Conceptual ecology of evolution acceptance among Greek education students: the contribution of knowledge increase

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K. Athanasiou, Katakos, E., and Papadopoulou, P., “Conceptual ecology of evolution acceptance among Greek education students: the contribution of knowledge increase”, J. Biol. Educ., vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 234–241, 2012. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2dqxb2z5

Abstract:

In this study, we explored the factors related to acceptance of evolutionary theory among students/preservice preschool education teachers using conceptual ecology for biological evolution as a theoretical frame. We aimed to examine the acceptance and understanding of evolutionary theory and also the relationship of acceptance and understanding of the nature of science, thinking dispositions and religiosity as independent variables. We also studied the influence of teaching on the conceptual ecology of evolution acceptance. A class of 320 future teachers was surveyed using two questionnaires. According to our findings, students' understanding of evolutionary theory is positively correlated with a moderate acceptance of evolutionary theory. We found a weak positive correlation between the understanding of the nature of science and acceptance of evolution theory, and a positive correlation between open-minded thinking dispositions and evolution theory acceptance. The strength and the patterns of these correlations are miscellaneous and are examined carefully in this paper. We also found that systematic teaching may have a significant influence on evolution theory acceptance. Our findings stress the differences that exist between societies and how socio-cultural factors such as type of religion influence acceptance of evolution and have a strong influence on evolution education.

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https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2012.716780

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Greek teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and context, concerning Evolution Teaching

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P. Stasinakis and Athanasiou, K., “Greek teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and context, concerning Evolution Teaching”, E-Book Proceedings of the ESERA 2011 Conference: Science learning and Citizenship. Part, vol. 3. pp. 179-185, 2012. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/26khwnk8

Conceptual ecology of the evolution acceptance among Greek education students: Knowledge, religious practices and social influences

Citation:

K. Athanasiou and Papadopoulou, P., “Conceptual ecology of the evolution acceptance among Greek education students: Knowledge, religious practices and social influences”, International Journal of Science Education, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 903-924, 2012. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2dscb44m

Abstract:

In this study, we explored some of the factors related to the acceptance of evolution theory among Greek university students training to be teachers in early childhood education, using conceptual ecology for biological evolution as a theoretical framework. We examined the acceptance of evolution theory and we also looked into the relationship between the acceptance and parents' education level, thinking dispositions and frequency of religious practice as independent variables. Students' moderate acceptance of evolution theory is positively correlated with the frequency of religious practices and thinking dispositions. Our findings indicate that studying a controversial issue such as the acceptance of evolution theory in a multivariate fashion, using conceptual ecology as a theoretical lens to interpret the findings, is informative. They also indicate the differences that exist between societies and how socio-cultural factors such as the nature of religion, as part of the conceptual ecology, influence acceptance of evolution and have an influence on evolution education.

Publisher's Version

The type of religiosity as a factor influencing the acceptance or rejection of scientific theories: the case of evolution.

Citation:

K. Athanasiou, Efstratios, K., Papadopoulou, P., and Stanissavljevic, J., “The type of religiosity as a factor influencing the acceptance or rejection of scientific theories: the case of evolution.”, DOI: 10.13140/2.1.4170.7521 , 2012. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/26gka7v4

Abstract:

Our present contribution is a resume of a series of our studies by which we make an effort to explore the factors that are related to the acceptance of evolutionary theory among Greek and other variouscountries perspective and active educators using the conceptual ecology for biological evolution as a theoretical lens. Our central question refers to the role of the type of religiosity of a certain population in making their willingness for acceptance or rejection of evolution in the school environment. The Theory of Evolution (ET) is considered as concept - threshold that needs to be passed before someone can develop his/her understanding (Kinchin 2010) of a broader perspective of natural phenomena and of the nature of science. Most educational research has shown that the result of the teaching of ET is not positive in different parts of the world. Moreover research shows that the acceptance of the ET is restricted and the knowledge is limited and controversial among school science students and teachers. Large percentages of science teachers—close to a majority in many samples—reject ET and support the teaching of antievolutionary ideas in schools (Nehm & Schonfeld, 2007). Thus evolution remains a problematic subject for many science teachers. We make the hypothesis that the type of qualitative characteristics of the religion a nation or population group holds, is an essential factor in determining the level of acceptance of evolution, and their readiness to make changes in their believes, as well. More specifically, we advocate that the student and teacher populations that come from countries with a Greek-Orthodox background are m

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Development and application of an instrument to measure Greek primary education teachers’ biology teaching self-efficacy beliefs

Citation:

E. Mavrikaki and Athanasiou, K., “Development and application of an instrument to measure Greek primary education teachers’ biology teaching self-efficacy beliefs”, Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 7, pp. 203–213, 2011. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/25sowpke

Development and application of an instrument to measure Greek primary education teachers’ biology teaching self-efficacy beliefs

