Inclusion of students with marginalization tendencies has been one of
the demands in the field of... more Inclusion of students with marginalization tendencies has been one of the demands in the field of education over the last decades, but it remains unrealized. At the same time, our daily lives appear to have changed rapidly because of extensive use of digital media. This fact may have both positive and negative consequences. So, we were inspired to investigate the relationship between teenagers who may be marginalized and the use of digital media, as well as the degree to which they promote or pre- vent inclusion, by the foregoing considerations. We chose mixed method- ological approach as the most appropriate. Specifically, sequential exploratory strategy was used to collect the data, while grounded theory was used for their analysis. The quantitative part sample consists of 600 Secondary Education students. Accordingly, the sample of the qualitative part of the research was 138 Secondary Education students. The survey was conducted over a period of three months (from October 2019 to De- cember 2019). By completing the research project, we concluded that the use of digital media and especially the engagement of adolescent students who show marginalizing tendencies with social media, digital games and distance education leads to their inclusion.
The recent expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the educational landscape, ... more The recent expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the educational landscape, causing certain schools to operate on a distance education basis. The goal of this study is to investigate this phenomenon in depth, focusing on the elements that may contribute to the marginalization of students with learning disabilities and their immigration biography. At the same time, it attempts to investigate the perspectives of a group of students, teachers, and parents on how to avoid marginalization as a result of distance education. We employed a mixed research style to study the aforementioned problem. A total of 132 secondary school students, 52 secondary school teachers, and 49 secondary school parents were included in the study. As research tools, questionnaires, focus groups, observations and interviews were used. The data analysis reveals that the elements which may contribute to marginalization in remote education are primarily related to attention challenges, but also to technical difficulties. According to the participants, a closer collaboration between the Ministry of Education, school administrations and teachers, as well as revisions to the substance of teaching subjects, may be the solution to the problem.
Despite the progress in education in recent years, the marginalization of students identified as ... more Despite the progress in education in recent years, the marginalization of students identified as having special educational needs (SEN) persists. Students characterized as having SEN is one of the factors that could change the status quo and lead to greater inclusion. The current research project adopted a mixed methodology to investigate this possibility. The research was conducted in five secondary schools in Cyprus, and 138 people participated. As the research is now complete, we can conclude that carers of students characterized as having SEN can act as mentors of both SEN children and non-SEN childrens
Τ ο μοντέλο ηγεσίας της Ενδιάμεσης Αντεστραμμένης Πυραμίδας (ΕΑΠ) (προέκυψε από προηγούμενη έρευν... more Τ ο μοντέλο ηγεσίας της Ενδιάμεσης Αντεστραμμένης Πυραμίδας (ΕΑΠ) (προέκυψε από προηγούμενη έρευνα της συγγραφέος), έχει ως στόχο την ενίσχυση του αγώνα του διευθυντή ενός σχολείου δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης να δημιουργήσει ένα σχολικό περιβάλλον χωρίς αποκλεισμούς για μαθητές που χαρακτηρίζονται ως άτομα με Ειδικές Εκπαιδευτικές Ανάγκες (ΕΑΑ). Ωστόσο, η εφαρμογή του εν λόγω μοντέλου ηγεσίας διερευνήθηκε σε ένα μόνο σχολείο, γεγονός που προκαλεί περιορισμούς στη συγκεκριμένη έρευνα. Η παρούσα μελέτη είναι αφιερωμένη στην επανεξέταση των δυνατοτήτων του μοντέλου EAΠ. Διεξήχθηκε βασιζόμενη στην μεθοδολογία έρευνας δράσης, στο πλαίσιο ενός δικτύου συνεργασίας μεταξύ τεσσάρων σχολείων στην Κύπρο. Συμμετείχαν τέσσερα διαφορετικά σχολεία, τα οποία βρίσκονται στις τέσσερις μεγάλες πόλεις του νησιού (Πάφος, Λεμεσός, Λάρνακα, Λευκωσία). Στα τέσσερα σχολεία πραγματοποιούνταν εβδομαδιαίες συναντήσεις μεταξύ ομάδων των τεσσάρων σχολείων. Οι ομάδες αποτελούνταν από τον διευθυντή, τρεις Βοηθούς Διευθυντές, δύο Ενδιάμεσους Ηγέτες και τέσσερις εκπαιδευτικούς. Επιπρόσθετα, στην έρευνα, που διήρκεσε 10 μήνες συμμετείχαν 34 γονείς και 273 εκπαιδευτικοί.
The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the s... more The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the school community. The research took place in an Elementary school in Cyprus. It lasted for 6 months (October 2020–March 2021). This research endeavored to employ action research as a methodology. The researchers devised an action plan aimed at instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in the students. Then, the participants critically analyzed the processes and outcomes of the activity, providing a reasoned explanation of what took place. They reflected on both organizational and personal processes and outcomes. Τhe participants’ group consisted of 15 teachers, 1 head teacher, 2 sub-principals, and 250 pupils. The majority of the pupils come from low-income immigrant families. During July and August of 2021, the results of questionnaires, interviews and other material related to the program were analyzed. For the purposes of this study, we used the following research tools: question...
Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action ... more Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action research project. Its primary objective was to study the challenges the headmaster/leader or other school leader faces while attempting to involve Special Unit students in the school's leadership, which was based on an inclusive leadership approach. The researchers concluded that Cyprus' centralized educational system is the biggest impediment. The primary research methods used to carry out the action research were interviews, focus groups, and observations. 85 teachers, 210 students, and 15 parents participated in the 8-month research, which was conducted in a secondary school in Cyprus with a special unit. By completing the research process, the researchers finally concluded that the solution to the problem might be the recruitment of an inclusive leadership model, which aims to use decentralized inclusive practices.
