1. “ Cross – thematic approach to curriculum design and application: The case of Greece with special reference to the use of ICT» Eleni Karatzia – Stavlioti University of Patras Hellenic Pedagogical Institute

2. Main points of the presentation  The role and the importance of Curriculum  Contemporary socio – political, cultural and scientific developments  The effectiveness of using cross – thematic approach to learning together with the existence of the different disciplines  Teaching, learning and understanding beyond the facts – The macro (cross-thematic concepts)  Competencies, skills, attitudes and values as cultivated in the “initiative” being introduced in the Greek System by the Hellenic Pedagogical Institute  How learning with the support of ICT is designed to support this “initiative”

3. Curriculum Curriculum design attempts to answer three basic questions in education: Curriculum design attempts to answer three basic questions in education: oWhich should be the content and the shape of school knowledge? oHow this knowledge should be organized? oHow and through which processes this knowledge can be obtained and successfully used by all students?

4. 1. Content Of School Knowledge 2. Organization of school knowledge 3. Μethod of teaching T RADITIONAL P RACTICES 1.Whatever the different disciplines have quoted, in a form suitable for students 2. In different independent subjects in accordance to the disciplines 3. “Direct” methods of teaching

5. C HANGES I N T HE E NVIRONMENT O F E DUCATION 1.(Trends of) Globalization of -the markets -The cultural capital 2. The Big Bang of human knowledge 3. The radical transformation of production and the new organizational forms 4. The demographic changes

6. Emphasis on the improvement of the quality of education (discussion on methods for “quality control”) Policies concerning the recognition, the understanding and the respect of the needs of all the students as well as of the requirements of all the education actors (politicians, educationalists, parents, employers …) ( AΤTHEMACROLEVEL THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION Policies of “transparency” in the goals of the educational process and in the means to achieve these goals Policies of continues and multi – faced evaluation, of continues improvement and assessment in education

7. The reinforcement of school autonomy Policies of self – management Culture of participation self – evaluation cooperation self =- controlled development negotiation accountability ATTHE MACROLEVEL THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION The reinforcement of pluralism in values as an antidote to mono cultural orthodoxy Policies including intercultural approaches to the goals, the programs and the school textbooks Management of educational change (crisis and danger) Ways, mechanisms and techniques)

8. The management of the huge amount of knowledge Encyclopedism Knowledge pragmatism Knowledge minimalism Knowledge minimalism The management of the radical enlargement of knowledge From knowledge itself to the way of acquiring it From borders in knowledge to its organization in an interdisciplinary way Problems in the selection, organization and inclusion of information in the field of knowledge ATTHEMICROLEVEL THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION The management of the asynchronous development of the different discipline fields From the dichotomy of theoretical vs applicable knowledge to its “unification” From the stability to the re-negotiation of school time per subject: corpus, selection interdisciplinarity, cross – curricularity in the school program

9. The management of socio – cultural and learning diverse student populations Αfrom orderly to cooperative management schemes From value orthodoxy to value pluralism From the pessimism of equalitarianism to the optimism of high aims From the “shot” of minimal effort to the happiness of the creative outcomeATTHEMICROLEVEL THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION THE DISCOURSE FOR EDUCATION The management of interpersonal relations in the “open school” Matters of communication between parents, teachers and local community The important role of the personality and of the leadership characteristics

10. CROSS – CURRICULAR APPROACH THE DEFINITION IN THE GREEK CURRICULUM (“INITIATIVE” ) Cross – curricularity refers to the possible horizontal links that can be achieved amongst the curriculum of the different subjects. For these horizontal links to be achieved a suitable organization of the teaching matter of each subject is necessary, so that the different themes are treated from diverse “angles”, they are given light in a «multi – dimensional way” and their relationship to everyday life is revealed

11. CROSS – CURRICULAR APPROACH THE DEFINITION IN THE GREEK CURRICULUM (“INITIATIVE” ) Within this framework we search for the “extensions” that the themes under investigation have in the fields Within this framework we search for the “extensions” that the themes under investigation have in the fields of science, art and technology as well as in the development of skills, attitudes, behaviors and values. In this way we treat the themes in a holistic way and we manage to relate knowledge to everyday life. In this way cross - curricularity inludes interdesciplinarity

12. 1.Cross curricular links in the school textbooks and in the other learning material (ie software) using as linking elements (as a vehicle) the macro concepts (cross curricular concepts) as well as the skills, attitudes, behaviors and values that can be cultivated across the curriculum 2. The materialization of activities and projects with cross – curricular approach in the time frame of the various subjects (up to 10% of the teaching time) THE HELLENIC PEDAGOGICAL INSTITUTE PROPOSAL FOR THE PROMOTION OF CROSS - CURRICULARITY THE HELLENIC PEDAGOGICAL INSTITUTE PROPOSAL FOR THE PROMOTION OF CROSS - CURRICULARITY 3. The involvement of the students and teachers in projects of their choice (ie environmental education, health education …) (ie environmental education, health education …) during the time of during the time of “The flexible zone”

13. ChangeCommunication Civilization Civilization Dimension DimensionInteractionSystem Similarity – difference Similarity – difference Unit (atom) – whole (INDICATIVE) (INDICATIVE) MACRO / CROSS – CURRICULAR CONCEPTS (Given by the different disciplines, appear very often in the aims and in the content of the curriculum and may be used to promote the goals of education)

14. THE CONCEPT THE CONCEPT SYSTEM Description of the concept – Its application in cross – curricular approach The system consists of parts that are related and interact etc. as a unity. The word may mean method and way of working. The concept exists in both the social and the natural sciences.

