Konstantinos Kalovrektis

Today, the Vocational Education and Training (VET) curriculum in Greece is state-regulated, combining school-based and work-based learning, and it is offered at upper-secondary and post-secondary levels. There is a need to prepare a new agenda for VET in Greece that follows the rapid technological developments of today. Our paper aims to enrich, redefine, and expand the current curricula and educational practices while proposing a complete plan for the overall reformation of VET’s learning conditions from the point of view of teaching and learning analytics. Through the evaluation of the existing changing institutional framework, the updated bibliographic references, and the experiential data of the educational reality, we can understand the expected needs of technological educators and decide how to address the priorities that must be determined. We focus on the preparation of the trainers and the overall redefinition of the role of education in preparing graduates. This paper’s main conclusions offer interpretations for the cognitive orientation of the existing curricula, as well as direction for the thinking and teaching skills of teachers, to build confidence in the prospects of technical education in Greece.

Presents corrections to the paper, (Correction to “Digital Tools, Technologies, and Learning Methodologies for Education 4.0 Frameworks: A STEM Oriented Survey”).

Today the Vocational Education and Training curriculum is state-regulated, combining school-based and work-based learning it is offered at upper-secondary and post-secondary levels. The main problem of nowadays period for Vocational Education and Training is about preparing a new agenda for technical education in Greece for the new circumstances. Our paper aims to enrich, redefine, and expand the current curricula and educational practices, while also proposing a complete plan for the overall reformation of Vocational Education and Training’s learning conditions from the point of view of teaching and learning analytics. Through the existing changing institutional framework, the updated bibliographic references, and the experiential data of the educational reality research, we can understand the expected needs of technological educators and decide how to address the priorities that must be determined. As a result of expectation and one of the main topics of this paper, we focus on the preparation of the trainers and the overall redefinition of the role of education in preparing graduates. This paper's main conclusions or interpretations for the cognitive orientation of the existing curricula, as well as the directions of the thinking and teaching skills of teachers, and to build confidence in the prospects of technical education in Greece.

The correlation between learning and teaching technologies is multidimensional and complex, thus, the digital tools that can help students turning information into knowledge define the crucial role of pedagogical practice. Open access to hardware and software tools is a focal point for advancing learning. In sciences, lab-based experiments constitute a vital part of curricula that bridge the gap between theory and practice. Access to remote lab tools is possible by pairing simulators, emulators and actual equipment, located in various geographical locations. Under this premise, Education 4.0 defines a new learning framework aligned with the fourth industrial revolution digital requirements. These constitute smart sensors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. In this context, University graduates need to prepare themselves with complex problem solving and interdisciplinary problems. To this end, contemporary Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching practices should be present along the way. Digitally competent students need to learn from a modern and adjustable curriculum tailored to cover necessary skills related to Internet of Things (IoT). Therefore, the digitization of University campuses, including smart IoT, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Fifth Generation (5G) automation infrastructures is necessary. In this work, we carry out an extensive STEM oriented survey which highlights and categorizes all contemporary digital tools and technologies needed to support future graduates. Moreover, we focus on contemporary pedagogical and didactic approaches to support Education 4.0 skills. We match contemporary methods with lab types, expected learning outcomes and open software and hardware tools, as imposed by the Education 4.0 framework. Our scenarios mainly focus on University education and consider smart sensors, IoT, 5G technologies, which are the basic building components for students’ digital competencies to meet Education 4.0 requirements.

The term Computational Thinking (CT) is commonly acceptable as a 21st century skill in reading, writing, and arithmetic, causing many states to adopt new policies as far as the curriculum, didactic material, teaching and learning methods, as well as assessment methods. In this frame, we have developed a series of Arduino lessons for teachers’ training, including physics computing and computational thinking development. For the training material quality improvement, we have developed a set of assessment criteria (Rubric) that will be used during the teacher’s training course resulting in the formative assessment. The aim of this work is to analyze and justify the rubric’s format and priorities, as well as to inform the teachers’ trainers about the course assessing priorities.

