηματολόγιο Προσωπικών Δεξιοτήτων (PSI). Η στατιστική ανάλυση έδειξε ότι οι εκπαιδευτικοί παρουσίασαν άγχος και μειωμένη αυτοεικόνα στις δεξιότητες διαχείρισης της κρίσης, ενώ αναδύεται η αναγκαιότητα ενίσχυσής τους με στοχευμένα επιμορφωτικά προγράμματα.

SCIENCES ACTIVITIES

Aikaterini DRAGANOUDI, George KALIAMPOS, Konstantinos LAVIDAS — —

The aim of the current paper is to investigate the traces of socio-cognitive influences in kindergarten teachers’ representations about the practices they tend to follow when they develop Natural Sciences activities in kindergarten. A quantitative approach was used, with the research tool being an electronic questionnaire that was completed online by 94 kindergarten teachers served in public Kindergartens. The questionnaire was firstly used in a pilot survey where receiving feedback it was further developed for the main research. Research analysis showed that kindergarten teachers’ representations concerning their teaching choices and actions of their students are characterized by practices that are influenced by the socio-cognitive teaching strategy. These practices are followed from both teachers and their students from moderate to large extent.

Greek preschool teacher’s views about language activities in early childhood education during Covid‑19. A chance for change?

Zoi Apostolou, Konstantinos Lavidas — Educational Role of Language Journal

The aim of this research is to investigate the views of preschool teachers about their "readiness" for e-learning, the barriers they had faced while using it in early childhood education, the teaching practices during distance learning of language, and the transformations that had to be done in these, their effectiveness, and finally the utilization of the digital tools in the teaching of language after their return to the real classes. Views from ten Greek preschool teachers were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results showed that teachers had no "readiness" for distance education and some students have fewer opportunities than others to learn and conquer some skills at home during distance learning. Furthermore, during distance learning the oral language was cultivated naturally and effortlessly, while the cultivation of the written language encountered significant difficulties due to the mediation of the digital tools, according to teachers. But as they seem to acknowledge the power of digital tools, they overcome their initial embarrassment and set aside the difficulties they encountered. Indeed, teachers seem to acknowledge this e-learning teaching experience supplied them with technological skills that could be utilized in similar situations. However, they highlight the need for training in distance learning and mainly how they could effectively integrate the technology in class./ Keywords: teaching of language, preschool education, teachers’ opinions, pandemic, distance learning, online learning

Teaching Mathematics in Early Childhood Education with ICT: The Views of Two Contrasting Teachers’ Groups

Konstantinos Lavidas, Artemis Eleftheriadi, Vassilis Komis — Journal of Digital Educational Technology

The aim of this study is to compare the views of preschool teachers using ICT to those who do not, on the basis of the benefits and the barriers that ICT bring in teaching and learning mathematics. Twenty preschool teachers took part in this study: nine who do not use ICT and eleven, who do use them for teaching mathematics. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the thematic content analysis method. Results indicate that preschool teachers, who use ICT in teaching mathematics, teach mathematical concepts such as spatio-temporal, orientation, classification, matching, serializations, quantities, mathematical operations, patterns, comparisons, volume, shapes, and size. Moreover, despite the benefits of ICT observed by teachers of both groups, but mainly from the one using ICT, the overall use of ICT in the teaching of mathematics is obsoleted. The main barriers of ICT integration, according to preschool teachers are the lack of training on its integration and the preschool teachers’ role during the teaching of mathematics. Implications for in-service teacher training and educational policy are discussed.

Kindergarten teachers' representations for their socio-cognitive practices during the Natural Sciences activities

Aikaterini Draganoudi, George Κaliampos, Konstantinos Lavidas — Acta Didactica Napocensia

Abstract: The aim of the current paper is to investigate the traces of socio-cognitive influences in kindergarten teachers’ representations about the practices they tend to follow when they develop Natural Sciences activities in kindergarten. A quantitative approach was used, with the research tool being an electronic questionnaire that was completed online by 94 kindergarten teachers served in public Kindergartens. The questionnaire was firstly used in a pilot survey where receiving feedback it was further developed for the main research. Research analysis showed that kindergarten teachers’ representations concerning their teaching choices and actions of their students are characterized by practices that are influenced by the socio-cognitive teaching strategy. These practices are followed from both teachers and their students from moderate to large extent.

Beliefs of parents of preschool children about literacy: facilitative and conventional approaches

Chrysoula Tsirmpa, Nektarios Stellakis, Konstantinos Lavidas — European Early Childhood Education Research Journal

In the present study, we investigated the grouping of Greek parents of preschool children according to their beliefs about literacy by using a mixed-method approach. The sample included 147 parents of preschool children attending the 13 public kindergartens in the town of Pyrgos, in Greece. The participants completed a paper survey and 20 of them participated in semi-structured interviews, as well. The results revealed that parents could be categorized into two groups according to their beliefs about literacy: Facilitative and Conventional. Facilitative parents have a more holistic orientation, concerning literacy acquisition, while Conventional parents have a more skills-based orientation. The findings give an insight into parents’ beliefs about literacy and emphasize the importance of the congruence between home and school literacy. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Investigation of the Statistical Anxiety Rating Scale Psychometric Properties with a Sample of Greek Students

Konstantinos Lavidas, Dionysios Manesis, Vasilios Gialamas — International Journal of Educational Psychology

The purpose of this study was to adapt the Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS) for a Greek student population. The STARS was administered to 890 Tertiary Education students in two Greek universities. It was performed a cross-validation study to examine the factorial structure and the psychometric properties with a series of confirmatory factor analyses. Results revealed a correlated six first-order factor model which provided the best fit to the data compared to a six-factor model with one superordinate factor. All six factors of the Greek version of the STARS presented convergent and discriminant validity and were internally consistent. Implications and limitations are discussed.

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Greek teachers and the emerging challenges for their professional development

Νατάσσα Ράικου, Γεωργία Κωνσταντοπούλου, Konstantinos Lavidas — Ανοικτή Εκπαίδευση: το περιοδικό για την Ανοικτή και εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση και την Εκπαιδευτική Τεχνολογία

The present study focuses on the psychological consequences of the pandemic on Greek teachers on anxiety, post-traumatic stress and personal skills. The research was conducted by a Greek university, a few months after the beginning of lockdown and changing the teaching process to distance education. An electronic questionnaire was used as a research tool, which was completed by 213 primary and secondary school teachers in Western Greece. The questionnaire included demographics as well as questions from three questionnaires: State Trait Anxiety Inventory, revised Impact of Event Scale, as well as selected questions from the Personal Skills Inventory. The elaboration of the findings revealed the existence of medium anxiety and low self-esteem for the teachers, as well as an estimation of the factors that increase them. Nevertheless, a discussion on the opportunities emerged for the teachers’ development and the contribution of Adult Education to this direction is ready to start.