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Health needs: policy plan and school practice in Greece

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P. Soultatou, Duncan, P., Athanasiou, K., and Papadopoulos, I., “Health needs: policy plan and school practice in Greece”, Health Education, vol. 111, pp. 266–282, 2011. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2gthf6jw

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Abstract:

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of health-related needs on a policy design and curriculum enactment basis in terms of the national school health education curriculum in Greek secondary education. Design/methodology/approach – A single case study, using an ethnographic approach, was conducted in Greece, seeking to understand the continuum from policy design to curriculum enactment in respect of health-related needs. Three sources of data were used to meet this goal: policy texts, observation, and interviews. Multilevel sampling was employed to select one secondary school as a site for “good practice”. Grounded theory coding, thematic analysis and critical discourse analysis identified themes associated with the idea of health-related through the corpus of data. Findings – On a policy plan level the concept of health-related needs was coupled with and reduced to a predetermined list of health-related subjects; and the list of health-related topics had not been updated for long and was characterised by a rather biomedical orientation. On a school practice level the stage of needs assessment was not applied, the list of health-related subjects advocated in the policy plan was used on a proactive, normative and top down basis, and the students' felt needs tended to be disregarded. Originality/value – This study followed up the continuum from policy design to school practice regarding the concept and practice of health needs, highlighting the possibilities and the problems from both perspectives.

Study of evolution theory teaching: students’ conceptual ecologies and teachers’ Perceptions.

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P. Papadopoulou, Stasinakis, P., and Athanasiou, K., “Study of evolution theory teaching: students’ conceptual ecologies and teachers’ Perceptions.”, Authenticity in Biology Education: Benefits and Challenges. A selection of papers presented at the 8th Conference of European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB) Braga, Portugal,. A. Yarden, & G.S. Carvalho (Eds.)., pp. 271-283, 2011. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2bqnkfkb

Development and application of an instrument to measure Greek primary education teachers’ biology teaching self-efficacy beliefs

Citation:

E. Mavrikaki and Athanasiou, K., “Development and application of an instrument to measure Greek primary education teachers’ biology teaching self-efficacy beliefs”, Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 203-213, 2011. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2p2wyan9

Acceptance and understanding of evolution theory: A comparative study of Greek and Serbian teachers

Citation:

P. Papadopoulou, Stanisavljević, J., Katakos, E., and Athanasiou, K., “Acceptance and understanding of evolution theory: A comparative study of Greek and Serbian teachers”, Science learning and citizenship, E-book proceedings of the ESERA 2011 Conference. Lyon. 2011. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/288r4d5t

Αγωγή Υγείας

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Κυριάκος Αθανασίου, Αγωγή Υγείας. Β’ Έκδοση, Αθήνα, Εκδόσεις Γρηγόρη, 2010. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/y27m6c49

Conceptual ecology of the evolution acceptance among Greek education students: knowledge, religiosity and social influences

Citation:

K. Athanasiou and Papadopoulou, P., “Conceptual ecology of the evolution acceptance among Greek education students: knowledge, religiosity and social influences”, European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) 2009 Conference. Istanbul. 2009. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/23m497mr

Primary school teachers' categories for" animal": biology or folkbiology

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P. Papadopoulou and Athanasiou, K., “Primary school teachers' categories for" animal": biology or folkbiology”, Trends in Biology Education Research In the New Biology Era, pp. 43–58, 2005. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2bvlrg8c

Κοινωνικές αναπαραστάσεις παιδιών σχολικής ηλικίας για τα Ναρκωτικά,Social Representations of School-Age Children on DrugsEleni Zymvrakaki, Kyriakos Athanasiou

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Ελένη Ζυμβρακάκη and Αθανασίου, Κυριάκος, “Κοινωνικές αναπαραστάσεις παιδιών σχολικής ηλικίας για τα Ναρκωτικά,Social Representations of School-Age Children on DrugsEleni Zymvrakaki, Kyriakos Athanasiou”, Σύγχρονη Εκπαίδευση: Τρίμηνη Επιθεώρηση Εκπαιδευτικών Θεμάτων, no. 128, pp. 82-90, 2003. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2gkmmatn

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Social Representations of School-Age Children on Drugs

Eleni Zymvrakaki, Kyriakos Athanasiou

Summary

The origins of this work go back to a series of epidemiological surveys conducted over the last twenty years and prove the ever-increasing use of illegal substances among the entire population of Greece (Kokkevi K.a., 1983, Marselos and Frangidis, 1985, Madianou et al., 1987, Dardavesis, 1993, Kokkevi and Stefanis, 1994, Madiano; et al., 1995, Gougouskidis, 2001, Charila and Kalantzi-Azizi, 2001, EKTEPN, 2002a, EKTEPN, 2002b). It is common knowledge that the use of illegal substances is reduced to one of the most important social problems. In Greece too, the problem is exacerbated, as there is an increase in the frequency of deaths from heroin use in the mainly young population, while at the same time observing...