The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the s... more The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the school community. The research took place in an Elementary school in Cyprus. It lasted for 6 months (October 2020–March 2021). This research endeavored to employ action research as a methodology. The researchers devised an action plan aimed at instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in the students. Then, the participants critically analyzed the processes and outcomes of the activity, providing a reasoned explanation of what took place. They reflected on both organizational and personal processes and outcomes. Τhe participants’ group consisted of 15 teachers, 1 head teacher, 2 sub-principals, and 250 pupils. The majority of the pupils come from low-income immigrant families. During July and August of 2021, the results of questionnaires, interviews and other material related to the program were analyzed. For the purposes of this study, we used the following research tools: questionnaires, interviews, and personal diaries.
Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action ... more Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action research project. Its primary objective was to study the challenges the headmaster/leader or other school leader faces while attempting to involve Special Unit students in the school's leadership, which was based on an inclusive leadership approach. The researchers concluded that Cyprus' centralized educational system is the biggest impediment. The primary research methods used to carry out the action research were interviews, focus groups, and observations. 85 teachers, 210 students, and 15 parents participated in the 8-month research, which was conducted in a secondary school in Cyprus with a special unit. By completing the research process, the researchers finally concluded that the solution to the problem might be the recruitment of an inclusive leadership model, which aims to use decentralized inclusive practices.
Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
In today's world, education is going through a period of unprecedented change that requires i... more In today's world, education is going through a period of unprecedented change that requires immediate and systematic attention. The influx of refugees in recent years and the invasion of our country by the pandemic of COVID 19 identify and shape modern society, which is composed of groups with differentiated or diverse cultural elements. The structures of the educational system of our country (ministry - regions - directorates - school units) are reorganized because they are obliged to invent pedagogical actions and measures - coeducation of students-refugees in schools and beyond. The insurmountable need for intercultural education in schools emerges as an imperative, not as assimilation into the lifestyle of the dominant group, but as a continuous process of interaction. This article summarizes the above issues such as the concept of refugee and refugee children, intercultural education and education of refugee students in crisis, actions at the level of Cypriot Ministry educa...
The paper examines the role of the Special Tutoring and Education District Committee (STEDC) in m... more The paper examines the role of the Special Tutoring and Education District Committee (STEDC) in moving children in, as well as out of, Special Secondary Education Units (SSEUs) in Cyprus. SSEUs were introduced as part of the effort to make mainstream education inclusive. By law, the STEDC is the body responsible for children with special needs attending these SSEUs, including the initial decision to place them in the system. To better understand the STEDC’s role, this paper performs a case study of two separate high school SSEUs in Cyprus.
Στον διεθνή εκπαιδευτικό χώρο συζητείται έντονα κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων ετών ο ρόλος του ... more Στον διεθνή εκπαιδευτικό χώρο συζητείται έντονα κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων ετών ο ρόλος του ηγέτη στην εύρυθμη λειτουργία του σχολείου. Οι συγκυρίες της τελευταίας χρονιάς έχουν αναγκάσει τον θεσμό της εκπαιδευτικής ηγεσίας να αναδιαμορφωθεί παγκοσμίως λόγω της πανδημίας του COVID-19. Σκοπό της παρούσας έρευνας αποτελεί η διερεύνηση των προβλημάτων που έχουν δημιουργηθεί λόγω της προαναφερθείσας κατάστασης, αλλά και η προσπάθεια για εντοπισμό πιθανών τρόπων μέσα από τους οποίους ο διευθυντής ενός σχολείου θα μπορούσε να εφαρμόσει τις βασικές αρχές της εκπαιδευτικής ηγεσίας. Η ερευνητική αυτή προσπάθεια βασίστηκε στην επιστράτευση της ποιοτικής μεθοδολογίας. Στην έρευνα, η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Κύπρο συμμετείχαν 88 εκπαιδευτικοί και 5 διευθυντές, συμπεριλαμβανομένων εκπαιδευτικών, γονέων και διευθυντών. Μελετώντας τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, διαπιστώνουμε ότι τα προβλήματα με τα οποία έρχονται αντιμέτωποι οι διευθυντές και οι εκπαιδευτικοί ενός σχολείου σχετίζονται κυρίως με την αποξένωση, την περιθωριοποίηση, τη διαχείριση του χρόνο, την ενίσχυση της γραφειοκρατίας, τα προβλήματα στη χρήση του τεχνολογικού εξοπλισμού και των προγραμμάτων που σχετίζονται με την εξ αποστάσεως διδασκαλία. Ως πιθανοί τρόποι αντιμετώπισης στα προβλήματα αυτά, προβάλλουν η προώθηση εκ μέρους του διευθυντή της ενσυναίσθησης, της συνεργασίας και η αποκέντρωση του εκπαιδευτικού συστήματος, παρέχοντας στον διευθυντή έστω και περιστασιακά περισσότερες δικαιοδοσίες.
Educational data have changed rapidly due to the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic and the replacem... more Educational data have changed rapidly due to the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic and the replacement of traditional with distance learning. The purpose of this research is to investigate the extent to which this development has affected the educational development of high school students. Aiming to investigate this possibility, we have used the mixed research methodology. The research involved 147 senior students of public Lyceums in Cyprus. Questionnaire, focus groups and interviews were used as research tools. The analysis of the data showed that all participants and especially students who are characterized as people with learning disabilities were strongly influenced in the field of learning, by confinement at home, as they showed, among other things, lack of concentration and difficulty in understanding the lesson.
