School

Multigrade schools in Greece – result of necessity

In Greece multigrade schools are usually found in isolated rural areas, in small islands and in villages with rather shrunk population. Multigrade schools in Greece are a result of necessity rather than a pedagogical alternative practice. In their negative qualities often educational and research community mentions pressure of teaching time, non fair learning time per student compared to conventional schools, weakened antagonistic learning environment, absence of specialized teaching stuff (on music, foreign languages, sports, ICT, arts etc).

But there is a range of positive qualities that have to be pointed out, such as more coherent relations between students and teacher, faster and more effective socialization, stronger bonds with the local community, development of self-adjustment and self-learning skills, adaptability on a more demanding environment.

The reasons why multigrade schools can not be abolished is multiple and multi-rational: social reasons demand that population will be kept on its position and further expansion of urban centres will be avoided. Pedagogical reasons demand that students will avoid the trouble of daily long routes to more central schools, losing valuable time. The current tensions in Greece regarding multigrade schools’ possible evolutions are:

• Abolishment when there is no further local population of school age.
• Merge of two multigrade schools.
• Merge of a multigrade school and the closest monograde school.
• Reduction of multigrade school into a multigrade school with less teachers appointed, due to the recession of students’ number.
• Upgrade of multigrade school (=more teachers appointed in school which results to improvement of the ratio “teacher per grades) due to students’ number augmentation

From the total of approximately 5800 primary education schools in Greece, 2558 are multigrade, meaning that they function with less than six appointed teachers per school (whereas there are six grades: from A (7 years old students) to F (12 years old students)). More than 1300 schools function with less than 20 students as a total number of all grades. In percentage 40% of primary schools in Greece are multigrade. The current valid system in Greece demands 25 students for each appointed teacher.

There is a legislated way of grades division per teacher:

Of course the above are directly correlated to the number of students per grade. For example if there are only 10 students studying in A grade and 10 in grade B, while there are only 2 students in grade C and 2 in grade D a division A+B for first teacher and C+D for second teacher would not be feasible.

Current problemtics in multigrade schools

• There are no specially designed multigrade school books.

Multigrade school’s teacher teaches the same books that are taught in conventional schools, in other words, ministry of education has not produced specially designed books to copy with the special needs and conditions of multigrade schools.

• There is no specially organized multigrade curriculum

In a multigrade school, curriculum follows the conventional school curriculum with changes as far as teaching time available for each subject is concerned. That means that multigrade teachers teach the same objects as in a monograde school with the differentiation of the parameter of week time per subject.

• The factor of synchronous teaching of more than one grade

What gives the quintessence of a multigrade class is the coexistence of more than one grade (of both age and level) in the same class. So, a multigrade teacher is expected to address his/her teaching to more than one grade at the same time. In that way, there are two viable conditions that may be produced: one is the synchronous teaching of more than one grade. In that way, a teacher treats all grades that he co-teaches as one homogeneous grade.

• The factor of time pressure

Time is the most crucial factor of difficulty during multigrade teaching. Teacher has to address teaching procedure to more than one student’s target group. He/she also has to make edges meet as far as teaching time that analogically is referred to each group. Most importantly, he/she is expected to find a method to exploit student’s time when he/she is not directly addressing to them. Than can be achieved with a range of theoretically established methods, such as self-learning activities, peer-learning etc.

• The factor of dead time

One of the greatest challenges of multigrade teaching is dealing with what pedagogical theory studying multigrade schools is referring to as “dead time”. That term is eloquently mentioned to the situation emerging when multigrade teacher excludes some present student’s level from his teaching, specially addressing it to a specified target group. The excluded group then faces the parameter of “dead teaching and learning time”, unless teacher is adequately prepared to guide them into alternative learning procedures.

ICT and multigrade teaching

ICT is essential for education in general. But in case of multigrade school can be the absolutely irreplaceable solution. ICT have a multiple role in multigrade schooling: a) ICT and teaching, b) ICT and teacher’s training, c) ICT and administration. ICT use demands and pre-requires special tools and methodology:

a) ICT and teaching. For student’s training there is a wide range of educational software, of educational internet portals and also of original digital material developed by a specially trained teacher.

b) ICT and teacher’s training. For teacher’s training there are special on distance seminars training them how to achieve best use and implementation of ICT as a teaching tool or as a learning object. Distance training can only use ICT to train teachers on a very different aspect, e.g teaching methodology for multigrade schools. Distance education is of great importance for multigrade schools, since it allows in situ training and school can remain open and functioning.

c) For teacher’s administrative duties ICT can again be of capital importance. Archives, student’s files, grades, statistics, annual curriculum, scheduling holidays can all be easily handled with the help of specially developed software.

