PREPARATION FOR PARSEL: THE CASE OF GREECE
Georgios Tsaparlis
Department of Chemistry
University of Ioannina, GR-451 10 Ioannina, Greece
gtseper@cc.uoi,gr
The educational system of Greece
5-6 years of age: pre-school education
6-12: primary education (demotikon scholeion) (compulsory) –
Grades 1-6
12-15: lower secondary education (gymnasion) (compulsory) –
Grades 7-9
15-18: upper secondary education (lykeion) – Grades 9-12
15-17 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, biology
Technological 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 h
Physics: Grade 8, 2 h / Grade 9, 2h
Chemistry: Grade 8, 1h / Grade 9: 1h
Upper Secondary (General education):
Physics: Grade 10, 3h / Grade 11, 2 h / Grade 12, 1h
Chemistry: Grade 10, 2h / Grade 11, 2 h
Biology: 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 physicalscience (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, 161168.
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 chemistry
Polymers and plastics
Medicines
Foods
Bio-molecules: Chemistry of life
Chemistry in the house
Chemistry in agriculture
Chemistry 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)