Study Engagement in University Students: a Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale with Greek Students

Stavroula Dimitriadou, Konstantinos Lavidas, Thanassis Karalis, Konstantinos Ravanis — Journal of Well-Being Assessment

University student engagement is a construct resembling work engagement from a psychological perspective. Student engagement is positively related to personal resources, improved performance and on-time graduation. Its socio-economic impacts concern all the stakeholders of higher education. The structure of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale consisted of three dimensions, Vigor, Dedication and Absorption, is investigated. This is the first time that student engagement was measured in Greece. Hence, the purpose of this paper was to investigate the factorial structure of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student version for measuring student engagement in a sample of 462 students from all schools of University of Patras. The factorial structure which derived by a series of statistical analyses consisted of 9 items distributed in 2 dimensions (Vigor and Dedication-Absorption). This factorial structure presents measurement invariance across gender and order of choice of the department of attendance. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student version is a brief and eligible instrument with satisfactory psychometric properties thus proposed for measuring student engagement in the Greek university context.

Preschool teachers’ perceptions about TPACK in Greek educational context

Konstantinos Lavidas, Maria-Angeliki Katsidima, Stavroula Theodoratou, Vassilis Komis, Κλεοπάτρα Νικολοπούλου — Journal of Computers in Education

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is considered a promising theoretical framework for understanding the knowledge teachers require for effective ICT integration. This study investigates the perceptions of 147 Greek in-service preschool teachers about their knowledge and skills regarding ICT integration in their educational practices. In this context, a scale of 28 items was used to record teachers’ perceptions according to the seven domains of the TPACK model. The validity and the reliability of the scale used were established. Moreover, the findings revealed that preschool teachers have satisfactory perceived self-efficacy for the integration of ICT in all seven domains of TPACK. Teachers’ age, teaching experience, and educational level seem to explain the perceived self-efficacy for ICT integration. The ICT teacher training program about ICT integration in classroom practices is indicated as the basic factor for integrating ICT in teaching. Implications for preschool teacher professional development are discussed.

Investigation of perceptions and practices of kindergarten and first grade primary school teachers concerning their cooperation for the enhancement of literacy

Zoi Apostolou, Gerasimos Koustourakis, Nektarios Stellakis, Konstantinos Lavidas — University of Patras

The present work concerns the investigation of the perceptions of kindergarten and first grade primary school teachers of their cooperation in terms of enhancing the literacy of their students. The data were collected by administering an electronic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to teachers of Greek public schools in the prefectures of Achaia and Ilia. The main findings of this study indicate that in contrast to the existing reality, first grade primary school teachers as well as kindergarten teachers recognize the need to develop cooperation between them, recognizing that this will contribute to the smoother transition of students from kindergarten to primary school. They also seemed to want to create a balanced language curriculum that would ensure continuity in implemented teaching literacy practices between the two specific types of schools. Furthermore, the first grade primary school teachers and kindergarten teachers who participated in the research want to implement a common training framework on issues of modern teaching in order to facilitate the cooperation between them, which according to the teachers is hindered by the factors of co-location of school units and lack of time due to pressure experienced by teachers to cover the "course material" according to the modern curriculum of the language course.

CULTURAL GOODS AND EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS OF DAY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS / BIENES CULTURALES Y EXPECTATIVAS EDUCATIVAS DE LOS ESTUDIANTES DE ESCUELA SECUNDARIA DIURNA

Georgia Spiliopoulou, Gerasimos Koustourakis, Anna Asimaki, Konstantinos Lavidas — European Journal of Social Sciences Studies

<p>The aim of the present work is to investigate the relationship between family "objectified" cultural capital and the educational expectations of Day General and Vocational High School students, using the concept of “cultural capital” from Pierre Bourdieu’s theory. The research was conducted in the school year 2017-2018 using a questionnaire with 1430 General and Vocational High School students, as well as a semi-structured interview with 20 General and Vocational High School students (10 General High School students and 10 Vocational High School students) who were studying in the 2nd grade of Day General and Vocational High Schools in the Educational Region of Western Greece. The results of the study showed that the students in the sample tend to accumulate, in their system of predispositions, some types of "indicators" or all types of "objectified" cultural capital, which is a function of the range of cultural goods that exist in their homes. Furthermore, the types of "objectified" cultural capital indicators that exist in the family homes of the students in the sample tend to "organize" the system of their educational expectations and contribute to the "orchestration" of their different educational choices.</p><p> </p><p>El objetivo del presente trabajo es investigar la relación entre el capital cultural familiar "objetivado" y las expectativas educativas de los estudiantes de secundaria general y vocacional, utilizando el concepto de "capital cultural" de la teoría de Pierre Bourdieu. La investigación se realizó en el curso 2017-2018 utilizando un cuestionario con 1430 alumnos de Bachillerato General y Vocacional, así como una entrevista semiestructurada con 20 alumnos de Bachillerato General y Vocacional (10 alumnos de Bachillerato General y 10 de Bachillerato Vocacional estudiantes) que estaban estudiando en el segundo grado de las escuelas secundarias generales y vocacionales diurnas en la región educativa de Grecia occidental.

TO ANSWER, OR NOT TO ANSWER, THAT IS THE QUESTION: EXPERTS’ CONTRIBUTION TO QUESTION-ANSWERING PLATFORMS

Harry Stokhof, Kalliopi Meli, Konstantinos Lavidas — ICERI proceedings

H. Stokhof1, K. Meli2, K. Lavidas2 1Han University of Applied Sciences (NETHERLANDS) 2University of Patras (GREECE)

Student teachers' game preferences, game habits, and attitudes towards games as learning tools

Iro Voulgari, Konstantinos Lavidas — Proceedings of the European Conference on Games-based Learning

Our aim in this study is to examine the gaming habits and game preferences of university students/pre-service teachers. Teachers’ confidence to use and attitudes towards technology, and their experience with digital games seem to be some of the most critical factors determining the use of digital games in the classroom. Furthermore, personal game preferences are important factors for motivation and engagement in game play and the educational effectiveness of games. By examining the gaming experience and preferences of future teachers, we can better design relevant courses and curricula for supporting student teachers and prepare them to use game-based learning and teaching in their future classrooms. Data were collected through an online survey. Our sample (N= 274) includes students from different universities, different university departments, and different academic years of study. This allows us to gain a more holistic view of the topic, based on the perceptions of student teachers from different disciplines and backgrounds. Trying to address the complexity of game classification for identifying preferences, a typology of games based on two main axes is proposed: a) the format of the game, the mechanics, and gameplay (eg simulation, action, strategy, puzzle, role-playing) and b) the content of the game and the narrative context (eg story oriented, fantasy world, sports, science fiction). We mapped the participants’ preferences based on this typology. We further collected and analysed data on their game-playing frequency and preferred gaming device. Their intention to use games in their classrooms, and their perceptions on the …

Examining Student Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes towards Game Based Learning

Iro Voulgari, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis, Stavros Athanassopoulos — ACM International Conference Proceeding Series

Although the appropriate design of the game is crucial for the attainment of learning objectives in game based learning, in formal education settings the role of the educators is critical. The experience and the competences of the educators are important for the success of the game based educational intervention. Our study is situated in this context, examining the perceptions, experience, and intentions to use digital games of student teachers. Our goal is to identify and propose areas where student teachers may be supported during their studies so that they are better prepared to implement games in primary and secondary education. The sample of this study was 125 university students who may potentially become primary and secondary education teachers. Data were collected through an online survey in Universities in Greece and analysed statistically. The results indicate that game experience and perceived usefulness of the games as learning tools are the strongest predictors for the intention to use digital games in the classroom.

