Sofia Antera | Uppsala University (original) (raw)
Papers by Sofia Antera
Education + training, Feb 6, 2024
Purpose-This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the (n... more Purpose-This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the (new) teacher identity of vocational teachers. The focus is on how vocational teachers discover their teaching identity, how they describe the connection between their previous occupation and teacher identity and how they describe a competent member of the teaching community. Design/methodology/approach-The theoretical approach is inspired by Communities of Practice (CoP) theory. More specifically, the realignment between socially demanded competence in the profession and personal experience as well as identification with the teaching community are discussed. The research material comes from 14 interviews with vocational teachers in different disciplines. Findings-Findings indicate first that the process of professional identity (trans)formation was initiated by finding one's teaching self when the individuals became aware of their interest in teaching by discovering that they had already achieved some sort of teaching-related competence. Second, individuals had been connecting their professional identitiesfinding common competence between their previous occupation and the teaching role. Third, vocational teachers experienced legitimising their competence and their new identity with reference to what their new CoP instructed as important competence (regime of competence). Originality/value-While teachers' vocational competence is not scrutinised, their teaching competence needs to be constantly proved. This imbalance often leads to teachers returning to an aspect of their identity that is well establishedtheir vocational competence. Looking back to their occupational competences constitutes a realignment backwards, when teachers attempt to serve their new professional goal by drawing on old competence.
Education + Training, 2024
Purpose – This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the ... more Purpose – This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the (new) teacher
identity of vocational teachers. The focus is on how vocational teachers discover their teaching identity, how
they describe the connection between their previous occupation and teacher identity and how they describe a
competent member of the teaching community.
Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical approach is inspired by Communities of Practice (CoP)
theory. More specifically, the realignment between socially demanded competence in the profession and
personal experience as well as identification with the teaching community are discussed. The research material
comes from 14 interviews with vocational teachers in different disciplines.
Findings – Findings indicate first that the process of professional identity (trans)formation was initiated by
finding one’s teaching self when the individuals became aware of their interest in teaching by discovering that
they had already achieved some sort of teaching-related competence. Second, individuals had been connecting
their professional identities – finding common competence between their previous occupation and the teaching
role. Third, vocational teachers experienced legitimising their competence and their new identity with reference
to what their new CoP instructed as important competence (regime of competence).
Originality/value – While teachers’ vocational competence is not scrutinised, their teaching competence
needs to be constantly proved. This imbalance often leads to teachers returning to an aspect of their identity
that is well established – their vocational competence. Looking back to their occupational competences
constitutes a realignment backwards, when teachers attempt to serve their new professional goal by drawing
on old competence
Journal of Education and Work, Jan 18, 2023
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training
Context: Vocational teachers are called to constantly meet the upcoming needs in social and worki... more Context: Vocational teachers are called to constantly meet the upcoming needs in social and working life. In Sweden, the high demand for vocational teachers has led to their recruitment in the early stages of vocational teacher studies or even before teacher training. Entering this new community of practice, vocational teachers cross boundaries between their previous occupation and their teaching job, mediating the introduction of competence between them. In this context, the study explores vocational teachers' competence through their own perceptions, addressing important competence areas, as well as how competence is understood. Approach: The study employs a socio-cultural perspective on learning. Communities of practice establish their regime of competence, a set of principles and expectations that recognise membership. To be competent is translated as understanding the shared enterprise of the community, being capable and allowed to engage in it and, thus, interact with the ...
Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making the... more Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making their competence an important factor in the quality of VET. This study explores how principals and vocational teachers identify important and achieved competencies in relation to vocational teachers’ work. The data was collected through an online questionnaire, centred in two types of competence, competence important for teachers (important competence) and competence they consider they have already developed (achieved competence). For each type, a set of 27 competencies was evaluated on a Likert- scale by 370 participants, including both teachers and principals. The statistical analysis was primarily descriptive. The findings indicated that good communication with students, assessment of students’ knowledge, skills and abilities, and creating conditions for learning, are the three most important and achieved competencies in VET teachers’ work. On the contrary, previous teaching experience, working experience with adults and migrants, and the competence related to recruitment of students and marketing of the school, were seen as the least important and achieved ones. Different actors, meaning principals and teachers, reached an agreement on these findings. Future research should look into the reasons behind the selection of specific competence as important and the processes of competence development.