This paper aims at examining the institutional framework within which Special Units (SUs) in Cypr... more This paper aims at examining the institutional framework within which Special Units (SUs) in Cypriot secondary education operate. The establishment of SU targets to facilitate the education of pupils defined as having special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools, and their operation is governed by the 1999 law and subsequent amending acts and circulars. Neither the operation of the SUs and the institutional framework that guides their operation have yet been investigated. The main aim of our research was to investigate teachers’ and parents’ views of the way in which SUs function, as well as their opinions of the legislative sections relating to the special units. This process led to the creation of a critical approach called the Institutional Framework for Special Units in Cyprus. Lastly, the participants were asked to propose ways in which the SUs could operate an inclusive environment. This paper presents qualitative research conducted in three secondary schools in Cypru...
Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship a... more Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation as elements which can empower the effort to provide inclusive education. Our previous research study has revealed a new leadership model, the Intermediate Inverted Leadership (IIL) model, contributing to the struggle of the headmaster of a secondary school to develop and adapt an inclusive school environment for students characterized as having Special Educational needs (SEN). Nevertheless, the attempted practical implementation of the specific leadership model was investigated only at one single school, a fact that leads to the most important limitation of the research. As a consequence, the present study is devoted to the re-examination of the potential of the IIL model, throughout a cooperative network among four Cypriot schools. More specific, the sample of the research derived from four different schools, which are located in the four big cities of the island (Paphos, Limassol, Larnaka, Nicosia). Despite of the implementation of IIL model in the four schools, weekly meetings between groups of the four schools were taking place too. The groups were consisted from the headmaster, three sub-headmasters, two intermediate leaders and four teachers from all schools under study. Additionally, 34 parents and 273 teachers from all schools under study were participated to the research. The length of the research was 10 months and Action Research Methodology was used. The present study targets to empirically support that the creation of cooperative school networks can strengthen the development of an inclusive school environment by the headmaster.
The main aim of the article is to explore the role of Collaborative Action Research (CAR) in prom... more The main aim of the article is to explore the role of Collaborative Action Research (CAR) in promoting inclusive education within a mainstream school in Cyprus. The preliminary data for this research were gathered using a mixed methodology approach. CAR was then carried out in a single school with 150 participants. The study then examined the extent to which CAR enhanced inclusive education, using interviews. Finally, the results showed that CAR is one of the factors which can lead to inclusion.
International Journal of Leadership in Education, 2019
ABSTRACT The marginalization of pupils characterized as having special educational needs (SEN) is... more ABSTRACT The marginalization of pupils characterized as having special educational needs (SEN) is a phenomenon that persists despite the international intense efforts to avoid it. The school headmaster and the leadership model which he/she follows are key factors that could contribute to the creation of an inclusive school environment. The mixed methodology action research (MMAR) was used in an attempt to invent an innovative leadership model to make education more inclusive for pupils characterized as having SEN within a mainstream secondary school in Cyprus. The preliminary data for this research were gathered using a mixed methodology approach. Action research was then carried out in a mainstream secondary school in Cyprus with a total of 80 participants, applying the proposed method to implement the innovative ‘Intermediate inverted Leadership Model’. The study was then examined and critically evaluated through MMAR the extent to which the proposed leadership model enhanced inclusive education. The results showed that the innovative leadership model can contribute to inclusive education, by identifying the factors that lead to marginalization in order to convert them into factors that contribute in promoting inclusion.
Inclusion of students with marginalization tendencies has been one of
the demands in the field of... more Inclusion of students with marginalization tendencies has been one of the demands in the field of education over the last decades, but it remains unrealized. At the same time, our daily lives appear to have changed rapidly because of extensive use of digital media. This fact may have both positive and negative consequences. So, we were inspired to investigate the relationship between teenagers who may be marginalized and the use of digital media, as well as the degree to which they promote or pre- vent inclusion, by the foregoing considerations. We chose mixed method- ological approach as the most appropriate. Specifically, sequential exploratory strategy was used to collect the data, while grounded theory was used for their analysis. The quantitative part sample consists of 600 Secondary Education students. Accordingly, the sample of the qualitative part of the research was 138 Secondary Education students. The survey was conducted over a period of three months (from October 2019 to De- cember 2019). By completing the research project, we concluded that the use of digital media and especially the engagement of adolescent students who show marginalizing tendencies with social media, digital games and distance education leads to their inclusion.
The recent expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the educational landscape, ... more The recent expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak has drastically altered the educational landscape, causing certain schools to operate on a distance education basis. The goal of this study is to investigate this phenomenon in depth, focusing on the elements that may contribute to the marginalization of students with learning disabilities and their immigration biography. At the same time, it attempts to investigate the perspectives of a group of students, teachers, and parents on how to avoid marginalization as a result of distance education. We employed a mixed research style to study the aforementioned problem. A total of 132 secondary school students, 52 secondary school teachers, and 49 secondary school parents were included in the study. As research tools, questionnaires, focus groups, observations and interviews were used. The data analysis reveals that the elements which may contribute to marginalization in remote education are primarily related to attention challenges, but also to technical difficulties. According to the participants, a closer collaboration between the Ministry of Education, school administrations and teachers, as well as revisions to the substance of teaching subjects, may be the solution to the problem.
