Vassilis Tsafos

Student-Teachers as Researchers: Towards a Professional Development Orientation in Teacher Education. Possibilities and Limitations in the Greek University.

In this paper we present and discuss the action research we conducted with the main purpose to investigate the proper ways to introduce action research to our student-teachers in the university so as to empower them in a lifelong professional development perspective. Although the obstacles we faced were many, it seemed possible and beneficial for our students to get involved in real action research projects in the framework of an undergraduate course. They had the chance to appreciate the theory and practice link, to investigate their implicit theory, to construct collective knowledge and to participate in reflective practices.

Developing a practice-theory model in pre-service teacher education in Greece The implications of action-research: A case study

This paper deals with the use of action research in a postgraduate teacher education programme. The first part of the article presents the initial education of secondary teachers in Greece, as well as a postgraduate university programme that could be viewed as an alternative pre-service teacher education (PTE) programme, as implemented in a partnership between a tertiary education institution and certain secondary schools. The second part of the article describes the research I conducted during the programme, as an educator and researcher. It is a case study, aiming at investigating how the school-based PTE programme was experienced by its participants, including the student-teachers and myself, as their supervisor and an educator from a tertiary education institution. Data were collected from questionnaire surveys and interviews administered to the student-teachers, as well as from my personal journal.

Aspects of the professional identity of preschool teachers in Greece: investigating the role of teacher education and professional experience

Abstract In this paper, we present the results of a research programme we developed to investigate the professional identity of preschool education teachers in Greece. Our aim was to investigate parameters affecting not only the creation but also the reform of professional identity and to highlight potential differences in terms of professional identity. Contemporary approaches to professional identity – developed since the 80s – raise issues related primarily to participatory processes, reflection, autonomy and emancipation. Teachers’ professional identity is gradually developed through an ongoing process of three interrelated and complementary steps: (a) pre-service teacher education, (b) vocational integration and (c) exercise of professional duties and in-service training. We interviewed 20 teachers on their professional identity. We chose two categories of teachers based on two criteria: (a) their studies, and (b) their professional experience in the field. Tentative findings showed that professional experience was more important than studies in the construction of their professional identity. Professional identity also relates to both their professional experience and the dominant beliefs about early childhood education.