15. THE CONCEPT THE CONCEPT SYSTEM (Application of the concept in the different disciplines The understanding of the use of the concept “system” in the natural sciences helps the human beings understand nature more and realize the necessity and the operation of the natural laws. The transfer and the use of the concept in social sciences and in everyday life is closely related to the different types of social organization as well as to the diverse relationships that are formed in the various systems of social organization. The understanding of the various meanings that the concept “system” has helps the human beings understand the important influence that the systemic organization has on individual and / or social development (systemic and critical thinking …). The understanding of the various meanings that the concept “system” has helps the human beings understand the important influence that the systemic organization has on individual and / or social development (systemic and critical thinking …).

16. THE CONCEPT THE CONCEPT SYSTEM (The benefit of the student) The student is supported to understand that many systems have self – regulating mechanisms that protect them from distraction in cases of radical changes, instability etc.The student is supported to understand that many systems have self – regulating mechanisms that protect them from distraction in cases of radical changes, instability etc. This kind of knowledge accompanied with the skills, attitudes and behaviors that are related to lifelong learning and active cooperative citizenship are necessary for the youths in the contemporary societyThis kind of knowledge accompanied with the skills, attitudes and behaviors that are related to lifelong learning and active cooperative citizenship are necessary for the youths in the contemporary society

18. THE CONCEPT SYSTEM CLASSES 1 AND 2 When this concept is related with those of communication and civilization it promotes the “sensitivity and understanding” towards the students with learning and other “specialties” as well as towards the environment. The concept of the “system” is applied mainly in the subjects of Language and Mathematics. In these subjects the students begin to organize and gradually systematize knowledge concerning the numbers and the use of words. They generally begin to “recognize” the different systems, ie groups of plants and animals in their environment, the decade system of counting etc

19. ΕΝΝΟΙΑ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑ Τάξεις Α΄και Β΄ Η έννοια αυτή, όταν συνδέεται με την έννοια της επικοινωνίας αλλά και του πολιτισμού, προωθεί την ευαισθητοποίηση των μαθητών προς τα άτομα με ιδιαιτερότητες αλλά και προς το ευρύτερο φυσικό και ανθρωπογενές περιβάλλον. Η έννοια αυτή, όταν συνδέεται με την έννοια της επικοινωνίας αλλά και του πολιτισμού, προωθεί την ευαισθητοποίηση των μαθητών προς τα άτομα με ιδιαιτερότητες αλλά και προς το ευρύτερο φυσικό και ανθρωπογενές περιβάλλον. Η έννοια σύστημα προωθείται κατ΄ αναλογία σε όλα τα μαθήματα και κυρίως στη Γλώσσα και στα Μαθηματικά. Οι μαθητές αρχίζουν να οργανώνουν και σταδιακά να συστηματοποιούν τη γνώση όσον αφορά τους αριθμούς και τη χρήση του λεξιλογίου. Γενικότερα αρχίζουν να «αναγνωρίζουν» διάφορα συστήματα, π.χ. ομάδες φυτών και ζώων του περιβάλλοντος, το δεκαδικό σύστημα, κ.ά. Η έννοια σύστημα προωθείται κατ΄ αναλογία σε όλα τα μαθήματα και κυρίως στη Γλώσσα και στα Μαθηματικά. Οι μαθητές αρχίζουν να οργανώνουν και σταδιακά να συστηματοποιούν τη γνώση όσον αφορά τους αριθμούς και τη χρήση του λεξιλογίου. Γενικότερα αρχίζουν να «αναγνωρίζουν» διάφορα συστήματα, π.χ. ομάδες φυτών και ζώων του περιβάλλοντος, το δεκαδικό σύστημα, κ.ά. THE CONCEPT SYSTEM CLASSES 3 AND 4 CLASSES 3 AND 4 The concept of “system” is found a lot in the subjects of Mathematics, Language and Environmental studies. The concept of “system” is found a lot in the subjects of Mathematics, Language and Environmental studies. Through its application and use the students acquire a deeper knowledge of measures for space and time. They also learn more on the system of numbers through the learning of ratios etc When this concept is related to the concepts of communication and interaction the students “recognize” certain “rules” that exist in the various systems and, whenever possible, they practice their application ie. The application of grammar “rules” in communicative circumstances, the application of mathematical “measures” in circumstances of everyday life etc

20. “SYSTEM” CLASSES 5 AND 6 The concept of “system is applied in all subjects but mainly in Mathematics, Language and Citizenship Education The concept of “system is applied in all subjects but mainly in Mathematics, Language and Citizenship Education In these subjects the student begins to organize and use / apply the knowledge on numbers In these subjects the student starts to organize alone the knowledge on numbers, on the use of words and their relationship to different social groups as well as to the environment. In these subjects the student starts to organize alone the knowledge on numbers, on the use of words and their relationship to different social groups as well as to the environment. The application of this concept in all subjects aims to help students understand that all systems consist of parts that are interrelated … The application of this concept in all subjects aims to help students understand that all systems consist of parts that are interrelated …

21. THE USE OF ICT TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT – THE SOFTWARE The software to be produced should be: Interactive Cross curricular (with horizontal and vertical links) Creative (“surfing” through activities and projects) The producers should use: The curriculum framework The identified concepts To “create” a software useable in class or at home