Despite the progress in education in recent years, the marginalization of students identified as ... more Despite the progress in education in recent years, the marginalization of students identified as having special educational needs (SEN) persists. Students characterized as having SEN is one of the factors that could change the status quo and lead to greater inclusion. The current research project adopted a mixed methodology to investigate this possibility. The research was conducted in five secondary schools in Cyprus, and 138 people participated. As the research is now complete, we can conclude that carers of students characterized as having SEN can act as mentors of both SEN children and non-SEN childrens
Τ ο μοντέλο ηγεσίας της Ενδιάμεσης Αντεστραμμένης Πυραμίδας (ΕΑΠ) (προέκυψε από προηγούμενη έρευν... more Τ ο μοντέλο ηγεσίας της Ενδιάμεσης Αντεστραμμένης Πυραμίδας (ΕΑΠ) (προέκυψε από προηγούμενη έρευνα της συγγραφέος), έχει ως στόχο την ενίσχυση του αγώνα του διευθυντή ενός σχολείου δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης να δημιουργήσει ένα σχολικό περιβάλλον χωρίς αποκλεισμούς για μαθητές που χαρακτηρίζονται ως άτομα με Ειδικές Εκπαιδευτικές Ανάγκες (ΕΑΑ). Ωστόσο, η εφαρμογή του εν λόγω μοντέλου ηγεσίας διερευνήθηκε σε ένα μόνο σχολείο, γεγονός που προκαλεί περιορισμούς στη συγκεκριμένη έρευνα. Η παρούσα μελέτη είναι αφιερωμένη στην επανεξέταση των δυνατοτήτων του μοντέλου EAΠ. Διεξήχθηκε βασιζόμενη στην μεθοδολογία έρευνας δράσης, στο πλαίσιο ενός δικτύου συνεργασίας μεταξύ τεσσάρων σχολείων στην Κύπρο. Συμμετείχαν τέσσερα διαφορετικά σχολεία, τα οποία βρίσκονται στις τέσσερις μεγάλες πόλεις του νησιού (Πάφος, Λεμεσός, Λάρνακα, Λευκωσία). Στα τέσσερα σχολεία πραγματοποιούνταν εβδομαδιαίες συναντήσεις μεταξύ ομάδων των τεσσάρων σχολείων. Οι ομάδες αποτελούνταν από τον διευθυντή, τρεις Βοηθούς Διευθυντές, δύο Ενδιάμεσους Ηγέτες και τέσσερις εκπαιδευτικούς. Επιπρόσθετα, στην έρευνα, που διήρκεσε 10 μήνες συμμετείχαν 34 γονείς και 273 εκπαιδευτικοί.
The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the s... more The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the school community. The research took place in an Elementary school in Cyprus. It lasted for 6 months (October 2020–March 2021). This research endeavored to employ action research as a methodology. The researchers devised an action plan aimed at instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in the students. Then, the participants critically analyzed the processes and outcomes of the activity, providing a reasoned explanation of what took place. They reflected on both organizational and personal processes and outcomes. Τhe participants’ group consisted of 15 teachers, 1 head teacher, 2 sub-principals, and 250 pupils. The majority of the pupils come from low-income immigrant families. During July and August of 2021, the results of questionnaires, interviews and other material related to the program were analyzed. For the purposes of this study, we used the following research tools: question...
Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action ... more Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action research project. Its primary objective was to study the challenges the headmaster/leader or other school leader faces while attempting to involve Special Unit students in the school's leadership, which was based on an inclusive leadership approach. The researchers concluded that Cyprus' centralized educational system is the biggest impediment. The primary research methods used to carry out the action research were interviews, focus groups, and observations. 85 teachers, 210 students, and 15 parents participated in the 8-month research, which was conducted in a secondary school in Cyprus with a special unit. By completing the research process, the researchers finally concluded that the solution to the problem might be the recruitment of an inclusive leadership model, which aims to use decentralized inclusive practices.
The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the s... more The aim of this research article was to cultivate Environmental Consciousness in members of the school community. The research took place in an Elementary school in Cyprus. It lasted for 6 months (October 2020–March 2021). This research endeavored to employ action research as a methodology. The researchers devised an action plan aimed at instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in the students. Then, the participants critically analyzed the processes and outcomes of the activity, providing a reasoned explanation of what took place. They reflected on both organizational and personal processes and outcomes. Τhe participants’ group consisted of 15 teachers, 1 head teacher, 2 sub-principals, and 250 pupils. The majority of the pupils come from low-income immigrant families. During July and August of 2021, the results of questionnaires, interviews and other material related to the program were analyzed. For the purposes of this study, we used the following research tools: questionnaires, interviews, and personal diaries.
Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action ... more Special Unit students at a secondary education school in Cyprus were to be included in an action research project. Its primary objective was to study the challenges the headmaster/leader or other school leader faces while attempting to involve Special Unit students in the school's leadership, which was based on an inclusive leadership approach. The researchers concluded that Cyprus' centralized educational system is the biggest impediment. The primary research methods used to carry out the action research were interviews, focus groups, and observations. 85 teachers, 210 students, and 15 parents participated in the 8-month research, which was conducted in a secondary school in Cyprus with a special unit. By completing the research process, the researchers finally concluded that the solution to the problem might be the recruitment of an inclusive leadership model, which aims to use decentralized inclusive practices.
Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
In today's world, education is going through a period of unprecedented change that requires i... more In today's world, education is going through a period of unprecedented change that requires immediate and systematic attention. The influx of refugees in recent years and the invasion of our country by the pandemic of COVID 19 identify and shape modern society, which is composed of groups with differentiated or diverse cultural elements. The structures of the educational system of our country (ministry - regions - directorates - school units) are reorganized because they are obliged to invent pedagogical actions and measures - coeducation of students-refugees in schools and beyond. The insurmountable need for intercultural education in schools emerges as an imperative, not as assimilation into the lifestyle of the dominant group, but as a continuous process of interaction. This article summarizes the above issues such as the concept of refugee and refugee children, intercultural education and education of refugee students in crisis, actions at the level of Cypriot Ministry educa...
The paper examines the role of the Special Tutoring and Education District Committee (STEDC) in m... more The paper examines the role of the Special Tutoring and Education District Committee (STEDC) in moving children in, as well as out of, Special Secondary Education Units (SSEUs) in Cyprus. SSEUs were introduced as part of the effort to make mainstream education inclusive. By law, the STEDC is the body responsible for children with special needs attending these SSEUs, including the initial decision to place them in the system. To better understand the STEDC’s role, this paper performs a case study of two separate high school SSEUs in Cyprus.
Στον διεθνή εκπαιδευτικό χώρο συζητείται έντονα κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων ετών ο ρόλος του ... more Στον διεθνή εκπαιδευτικό χώρο συζητείται έντονα κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων ετών ο ρόλος του ηγέτη στην εύρυθμη λειτουργία του σχολείου. Οι συγκυρίες της τελευταίας χρονιάς έχουν αναγκάσει τον θεσμό της εκπαιδευτικής ηγεσίας να αναδιαμορφωθεί παγκοσμίως λόγω της πανδημίας του COVID-19. Σκοπό της παρούσας έρευνας αποτελεί η διερεύνηση των προβλημάτων που έχουν δημιουργηθεί λόγω της προαναφερθείσας κατάστασης, αλλά και η προσπάθεια για εντοπισμό πιθανών τρόπων μέσα από τους οποίους ο διευθυντής ενός σχολείου θα μπορούσε να εφαρμόσει τις βασικές αρχές της εκπαιδευτικής ηγεσίας. Η ερευνητική αυτή προσπάθεια βασίστηκε στην επιστράτευση της ποιοτικής μεθοδολογίας. Στην έρευνα, η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Κύπρο συμμετείχαν 88 εκπαιδευτικοί και 5 διευθυντές, συμπεριλαμβανομένων εκπαιδευτικών, γονέων και διευθυντών. Μελετώντας τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, διαπιστώνουμε ότι τα προβλήματα με τα οποία έρχονται αντιμέτωποι οι διευθυντές και οι εκπαιδευτικοί ενός σχολείου σχετίζονται κυρίως με την αποξένωση, την περιθωριοποίηση, τη διαχείριση του χρόνο, την ενίσχυση της γραφειοκρατίας, τα προβλήματα στη χρήση του τεχνολογικού εξοπλισμού και των προγραμμάτων που σχετίζονται με την εξ αποστάσεως διδασκαλία. Ως πιθανοί τρόποι αντιμετώπισης στα προβλήματα αυτά, προβάλλουν η προώθηση εκ μέρους του διευθυντή της ενσυναίσθησης, της συνεργασίας και η αποκέντρωση του εκπαιδευτικού συστήματος, παρέχοντας στον διευθυντή έστω και περιστασιακά περισσότερες δικαιοδοσίες.
Educational data have changed rapidly due to the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic and the replacem... more Educational data have changed rapidly due to the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic and the replacement of traditional with distance learning. The purpose of this research is to investigate the extent to which this development has affected the educational development of high school students. Aiming to investigate this possibility, we have used the mixed research methodology. The research involved 147 senior students of public Lyceums in Cyprus. Questionnaire, focus groups and interviews were used as research tools. The analysis of the data showed that all participants and especially students who are characterized as people with learning disabilities were strongly influenced in the field of learning, by confinement at home, as they showed, among other things, lack of concentration and difficulty in understanding the lesson.
This paper aims at examining the institutional framework within which Special Units (SUs) in Cypr... more This paper aims at examining the institutional framework within which Special Units (SUs) in Cypriot secondary education operate. The establishment of SU targets to facilitate the education of pupils defined as having special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools, and their operation is governed by the 1999 law and subsequent amending acts and circulars. Neither the operation of the SUs and the institutional framework that guides their operation have yet been investigated. The main aim of our research was to investigate teachers’ and parents’ views of the way in which SUs function, as well as their opinions of the legislative sections relating to the special units. This process led to the creation of a critical approach called the Institutional Framework for Special Units in Cyprus. Lastly, the participants were asked to propose ways in which the SUs could operate an inclusive environment. This paper presents qualitative research conducted in three secondary schools in Cypru...
Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship a... more Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation as elements which can empower the effort to provide inclusive education. Our previous research study has revealed a new leadership model, the Intermediate Inverted Leadership (IIL) model, contributing to the struggle of the headmaster of a secondary school to develop and adapt an inclusive school environment for students characterized as having Special Educational needs (SEN). Nevertheless, the attempted practical implementation of the specific leadership model was investigated only at one single school, a fact that leads to the most important limitation of the research. As a consequence, the present study is devoted to the re-examination of the potential of the IIL model, throughout a cooperative network among four Cypriot schools. More specific, the sample of the research derived from four different schools, which are located in the four big cities of the island (Paphos, Limassol, Larnaka, Nicosia). Despite of the implementation of IIL model in the four schools, weekly meetings between groups of the four schools were taking place too. The groups were consisted from the headmaster, three sub-headmasters, two intermediate leaders and four teachers from all schools under study. Additionally, 34 parents and 273 teachers from all schools under study were participated to the research. The length of the research was 10 months and Action Research Methodology was used. The present study targets to empirically support that the creation of cooperative school networks can strengthen the development of an inclusive school environment by the headmaster.
