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The purpose of this study was to focus on Greek secondary education teachers’ views regarding students with intellectual disabilities, their inclusion in the formal education system and the dimensions of social and educational exclusion, which may be related to it. The survey participants were 240 secondary school teachers who answered a questionnaire, while 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the same group of participants. The results of the research highlight the need for the professional development of Greek secondary education teachers in matters of special education and the immediate extension and upgrading of inclusive education structures. Article visualizations

School bullying has been a perennial phenomenon and in recent years several studies have been conducted to investigate its consequences on those involved. School bullying is defined as a form of aggressive behavior in which one or more students engage in physical or psychological violence against a student repeatedly and for a long time, consciously, to cause physical or mental pain. The purpose of our research is to investigate the interpretations of Primary education teachers in the island of Lesvos. We use symbolic interaction to interpret the meanings that are produced, exchanged, and intertwined in the social context of school. In the present study, the qualitative method was used, its main feature being the interpretive and naturalistic approach to social reality. Teachers, as actors subject to a structurally defined environment of school bullying interpretations, have incomplete knowledge of its conceptualization, but 'established' criteria for discriminating and delimiting 'divergent' behavior, which can, however, raise problems in terms of categorization.

The purpose of this paper is to present the teachers’ views about their in-service training in ICT. This research is part of a more general research aimed at exploring the educational needs of teachers and the application of ICT in the education system and their impact on the teaching, learning and cognitive process. The sample of this research consists of 162 teachers working in primary schools in Northern Greece. Of these, 70 (43.2%) were men and 92 (56.8%) were women. The results of the research show that teachers emphasize the functioning of the institution of education in ICT as a tool for implementing educational policy of the dominant social groups, but also their reflection on European education policy. They also express the need for continuing education, while differing in its role in removing educational inequalities.

Disability is a complex phenomenon and is related to the policies pursued at the socio-economic level of society. The purpose of this paper is, through two cases of multiple disabilities people, to investigate the educational framework of their integration within the context of the economic crisis in Greece. The semi-structured interview was used as a research tool, and the participants were mothers of two multiple disabilities students. The results discussed within the context of the social model revealed that, despite the existing legislation, the respective structures that support them have yet to be developed. In addition, the privatization of services during the period of economic crisis in Greece and the growing social inequalities have resulted in that families of low socio-economic status and uninsured people in experiencing social exclusion and being at disadvantage compared to those who have more financial resources.

Shadow education school, as an institution in Greece, was established at the beginning of the last century. The chapter explores the impact of shadow education on the Greek educational system, learning, and on transforming public education in consumer products. A qualitative research was conducted, attempting to document Greek young adults' opinions on shadow education and the reasons they are led to it. Forty-four structured interviews were received from 11 men and 33 women. The results showed that the liberalization of education during recent decades has been accurately implemented in the institution of shadow education. Restrictive and maladapted educational policies and decisions on needs have exacerbated the purposes of shadow education development and have highlighted the exchange value of the individuals' objectified cultural capital.

Purpose: This paper aimed to investigate Greek secondary education teachers' views on people with intellectual disabilities, their inclusion in the typical educational system, and the dimensions of social and educational exclusion that may be associated with it. Method: The qualitative research design involved semi-structured interviews with 18 Greek secondary school teachers. Results: It was revealed that people with intellectual disabilities face educational exclusion for two reasons. The first is because the structure of the education system itself cannot meet their increased needs, and the second is due to the fact that a percentage of secondary education teachers feel negative about their inclusion in the typical education system. Conclusion and Implications: The implemented policy for the co-education of people with intellectual disabilities in Greece is not effective due to endogenous difficulties. It is necessary to orient the educational policy towards an education for all without "filters" of social exclusions.

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers’ views on the digital divide and its implications in the field of Primary education in Greece. The research questions were related to the conceptualization of the digital divide by teachers, its consequences and the role of teachers. A total of 22 elementary school teachers were selected out of which 8 were male and 14 were female. The semi-structured interview was used as a research tool and an interview guide was developed that had four themes. The first theme concerned teachers' conceptualizations on the digital divide, the second theme was related to the use of ICT in education, The third theme was about the consequences of the digital divide and the fourth theme included questions about how to deal with the digital divide. The results conclude that the teachers: a) signify the digital divide in a comprehensible way, distinguishing its forms, the factors that influence it, and their implications in their daily social life and educational practice, b) refer to the social inequalities being created in the social environment and c) education policy in Greece is often not supportive of teachers’ work.

PurposeThe aim of the present study is to investigate why teachers participate in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes, what their sociological approaches are, and where they focus their attention in order to achieve the objectives of their training in these new technologies.Design/methodology/approachThe sample group of this research consists of 162 teachers who work in primary schools in Northern Greece. There were 70 (43.2 percent) men and 92 (56.8 percent) women. For the fulfilment of the general research an improvised questionnaire was designed concerning the training of teachers in ICT. In total, it comprises 80 questions.FindingsThe findings of the research study show that one of the main reasons for primary school teachers' participation in ICT programmes is their interest in exploiting ICT, in both their teaching and in their personal lives. They consider lifelong education as necessary to the practice of teaching and useful in settling educational inequalities, while at the same time they think that in‐service education should be in accordance with the requirements of the modern social‐cultural environment.Originality/valueThis is an interesting research on ICT training of teachers in Greece, developing a critical thinking approach towards ICT in‐service training. The article stresses that the in‐service training interact and are affected by the social and political orientations that prevail in social and educational policy.