The present chapter focuses on providing an extensive literature review study on the use of physical computing equipment, sensors, smart app software and real experimental data and processing techniques for physics teaching scenarios, under STEM epistemology framework. Along with sensors and actuators, physical computing platforms, smart devices and smart phones, physics experimental teaching, triggers students' interest and engagement. The use of sensors and real-time data processing is related to the STEM scientific and engineering practices, in alignment with Inquiry-based learning (IBL) and engineering design (ED) teaching approaches for Physics education. Following, related literature is thoroughly examined, analyzed and categorized, under various metrics, including physics topics, expected learning outcomes and software and hardware tools. In this work, we highlight the process to collect and analyze real experimental data, during physics teaching scenarios and the pedagogical effectiveness of using smart sensors to confirm Physics laws, throughout IBL scenarios and physical computing platforms. Finally, through our review, we make suggestions for further research directions of how to integrate the use of sensors and the conduction of data analysis into physics-based STEM instructional design to increase students' engagement and enhance their expected learning outcomes.

This chapter examines, through a literature review, the use of mobile resources and more specifically smartphones, as challenges for teachers to support physics education, with an emphasis on their use as support for the experimental process. The use of smartphones, through the perspective highlighted by relevant research, is related to the context of connecting the scientific and technological capabilities they provide and the educational practices proposed. The study examines the use of smartphones as a means of support of the educational experimental process, the technological capabilities of the devices and their sensors, and the most widespread applications of data capture, processing, and presentation. In addition, the proposed educational approaches for their utilization in physics are recorded, the perspectives, but also the concerns that are developed for the use of smartphones in education. The review provides a complete picture of the path followed, the current situation, and the potential future uses of smartphones in the educational practice of Physics, a synopsis of modern applications as well as the technologies related to smartphones in teaching and learning according to Physics Education Research (PER).

The teaching method of flipped classroom (FC), gives students the opportunity to participate actively during class, while the teacher’s role is supportive than intrusive. The application of FC improves teaching and learning process, especially in applied sciences and technology, as literature study reveals. The current study aims to investigate the application of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) methodology, by applied sciences and technology teachers, who combine FC to improve learning results and better meet their teaching goals. To this end, we apply quantitative research, exploit, and discuss our data findings. A total number of 65 high school teachers, around the area of Central Greece, in the region of Thessaly, took part in our research. Our data is analyzed via Structural Equation Models (SEMs)which belong to a family of multivariable statistical analysis that refer to linear correlations among quantitative mainly variables, with confirmatory role. The results of our study reveal that social influence is significant for the prediction of teachers’ intention (current of future) to apply flipped classroom model approach. Additionally, our study claims to support that flipped classroom model plays a crucial role in updating educational demands of the 21st century, especially in guaranteeing the use of technology tools in equally during teaching and learning process. Finally, this study may assist teachers to adjust and reinforce flipped classroom’s approach, by distinguishing the technology acceptance factors inside a contemporary classroom.

The aim of this research is to suggest a didactic approach as to how students comprehend the growth and the activities of the two most well-known Ancient Greek civilizations (i.e. the Mycenaean and the Cycladic). The teaching approach is based on STEM perspective, the use of several digital technologies, as well as several learning theories. Digital technologies help students delve into the process of scientific discovery. The degree of new technology and STEM – based didactic approach appealing to students is evaluated through questionnaires. In particular, in our survey, 115 students participated and the questionnaires distributed to four schools of Volos and Veria Greece region. The Research was carried out with the consensus of their parents. According to our results, students expressed great interest in STEM activities that they were exposed to. Moreover, they expressed high interest in the integration of a classic history lesson with new technologies and they developed the ability to create simulations of ancient civilization activities. Furthermore, our work is focusing on issues regarding the process and efficiency, through the use, of an interactive time – line robotic car, which will be used to categorize historical events into periods on a timeline.