Dietary behaviour of first-year students of an education department in Greece.

E Theodosi, M Kyriakou, L Bentai, V Riga, K Lavidas — Hellenic Journal of Nutrition & Dietetics 12

Aim The dietary behaviour of most students tends to change as it affected by various factors. The aim of the present study was to assess the eating behaviour of first-year students after their admission to university. Methods We chose a survey as our research method to evaluate the dietary behaviour of 104 first-year students attending an early childhood education department in Greece. For the collection of research data, the students completed a self-administered questionnaire which was used in three similar surveys conducted in Italy, Greece, and Scotland respectively. Results Based on the results of our research, students who live with their family did not change their dietary behaviours after their enrolment at the university. They prefer eating at home and tend to consume healthier foods than those who live far from their family. It should be highlighted that in contrast to the results of previous studies students from … Aim Methods Results

A Structural Equation Model Investigating the Impact of Tertiary Students’ Attitudes Toward Statistics, Perceived Competence at Mathematics, and Engagement on Statistics …

konstantinos Lavidas, T Barkatsas, D Manesis, V Gialamas — Statistics Education Research Journal 19 (2)

Research in the field of statistics teaching has gained momentum, with numerous studies reporting that attitudes towards statistics are related to student performance in a statistics course. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of students’ attitudes toward statistics, students’ perceived competence at mathematics, and students’ engagement in the learning process on their overall performance in a tertiary statistics course. The Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS-28) was administered to 170 tertiary Early Childhood Education students in a large university in Greece. A Structural Equation Model was generated and a confirmatory factor analysis was performed resulting in a three-component structure being accepted. Path analysis revealed direct links between perceived competence at mathematics and the three attitudes components, as well as a direct effect of perceived competence at mathematics on students’ performance in the statistics course. Engagement in the learning process also had a direct impact on students’ performance.

Teachers’ readiness to adopt mobile learning in classrooms: A study in Greece

Kleopatra Nikolopoulou, Vasilis Gialamas, Konstantinos Lavidas, Vassilis Komis — Technology, Knowledge and Learning

Mobile devices have become a learning tool with great potential in both formal and informal learning; however, mobile learning readiness research in school education is relatively limited. This study investigated teachers’ readiness to adopt mobile learning in K-12 classrooms. A questionnaire was administered to 920 teachers in Greece and four factors were extracted, Possibilities, Benefits, Preferences and External influences. Teachers, in general, expressed positive perceptions on mobile learning readiness. The highest percentage of agreement regarded the possibilities of mobile learning (over 60%). ICT training and attendance of ICT conferences, both affected positively teachers’ perceptions on mobile learning benefits and preferences. Teachers who use mobile devices in class reported significantly more positive perceptions on all factors, while gender or age had no impact on perceptions. There was a higher probability of mobile devices’ usage in class among teachers working in elementary schools (in comparison with those working in high schools or general/vocational lyceums). Stronger perceptions on mobile learning benefits, preferences and external influences were associated with an increased likelihood of using mobile devices in the classroom. Teachers’ readiness perceptions can be explored from a multi-dimensional perspective, and also be associated with mobile technology use in classrooms. Implications for teacher professional development, methodology and pedagogical practice are discussed.

Acceptance of mobile phone by university students for their studies: an investigation applying UTAUT2 model

Κλεοπάτρα Νικολοπούλου, Vasilis Gialamas, Konstantinos Lavidas — Education and Information Technologies

Mobile phone is increasingly widespread among University students, while different factors can affect students’ behavior towards the use and acceptance of mobile technology. One of the methods to measure these factors is the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Behavioral Intention of University students for acceptance and use of mobile phone in their studies. The study employed the extended UTAUT2 model (Venkatesh et al. 2012 ) which was adapted to the Greek context. The participants were 540 students of different Universities across Greece, who completed an online questionnaire. The most important predictors for students’ Behavioral Intention to use mobile phones in their studies were Habit (the strongest one), Performance Expectancy and Hedonic Motivation. The most important predictor for actual mobile phone use was Behavioral Intention. Gender, age and experience did not have any moderating effect. The findings of this study enhance the evidence on mobile phone acceptance among University students, and have implications for students’ training.

Family cultural activities and educational expectations of Day High School students

Koustourakis Gerasimos S., Spiliopoulou Georgia, Asimaki Anna, Lavidas Konstantinos — International Journal of Sociology of Education

This paper, which uses the concepts of ‘cultural capital’ and ‘practice’ from Pierre Bourdieu’s theory, presents the family cultural activities that Day High School students in Greece adopt in their everyday life and which contribute to shaping their cultural capital. Moreover, an attempt is also made to investigate the role played by the family cultural activities that students adopt, in shaping their expectations concerning their educational future. The research sample consists of 1430 2nd grade Day High School students, who attended High School during the school year 2017-2018, and the research data were collected using a questionnaire. The research results showed that the students in the sample tend to accumulate and integrate into the system of their predispositions a smaller or larger volume of cultural capital, which is a function of the range of family cultural activities they adopt in their everyday lives. In addition, the students’ everyday family cultural activities tend to ‘organize’ the system of their expectations, defining their future educational careers, and orienting them to different educational outlets

A sociological approach to the school career of Day High School students in Greece

Georgia Spiliopoulou, Gerasimos Koustourakis, Konstantinos Lavidas, Anna Asimaki — Educational Journal of the University of Patras UNESCO Chair

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and highlight the factors that contribute to the formation of the school career of Day High School students in Greece. Moreover, the outline of the school career of students according to the type of High School (General/Vocational) they attend is attempted. The research sample consists of 1430 Day High School students, who attended the 2nd grade of High School during the school year 2017-2018, and the research data were collected with the use of the questionnaire. The results of this study showed that the school career of the students attending the two types of High School (General/Vocational) tends to be influenced by the particular social characteristics that make up their family profile and which are determined by their class habitus. The national origin of the students’ families and the differentiated educational level of their parents tend to contribute significantly to shaping their school career.

Η οικοδόμηση ενεργειακών εννοιών από μαθητές γυμνασίου για το σύνθετο τεχνολογικό σύστημα του αυτοκινήτου

Βασίλειος Σταυρόπουλος, Κωνσταντίνος Λαβίδας, Δημήτρης Κολιόπουλος — Διδασκαλία των Φυσικών Επιστημών: Έρευνα & Πράξη

Η παρούσα μελέτη αποτελεί τμήμα ευρύτερης ερευνητικής εργασίας η οποία αφορά στην ανάλυση, το σχεδιασμό και την αξιολόγηση μιας διδακτικής παρέμβασης σχετικής με την ενεργειακή προσέγγιση του σύνθετου τεχνολογικού συστήματος του αυτοκινήτου. Η διδακτική παρέμβαση απευθύνεται σε μαθητές του ελληνικού γυμνασίου ηλικίας 12-13 ετών και εντάσσεται στο πλαίσιο μιας ενοποιημένης αντιμετώπισης της επιστήμης, της τεχνολογίας και του περιβάλλοντος. Η εργασία αναφέρεται στις τρεις συνιστώσες της επιδιωκόμενης σχολικής γνώσης (τεχνολογική, επιστημονική, περιβαλλοντική) δίδοντας έμφαση στην επιστημονική συνιστώσα η οποία συνδέεται με την ενεργειακή περιγραφή της κίνησης διαφόρων τύπων αυτοκινήτου. Στη συνέχεια περιγράφονται οι διδακτικοί στόχοι, η δομή και το εννοιολογικό περιεχόμενο της διδακτικής παρέμβασης. Τέλος, παρουσιάζεται μέρος της επεξεργασίας των δεδομένων που έχουν …

