Denis Vavougios
UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY, GREECE, Department of Physics, Faculty Member
- Education : BSc in Physics, Physics Department, University of Patras (1982). PhD in Theoretical Physics, of the Physi... moreEducation : BSc in Physics, Physics Department, University of Patras (1982). PhD in Theoretical Physics, of the Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Patras, (1989). During my postgraduate studies I received a scholarship from the sector of Theoretical Physics, Mathematical Physics and Philosophy of Science of the Physics Department, Faculty of Sciences.Teaching Experience : Professor of Physics and Science Education at the Physics Department of University of Thessaly (2020-..). Subjects taught: General Physics, Theoretical Mechanics, Statistical Physicsedit
Η παρούσα έρευνα σκοπεύει να συμβάλλει στη διερεύνηση του φαινομένου του εθισμού στο διαδίκτυο και της πιθανής συσχέτισης του με το φύλο και την ηλικία, σε πληθυσμό εφήβων μαθητών στην πόλη της Λαμίας. Η έρευνα πραγματοποιήθηκε μέσω... more
Η παρούσα έρευνα σκοπεύει να συμβάλλει στη διερεύνηση του φαινομένου του εθισμού στο διαδίκτυο και της πιθανής συσχέτισης του με το φύλο και την ηλικία, σε πληθυσμό εφήβων μαθητών στην πόλη της Λαμίας. Η έρευνα πραγματοποιήθηκε μέσω διαδικτυακής εφαρμογής και με την κλίμακα Young Diagnostic Questionnaire. Η μέθοδος έδειξε ότι είναι αξιόπιστη, παρουσιάζει υψηλή ταχύτητα συλλογής-διαχείρισης δεδομένων και έχει χαμηλές απαιτήσεις σε ερευνητικούς πόρους. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας υποδηλώνουν ότι το 15% των παιδιών που συμμετείχε στην έρευνα σημείωσε θετική βαθμολογία στο Ερωτηματολόγιο Εθισμού στο Διαδίκτυο. Η μέτρηση και η αξιολόγηση των συμπτωμάτων εθισμού στο διαδίκτυο μέσω εφαρμογής ερευνητικών προγραμμάτων όπως το παρόν, μπορεί να συμβάλλει στο σχεδιασμό προγραμμάτων αγωγής υγείας εφήβων μαθητών, προγραμμάτων ενημέρωσης-ευαισθητοποίησης γονέων, και προγραμμάτων επιμόρφωσης εκπαιδευτικών.
Research Interests:
Computer programming was introduced to primary schools by many countries with the aim of advancing logic and algorithmic thinking of students. The bulk of a typical syllabus (e.g., in the case of Greece) for computer programming courses... more
Computer programming was introduced to primary schools by many countries with the aim of advancing logic and algorithmic thinking of students. The bulk of a typical syllabus (e.g., in the case of Greece) for computer programming courses at 5th and 6th grade primary school, consists of teaching structured programming concepts. While the comprehension of basic program flow concepts such as branch instructions and loops is of paramount importance, overextending the teaching of the basics may lead to students losing their interest due to lack of challenge. On the other hand, in a mixed classroom environment there exist both students with substantial skills in modern computer technology and others with smaller such experience, e.g., due to societal and economic factors. To avoid discouraging both the talented pupils by re-visiting the same topics and the less experienced ones by not providing an alternative way of learning, we investigate instructing advanced computer programming concepts in a playful way using pair programming. Results reveal that teaching advanced programming concepts using pair programming can improve the overall programming skills of mixed classroom students.
