Event 1 - Greece
The aim of the multiplier event E1 was to communicate and negotiate with policy, policy mediators and practitioners outcomes from activity 1.1 and Intellectual outcome O1, i.e. “Policy envisions and requirements for STEM teachers competence development in Greece, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Spain”, focused on the Greek situation. The expected outcome was the identification of systemic opportunities and challenges to implement training activities for STEM teachers’ competence development in Greece.
The event was co-organized by FORTH's team and the Director of the Peripheral Educational Centre of Heraklion, Crete, who is responsible for secondary teachers' professional development activities in the Region. The event took place on the 23rd of June 2017 (from 4-9 pm) in the districts of the Peripheral Educational Centre . 30 people participated in the event: 12 people responsible for teachers training & CPD (2 representatives from the Regional educational Authority in Crete, 1 of them being the Deputy Head for Scientific & Pedagogical Instruction for Secondary education; the Director of the Peripheral Educational Centre of Heraklion, Crete, which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Education; 2 participants from 1st & 2nd EKFE in Heraklion-the Center of Laboratory of Natural Sciences; the Dean of School of Sciences and Engineering, Univ.of Crete, who is responsible for the STEM prospective teachers education programme ; A professor of science primary education; 5 science, mathematics, technology and engineering School Advisors for Science Teachers; the Head of the Experimental school in Heraklion); and 18 STEM teachers (from public and private secondary education).
The event followed an EASW methodology which allows for interaction between stakeholders and aim for consensus building rather than instructional approach. In the course of the event participants were asked to reflect on and discuss outcomes from project activity 1.1 (national key-messages document presented in IO1); worked in homogeneous group to identify systemic opportunities and challenges to implement training activities for STEM teachers’ competence development; and worked in heterogeneous group for negotiating conflict aspects and proposing recommendations on how to take advantage opportunities and how to deal with challenges.
The main issues elaborated during the event were relevant to the opportunities and challenges that the new regulatory framework in the country provide for efficient and effective STEM teachers’ trainings. Main outcomes from the ELITe project perspectives relate to the thematic, methodology and forms of STEM teachers’ training (which will provide input to subsequent project activities relating to the development & implementation of the ELITe’s approach for competence development). In relation to the thematic of teacher training courses, participants recommended that the focus should be on: interdisciplinary topics; innovative teaching methods; differentiation; opening up schools to society; assessment issues. In relation to the methodology and forms of delivery of training courses participants recommended: Blended learning opportunities; communities of practice; training methodologies consummate with innovative teaching methods that teachers themselves are asked to implement in classrooms .
The event evaluation results provide evidence that the event was successful both from the perspective of participants satisfaction and in relation to the outcomes produced (which will input subsequent project activities on the national ELITe e-scenarios development).