Προγραμματιστικές Διαδρομές με το Ozobot bit στην προσχολική εκπαίδευση

Κ Αντωνοπούλου, Κ Λαβίδας, Κ Ζαχάρος — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας …

Στο παρόν άρθρο παρουσιάζονται τα ευρήματα της έρευνάς μας αναφορικά με την αξιοποίηση της ρομποτικής πλατφόρμας Ozobot bit, που πραγματοποιήσαμε τον Μάρτιο του 2018 σε δημόσιο Νηπιαγωγείο της Πάτρας. Στόχος της έρευνας ήταν να διερευνήσουμε κατά πόσο τα νήπια είναι σε θέση να αναγνωρίσουν τα χρώματα των κωδικών κατεύθυνσης, που αναπαριστά την κίνηση του ρομπότ Ozobot bit, καθώς και να μπορούν να τα εφαρμόσουν σε προβλήματα κατεύθυνσης και προσανατολισμού. Για την επίτευξη των στόχων πραγματοποιήσαμε ημιδομημένες συνεντεύξεις υλοποιώντας ένα εκπαιδευτικό σενάριο. Τα δέκα νήπια που συμμετείχαν στην έρευνα κλήθηκαν να αναγνωρίσουν και να χρησιμοποιήσουν τρεις κώδικες χρωμάτων, προκειμένου να μετακινήσουν το ρομπότ από την αρχική θέση στην τελική μέσα από μια διαδικασία επίλυσης προβλημάτος. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας έδειξαν πως τα νήπια είναι σε θέση να αναγνωρίσουν τα χρώματα που αντιστοιχούν σε κώδικες κατεύθυνσης και μέσα από κατάλληλη καθοδήγηση μπορούν να τα εφαρμόσουν για την μετακίνηση του ρομπότ.

Investigating practices and perceptions of higher education students concerning the utilization of mobile devices in their studies

Konstantinos Lavidas, Stavros Athanassopoulos, Konstantina Priovolou, Aggeliki Lappa, Lambrini Voutsina — Open Education - The Journal for Open and Distance Education and Educational Technology

The present research studies the views of students, of the University of Patras, according to the use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets in the educational process. Answers (of closed and open types questions) of 98 students of various departments of the University of Patras was concentrated and analyzed. The majority of students own smart devices which they use to communicate with each other and to support their studies. The students perceive various obstacles to using mobile devices as well as problems in their use for academic purposes. Suggestions for the use of mobile devices in the educational process are discussed.

Interventions portant sur la résolution de problèmes en contexte de recherche d'information: quels impacts sur les perceptions d'auto-efficacité d'étudiants universitaires?

M Parissi, V Komis, K Lavidas, G Dumouchel, T Karsenti — Revue internationale des technologies en pédagogie universitaire 16 (1)

Cette étude examine l'évolution des perceptions des étudiants universitaires quant à l'utilisation des moteurs de recherche après leur exposition à une intervention pédagogique centrée sur le processus de résolution de problèmes informationnels. Au total, 138 étudiants du Département des Sciences de l'Education-Section Préscolaire de l'Université de Patras ont été interrogés pour mesurer leur perception de l'utilité et de la facilité d'utilisation des moteurs de recherche. Un questionnaire, basé en partie sur le modèle d'acceptation technologique TAM, a été élaboré et distribué aux répondants avant et après le cours afin de mesurer leurs perceptions. Les résultats ont révélé une amélioration statistiquement significative de la facilité d'utilisation et de l'utilité des moteurs de recherche, ainsi que pour leur sentiment d'auto-efficacité à l'égard des moteurs de recherche.

University students’ intention to use search engines for research purposes: A structural equation modeling approach

Konstantinos Lavidas, Anthi Achriani, Stavros Athanassopoulos, Ioannis E. Messinis, Sotiris Kotsiantis — Education and Information Technologies

Teaching empirical educational research in higher education involves implementing a very useful web tool for bibliography/scientific literature research, a search engine specifically employed for scientific papers, such as “Google Scholar”. The aim of this study is to examine undergraduate students’ acceptance of technology, through their intention to adopt and use a specific search engine for research purposes. To accomplish this goal, a questionnaire was administered to 225 students from two Universities in Greece. The study was based on TAM (Technology Acceptance Model), reinforced by four external determinants (perceived self-efficacy, subjective norms, facilitating conditions and technological complexity), that contributed to the indirect prediction of the behavioral intention to use the particular search engine. The results of the survey confirm that the main factors of TAM, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are significant determinants of students’ behavioral intention to use Google Scholar. Moreover, perceived self-efficacy, subjective norms, facilitating conditions and technological complexity have an indirect significant effect on behavioral intention. All these factors explain almost 60% of students’ behavioral intention to use this search engine. The results of this survey could be beneficial to the enrichment of good educational practices for the additional training of teachers, as well as to the improvement of the students’ skills in the implementation of this specific research tool. Besides, more stakeholders, such as librarians, or even human resources of big companies that construct and support similar systems, such as search engines, could also benefit from the present research.

A pre-post study to assess the impact of an information-problem solving intervention on university students’ perceptions and self-efficacy towards search engines

Marioleni Parissi, Vassilis Komis, Konstantintos Lavidas, Gabriel Dumouchel, Thierry Karsenti — International Journal of Technologies in Higher Education

This study investigates the changes in university students’ perceptions towards the use of Web search engines after their exposure to a teaching intervention centered on the information problem-solving process. A total of 138 students of the Department of Educational Sciences and Early Childhood Education of the University of Patras were surveyed to measure perceived ease of use and usefulness of search engines and search engine self-efficacy. A questionnaire, part of which was based on the Technology Acceptance Model, was developed and distributed to respondents, both before and after the course, to measure their perceptions. The results revealed statistically significant improvement for the ease of use and usefulness of search engines, as well as for search engine self-efficacy.