The main aim of the article is to explore the role of Collaborative Action Research (CAR) in prom... more The main aim of the article is to explore the role of Collaborative Action Research (CAR) in promoting inclusive education within a mainstream school in Cyprus. The preliminary data for this research were gathered using a mixed methodology approach. CAR was then carried out in a single school with 150 participants. The study then examined the extent to which CAR enhanced inclusive education, using interviews. Finally, the results showed that CAR is one of the factors which can lead to inclusion.
International Journal of Leadership in Education, 2019
ABSTRACT The marginalization of pupils characterized as having special educational needs (SEN) is... more ABSTRACT The marginalization of pupils characterized as having special educational needs (SEN) is a phenomenon that persists despite the international intense efforts to avoid it. The school headmaster and the leadership model which he/she follows are key factors that could contribute to the creation of an inclusive school environment. The mixed methodology action research (MMAR) was used in an attempt to invent an innovative leadership model to make education more inclusive for pupils characterized as having SEN within a mainstream secondary school in Cyprus. The preliminary data for this research were gathered using a mixed methodology approach. Action research was then carried out in a mainstream secondary school in Cyprus with a total of 80 participants, applying the proposed method to implement the innovative ‘Intermediate inverted Leadership Model’. The study was then examined and critically evaluated through MMAR the extent to which the proposed leadership model enhanced inclusive education. The results showed that the innovative leadership model can contribute to inclusive education, by identifying the factors that lead to marginalization in order to convert them into factors that contribute in promoting inclusion.
Στον διεθνή εκπαιδευτικό χώρο συζητείται έντονα κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων ετών ο ρόλος του ... more Στον διεθνή εκπαιδευτικό χώρο συζητείται έντονα κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων ετών ο ρόλος του ηγέτη στην εύρυθμη λειτουργία του σχολείου. Οι συγκυρίες της τελευταίας χρονιάς έχουν αναγκάσει τον θεσμό της εκπαιδευτικής ηγεσίας να αναδιαμορφωθεί παγκοσμίως λόγω της πανδημίας του COVID-19. Σκοπό της παρούσας έρευνας αποτελεί η διερεύνηση των προβλημάτων που έχουν δημιουργηθεί λόγω της προαναφερθείσας κατάστασης, αλλά και η προσπάθεια για εντοπισμό πιθανών τρόπων μέσα από τους οποίους ο διευθυντής ενός σχολείου θα μπορούσε να εφαρμόσει τις βασικές αρχές της εκπαιδευτικής ηγεσίας. Η ερευνητική αυτή προσπάθεια βασίστηκε στην επιστράτευση της ποιοτικής μεθοδολογίας. Στην έρευνα, η οποία πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Κύπρο συμμετείχαν 88 εκπαιδευτικοί και 5 διευθυντές, συμπεριλαμβανομένων εκπαιδευτικών, γονέων και διευθυντών. Μελετώντας τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, διαπιστώνουμε ότι τα προβλήματα με τα οποία έρχονται αντιμέτωποι οι διευθυντές και οι εκπαιδευτικοί ενός σχολείου σχετίζονται κυρίως με την αποξένωση, την περιθωριοποίηση, τη διαχείριση του χρόνο, την ενίσχυση της γραφειοκρατίας, τα προβλήματα στη χρήση του τεχνολογικού εξοπλισμού και των προγραμμάτων που σχετίζονται με την εξ αποστάσεως διδασκαλία. Ως πιθανοί τρόποι αντιμετώπισης στα προβλήματα αυτά, προβάλλουν η προώθηση εκ μέρους του διευθυντή της ενσυναίσθησης, της συνεργασίας και η αποκέντρωση του εκπαιδευτικού συστήματος, παρέ
32ο Διεθνές Συνέδριο Διαπολιτισμική Εκπαίδευση και τα ελληνικά ως δεύτερη ή ξένη γλώσσα – Αξιολόγηση, Διοίκηση, Αναλυτικά Προγράμματα, Διδακτικό Υλικό, 2021
In the world today, education is going through a period of unprecedented transformations, which r... more In the world today, education is going through a period of unprecedented transformations, which require immediate and systematic treatment. The influx of refugees in recent years and the invasion of the pandemic of COVID 19 in our country identify and shape modern societies, which is composed of groups with differentiated or diverse cultural elements. The structures of the educational system of our country (Ministry - Regions - Directorates - School units) are rearranged, because they are obliged to invent pedagogical actions and actions - co-education of students-refugees in schools and beyond. The insurmountable need for intercultural education in schools emerges as imperative not as assimilation into the dominant group lifestyle, but as a continuous process of interaction. This article summarizes the following topics, as the concept of refugee and refugee children, intercultural education and training of refugee students in crisis, actions at the level of the Greek Ministry of Education, actions and interactions at the level of schools and other learning environments of refugee children. In order to investigate the above, we conducted a qualitative research, in which graduate students and teachers from Cyprus participated. Through the findings of the research we came to the conclusion that the problems faced by students with immigrant biographies vary. For this very reason, the participants in the survey expressed their views on possible ways of dealing with the issue.