The aim of this research is to explore specific dimensions of the school environment and related psychosocial adjustment of immigrant students. In particular, this study examines immigrant students' self-concept and their coping strategies in new school and cultural environments. The sample consisted of 246 elementary school students (fifth grade) from the region of Attica, Greece. The immigrant group consisted of 43 students from various national backgrounds. The control group consisted of 203 students born and raised in Greece. The following instruments were used in the study: (a) the Athens Coping Scale and (b) the Self Description Questionnaire (SDQ) (Marsh). Additionally, demographic and achievement data were obtained. Significant differences between the groups were found regarding several self-concept dimensions. Significant differences were also found with respect to several independent variables. Findings show the need for further consultation and support of immigrant students in school contexts. ...

In the past three decades, important changes in the pattern of economic growth and productivity have been interpreted as a movement towards knowledge-based economy. Currently, output and employment are expanding fast in high-technology industries, as well as in knowledge-based services. More resources are spent on the production and development of new technologies, in particular on information and communication technology. At the same time, major shifts are taking place in the labour market, in particular, the increased demand for skilled labour. Globalisation and worldwide competition has shifted the comparative advantage of economies towards the factor of knowledge and innovation, where productivity based on the endogenous development capabilities plays a rather important role, as far as growth and competitiveness enhancement are concerned.

Since early, economic theory dealt with the innovation as basic factor of economic development and technical change. The first approach in defining innovation has been made by Schumpeter (1934), which first focused on innovation factor as one of the core sources of dynamism in the capitalistic social and economic growth, asserting that innovation is one of the centred activities towards economic change and growth.

Nowadays, economies all over the world are described taking part in a race seeking the most appropriate and effective ways that could provide them with the strengths and opportunities necessary to obtain and sustain a competitive advantage over their rivals. Due to this competitiveness race, productivity enhancement is of great importance for the economic development in the face of uncertainties generated by international competition. That is the reason why countries are struggling to maintain and also accelerate their growth rates.

The Information and Communication Technologies exercise a great impact on the ways people work, communicate and interact, and contribute considerably to the development of learners’ skills. However, the use of Information and Communication Technologies cannot lead to the development of high-order skills and of critical thinking, if not combined with the appropriate teaching methods. In the light of the above, the aim of the present research is to identify and record Primary School teachers’ beliefs about the impact of Information and Communication Technologies on the enhancement of critical thinking. An analysis of the skills taught within the Greek educational context and considered to be necessary for the development of critical thinking, is also provided. The data elicitation tool is a questionnaire devised for the needs of the specific research and the sample is comprised by 118 Primary School teachers working on the Greek island of Lesvos.

Nowadays, the expansion of the Internet is, undoubtedly, widespread and has developed a new socio-economic environment, where information, innovation and knowledge play a primary role. Through its multiplicity the Internet constitutes probably the best way for accessing entertainment, learning and information, as well as for establishing socialization processes and communication among people.This paper examines issues related to the learning process, the learning environments developed by the new virtual reality and the relationship between learning and the Internet, with a particular focus on the impact of the Internet on informal learning processes. The survey mainly aims at investigating university students’ beliefs about the impact of the Internet on the learning process. The sample is comprised by 390 students from various Greek university departments, 160 (41%) males and 230 (59%) females. The majority of the students believe that the Internet can significantly contribute into the learning process. More specifically, they state that the Internet use can improve learners’ academic performance, promote research skills and critical thinking, encourage independent or collaborative learning, enhance motivation, strengthen self-confidence and improve the teaching methods. It facilitates the access to information that the educational system fails to provide, and offers knowledge, frequently more useful than that provided by the courses, complementing, thus, “formal” learning. The research findings also show a differentiation in Internet use, which is associated with the educational level of students’ parents.

Contemporary educational systems in Western societies are being redefined within the context of technological and scientific evolution in relation to socio-economic globalisation. Therefore, it is important for educational authorities to design staff development programmes with a view to helping professionals adjust their ideology and practice effectively in order to contribute to the implementation of a learning culture and the formation of the “knowledge-based society”. The aim of the present paper is to review the field of teaching professionals’ professional growth, identifying weaknesses, highlighting trends and practices, and providing suggestions, most important for professionals and educational authorities in Greece where staff development programmes fail to reach standards met by other European countries. It focuses on staff development models that enable facilitation of teachers' efficacy, cognitive development, and career development, as well as teacher collegiality and the improvement of school culture, reconceptualising schools as “learning organisations”.

Ethnic identity, as a symbolic construction, is structured through a complex and multi-faceted process, which is in constant evolution. From childhood to adolescence ethnic identity is shaped by experiences and representations, whereas the importance that children give in ethnic identity is growing year by year. The purpose of this paper is to explore the aspects of Greek students’ ethnic identity in compulsory education and their association with the feeling of origin and the preservation of cultural elements. The sample is composed of 327 students in Chios island. In conclusion, an ambivalence emerges in the formation of ethnic identity, which highlights the acculturational osmosis of the islands in the North Aegean Sea, in an era of ' fluidity ' and social interdependencies that spread from local to global environment.

A study was carried out to identify the training needs of psychiatric nursing staff working in acute wards. Which type of learning, which training needs and how want the training to be delivered. Qualification and accreditation were also examined. Questionnaires were given to 70 nurses working in the 5 acute wards of Psychiatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, Greece. The key findings were that most participants wanted to be trained in practical nursing skills in every day practice. The most preferable training thematic was: a) Management of violent and aggressive behavior, b) Risk assessment, c) The suicidal patient, d) Clinical assessment skills, e) The patient with psychosis and f) Communication skills. Accreditation was very important and they wanted to gain professional qualification. The empirical study highlighted the need for further training, in the frames of Continuing Education. The findings could be of great interest for The National Center of Public Administration, as useful informative material, according to the real training needs of the specific group.