Adaption and psychometric properties of the short forms Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale with a sample of Greek university students

Konstantinos Lavidas, Vasilios Gialamas — European Journal of Education Studies

Nowadays more and more self-report measures are used in social psychology, where many of them are susceptible to response biases. Socially Desirable Responding (SDR) might be interpreted in terms of response biases. The present study, with a sample of 173 Greek university students, used confirmatory factor analysis to establish the adequacy of Reynolds (1982) three forms from the original 33 item version of Crowne & Marlowe (1960) in measuring social desirability. Results showed that the three short forms of social desirability scale provide satisfactory measures of social desirability, while the form with the smaller number of items presented improved measures in comparison to all other forms. Article visualizations:

Four Job Satisfaction's dimensions of secondary education teachers: An Exploratory Factor Analysis based on a Greek sample

Konstantinos Lavidas, Mina Dalapa, Stavroula Dimitriadou, Stavros Athanassopoulos — Preschool & Primary Education

Background Surveying and assessing teachers’ job satisfaction constitutes an evergreen crosscutting issue. It deploys the formation of policies that underpin its’ augmentation aiming for enhanced educational outcomes. Internationally there are not many valid instruments that can be used to assess teachers’ job satisfaction. Especially in Greece, research on the reliability and validity of these instruments when applied on teachers is non-existent. Method The instrument used was JSS. JSS describes nine (9) dimensions of Job Satisfaction. 177 secondary education teachers in Western Greece took part in this research. Exploratory Factor Analyses was conducted. Results Parallel analyses and principal axis factoring revealed a structure of 4 dimensions of the JSS. Confirmatory factor analysis ascertained this structure that features satisfactory reliability and construct validity. Conclusions We could say that the JSS, according to the factorial structure, could be considered an appropriate tool for investigating the JS of teachers in Greece as well. The four-dimensions of the JSS revealed by the answers of Greek secondary education teachers are: teachers’ Payment framework, teachers’ Supervision, Nature of work and teachers’ Communication.

Parent Reading Belief Inventory: adaption and psychometric properties with a sample of Greek parents

C Tsirmpa, N Stellakis, K Lavidas — International Association for the Educational Role of Language 1 (1)

In recent years, the importance of parents' beliefs in their children’s literacy has increasingly been recognized. The main purpose of this article is to investigate: a) the internal consistency of the 7 subscales of the PRBI, b) the factor structure and c) the concurrent validity in a sample of Greek parents. In this survey 168 parents of preschool children attending the 13 public kindergartens in the city of Pyrgos, during the school year 2017-2018 participated. Six of the seven subscales of PRBI demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Principal component and parallel analyses revealed a four-factor structure and preliminary evidence of concurrent validity was also revealed. On the basis of the results, PRBI is considered an appropriate tool for investigating the beliefs of parents in Greece as well. The evidence shows the continuation of the research to a wider sample for the definition of the factor structure tool on Greek specimen.

Factors that Influence Students in Choosing Physics Programmes at University Level: the Case of Greece

Kalliopi Meli, Konstantinos Lavidas, Dimitris Koliopoulos — Research in Science Education

Low enrolment in undergraduate level physics programmes has drawn the attention of the relevant disciplines, education policy-makers, and researchers worldwide. Many reports released during the previous decades attempt to identify the factors that attract young people to study science, but only few of them focus explicitly on physics. In Greece, in contrast to many other countries, physics departments are overflowing with young students. However, there are two categories of students: those for whom physics was the optimal choice of a programme (“choosers”) and those for whom physics was an alternative choice that they had to settle for. We suggest that the latter category be called “nearly-choosers,” in order to be differentiated from choosers as well as from “non-choosers,” namely those candidates that did not apply to a physics programme at all. We are interested in the factors that attract high school students to study physics and the differences (if any) between choosers and nearly-choosers. A newly formed questionnaire was distributed within a Greek physics department (University of Patras), and the students’ responses ( n = 105) were analysed with exploratory factor analysis and specifically principal component analysis so as to extract broad factors. Three broad factors have arisen: school-based, career, and informal learning. The first two factors proved to be motivating for pursuing a degree in physics, while the third factor appeared to have a rather indifferent association. t tests and Pearson correlations indicated mild differentiations between choosers and nearly-choosers that pertain to school-based influences and informal learning.

Οι απόψεις των υπηρετούντων και των μελλοντικών εκπαιδευτικών που έχουν παρακολουθήσει μεταπτυχιακές σπουδές στην εκπαίδευση για τα εργαλεία WeB 2.0.

Κ Κωνσταντινοπούλου, Σ Λεάνδρου, Χ Στρατογιάννη, Κ Λαβίδας, ... — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας …

Η παρούσα εργασία διερευνά τις απόψεις υπηρετούντων και αυριανών εκπαιδευτικών για την εκπαιδευτική αξιοποίηση των εργαλείων Web 2.0. Στην έρευνα αυτή συμμετείχαν 101 εκπαιδευτικοί που έχουν παρακολουθήσει μεταπτυχιακά προγράμματα στις επιστήμες της εκπαίδευσης. Από την ανάλυση των απαντήσεων τους προκύπτει ότι οι εκπαιδευτικοί αυτοί γνωρίζουν και χρησιμοποιούν τα εργαλεία Web 2.0. Οι εκπαιδευτικοί φάνηκε να χρησιμοποιούν σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό τα εργαλεία επικοινωνίας σε σχέση με τα διαμοιρασμού. Παράγοντες όπως η κατοχή πιστοποίησης ΤΠΕ και η παρακολούθηση μαθημάτων ΤΠΕ φαίνεται να εξηγεί τη χρήση εργαλείων κυρίως διαμοιρασμού. Αναφορικά με την μελλοντική αξιοποίηση των εργαλείων αυτών, οι τωρινοί και μελλοντικοί εκπαιδευτικοί δηλώνουν πρόθυμοι να χρησιμοποιήσουν σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό τα εργαλεία διαμοιρασμού μέσα στην τάξη τους έναντι των επικοινωνίας. Κρίνεται αναγκαία η συνεχής επιμόρφωση και επικαιροποίηση των γνώσεων των εκπαιδευτικών ως προς την παιδαγωγική αξιοποίηση των Web 2.0. εργαλείων για να ανταποκριθούν στον πολυδιάστατο ρόλο τους.

Οι αντιλήψεις παιδιών προσχολικής ηλικίας σχετικά με την διεπιφάνεια χρήστη του προγραμματιστικού περιβάλλοντος" SCRATCH JUNIOR"

ΕΜ Κωνσταντινοπούλου, Β Κόμης, Κ Λαβίδας, Α Μισιρλή, Α Φιλιππίδη, ... — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας …

Η παρούσα έρευνα υπάγεται στα πλαίσια του ευρωπαϊκού ερευνητικού προγράμματος DALIE (Didactique et apprentissage de l’informatique a l’école), το οποίο μελετά τη διδασκαλία και τη μάθηση της Πληροφορικής στην προσχολική και πρώτη σχολική ηλικία. Το πρόγραμμα αυτό υλοποιήθηκε μέσα από τη συνεργασία ενός ελληνικού και πέντε γαλλικών πανεπιστημίων. Στο άρθρο εξετάζουμε, μέσα από μία στατιστική ανάλυση, τις απαντήσεις παιδιών ηλικίας 4-5 ετών, σε ερωτήσεις που τους τέθηκαν σχετικά με τη διεπιφάνεια χρήστη του προγραμματιστικού περιβάλλοντος Scratch Junior, πριν και μετά την διδακτική παρέμβαση. Σκοπός μας είναι να εξετάσουμε την ικανότητα αντίληψης και κατανόησης του προγραμματιστικού αυτού περιβάλλοντος από παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας και να ελέγξουμε την όποια διαφοροποίηση υπάρχει μεταξύ αρχικών και τελικών απαντήσεων των παιδιών. Ακόμα πραγματοποιείται έλεγχος των μεταβλητών φύλο, ηλικία και κατοχή ταμπλέτας, για τυχόν επίδραση τους στην διαφοροποίηση των απαντήσεων. Στο κείμενο που ακολουθεί γίνεται μία εισαγωγή στο θεωρητικό πλαίσιο της έρευνας, παρατίθεται η μεθοδολογία και στη συνέχεια πραγματοποιείται ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων και έκθεση των συμπερασμάτων.