Research Interests:
Popular interest in robotics has increased significantly over the last years. It has been claimed that robotics can provide new benefits to the learning process at all levels of education. The main ideas of the present study adhered to... more
Popular interest in robotics has increased significantly over the last years. It has been claimed that robotics can provide new benefits to the learning process at all levels of education. The main ideas of the present study adhered to the constructionist theory, according to which the learning process is not only transmitted from teacher to pupil, but rather constructed in the mind of the pupil in the form of active learning. The purpose of the present study was to implement a robotic toy (Lego Mindstorms NXT TM) in a Greek primary school, in order to teach twelve year-old children some of the basic concepts of geometry. The main hypothesis of the present study was that children who used the Lego Mindstorms NXT platform would score higher on an evaluation questionnaire than children who formed the control group. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed in order to evaluate the correct answers of the questionnaires. Statistical analysis revealed that children who participated in the experimental group performed better in the 21 items of the questionnaire. Moreover, they mentioned that the geometry course became more interesting and drew their attention in comparison to the courses that were taught through the standard teaching process. It is apparent that the present study follows the line of inquiries that supports that robotics can make a significant impact to education. Robots can be a tool that can enhance the skills of children.
Research Interests: Computer Science and IEEE
This paper aims at investigating the factors which influence instructors of primary and secondary education into using Web 2.0 based teaching techniques in their teaching now and in the future. Two hundred and fifty three teachers... more
This paper aims at investigating the factors which influence instructors of primary and secondary education into using Web 2.0 based teaching techniques in their teaching now and in the future. Two hundred and fifty three teachers participated in a survey conducted with a quantitative research method followed by short interviews for clarification purposes in the research area. The results showed that both gender and teaching experience are factors that influence this attitude, whereas the type of school seems to have no influence on educators’ decision to employ such tools in their teaching practices.
Research Interests:
The present study focuses on the educational value of lab work while teaching and learning Physics. Specifically, it investigates and compares the learning outcomes between three different experimental groups, in the study of the Simple... more
The present study focuses on the educational value of lab work while teaching and learning Physics. Specifically, it investigates and compares the learning outcomes between three different experimental groups, in the study of the Simple Gravity Pendulum in the lower secondary school, using a sample of 61 students aged 14-15. The first group comprising 25 students practiced first on virtual and then on real lab, while the second group of 24, first on real and then on virtual lab (change of order in the tasks).An additional third group, involving 12 students, used sensors and data loggers during experimental practice. The educationally optimum order of use of such labs is investigated herein. The learners exploited the capabilities of the lab equipment, in that they themselves designed, constructed, and analysed the simple gravity pendulum. The focus in the teaching and learning of the pendulum was on examining subject relevance in the context of everyday applications, the independenc...
In the present study we employ a combination oflaboratory exercises and simulation. In particular westudied the case of teaching mechanical oscillations toundergraduate students of Polytechnic and Pedagogicaldepartments. Simulations were... more
In the present study we employ a combination oflaboratory exercises and simulation. In particular westudied the case of teaching mechanical oscillations toundergraduate students of Polytechnic and Pedagogicaldepartments. Simulations were performed using a generalpurpose package, MATHEMATICA®, which is widelyemployed in our departments, and presents some importantadvantages such as ease of writing mathematical relations,small extent of programs necessary for the solution, ease ofcreating graphical representations/animations. In theemployed process an experimental setup of the physicalsystem is constructed and then using a general purposepackage students construct a model of the system thatalready know from the laboratory experiments. Using thesemodels students produce solutions for various initialconditions, graphical representations of the results as well asanimations corresponding to the time evolution of thesystem. The results show that the above process offers thestudents many di...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This paper examines the physics ability of pupils with autism spectrum disorder. For this reason a folk Physics test was given to 19 adolescents with high functioning autism spectrum disorder and 55 adolescents with typical development.... more
This paper examines the physics ability of pupils with autism spectrum disorder. For this reason a folk Physics test was given to 19 adolescents with high functioning autism spectrum disorder and 55 adolescents with typical development. Results showed that adolescents with autism scored statistical higher compared to those of typical development. It seems therefore that pupils with autism have intact their folk physics ability. Hence, it is time for science education researchers to turn their attention in exploring how pupils with autism could be taught and learn physics in the most appropriate way.