EE official expected ratio for 2006 is one PC for every 20 students. That can cause severe problems for Greek multigrade schools, since many of them function with less than 20 students. It would be a safer measurement to create a second alternative ratio of PC per teachers. ICT enrollment requires a range of necessary factors. In this point, it is worthy to mention the Greek project “Society of Information” which aims to train all Greek teachers of primary and secondary education in ict educational use. Factors that obstruct ICT enrollment could be summoned up to the following points: cost of equipment, cost of equipment’s maintenance, cost of teacher’s training, ICT lab (existence of an adequate extra available classroom), helpdesk to solve technical difficulties, pedagogical methodologies of ICT best practices as far as educational implementation is concerned. One of the major problems that hinders ICT enrollment maybe is retrogressive mentality according to which technology impedes teacher’s work adding difficulties to an already demanding task. So, one of the essential things to be done for ICT best possible educational implementations is to try and persuade this portion of reluctant teachers that ICT can be there best ally.

ICT can be implemented in a variety of methods in classroom routine:

• A simple way would be to transform books into e-books.
• Another suggestion would be to create a functional, palpable data basis with titles of tested and suggested educational software.
• An other viable suggestion would be Distance teaching and training exploiting all ICT’s available tools and introducing them into teaching routine
• Asynchronous teaching is also feasible via specially designed internet educational portals
• ICT can be a powerful tool for multimedia teaching

All the above, combined according teacher’s, students’ and schools’ needs can develop a harmonic cooperation of ict-centered teaching and traditional teaching.

ICT and multigrade implementations

ICT can be the best method:

1. To train teachers how to develop their own educational interactive material,
2. For teachers to develop this educational material

There are dozens of software that support web design and simple java programming. With no great or time consuming training, a teacher with accented initiative and improvisation skills can create his/her own original educational material. This material can be available in

• School’s intranet lab
• School’s server and accessed via internet
• Classroom’s PC and accessed via cd rom

This material can be uploaded into a specially designed internet portal in an environment that supports remote exchange of digital material. If teachers are sufficiently motivated this portal can be soon a gigantic source of original and perpetually refreshed educational material

Teachers can also train their students to develop educational material, as a well guided and organized team (or personal) project. Specially designed sites host these students’s material, allowing download and free educational use, counting visitors and “downloaders”, announcing popular and mostly praised material. That way, school is constructively advertised and students who create digital educational material are constructively motivated and spurred for extra similar action.

Results from a multigrade case study in Greece

University of Aegean has carried out an investigation about the situation of multigrade schools in Greece. The questionnaire was sent out to the total number (835) of 1 teacher multigrade schools of Greece. 220 replied, while it is important to mention that almost 15% the initial 835 were abolished and the questionnaire was returned. The whole article will be later available in NEMED project’s website (COMENIUS 3 project): http://www.nemed-network.org/

Curriculum and time. Teacher of a Multigrade classroom faces intense time problems, since he/she owes to address his/her teaching. Teacher can not deal with the curriculum of all grades synchronously. So he/she has to use auxiliary teaching techniques. One of the most popular techniques for copying with the problem of shrunk time is assigning homework to the students to replenish time. But since home work can not solve the problem of time spherically, there are several other parallel measures to deal with shrunk time, such as shrinking breaks’ time, shrinking the chapters that should be taught for each subject, shrinking the exercises per chapter etc.

It is important for the ministry to create and provide:

• Special guides for best practices in Multigrade teaching
• Best practice guides for ICT implementation in Multigrade teaching
• Methodological approaches for Multigrade learning
• Educational material or a data basis of relevant titles.
• Tools (software) for production of original educational material

Cooperation with local organizations. Cooperation with local institutions, bureaus and organizations is essential for the best possible function of a Multigrade school. Municipality can support Multigrade school with funding for maintenance, extra personnel occupation, ict infrastructure etc According teachers’ opinions regarding this issue, funding from the central qualified offices of the ministry is not sufficient.

Training issues. What is worth while mentioned in this paragraph is that during tertiary education there is no special Multigrade training. When teachers are firstly appointed in a Multigrade teaching environment, there is not even a previous seminar training them in special Multigrade teaching conditions. Teachers’ advisors, that visit schools in regular interspaces, are not regularly specialized in Multigrade teaching. So Multigrade teachers most of the time needs to solve their teaching problems on their own or by being advised by other experienced Multigrade teaching.

