Cyprus ME – Online event , 20/02/2021 (9:00 am- 12:00 pm)
”Collaboration of School Units and University: Professional co-development of in service and student teachers”
Program
9:00 | Greetings Professor M. Vryonides, Director, Center of Excellence for Research & Innovation in Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities (SoScieAtH), European University Cyprus Professor A. Efstathiou, Vice-Rector for Research & External Relations of EUC, European University Cyprus Dr Athina Michaelidou, Director of the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth |
9:20 | Keynote Talk When/If research goes to school: The transfer of the “teacher as a researcher” and issues of professional development of teachers. Dr. Stavroula Philippou, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, University of Cyprus |
10:00 | Presentation of TePinTeach Loucas Louca, Associate Professor, European University Cyprus |
10:30 | Professional Learning Communities as a tool for the professional development of student teachers. Thea Skoulia, PhD Candidate, European University Cyprus |
11:00 | A model for supporting student teachers: The role of learning communities in the learning process of student teachers. Marianna Efstathiadou, Instructor, European University Cyprus |
11:30 | Professional Learning Communities for promoting an emotional learning culture: A program to enhance collaboration between pre school teachers. Alexia Koumarianou, PhD Candidate, European University Cyprus |
12:00 | Professional learning support in the Cypriot school: Τhe formation of teachers – researchers through different professional learning methodologies. Dr Pavlina Hadjitheodoulou-Loizidou, Head, In-service Teacher Training Department, Dr. Maria Erakleous & Dr. Efi Paparistodimou & Christina Stavrou & Maria Pitzioli, Cyprus Pedagogical Institute |
12:30 | Discussion about student teachers PLCs Dr. George Olympiou, University of Cyprus |
Summary of the ME
On Saturday, February 20, 2021, was held with great success the online Multiplier Event of TePinTeach research project. The event entitled ‘’Collaboration of School Units and University: Professional co-development of in service and student teachers’’, was attended by 86 teachers and heads (outside EUC). The event was welcomed by the Vice-Rector for Research & External Relations of EUC Professor Andreas Efstathiou, the Director of the Center of Excellence for Research & Innovation in Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities (SoScieAtH) of EUC and the Director of the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, Dr. Athena Michailidou.
The event started with a keynote talk by Dr. Stavroula Filippou, Assistant Professor at the Department of Education of the University of Cyprus entitled ‘’When/If research goes to school: The transfer of the “teacher as a researcher” and issues of professional development of teachers’’. The presentation placed the concepts of “educational professionalism” and “(educational) research” in the historical-political context of the international literature, in order to highlight possible relationships between them when met in the metaphorical expression of “teacher as a researcher” in discussions about professional development of teachers. Metaphor, as a way of thinking, representing and ideologically defining social reality, rather than simply as a way of expression, is a means of “comparing” and creating relationships between fields, in this case between educational research and educational professionalism. By exploring the underlying assumptions of this metaphorical expression, both similarities and differences examined, so that the professional development of teachers discussed as a particular point of contact, and often friction between state-university with pressures being exerted on both teachers and academics, as they renegotiate their professional identities. The presentation concluded with a reference to the challenges and opportunities created by the metaphorical expression of the “teacher as a researcher” during its localization in Cyprus.
This was followed by a presentation of the research project TePinTeach from the coordinator of the program in Cyprus Dr. Louca Louca and 4 presentations with a central theme: ‘’Cooperation between Schools and the University: Professional co-development in service and student teachers’’ (i. Professional Learning Communities as a tool for the professional development of student teachers, ii. A model for supporting student teachers: The role of learning communities in the learning process of student teachers, iii. Professional Learning Communities for promoting an emotional learning culture: A program to enhance collaboration between pre school teachers, iv. Professional learning support in the Cypriot school: Τhe formation of teachers – researchers through different professional learning methodologies). Τhe first three presentations were made by PhD candidates of the EUC presenting empirical data of their research. The last one was made from a group from the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, presenting the work of the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute in the field of teachers’ professional learning in the public school. At the end of the conference Dr. George Olympiou discussed about student teachers PLCs.