preparation for parsel: the case of greece georgios tsaparlis department of chemistry university of...

PREPARATION FOR PARSEL: THE CASE OF GREECE  

Georgios TsaparlisDepartment of Chemistry

University of Ioannina, GR-451 10 Ioannina, Greecegtseper@cc.uoi,gr

The educational system of Greece

5-6 years of age: pre-school education6-12: primary education (demotikon scholeion) (compulsory) – Grades 1-612-15: lower secondary education (gymnasion) (compulsory) – Grades 7-915-18: upper secondary education (lykeion) – Grades 9-1215-17 or 18: technological and professional secondary education

Lykeion: In all three grades, subjects of general education are taught. In Grades 11 and 12, students follow one of three streams: Positive Stream. Theoretical Stream, and Technological Stream.

At the end of Grade 12 (age 17.5 –18.00) almost all students take the national examination in six subjects. One subject (Greek language) is common for all students. In addition the students take exams in one additional subject (chosen among: history, Greek literature, mathematics, physics, biology), plus four special advanced subjects as follows:

Theoretical Stream: ancient Greek, Latin, Greek literature, history, Positive Stream: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biologyTechnological Stream: mathematics, physics, computer science, principles of administration and organisation

Primary school: Grades 5 & 6: General Science

Lower Secondary:Biology: Grade 7, 2 h / Grade 9: 2 hPhysics: Grade 8, 2 h / Grade 9, 2hChemistry: Grade 8, 1h / Grade 9: 1h

Upper Secondary (General education):

Physics: Grade 10, 3h / Grade 11, 2 h / Grade 12, 1hChemistry: Grade 10, 2h / Grade 11, 2 hBiology: Grade 11, 1h / Grade 12, 1h

From 2006-07 new programmes of study have come into effect in Greece for primary and lower secondary education.

For primary science these curricula started this year.For lower secondary science (separate subjects: biology,

physics, and chemistry) the programmes (and new books) will start in 2007-08.

The main feature of the new programmes:

(a) Their interdisciplinary character(b) The use of new active learning methods

CURRENT RESEARCH CLOSELY RELATED TO THE PARSEL DIMENSIONS

1)     Introduction to physical science (physics and chemistry) for lower-secondary education (grade 7)

 Tsaparlis, G. & Kampourakis, K. (2000). An integrated physical-science (physics and chemistry) introduction for lower-secondary

level (grade 7). Chemistry Education: Research and Practice, 1, 281-294.

A SEPPE* Program for the Pedagogic Institute of Greece.  (* Schools for Experimental Practice of Programs of Education) ACTION TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN CONNECTION WITH SEPPE

2)     Teaching chemistry for understanding:

An introductory chemistry course for lower secondary chemistry (grade 8), based on a constructivist approach to introducing the

concepts of molecule and atom.

M.Educ. thesis of Mr. Dimitrios Kolioulis Further evaluative work under progress for a Ph.D.thesis.

3)     The States-Of-Matter Approach to Introductory Chemistry (SOMA)

  An introductory chemistry course for upper secondary chemistry (grade

10) (chemistry for general education) 

Tsaparlis, G. (2000). The States-Of-Matter Approach to Introductory Chemistry (SOMA). Chemistry Education: Research and Practice, 1, 161-

168. 

M.Educ. thesis of Mr. Evangelos Pyrgas  

4)      Chemistry, Society and Life

A Science-Technology-Environment-Society (STES) Approach to upper secondary chemistry (grade 10) (chemistry for general

education) 

Work in progress (M.Educ. thesis of Mr. Emmanuel Stergiou – in progress)

CONTENTS

Overview of organic chemistryPolymers and plastics

MedicinesFoods

Bio-molecules: Chemistry of lifeChemistry in the house

Chemistry in agricultureChemistry of earth and of stars

Energy

5)     CHEMICAL MISCONCEPTIONS

A research project for diagnosis, prevention and cure of chemical misconceptions.

 A research study applying Keith Taber’s tests currently at two levels:

 (a) lower secondary (ages 11-14) (M.Educ. thesis of Ms. Heleni Mastaka

– in progress)  

(b) general education for upper secondary (ages 14-16) (M.Educ. thesis of Emmanuel Stergiou – in progress) (M.Educ. thesis of Mr. Louis

Rounis – in progress)

•There is a third stage (advanced upper secondary –optional) (ages 16-17) which is not currently applied.

•The study at level (b) is also conducted in Turkey by Assoc. Prof. Canan Nakiboglu, Dept. of Chemical Education, University of Balikesir.

6)     Study of Chemical Literacy in Greece

 An application of Avi Hofstein’s study in Greece

(a collaborative project with Avi Hofstein)

Work under progress: (M.Educ. thesis of Ms. Ekaterini Vlachou)