The aim of the present study is to explore on the alternative conceptions of impetus theory and projectile motion of students with high functioning autism spectrum disorders and compare them with those of typical development. For this... more
The aim of the present study is to explore on the alternative conceptions of impetus theory and projectile motion of students with high functioning autism spectrum disorders and compare them with those of typical development. For this purpose, an experimental investigation was conducted with 19 students with high-functioning autism (age range: 12–16 yrs) and 55 typically development students (age range: 12–16 yrs). The two study groups were equivalent on both sex and non-verbal mental age. Drawing from theoretical approaches that emphasise the study of prior knowledge on the learning process, a structured, computerised tool was developed to explore the alternative conceptions of students with autism (T.E.A.I.A.). Research findings suggest that students with high-functioning autism use the same alternative conceptions with those used by students of typical development, on a different frequency thought. Moreover, they adopt impetus theory at a rate that is statistically different from...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Dyscalculia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the ability of a child to learn arithmetic. Dyscalculia appears despite normal intelligence, proper schooling, adequate environment, socioeconomic status and motivation. The first... more
Dyscalculia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the ability of a child to learn arithmetic. Dyscalculia appears despite normal intelligence, proper schooling, adequate environment, socioeconomic status and motivation. The first aim of the present research protocol was to construct a battery of tests that can be delivered by computer in order to screen children's arithmetic skills. Our second aim was to develop a web application screener for dyscalculia that assesses children aged from 8–11 years old and that, to the best of our knowledge, does not exist. The hypothesis of the present study was that Greek students that are already diagnosed by paper-and-pencil tests as dyscalculic, will present lower performance and higher time latencies in the tasks of the aforementioned web application screener. A total of sixty, right handed children (30 male and 30 female, age range 8–11 years old) participated in this study. The students with disorders in mathematics (N=30, 15 male and 15 female) had a statement of dyscalculia issued after assessment at a Centre of Diagnosis, Assessment and Support, as required by Greek Law. The comparison group (N=30) was formed by pupils who attended the same classes with dyscalculics, presented typical academic performance according to their teachers' ratings and had been matched for age and gender with the children with disorder in mathematics. Three tasks were used for evaluating children's arithmetic ability: a calculation task, a task that evaluated their skills in understanding mathematical terminology, and an arithmetic problem solving task. Statistical analysis revealed that children with dyscalculia had statistically significant lower mean scores of correct answers and larger time latencies in all tasks compared to their average peers that participated in the comparison group. In conclusion, it must be highlighted that the web application screener for dyscalculia used in this study was found to be a feasible instrument for first-pass screening services and referral.
Most public libraries, small, medium, or large, offer a variety of services, facilities and amenities to their audience, depending on the assigned functions. The ideal size of space for children in public libraries cannot be calculated... more
Most public libraries, small, medium, or large, offer a variety of services, facilities and amenities to their audience, depending on the assigned functions. The ideal size of space for children in public libraries cannot be calculated according to the population that it will serve, as is often the case with school libraries, but based on the activities to be developed and the characteristics of particular characteristics of childhood. Therefore, emphasis must be given primarily on the qualitative and secondarily on the quantitative characteristics of the children’s library physical environment. This paper presents answers on some basic questions. Do Public Libraries provide special space arrangements for children and their families in their establishments? Are Children Libraries “reading-rooms” suitably designed and furnished as to provide the necessary areas for reading, relaxing, playing or creating? Observations in several library facilities revealed some interesting findings co...