The Challenges of the Digital Transformation in Education, 2019
The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students’ perspectives on the assessm... more The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students’ perspectives on the assessment methods used in Higher Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Are traditional methods still effective? What are the students’ perspectives on the diverse evaluation methods in Higher Education? To answer these questions, the Educational Involvement Department of BEST (Board of European Students of Technology), a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political and non-representative student organization, organises BEST Symposia on Education, BSE (former Events on Education—EoEs), which aim to convene Higher Education stakeholders and raise the students’ engagement in Higher STEM Education. By performing a secondary data analysis of the students’ perspectives as they were expressed and recorded in EoE Gliwice (Manasova et al. in Be on the right track with SMART, learning - change the education of tomorrow!. Gliwice, 2016 [1]) and EoE Chania (Kloster Pedersen et al. in Refreshing education: update, rethink, grow. Chania, 2017 [2]) reports, the current study shows that laboratory settings are supportive for combining the three most preferred learning techniques: discussion groups, practicing by doing and teaching others/immediate use. Moreover, it was concluded that the assessment on every evaluation system should combine the students’ attitude in class and feedback from professors. Final exams no longer appeal to students and cannot reflect the knowledge and skill set obtained. Professors, universities and particularly educational policymakers should consider the students’ needs both when formulating a fair assessment system and creating/updating academic curricula.
Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with... more Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with the aim to assist them in developing a set of skills, knowledge, competences and attitudes. The overall aim of the education process is dual: employment and contribution to society. Actors with a direct impact in this process are the professors, teachers with various roles, lecturers or heads of laboratories, supervisors or examiners.
Vocations and Learning, 2021
In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with re... more In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with reference to vocational teachers is reviewed and discussed. Previous vocational teacher research has been found to focus on which professional competencies vocational teacher possess or should demonstrate, with little focus placed on how competence is defined, leaving a gap related to how the professional competence concept is perceived and constructed. Through a conceptual analysis method (CAM), which follows the data collection process of a systematic literature review, the researcher identifies the concept attributes that are commonly shared as well as neighboring concepts associated with professional competence. Findings indicate that only few studies detail solid concept definitions. Furthermore, there is an agreement amongst the researchers on the main attributes of professional competence, including the situated and developmental character of professional competence as well as its r...
Vocations and Learning
The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error. Many of the in-text refere... more The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error. Many of the in-text references have not been linked to the reference list. Below are the missing reference in the list. 1. Adams, E. (2010). A framework for the preparation of accomplished career and technical education teachers.
Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 2022
Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making the... more Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making their competence an important factor in the quality of VET. This study explores how principals and vocational teachers identify important and achieved competencies in relation to vocational teachers’ work. The data was collected through an online questionnaire, centred in two types of competence, competence important for teachers (important competence) and competence they consider they have already developed (achieved competence). For each type, a set of 27 competencies was evaluated on a Likert- scale by 370 participants, including both teachers and principals. The statistical analysis was primarily descriptive. The findings indicated that good communication with students, assessment of students’ knowledge, skills and abilities, and creating conditions for learning, are the three most important and achieved competencies in VET teachers’ work. On the contrary, previous teaching experience, working experience with adults and migrants, and the competence related to recruitment of students and marketing of the school, were seen as the least important and achieved ones. Different actors, meaning principals and teachers, reached an agreement on these findings. Future research should look into the reasons behind the selection of specific competence as important and the processes of competence development.
Vocations and Learning, 2021
In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with re... more In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with reference to vocational teachers is reviewed and discussed. Previous vocational teacher research has been found to focus on which professional competencies vocational teacher possess or should demonstrate, with little focus placed on how competence is defined, leaving a gap related to how the professional competence concept is perceived and constructed. Through a conceptual analysis method (CAM), which follows the data collection process of a systematic literature review, the researcher identifies the concept attributes that are commonly shared as well as neighboring concepts associated with professional competence. Findings indicate that only few studies detail solid concept definitions. Furthermore, there is an agreement amongst the researchers on the main attributes of professional competence, including the situated and developmental character of professional competence as well as its relationship with action. In regard to concept use, there are distinct interrelationships between professional competence, professionalism, performance and qualification. Most definitions regard the individual as the reference point and little to no discussion takes place regarding professional competence at a collective level. Because complex concepts like the one under study can lead to confusion, it is suggested that their use should be accompanied by a discussion of their various meanings.