Αποτελέσματα και προοπτικές από την αξιοποίηση της Εκπαιδευτικής Ρομποτικής στο ελληνικό σχολείο

Ιωάννα Θεοδωροπούλου, Άννα-Μαρία Καταπόδη, Θεοδώρα Γιαχαλή, Κωνσταντίνος Λαβίδας, Βασίλειος Κόμης — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας & Επικοινωνιών στην Εκπαίδευση

Στην εποχή μας αναπτύσσεται ένα ιδιαίτερο ερευνητικό ενδιαφέρον για τις εξελίξεις που συντελούνται στον χώρο της Εκπαιδευτικής Ρομποτικής και στην Ελλάδα. Η παρούσα εργασία αποτελεί μια συστηματική ανασκόπηση ως μια μορφή μετα-ανάλυσης των προσφάτως δημοσιευμένων ερευνών για διδακτικές παρεμβάσεις με χρήση ρομποτικών συσκευών με στόχο να παρουσιάσει: α) μια σύνθεση των διαθέσιμων αποτελεσμάτων για την αξιοποίηση και τα οφέλη της εκπαιδευτικής ρομποτικής και β) μια σύνθεση των ερευνητικών προοπτικών εκπαιδευτικής αξιοποίησης των ρομπότ. Κατόπιν συστηματικής διαδικτυακής έρευνας εντοπίστηκαν 54 σχετικά άρθρα ελληνικών ερευνητικών προσεγγίσεων δημοσιευμένα σε πρακτικά συνεδρίων και αναλύθηκε το περιεχόμενό τους ως προς τη βαθμίδα εκπαίδευσης (προσχολική, πρωτοβάθμια, δευτεροβάθμια). Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας η εκπαιδευτική ρομποτική φαίνεται ότι υποστηρίζει την ανάπτυξη δεξιοτήτων του 21ου αιώνα και δύναται να αξιοποιηθεί στη διδασκαλία ποικίλων μαθημάτων. Τα συμπεράσματα της παρούσας έρευνας μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως σημείο αναφοράς για μελλοντική έρευνα και να προσφέρουν χρήσιμες πληροφορίες σε ερευνητές και εκπαιδευτικούς.

An Analysis of School Mathematics Textbooks in Terms of Their Pedagogical Orientation

Konstantina Gene, Konstantinos Zacharos, Konstantinos Lavidas, Gerasimos Koustourakis — Open Journal for Educational Research

The importance of school mathematics textbooks in teaching School textbooks are fundamental in the shaping of the pedagogical framework of the teachers and the pupils (Lebrun et al., 2002). In their content, the recontextualization of the scientific knowledge of Mathematics takes place and this is adapted to the goals and pursuits of the official curriculum for pupils at particular educational levels and in particular school years, and is transformed into knowledge of the school science of Mathematics Hence, school textbooks appear as "tools" for the pedagogical guidance of the teachers, for the shaping of their teaching and the promotion of the "teaching-learning" process in such a way as to be adapted to the age-related capabilities of the pupils in the particular grades they are designed for. Basil Bernstein's contribution to the theory for the analysis of the way in which the content of school textbooks is shaped, is significant, and our study makes especial use of the

Using the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI) to examine the relationship between teaching perspectives and disciplines in higher education

Georgia Rotidi, John B. Collins, Thanassis Karalis, Konstantinos Lavidas — Journal of Further and Higher Education

This study examined the relationship between different views of teaching and dimensions that differentiate academic disciplines. A total of 114 academics within Greece and 127 academics from similar disciplines but other countries were compared using the Teaching Perspectives Inventory (TPI). Distinctions among disciplines for both groups were based on Biglan’s 3-dimensional classification (Pure/Applied; Hard/Soft; Life/non-Life). The objective of this study was to examine to what extent the teaching perspectives of the academics differ from one classification category to another. Greek academics represented participants in 15 departments across 9 universities throughout Greece, while the international sample was drawn from the TPI database. Statistical analysis indicated better differentiation of Biglan’s classification for its Life/non-Life dimension than for Pure/Applied or Hard/Soft between the combined samples for four Teaching Perspectives: Transmission, Developmental, Nurturing and Social Reform. No perspectives differences existed for Biglan’s Hard/Soft categorisation, although Greek professors were significantly higher in Soft rather than Hard disciplines in the Developmental, Nurturing and Social Reform perspectives compared to their global counterparts. They also demonstrated overall higher ‘Transmission’ scores. The authors conclude that disciplinary differences are real, but that they are small compared to the interpersonal ones or even to the international ones. The relationships between the teaching perspectives and Biglan’s classifications are further discussed.

Detecting errors during the construction of mathematical formulas in a spreadsheet environment: An empirical study involving novice users

K Lavidas, V Komis, I Voulgari — SCIREA Journal of Education 1 (2)

In this study we examine the familiarization of students with the basic functions for formula insertion in a general purpose spreadsheet software. Two teaching interventions and two respective follow-up tests were conducted to 124 students of Educational Sciences, with little prior experience in the use of spreadsheets. Through the data collected (test results, registration forms for the students to record any difficulties they had during the tests, video captures of the interactions of the students with the software during the tests) the errors the students made and also any attempts to correct these errors were identified. Our findings indicated that the software error messages and the unexpected results were the main events that prompted the students to recognize their errors.

Preparing pre-school teachers for teaching probability

A Shiakalli, Maria, K Zacharos, K Lavidas — Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education 11 (2)

Contemporary mathematics curricula introduce probabilistic activities as early as pre-school. Through a long term pre-school teacher professional development programme we tried to investigate pre-school teachers’ beliefs about teaching probability in pre-school as well as their self-efficacy probabilistic teaching beliefs and whether these beliefs were possible to change. The programme was designed based on the assumption that teachers’ beliefs, which are formulated through knowledge and experiences, inform and formulate their classroom practice. We worked with a small group, thus our findings can only be viewed as trends rather than generalizable conclusions. Nevertheless these findings show encouraging trends towards the verification of our initial assumption.

Assessment of gross and fine motor skills in preschool children using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales Instrument.

E Dourou, A Komessariou, V Riga, K Lavidas — European Psychomotricity Journal 9

The purpose of this study was to identify the motor development level in preschool children through the administration of the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 battery. The field research was conducted to schools and one hundred and fifty-six 3 to 6-year-old children participated in the study. The children’s performances were assessed by gender, age group and type of motor skill. The statistical analyses computed showed that the state of the total motor quotient of the children was judged to be satisfactory, with slight differentiations per age group, with the older age-groups performing better than the younger in the fine motor quotient. Furthermore, the girls excelled in locomotion, stationary and visual-motor integration skills and the boys in object manipulation skill. The findings highlight the need for assessment batteries in the planning of suitable programmes for the improvement of children’s motor skills.