Cultural and social issues. Since Multigrade schools are most of the times located in isolated areas, a Multigrade teacher is also expected to function as a socializing factor for the local inhabitants. Most often, Multigrade teachers in Greece, organize competitions, training seminars for adults in ICT, theatrical plays with the contribution and participation of locals, sports organization and more, trying to offer the community a variety of chances to keep in touch with civilization and education.

Teachers’ distance training. There are several training projects that aim to train Multigrade teachers in situ, that is without their needing to leave school and attend training away from school. University of Aegean has participated and completed a number of distance Multigrade teachers (MUSE COMENIUS, DIAS, NEMED, RURAL WINGS). In that way Multigrade teachers can gain the train necessary to teach using best practices in methodology and ICT implementations. Great role in Greek Multigrade teachers’ needs analysis plays the training on using software which allows them to develop their own digital educational material. That is easily explained if we remind the reader that there are no specially designed books for Multigrade schools in Greece.


Multigrade teacher’s opinions about the institution of multigrade schooling. The majority of primary education teachers are women. On the contrary, the majority of multigrade schools’ teachers are men. Multigrade schools’ teachers often need to cover great distances to reach their school unit. They all tend to believe that a multigrade school position is not sufficiently motivating.

Some of the motivations that multigrade Greek teachers themselves suggest are the following:

• Increase of multigrade teacher’s wage
• Improvement of multigrade schooling working conditions
• Expenses coverage
• Extra bonuses

In spite of the Multigrade teachers also state that Multigrade schools offers certain positive qualities:

• Environment where Multigrade schools lies are more natural, with less traffic and pollution. So it is more healthy and less tiring
• Relations between students are warmer and more essential
• Relations between students and teacher are warmer and more essential
• Relations of the total school community and the local community are stronger and more effective when a problem rises.

Main disadvantages are reminded to be the following, as mentioned again in this archive.

• Teaching time that corresponds to each student is less
• Often changes of personnel
• Lack of competition between students

• Tietoalojen liitto: Suhdannekyselyn tulokset / Elokuu 2005
• Lith P. Digitaalisen median toimialaselvitys 2005, Digitaalisen median, sisältötuotannon ja oppimispalvelujen osaamiskeskuksen julkaisusarja
  

2 years, 3 years, 6, 8, 12, 15, never, when do we start the process of introducing children to computers? Educators, parents, even gray-haired and learned professors cannot agree. The second question that then arises is whether computer based content positively or negatively affects the learning process. I can hear the screams of protest and support in full interactive, multi-media, broadband enhanced detail even as I write. Meanwhile millions of dollars are being spent to bring computers and the Internet to elementary schools around the globe. The only area all agree on, well maybe, is that all students should be taught how to use computers and the Internet eventually. As all will need an understanding of technology to enjoy the products of technology and in many cases within the future work environment. In this article I will try to summarize some of the arguments for and against technology in early education and finally to make a synopsis of how I believe we should address this vital issue. Firstly lets take a look at the arguments for early introduction.

Pros
Future Needs: The use of computers and an understanding of how to use the Internet are already critical to modern society today in manifest directions. These include, the work environment, information gathering for work orpleasure, shopping, communications etc. and if true today, how much moretomorrow. The Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment predicts thatthe computer industry will continue to show the greatest growth of any industry in the USA. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than half of all workers used a computer on the job in September 2001. And nearly three-fourths of those workers connected to the Internet or used e-mail.

Early Skills Acquisition: As with all fundamental skills, the earlier the education system allows students to become familiar with technology the greater will be their depth of understanding and effectiveness in using it. It is immaterial to argue that skills acquired today by a five year old will not be relevant later in life because technology will develop beyond comprehension. This is because skills acquired can focus on an understanding of what computers can do rather than just how to interact with today’s computers. In addition, once the initial ground work has been obtained the potential for adaptation to a dynamic system can be incrementally updated in the same way as adults have to adapt to new technology.

Personalization: Computer based content allows a level of individual engagement and interactivity that comparative learning systems fail to deliver. By its nature learning with the computer is a one-on-one experience or at worst, small groups. This alleviates the paradigm of large classes with minimal personal intervention.

Learning Levels: Computers allow users to individualize their speed of attainment to suite their personal needs and capabilities. The speedy are not held back and those that need greater repetition are not passed over. Additionally special groupings can be more easily and effectively catered for.

Wide Distribution of Quality Teaching: Computer based learning allows the maximum effectiveness and distribution of the best quality teaching and content. A great teacher is not limited by the classroom but can reach out across the Internet to thousands either through building digital lessons or distance learning software and programs. Most distance learning systems today can be configured as live broadcasts with high levels of interactivity with the teacher. Now, here are the equally strong arguments against.