Conference: 16th European Conference on Management Leadership and Governance ECMLG 2020At: Oxford UK, 2020
Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship a... more Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation as elements which can empower the effort to provide inclusive education. Our previous research study has revealed a new leadership model, the Intermediate Inverted Leadership (IIL) model, contributing to the struggle of the headmaster of a secondary school to develop and adapt an inclusive school environment for students characterized as having Special Educational needs (SEN). Nevertheless, the attempted practical implementation of the specific leadership model was investigated only at one single school, a fact that leads to the most important limitation of the research. As a consequence, the present study is devoted to the re-examination of the potential of the IIL model, throughout a cooperative network among four Cypriot schools. More specific, the sample of the research derived from four different schools, which are located in the four big cities of the island (Paphos, Limassol, Larnaka, Nicosia). Despite of the implementation of IIL model in the four schools, weekly meetings between groups of the four schools were taking place too. The groups were consisted from the headmaster, three sub-headmasters, two intermediate leaders and four teachers from all schools under study. Additionally, 34 parents and 273 teachers from all schools under study were participated to the research. The length of the research was 10 months and Action Research Methodology was used. The present study targets to empirically support that the creation of cooperative school networks can strengthen the development of an inclusive school environment by the headmaster.
16th European Conference on Management Leadership and Governance ECMLG 2020, 2020
Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship a... more Over the last decades, researchers tried to globally promote the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation as elements which can empower the effort to provide inclusive education. Our previous research study has revealed a new leadership model, the Intermediate Inverted Leadership (IIL) model, contributing to the struggle of the headmaster of a secondary school to develop and adapt an inclusive school environment for students characterized as having Special Educational needs (SEN). Nevertheless, the attempted practical implementation of the specific leadership model was investigated only at one single school, a fact that leads to the most important limitation of the research. As a consequence, the present study is devoted to the re-examination of the potential of the IIL model, throughout a cooperative network among four Cypriot schools. More specific, the sample of the research derived from four different schools, which are located in the four big cities of the island (Paphos, Limassol, Larnaka, Nicosia). Despite of the implementation of IIL model in the four schools, weekly meetings between groups of the four schools were taking place too. The groups were consisted from the headmaster, three sub-headmasters, two intermediate leaders and four teachers from all schools under study. Additionally, 34 parents and 273 teachers from all schools under study were participated to the research. The length of the research was 10 months and Action Research Methodology was used. The present study targets to empirically support that the creation of cooperative school networks can strengthen the development of an inclusive school environment by the headmaster.
5o Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Εκπαίδευση στον 21 αιώνα: Ανάπτυξη της Κριτικής Σκέψης, της Δημιουργικότητας και της Καινοτομίας , 2020
Η αποτελεσματική και βιώσιμη κατ’ επέκταση συμπερίληψη των μαθητών που παρουσιάζουν τάσεις περιθω... more Η αποτελεσματική και βιώσιμη κατ’ επέκταση συμπερίληψη των μαθητών που παρουσιάζουν τάσεις περιθωριοποίησης αποτελεί, κατά τη διάρκεια των τελευταίων δεκαετιών, ένα από τα ζητούμενα στον χώρο της εκπαίδευσης, το οποίο όμως παραμένει ακόμη στην σφαίρα του απραγματοποίητου. Παράλληλα, η καθημερινότητα όλων μας τα τελευταία χρόνια φαίνεται ότι έχει αλλάξει ραγδαία λόγω της έντονης χρήσης των ηλεκτρονικών μέσων. Το γεγονός αυτό ενδεχομένως να οδηγεί τόσο σε πλεονεκτήματα όσο και σε μειονεκτήματα. Μέσα από τις πιο πάνω σκέψεις οδηγηθήκαμε σε μια προσπάθεια διερεύνησης της σχέσης των εφήβων που ενδέχεται να περιθωριοποιούνται, με τη χρήση των ηλεκτρονικών μέσων, καθώς και με τον βαθμό στον οποίο προωθούν ή απωθούν τη συμπερίληψη. Για τη διερεύνηση του προαναφερθέντος θέματος επιλέξαμε ως καταλληλότερη τη μικτή μεθοδολογική προσέγγιση. Συγκεκριμένα, για τη συλλογή των δεδομένων χρησιμοποιήθηκε η ακολουθητική διερευνητική στρατηγική, ενώ για την ανάλυσή τους επιστρατεύθηκε η θεμελιωμένη θεωρία. Το δείγμα του ποσοτικού μέρους της έρευνας αποτελείται συνολικά από 600 μαθητές Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης. Αντίστοιχα, το δείγμα του ποιοτικού μέρους της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 138 μαθητές Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης. Η διεξαγωγή της έρευνας είχε χρονική διάρκεια τριών μηνών (από τον Οκτώβριο του 2019 μέχρι τον Δεκέμβριο του 2019). Ολοκληρώνοντας την ερευνητική διαδικασία καταλήξαμε στο συμπέρασμα ότι η χρήση ηλεκτρονικών μέσων και ιδιαίτερα η ενασχόληση των εφήβων μαθητών που παρουσιάζουν περιθωριοποιητικές τάσεις με τα μέσα κοινωνικής δικτύωσης, τα ηλεκτρονικά παιχνίδια και την εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση οδηγεί στη συμπερίληψή τους.