ABSTRACT The present article compares the effectiveness of virtual labs, and that of real school-labs in teaching electric circuits at Upper High-School. The 73 participating learners were divided in two groups, the group that used the... more
ABSTRACT The present article compares the effectiveness of virtual labs, and that of real school-labs in teaching electric circuits at Upper High-School. The 73 participating learners were divided in two groups, the group that used the virtual lab (VEL), and the group that used the real lab (REL). The data were collected using a DIRECT (v. 1.0) type questionnaire, containing 29 suitably formulated questions, clarified by oral interviews. The data analysis revealed no significant difference between the 2 groups in their conceptual understanding, regarding the basic concepts of electric circuits. Those individual differences that did appear to be significant were observed in the 3 out of 12 teaching objectives, and all were in favour of the real-lab group. All these 3 were further investigated in detail and found to relate directly to the teaching approach followed. Overall, either of the teaching approaches tested will decisively help students to develop an investigative attitude relating to everything scientific, their cooperative skills, and their ability to express important queries with clarity and precision.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
63. Fragakis, J., Kopsidas, S., Tsavli, M., Vavougios, D., Zisiadis, D., Karagiannidis, Ch., & Tassiulas, L. (2009). Teaching Physics to Individuals with Kinetic Disabilities using Robotics: A-State -of-the –Art. Proceedings of EDULEARN09 Conference, 6th-8th July, Barcelona, Spain, ISBN 978-84-61...more
73. Tsihouridis Ch., Vavougios D., Ioannidis G., Paraskeuopoulos S. (2011). Specially designed sound-boxes used by students to perform school-lab sensor–based experiments, to understand sound phenomena. International Journal of Online Engineering (iJOE), Vol 7, Issue 1, pp 25-32, ISSN 1868-16-46more
ABSTRACT The present research study aims at detecting and recording Upper Secondary School students' criteria regarding the suitability of various calculating packages - including one specially designed and developed by the... more
ABSTRACT The present research study aims at detecting and recording Upper Secondary School students' criteria regarding the suitability of various calculating packages - including one specially designed and developed by the researchers- to assist teaching and problem solving electrical circuits. For the above purposes 69 Upper Secondary School students aged from 16 to 17 (male and female), after having undergone some introductory tuition on their operation, used four different calculating packages to deal with various problems concerning electric circuits. These packages were evaluated and compared: (a) a properly customised spread-sheet calculating package, (b) the Mathematica-Solve function, (c) the Mathematica LinearSolve function, (d) a Java-8 application specially designed and developed for this study. Students recorded their views on a questionnaire, the analysis of which revealed the most appropriate calculating package for the purpose. The reasons for students' choices are recorded and analysed, drawing important educational conclusions for both future software design, and customisation of packages intended for educational use. The process of rational choice between all sorts of adaptable software for specific educational use, is also discussed. The concept of students acquiring basic algorithmic skills in the process of computing physics experiments is also addressed herein.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Sensors and Data Loggers
Research Interests:
... Phys. Austriaca 50 (1979) 75. 7) V. Dodonov, V. Man'ko and V. Skarskinsky: preprint No. 206. Moscow (1981) Lebedev Physical Institute. ... 64(1980)94, 91. 18) A. Jannussis, P. Filippakis, Th. Filippakis, K. Vlachos and V.... more
... Phys. Austriaca 50 (1979) 75. 7) V. Dodonov, V. Man'ko and V. Skarskinsky: preprint No. 206. Moscow (1981) Lebedev Physical Institute. ... 64(1980)94, 91. 18) A. Jannussis, P. Filippakis, Th. Filippakis, K. Vlachos and V. Zisis:Lett. Nuovo Cimento 31 (1981) 298. ...
Research Interests:
Summary We give some remarks on a recent paper of Lahiri, Kumar Roy and Bagchi who have constructed a scenario of supersymmetry in quantum mechanics by imposing a structure on the raising and lowering operators.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT The present study aimed at adapting in the Greek language the Students' Motivation Towards Science Learning (SMTSL) questionnaire developed by Tuan, Chin, and Shieh (INT J SCI EDUC 27(6): 639-654, 2005a) into a different... more
ABSTRACT The present study aimed at adapting in the Greek language the Students' Motivation Towards Science Learning (SMTSL) questionnaire developed by Tuan, Chin, and Shieh (INT J SCI EDUC 27(6): 639-654, 2005a) into a different cultural context, a different age group, that is, in university students and with a focus on physics learning. Three hundred and fifty Greek student teachers participated in the study. The original instrument consisted of 35 items allocated in six scales: self-efficacy, use of active learning strategies, science learning value, performance goals, achievement goals, and learning environment stimulation. The instrument's internal consistency was acceptable and comparable to previous studies' reports. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied on the data in order to test an a priori hypothesis regarding the SMTSL's factorial structure based on previous studies' findings. The results of the study showed that the six-factor conceptual model of students' motivation proposed by the SMTSL applies in this different cultural setting and in this group of university students with reference to physics learning. Along with the six distinct motivational constructs confirmed, students' motivational beliefs were also explained by a general motivational construct assumed to be at their basis. Suggestions for further improvement of the Greek version of the SMTSL are also discussed.