Con’s
Accessibility and Suitability: If an individual does not have access to a computer or does not understand the content through a language deficiency or cultural differences, they will be relegated to the digitally divided, 44 million at the last count just in the USA according to Professor Howard Besser, The Next Digital Divides.

Interfering with Natural Development: Young children should be utilizingtheir natural propensity for physically based activity rather than be ‘stuck’ infront of a computer. They already spend damaging amounts of time glued to televisions, as researchers have discovered, that impairs development. Our children, the Surgeon General warns, are the most sedentary generation ever.

Lack of Depth: Computer based content is a long way from offering the depth, flexibility and tried and tested results that a trained, dedicated and experienced teacher can offer children. In addition, the interaction with a sophisticated adult allows critical advanced vocabulary and personalization skills.

Quality of Content: Most digital content is overly simplistic in its structure. For example, a sum can only be wrong or right. The content will not explain to the student why the sum was wrong. A real teacher will mark a piece of work and offer the essential logic reasoning for the decision that will enable the student to gain a fundamental understanding of the system behind what constitutes correct/incorrect.

Health Hazards: Computers pose health hazards to children. The risks include repetitive stress injuries, eyestrain, obesity, social isolation, and, forsome, long-term physical, emotional, or intellectual developmental damage.

Safety: Children must be protected from the dangers of the Internet, stalkers, adult content, hate and violence. Filtering software is notoriously inefficient.

By no means am I attempting to articulate all the arguments or cover them inreal depth but just to raise some of the issues we all face. In my opinion both the Pros and Cons are very strong arguments all of which need serious consideration and answers.

Now to put this in to an importance perspective, digital technology is invading virtually every aspect of modern society and its impact is becoming fundamental to how we work, play and learn. Technology within education also has a huge role to play but its’ effectiveness and impact has not been studied in the depth and breadth that such a fundamental development requires.

In the work environment, mistakes in the use of technology are paid for inmonetary terms. How much less can we afford to make mistakes with introducing technology to our children, mistakes made here cost far more than damaged business, with education we are talking damaged lives. At the moment we just seem to be ‘throwing’ computers and the Internet at teachers and children, as I state above, without any real understanding of what we are actually doing to the children or should I call them ‘guinea pigs’.

The logic seems to be, at least on the governmental level, that we cannot afford for the coming generation not to be computer enabled, as this ability will be critical for a country to be economically competitive. In fact every country is being driven to ensure it’s digital competitiveness. At a governmental level this logic is difficult to fault but it is our job as educators and parents to ensure thatthe effectiveness of the headlong plunge is in the best interests of all the children.

My opinion is that large-scale research in to the issues needs to be carried out. Not on the scale of a few dozen subjects over weeks as many examples of current research do, but thousands or even tens of thousands of subjects over years.

These subjects need to be from 2 years to 8 years old. They need to bewidely dispersed geographically. Come from all levels of the social andattainment spectrum. In fact technology and the Internet is a perfect platform to carry out this type of research. I founded the Internet based Kindersite Project to enable researchers to accomplish this type of wide-scale program.

I believe that only significant research that studies thousands of subjectchildren over a long-term, years probably, will allow the educational community to really gain full and meaningful answers to the questions such as:

1. Does the early introduction of digital content positively or negatively affectyoung children?
2. What should be the parameters of the introduction (if any)?
3. What content types should be employed within the introductory process?
4. What constitutes 'good' or 'bad' content and why?
5. What parameters define 'good' or 'bad' content?

As a result of sustained and profound research, guidelines should be drawn. These guidelines should offer teachers and parents tried and tested parameters for the use of computers for their children at each age level. It should include areas such as; how long should a child use a computer over a period, maximum and minimum attainment levels to be expected for each age group based on set proficiency standards, how digital content should be integrated in to standard lesson plans in a similar way that other media isused.

Most importantly, set standards for educational content providers must be laid down that they must adhere to if they wish to produce educational content utilizable by educationalists.

In addition all young childrens’ content, educational or leisure should be labeled with its appropriateness for each age group. These standards should be defined by the research.

In conclusion, it is fairly obvious that computer based educational content is becoming a feature of schools, whether we like it or not. In the home we see increasing evidence that even the smallest children are gaining access to computers either with parents or through watching older siblings. It is unreasonable to expect to turn back the clock and bar children below a certain age from computers, this is unenforceable and ineffective.