Over the previous decade, a rise in terrorism combined with the growing discrimination on multi-r... more Over the previous decade, a rise in terrorism combined with the growing discrimination on multi-religious societies, have put global peace in danger, highlighting the role of religious education (RE) and the need to be brought in discussion anew. Globalization of the education arena has led to supranational organizations having increasing influence over national policymaking, raising questions about the extent that the suggestions of international institutions are reflected in the national curricula. This article looks into the cases of Sweden and Greece. A comparison of curricula, and more specifically aim catalogues, demonstrates how the same suggestions can take different forms in different national contexts. The Council of Europe has refrained from defining religious education. However, acknowledging the important role religious education can play, the intercultural education approach has been linked with religious education in an attempt to develop critical empathy and dialogue that will foster respect for the rights of others. For that purpose, it is suggested that the aims and values of intercultural education should be infused in the subject of religious education. Therefore, both Greece and Sweden are expected to comply with the learning about and learning from religions approach. Learning about religion, or education about religion, referrs to the acquisition of knowledge about different religions and non-religious outlooks of life. Moreover, learning from religion or education from religion, aims to assist students widening and deepe ning their understanding of religions. The method of the study is thematic template analysis. This style of analysis is more flexible regarding the format of the coding template, since it does not suggest a specific sequence of coding levels. The themes emerging are compared with reference to the Greek and Swedish curriculum, but also with the themes emerging from the suggestions of supranational organizations on the subject of religious education.
Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with... more Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with the aim to assist them in developing a set of skills, knowledge, competences and attitudes. The overall aim of the education process is dual: employment and contribution to society. Actors with a direct impact in this process are the professors, teachers with various roles, lecturers or heads of laboratories, supervisors or examiners While teachers in all levels of formal education are trained in specialised institutions and acquire formal teaching qualification, higher education professors lack such education in most cases. Consequently, the question raised is what competences a university professor should have in order to reach a quality teaching practice. In modern times, these competences are not limited to teaching, since professors perform multiple roles. Interpersonal competences, designing and implementing the learning process as well as innovation are also in demand. This study will reflect how students in European STEM education perceive professors' competences within the given framework, based on their university, field of study and degree. The conclusion is reached on which competences are of more importance and which should be reinforced in order to improve the quality of transmitting the knowledge in higher educational institutions.
The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students' perspectives on the assessm... more The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students' perspectives on the assessment methods used in Higher Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Are traditional methods still effective? What are the students' perspectives on the diverse evaluation methods in Higher Education? To answer these questions, the Educational Involvement Department of BEST (Board of European Students of Technology), a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political and non-representative student organization , organises BEST Symposia on Education, BSE (former Events on Education -EoEs), which aim to convene Higher Education stakeholders and raise the students' engagement in Higher STEM Education. By performing a secondary data analysis of the students' perspectives as they were expressed and recorded in EoE Gliwice [1] and EoE Chania [2] reports, the current study shows that laboratory settings are supportive for combining the three most preferred learning techniques: discussion groups, practicing by doing and teaching others/immediate use. Moreover, it was concluded that the assessment on every evaluation system should combine the students' attitude in class and feedback from professors. Final exams no longer appeal to students and cannot reflect the knowledge and skill set obtained. Professors, universities
Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attrac... more Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attracting more and more attention. Characterized by high participation rates and enjoying long tradition, the Swedish adult education is considered a thriving education system. Nevertheless, with regards to adult educators’ qualifications, low regulation is detected turning the Swedish case in an intriguing topic of investigation.
In this context the current study attempts to explore the competences of adult educators. More specifically, it constitutes an effort to detect the most significant among them, by examining the perspective of adult education centers principals, actors with major influence in recruiting and further training adult educators.
The study engages a qualitative approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with adult education centers principals. The findings are analyzed and compared based on predetermined units of comparison, consisting of municipal adult education centers (komvux) and folk high schools, two different types of education providers.
On the basis of the findings of this research study, it can be concluded that the locus was on competences related to teamwork and organizational learning. On the other hand, teaching competences, especially in the form of formal qualifications were not prioritized or set in the center of discussion.
Nevertheless, the lack of initial education programs specialized in adult learning affects the professionalization of adult educators in various unexplored ways and thus requires more research.