5o Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Εκπαίδευση στον 21 αιώνα: Ανάπτυξη της Κριτικής Σκέψης, της Δημιουργικότητας και της Καινοτομίας , 2020
To παρόν άρθρο αναφέρεται στα αποτελέσματα της διενέργειας μίας έρευνας δράσης με βασικό σκοπό τη... more To παρόν άρθρο αναφέρεται στα αποτελέσματα της διενέργειας μίας έρευνας δράσης με βασικό σκοπό τη συμπερίληψη των μαθητών της Ειδικής Μονάδας ενός συγκεκριμένου σχολείου. Ουσιαστικά, η έρευνα συνδυάζει θέματα που αφορούν τον τομέα της εκπαιδευτικής διοίκησης και της ειδικής εκπαίδευσης. Βασικό στόχο της αποτέλεσε η διοίκηση του υπό έρευνα σχολείου βάσει ενός συμπεριληπτικού μοντέλου ηγεσίας, με τη συμβολή του οποίου μελετώνται τα εμπόδια που εμφανίζονται στην προσπάθεια του διευθυντή του υπό έρευνα σχολείου για συμπερίληψη των μαθητών της Ειδικής Μονάδας, καταλήγοντας τελικά στο συμπέρασμα ότι βασικότερο εμπόδιο αποτελεί το συγκεντρωτικό εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα. Οι συνεντεύξεις, οι ομάδες εστίασης και οι παρατηρήσεις, ήταν τα βασικά ερευνητικά εργαλεία που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για τη διεξαγωγή της έρευνας δράσης. Η έρευνα, είχε διάρκεια 10 μηνών και διενεργήθηκε σε ένα σχολείο Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης της Κύπρου στο οποίο στεγάζεται Ειδική Μονάδα, έλαβαν μέρος 112 εκπαιδευτικοί, 493 μαθητές και 30 γονείς. Ολοκληρώνοντας την ερευνητική διαδικασία καταλήξαμε τελικά στο συμπέρασμα ότι βασικότερο εμπόδιο αποτελεί το συγκεντρωτικό εκπαιδευτικό σύστημα. Γι’ αυτόν ακριβώς τον λόγο προτείνεται η επιστράτευση ενός συμπεριληπτικού μοντέλου ηγεσίας, το οποίο αποσκοπεί στην χρήση αποκεντρωμένων συμπεριληπτικών πρακτικών.
2nd International Conference on Marketing and EntrepreneurshipAt: Neapolis University Pafos, Cyprus, 2019
Entrepreneurship and innovation are factors which could well enhance the effort to provide inclus... more Entrepreneurship and innovation are factors which could well enhance the effort to provide inclusive education, an aim which researchers tried to promote internationally over the last few years. Intermediate Inverted Leadership (IIL) model was created in the context of our previous research effort, contributing at the effort of the headmaster of a secondary school to create an inclusive school environment for pupils characterized as having Special Educational Needs (SEN). One of the most important limitations of this research was the fact that the attempted practical implementation of the leadership model had taken place in a single school. That is why, in the context of the present research, we attempted to re-examine the potential of the model by strengthening it through the creation of a cooperation network between four schools in Cyprus. Specifically, one school from each province of Cyprus (Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos) took part in the research. The theory of IIL model was applied in the four schools, with the simultaneous weekly meeting between groups of the four schools, consisting of: the headmaster, three assistant headmasters, two intermediate leaders and four teachers from each school. In addition to the above-mentioned participants, 273 teachers and 34 parents from the four schools took part in the research. The research lasted for 10 months and it was based on the methodology of Action Research, ultimately leading to the conclusion that the creation of cooperative networks and by extension, the provision of feedback may reinforce the headmaster's effort to create an inclusive school environment.
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Papers by Constantia Charalambous
the demands in the field of education over the last decades, but it remains
unrealized. At the same time, our daily lives appear to have changed
rapidly because of extensive use of digital media. This fact may have both
positive and negative consequences. So, we were inspired to investigate
the relationship between teenagers who may be marginalized and the
use of digital media, as well as the degree to which they promote or pre-
vent inclusion, by the foregoing considerations. We chose mixed method-
ological approach as the most appropriate. Specifically, sequential
exploratory strategy was used to collect the data, while grounded theory
was used for their analysis. The quantitative part sample consists of 600
Secondary Education students. Accordingly, the sample of the qualitative
part of the research was 138 Secondary Education students. The survey
was conducted over a period of three months (from October 2019 to De-
cember 2019). By completing the research project, we concluded that the
use of digital media and especially the engagement of adolescent students
who show marginalizing tendencies with social media, digital games and
distance education leads to their inclusion.
the demands in the field of education over the last decades, but it remains
unrealized. At the same time, our daily lives appear to have changed
rapidly because of extensive use of digital media. This fact may have both
positive and negative consequences. So, we were inspired to investigate
the relationship between teenagers who may be marginalized and the
use of digital media, as well as the degree to which they promote or pre-
vent inclusion, by the foregoing considerations. We chose mixed method-
ological approach as the most appropriate. Specifically, sequential
exploratory strategy was used to collect the data, while grounded theory
was used for their analysis. The quantitative part sample consists of 600
Secondary Education students. Accordingly, the sample of the qualitative
part of the research was 138 Secondary Education students. The survey
was conducted over a period of three months (from October 2019 to De-
cember 2019). By completing the research project, we concluded that the
use of digital media and especially the engagement of adolescent students
who show marginalizing tendencies with social media, digital games and
distance education leads to their inclusion.