It is our duty to ensure that clear usage standards are set, content guidelines are drawn and sites rated at a governmental level so that children, parents, caregivers and educators have a clear and safe basis for using computers and the Internet with their charges. Anything less is an abrogation of all our responsibility.

• La falta de estudios suficientes que relacionen la frecuencia y la forma de uso de las TIC con la mejora de los procesos de aprendizaje;
• la consecución de infraestructuras bien desarrolladas, como requisito imprescindible para la participación plena en las nuevas metodologías de aprendizaje basadas en TIC;
• la obtención de datos sobre la integración de las TIC en el currículo de los países europeos y el tipo y frecuencia de su utilización;
• la distribución de presupuestos entre infraestructuras y recursos humanos, principalmente en lo que se refiere a la formación de los profesores.

Respecto a este último punto, las investigaciones recientes indican un cambio favorable en la tendencia, hacia una inversión mayor en recursos humanos, pero no hay todavía datos suficientes de la mayoría de los países.

En España la ratio actual está en torno a 11 alumnos por ordenador conectado en banda ancha, habiéndose conseguido en los últimos años acercar los niveles de infraestructuras entre regiones. La colaboración entre las administraciones central y autonómicas, dentro del Convenio Marco Internet en el Aula, ha conseguido además desarrollar recursos en línea para el currículo de los niveles de educación reglada. Otra importante actuación ha sido el incremento de la formación del profesorado en el uso pedagógico de las tecnologías. Se debe destacar principalmente esa colaboración eficaz entre todas las administraciones implicadas para compartir investigación y desarrollos, aprovechando economías de escala.

El Centro Nacional de Información y Comunicación Educativa es la unidad del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia encargada del desarrollo de la integración de las TIC. Ha coordinado las actuaciones del Ministerio en materia de nuevas tecnologías desde el curso 84-85, almacenando en sus equipos humanos y en sus desarrollos la experiencia de estos veinte años de labor innovadora. El CNICE mantiene un portal educativo en el que están registrados 130.000 profesores, centros educativos y alumnos adultos de enseñanza abierta y a distancia. Estos usuarios reciben del portal acceso a Internet, correo electrónico, correo web, foros, y espacio web para poder publicar sus experiencias y desarrollos. El número de visitas mensuales que recibe este portal es de 1.250.000. Entre otros contenidos, se mantienen en el portal recursos para el aula correspondientes a las enseñanzas de Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, y se están produciendo, en colaboración con las Consejerías de Educación de las Comunidades Autónomas, los recursos para Infantil, Primaria y Ciclos de Formación Profesional. Este desarrollo de contenidos para la educación reglada se enmarca dentro del convenio Internet en el Aula, en el que la Administración Central (Ministerios de Industria, Turismo y Comercio y Educación y Ciencia) y las Administraciones Autonómicas colaboran en el progreso significativo de equipamiento y comunicaciones en las aulas, la disponibilidad de contenidos y aplicaciones educativas y la formación del profesorado.

En cuanto a datos de formación, en este momento el servicio de formación de profesores del CNICE tiene matriculados 16.500 alumnos, atendidos por 360 tutores, en 34 cursos distintos relacionados con la aplicación educativa de las tecnologías, a través de convenios con 11 comunidades autónomas.

Nuestro Programa MENTOR, de formación abierta y a distancia de adultos tiene matriculados a lo largo del curso 2004-2005, 16.250 alumnos, en 103 cursos distintos, con un plantel en activo de 260 tutores, y 336 aulas MENTOR abiertas en todo el territorio nacional.

Nuestro Centro para la Investigación y el Desarrollo de la Educación a Distancia (CIDEAD) tiene 1200 alumnos cursando enseñanzas de Primaria, Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, con residencia en 70 países distintos. El próximo curso se incorporará a estas enseñanzas el Centro Virtual de Educación, plataforma desarrollada en el CNICE para facilitar a todos sus profesores y alumnos los servicios personalizados de información y comunicación necesarios para su interacción educativa.

Todas estas actuaciones serían estériles sin el importante esfuerzo de nuestros profesores, base fundamental del cambio en los procesos educativos, para estar al día en el manejo de las herramientas tecnológicas y en su aplicación pedagógica.

Finalmente quisiera destacar ese espíritu de colaboración mencionado antes entre las instituciones educativas europeas y entre las administraciones españolas en el desarrollo de la sociedad de la información en nuestras escuelas. Sé que hay también buenos ejemplos de colaboración entre instituciones educativas iberoamericanas en este sentido. Nos gustaría que este encuentro sirviera para incrementar ese trabajo en común.