In recent years the realisation that children make decisions and choices about subjects they like in primary school became widely accepted. The role of the primary school teacher as the main ambassador for a subject is therefore crucial in inspiring and enthusing the younger generation towards STEM. However, in most European countries, primary…

This paper describes the structure of the "Air Pollution Course", an environmental science laboratory course developed at the Science Education Laboratory of the Faculty of Primary Education, University of Athens, as well as the findings resulting from its implementation by pre-service elementary teachers. The course proposed in this…

Our paper presents an in-service primary school teachers' training program which is based on the idea that the history of science can play a vital role in promoting the learning of physics. This training program has been developed in the context of Comenius 2.1 which is a European Union program. This program that we have developed in the…

This article presents the findings of a research initiative which explored Greek teachers' perceptions and understandings on what constitutes social and emotional competencies and how these competencies can best be enhanced within the classroom. In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 elementary school teachers in two different geographical…

In Greece, there are significant differences of education, professional training, social status, and earnings between elementary and secondary school teachers. This article describes the differences in education. (MT)

The introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Greek primary education appears to be carried out in the midst of a general uncertainty, mainly on the part of the teachers, who will have to cope with a new teaching tool and a new teaching philosophy that very few of them have learned to apply. The aim of this study was to…

Examines the influence of social origins, characteristics, and qualifications of entrants to primary teaching in Greece and its role in social mobility. Research based on first-year student teachers along with unpublished research from government sources show a greater need for creative and strategic planning in the training of primary teachers.…

In Greece, education is organised vertically into three levels: primary, secondary, and higher. In primary education, according to the number of permanent teaching posts allocated, primary schools are divided into one-teacher, two-teacher, and up to six- or twelve-teacher schools. Although their effect on the size and number of schools has changed…

This paper describes research into the beliefs and practices established over time by teachers, who had been engaged in an innovative "mathematical investigations" school program, based on the use of exploratory software. The theoretical framework perceives the teacher as an active mediator of innovation, constructing and reorganizing a…