Οι απαρχές της εργασίας αυτής ανάγονται σε μια σειρά επιδημιολογικών ερευνών που διεξήχθησαν την τελευταία εικοσαετία και αποδεικνύουν την ολοένα αυξανόμενη χρήση παράνομων ουσιών στο σύνολο του πληθυσμού της Ελλάδας
(Κοκκέβη Κ.α., 1983, Μαρσέλος και Φραγκίδης, 1985, Μαδιανού κ.α., 1987, Δαρδαβέσης, 1993, Κοκκέβη και Στεφανής, 1994, Μαδιανό; Κ.α., 1995, Γκουγκουσκίδης, 2001, Χαρίλα και Καλαντζή-Αζίζι, 2001, ΕΚΤΕΠΝ, 2002α, ΕΚΤΕΠΝ, 2002β).
Είναι κοινός τόπος ότι η χρήση παράνομων ουσιών ανάγεται σε ένα σε ένα από σημαντικότερα κοινωνικά προβλήματα. Και στην Ελλάδα το πρόβλημα οξύνεται, καθώς παρατηρείται αύξηση της συχνότητας θανάτων από τη χρήση ηρωίνης στο νεανικό κυρίως πληθυσμό, ενώ ταυτόχρονα παρατηρεί τω...

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Speculations on cigarette smoking among youngsters in Greece

Citation:

K. Athanasiou, “Speculations on cigarette smoking among youngsters in Greece”, in Tobacco: The Growing Epidemic, Springer, 2000, pp. 295–297. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/29rg7nqz

Speculations on cigarette smoking among youngsters in Greece

Citation:

K. Athanasiou, “Speculations on cigarette smoking among youngsters in Greece”, in Tobacco: The Growing Epidemic: Proceedings of the Tenth World Conference on Tobacco or Health, 24–28 August 1997, Beijing, China, 2000, pp. 295–297. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/yloz2lbx

Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of the antineoplastic agents homo-azasteroidal ester of p-bis(2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl acetic acid and chlorambucil (vol 175, pg 165, 1986)

Citation:

K. Athanasiou and Arzimanoglou, I. I., “Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of the antineoplastic agents homo-azasteroidal ester of p-bis(2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl acetic acid and chlorambucil (vol 175, pg 165, 1986)”, Mutation Research-Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, vol. 374, pp. 149–149, 1997. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2gffu7o3

Website

Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of the antineoplastic agents homo-azasteroidal ester of p-bis (2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl acetic acid and chlorambucil [Mutation Res. 175 (1986) 165-169]

Citation:

K. Athanasiou and Arzimanoglou, I. I., “Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of the antineoplastic agents homo-azasteroidal ester of p-bis (2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl acetic acid and chlorambucil [Mutation Res. 175 (1986) 165-169]”, Mutation Research-Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, vol. 1, no. 374, pp. 149, 1997. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2fjhwqlc

Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of the antineoplastic agents homo-azasteroidal ester of p-bis (2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl acetic acid and chlorambucil [Mutation Res. 175 (1986) 165-169]

Citation:

K. Athanasiou and Arzimanoglou, I. I., “Mutagenicity and clastogenicity of the antineoplastic agents homo-azasteroidal ester of p-bis (2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl acetic acid and chlorambucil [Mutation Res. 175 (1986) 165-169]”, Mutation Research-Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis, vol. 1, pp. 149, 1997. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2zdbqwvb

DIETARY FATS AND OILS: KNOWLEDGE AND PREFERENCES OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN GREECE

Citation:

E. Zimvrakaki, Makris, G., and Athanasiou, K., “DIETARY FATS AND OILS: KNOWLEDGE AND PREFERENCES OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN GREECE”, Mediterranean Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 111-120, 1997. Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/2f4apjw5

Abstract:

Abstract - The study described in this paper investigates the knowledge and
preferences of 176 Greek children, aged between nine and eleven, with regard to
fats and oils. The results show that the majority of children cannot classify oils.
butter, and margarine in the correct nutritional category. The great majority were
of the opinion that it is healthier to use olive oil, rather than than seed oils, for
salads and cooked meals. However, they also answered that seed oils are healthier
than olive oil for fried meals. No statistically significant differences between the
sexes was found in the answers, except for their preferences regarding the use of
olive oil in cooked meals and salads. The results indicate that Greek children lack
the information they need to make healthy food choices. In addition, there is a
need to develop teaching strategies thatfocus on lipids and their impact on health.

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https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kyriacos-Athanasiou/research <embed>

Professor Emeritus, Early Childhood Education

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Social Representations of School-Age Children on Drugs

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