Upper secondary school students’ understanding of adiabatic compression

K MELI, D KOLIOPOULOS, K LAVIDAS, G PAPALEXIOU — Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education 10 (2)

The present study refers to second year (16-17 years old) upper secondary school students’ conceptions on elementary thermodynamics and especially the First Law of Thermodynamics (FLT). This paper focuses on students’ explanations of a real situation representing an adiabatic compression and their forms of reasoning in providing explanations. We used descriptive statistics and hierarchical cluster analysis in order to process students’ answers. The main results were that (a) the vast majority of the responses consisted of alternative frameworks, namely FLT is highly disregarded among the students,(b) the students provided confused explanations that entangle diverse physics models and/or referred to the phenomenology of the situation and (c) linear causal reasoning was the prevailing way for providing explanations, although it was inadequate for this physics level.

Απόψεις των εκπαιδευτικών για την εφαρμογή μιας πειραματικής-διερευνητικής μεθόδου στη Φυσική της Α΄ Γυμνασίου

Βαΐα Φαρμάκη, Κώστας Λαβίδας, Κώστας Ραβάνης — ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΦΥΣΙΚΩΝ ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΩΝ Έρευνα και Πράξη ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 54-55 SCIENCE EDUCATION RESEARCH AND PRAXIS

Στην έρευνα αυτή διερευνήθηκαν οι απόψεις 30 εκπαιδευτικών που διδάσκουν το μάθημα της Φυσικής στην Α’Γυμνασίου σχετικά με την εφαρμογή για πρώτη φορά μιας πειραματικής-διερευνητικής μεθόδου στο μάθημα, ως προς τα εξής: 1) Την εφαρμογή στην πράξη της διδασκαλίας που προτείνει το πρόγραμμα σπουδών για τη Φυσική της Α΄ Γυμνασίου, 2) την ανταπόκριση των μαθητών στο μάθημα σύμφωνα με την ανάδραση που λαμβάνουν οι εκπαιδευτικοί και 3) τις δυσκολίες που αντιμετώπισαν οι εκπαιδευτικοί κατά τη διδασκαλία του συγκεκριμένου μαθήματος. Τα αποτελέσματα έδειξαν ότι οι εκπαιδευτικοί εφαρμόζουν κυρίως ομαδοσυνεργατική διδασκαλία στο μάθημα και η πλειονότητα των πειραμάτων εκτελείται από τους μαθητές. Το ενδιαφέρον των μαθητών είναι μεγάλο και το κύριο όφελος που αποκομίζουν από το μάθημα είναι κυρίως η βελτίωση των πειραματικών τους δεξιοτήτων.

Parental requests for evaluation and authorities’ responses: issues of accord

Ioannis Dimakos, Alexandra Tsaganelia, Konstantinos Lavidas — European Journal of Special Needs Education

The present study investigated the reasons of parents request for the initial evaluation to determine their children’s special educational needs (SEN) and the state authorities’ response in the Greek educational system. For the needs of the present study, 250 case files were randomly selected from a state Centre for Differential Diagnosis and Support, which is responsible for the identification, evaluation and intervention for students with SEN. Various data were recorded, such as parental reason for requesting the evaluation, the official designation for each case, whether the parent accepted the evaluation results and whether any individualised intervention plan or other recommendations were specified. The analysis suggested that most cases involved students with learning disabilities, although a certain degree of disagreement in the classification of students was observed. For the majority of cases, parents accepted the official diagnosis; however, the state centre did not offer an intervention plan to benefit the students in the majority of the cases. Implications based on the present study findings are considered.

Η σύγχρονη εικαστική αγωγή στην προσχολική ηλικία

Ε Κωνσταντίνου — Στάσεις και αντιλήψεις εκπαιδευτικών ν. Αττικής για το πολυσύνθετο φαινόμενο της Τέχνης. eκπ@ ιδευτικός κύκλος

Απόψεις και Πρακτικές Σχετικά με την Αξιοποίηση των ΤΠΕ στην Εκπαιδευτική Διαδικασία των Επιμορφωμένων Εκπαιδευτικών Προσχολικής Εκπαίδευσης στο Πρόγραμμα Β΄ Επιπέδου

Β Κόμης, Χ Τσουράπη, Κ Λαβίδας, Χ Ζαγούρας — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας & Επικοινωνιών στην Εκπαίδευση

Η παρούσα έρευνα μελετά τις απόψεις των επιμορφωμένων εκπαιδευτικών προσχολικής εκπαίδευσης (κλάδος ΠΕ60) στο πρόγραμμα Β’Επιπέδου για την αξιοποίηση των ΤΠΕ στο νηπιαγωγείο καθώς επίσης και τις πρακτικές χρήσης τους στο εκπαιδευτικό έργο. Στην έρευνα συμμετείχε το 30% των εκπαιδευτικών που έλαβαν μέρος στην επιμόρφωση αυτή. Τα ευρήματα δείχνουν ότι οι συμμετέχοντες φαίνεται να τάσσονται στην πλειονότητά τους υπέρ της αξιοποίησης των ΤΠΕ στην προσχολική εκπαίδευση και ταυτόχρονα τις εντάσσουν με διάφορους τρόπους στη σχολική πρακτική.

Μελέτη των αναπαραστάσεων παιδιών προσχολικής και πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας για έννοιες κατεύθυνσης και προσανατολισμού μέσα από τη χρήση του προγραμματιζόμενου παιχνιδιού Bee-Bot

Α Κοκκόση, Α Μισιρλή, Κ Λαβίδας, Β Κόμης — Συνέδρια της Ελληνικής Επιστημονικής Ένωσης Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορίας …

Στην παρούσα εργασία παρουσιάζονται οι αρχικές και τελικές αναπαραστάσεις των παιδιών προσχολικής και πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας για τις έννοιες κατεύθυνσης και προσανατολισμού («μπροστά-πίσω»,«αριστερά-δεξιά») μέσα από τον πειραματισμό με το προγραμματιζόμενο παιχνίδι Bee-Bot. Πρόκειται για μια μελέτη περίπτωσης (case study), ποιοτική έρευνα στην οποία έλαβαν μέρος 40 παιδιά προσχολικής και πρώτης σχολικής ηλικίας. Για την καταγραφή των αναπαραστάσεων χρησιμοποιήθηκε η τεχνική της ατομικής ημιδομημένης συνέντευξης πριν και μετά τον πειραματισμό με το ρομποτικό εργαλείο. Μέσα από τα συμπεράσματα αναδεικνύεται ότι αυτό το είδος δράσης είναι δυνατόν να επιφέρει διαφοροποίηση μεταξύ αρχικών και τελικών αναπαραστάσεων κυρίως για τα παιδιά της προσχολικής ηλικίας, ώστε να δεχτούν κατάλληλη διδακτική παρέμβαση για την οικοδόμηση χωρικών εννοιών και σχέσεων.

