PREPARATION FOR PARSEL: THE CASE OF GREECE

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PREPARATION FOR PARSEL THE CASE OF
GREECE     Georgios Tsaparlis Department of
Chemistry University of Ioannina, GR-451 10
Ioannina, Greece gtseper_at_cc.uoi,gr  
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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• 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
• Their interdisciplinary character
• (b) The use of new active learning methods

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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.  
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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
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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.
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  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  
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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)
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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
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  5)     CHEMICAL MISCONCEPTIONS A research
project for diagnosis, prevention and cure of
chemical misconceptions.   A research study
applying Keith Tabers 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)
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• 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.

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6)     Study of Chemical Literacy in
Greece   An application of Avi Hofsteins study
in Greece (a collaborative project with Avi
Hofstein) Work under progress (M.Educ. thesis
of Ms. Ekaterini Vlachou)