Spreadsheets as cognitive tools: A study of the impact of spreadsheets on problem solving of math story problems

Kostas Lavidas, Vasilis Komis, Vasilis Gialamas — Education and Information Technologies

In this study, we investigated the impact of computer spreadsheets on the problem solving practices of students for math story problems, and more specifically on the transition from arithmetic to algebraic reasoning, through the construction of algebraic expressions. We investigated the relationships among the students’ prior knowledge and skills, the verification processes, and the effectiveness of the problem solving tasks. For identifying the factors involved in the problem solving process and their role, in our analysis we employed the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. We mainly focused on math story problems and on students of tertiary education with little prior experience on the use of computers and spreadsheets. Analysis of the data indicates that spreadsheets can support the transition from arithmetic to algebraic reasoning and this transition is influenced by prior skills of the students relevant to the interaction with the interface (enter formula skills), and the students’ frequency of verification of the solution.

Επίδραση υπολογιστικού περιβάλλοντος γενικού σκοπού στην επίλυση λεκτικών μαθηματικών προβλημάτων: η περίπτωση των ηλεκτρονικών λογιστικών φύλλων

Κωνσταντίνος Λαβίδας — Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών. Σχολή Ανθρωπιστικών και Κοινωνικών Επιστημών. Τμήμα …

Η παρούσα έρευνα εντάσσεται στην ευρύτερη επιστημονική περιοχή της διδακτικής αξιοποίησης των υπολογιστικών περιβαλλόντων στην επίλυση προβλημάτων. Αφορά τη διερεύνηση των δυνατοτήτων των υπολογιστικών περιβαλλόντων και της υποστήριξής τους στη μάθηση και γενικότερα στη γνωστική ανάπτυξη των μαθητών. Συγκεκριμένα, εστιάζει στο πως το περιβάλλον γενικού σκοπού των Ηλεκτρονικών Λογιστικών Φύλλων (ΗΛΦ) μπορεί να αξιοποιηθεί στην κατασκευή αλγεβρικών εκφράσεων που αποτελούν τη λύση των λεκτικών μαθηματικών προβλημάτων (ΛΜΠ). Στο πλαίσιο αυτό διερευνήθηκε η επίδραση των βασικών λειτουργιών του περιβάλλοντος των ΗΛΦ στη γνωστική διαδικασία της επίλυσης ΛΜΠ. Ειδικότερα, η έρευνα εστιάζει στην επίδραση της επαλήθευσης των λύσεων που υποστηρίζει το περιβάλλον αλλά και τη γνώση του χειρισμού των βασικών λειτουργιών του περιβάλλοντος στη διαδικασία επίλυσης ΛΜΠ. \nΓια τη διεξαγωγή της έρευνας ακολουθήθηκε ποσοτική προσέγγιση, με συνδυασμό ποιοτικών και ποσοτικών δεδομένων, τα οποία αναλύθηκαν ποσοτικά. Αρχικά, μελετήθηκε η εξοικείωση των φοιτητών με τις βασικές λειτουργίες εισαγωγής τύπων των ΗΛΦ και ακολούθως η επίλυση προβλήματος με αυτά. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτελείται από φοιτήτριες του Τμήματος Επιστημών Εκπαίδευσης και Αγωγής στην Προσχολική Ηλικία (ΤΕΕΑΠΗ) του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. \nΗ ανάλυση των δεδομένων που αφορούν την επίλυση προβλημάτων, αφενός με «μολύβι-χαρτί» και αφετέρου στο περιβάλλον των ΗΛΦ, έδειξε ότι το περιβάλλον των ΗΛΦ συμβάλει στην επίλυση προβλήματος αφού φαίνεται να υποστηρίζει τη μετάβαση από αριθμητικού σε αλγεβρικού τύπου λύσεις και ταυτόχρονα παρέχει εργαλεία τα οποία διευκολύνουν τις φοιτήτριες να επαληθεύσουν τις λύσεις τους. Επιπρόσθετα, από την ανάλυση των δεδομένων σχετικά με την εξοικείωση των φοιτητών με τις βασικές λειτουργίες εισαγωγής τύπων φάνηκε ότι η πλειονότητα των φοιτητών είναι σε θέση να χρησιμοποιήσει τις λειτουργίες αυτές για τη διατύπωση τύπων στο περιβάλλον των ΗΛΦ. Στο ίδιο πλαίσιο, παρατηρήθηκε ότι η άμεση ανάδραση του λογισμικού μέσω των μηνυμάτων λάθους που εμφανίζονται από τη μη ορθή εισαγωγή τύπου φαίνεται να κινητοποιεί τους φοιτητές να διορθώσουν τα λάθη τους, στις περισσότερες των περιπτώσεων, με επιτυχία. \nΤέλος, η διερευνητική ανάλυση, που έλαβε χώρα στη συνέχεια, είχε στόχο να προσδιορίσει τις συσχετίσεις συγκεκριμένων παραγόντων με την επίλυση του κάθε προβλήματος με το περιβάλλον των ΗΛΦ. Συγκεκριμένα, ανέδειξε άμεσες συσχετίσεις, τόσο της πρότερης επιλυτικής ικανότητας όσο και της συχνότητας επαλήθευσης των λύσεων καθώς και την έμμεση συσχέτιση της εξοικείωσης με τις βασικές λειτουργίες εισαγωγής τύπων. Η επιβεβαιωτική ανάλυση με χρήση μοντέλων δομικών εξισώσεων (structural equation modeling) που πραγματοποιήθηκε στα δεδομένα της έρευνας επιβεβαίωσε τις παραπάνω εκτιμήσεις.

Etude de la contribution des tableurs dans le processus de résolution des problèmes en mathématiques

K Lavidas, V Komis, K Zacharos, V Papageorgiou — Scholé, vol. Hors Série 1

Le présent article a comme objectif l’étude de la contribution des tableurs dans la résolution des problèmes mathématiques. Une étude de cas a été menée pendant laquelle le tableur est utilisé comme outil de médiation dans des situations de résolution de problèmes algébriques. Trois paires d’élèves du collège ont résolu un problème ouvert concernant les notions de proportionnalité et de proportionnalité ouverte à l’aide du logiciel Excel. Une analyse qualitative des actions et des dialogues des élèves pendant la résolution du problème montre que les caractéristiques de base des tableurs pouvant contribuer de manière essentielle à la résolution des problèmes algébriques sont doubles: la représentation dynamique des données et l’automatisation des calculs.

L’enseignement des tableurs dans le collège grec: étude des cas et implications pour une approche interdisciplinaire

V Komis, K Lavidas, V Papageorgiou, K Zacharos, P Politis — Apprendre (avec) les progiciels. Entre apprentissages scolaires et pratiques …

Cet article s’ inscrit dans une recherche dont le but est d’étudier la place des tableurs dans le collège grec selon trois axes: l’axe du prescrit des programmes scolaires en informatique; l’axe des problèmes didactiques posés par les concepts de base des tableurs; l’axe d’une approche interdisciplinaire considérant les tableurs comme des outils de modélisation dans des différentes disciplines. Dans le système éducatif grec, le tableur est enseigné pour lui-même et une étude de cas montre que les élèves ont des difficultés à réinvestir ces connaissances dans le cadre de la résolution de problèmes de mathématiques. Ce résultat tend à montrer que l’utilisation efficace de progiciels spécialisés, comme c’est le cas du tableur, nécessite la mise en place d’un cadre conceptuel qui conjugue ceux de diverses disciplines.