Keywords: adult educators, competences, principals, Sweden, Municipal Adult Education (MAE), Folk high schools (Folkhogskolor)
In order to plan changes in education following to the omnipresence of Information Technology, st... more In order to plan changes in education following to the omnipresence of Information Technology, students have been able to give specific input on how valuable but riskbearing those changes can be. During an Event on Education (EoE), organised by the Board of European Students of Technology (BEST), students coming from all over Europe analysed new upcoming learning styles and their effect on engineering educatio n. More specifically, Virtual Exchange Programs, Open Access materials and Remote Labs were subjected to scrutiny. Despite their urgent need for further development, these and many other IT trends were evaluated as crucial for the improvement of today's engineers. IT in university thus shows high potential if its implementation respects the students' and teachers' needs, privacy and safety.
Books by Sofia Antera
Emerging Issues on VET. Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, 2020
Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attra... more Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attracting more attention. Characterized by high participation rates, the Swedish adult education is considered thriving. However, with regards
to adult educators’ qualifications, low regulation is detected making Sweden an intriguing case for investigation. The current study explores adult educators´s competence, identifying the most significant competence, by examining the perspective of school principals, actors with major influence in recruiting and further training of adult educators. The study engages a qualitative approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with the principals. The findings reveal that the locus is on competences related to teamwork and organizational learning. On the other hand, teaching competences, especially in the form of formal qualifications are not the center of attention. Nevertheless, the lack of initial education programs specialised in adult learning affects the professionalization of adult educators in unexplored ways and thus requires more research.
Facets and Aspects of Research on Vocational Education and Training at Stockholm University, 2019
Education + training, Feb 6, 2024
Purpose-This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the (n... more Purpose-This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the (new) teacher identity of vocational teachers. The focus is on how vocational teachers discover their teaching identity, how they describe the connection between their previous occupation and teacher identity and how they describe a competent member of the teaching community. Design/methodology/approach-The theoretical approach is inspired by Communities of Practice (CoP) theory. More specifically, the realignment between socially demanded competence in the profession and personal experience as well as identification with the teaching community are discussed. The research material comes from 14 interviews with vocational teachers in different disciplines. Findings-Findings indicate first that the process of professional identity (trans)formation was initiated by finding one's teaching self when the individuals became aware of their interest in teaching by discovering that they had already achieved some sort of teaching-related competence. Second, individuals had been connecting their professional identitiesfinding common competence between their previous occupation and the teaching role. Third, vocational teachers experienced legitimising their competence and their new identity with reference to what their new CoP instructed as important competence (regime of competence). Originality/value-While teachers' vocational competence is not scrutinised, their teaching competence needs to be constantly proved. This imbalance often leads to teachers returning to an aspect of their identity that is well establishedtheir vocational competence. Looking back to their occupational competences constitutes a realignment backwards, when teachers attempt to serve their new professional goal by drawing on old competence.
Education + Training, 2024
Purpose – This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the ... more Purpose – This study explores the role of previous occupational identity in the formation of the (new) teacher
identity of vocational teachers. The focus is on how vocational teachers discover their teaching identity, how
they describe the connection between their previous occupation and teacher identity and how they describe a
competent member of the teaching community.
Design/methodology/approach – The theoretical approach is inspired by Communities of Practice (CoP)
theory. More specifically, the realignment between socially demanded competence in the profession and
personal experience as well as identification with the teaching community are discussed. The research material
comes from 14 interviews with vocational teachers in different disciplines.
Findings – Findings indicate first that the process of professional identity (trans)formation was initiated by
finding one’s teaching self when the individuals became aware of their interest in teaching by discovering that
they had already achieved some sort of teaching-related competence. Second, individuals had been connecting
their professional identities – finding common competence between their previous occupation and the teaching
role. Third, vocational teachers experienced legitimising their competence and their new identity with reference
to what their new CoP instructed as important competence (regime of competence).
Originality/value – While teachers’ vocational competence is not scrutinised, their teaching competence
needs to be constantly proved. This imbalance often leads to teachers returning to an aspect of their identity
that is well established – their vocational competence. Looking back to their occupational competences
constitutes a realignment backwards, when teachers attempt to serve their new professional goal by drawing
on old competence
Journal of Education and Work, Jan 18, 2023
International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training
Context: Vocational teachers are called to constantly meet the upcoming needs in social and worki... more Context: Vocational teachers are called to constantly meet the upcoming needs in social and working life. In Sweden, the high demand for vocational teachers has led to their recruitment in the early stages of vocational teacher studies or even before teacher training. Entering this new community of practice, vocational teachers cross boundaries between their previous occupation and their teaching job, mediating the introduction of competence between them. In this context, the study explores vocational teachers' competence through their own perceptions, addressing important competence areas, as well as how competence is understood. Approach: The study employs a socio-cultural perspective on learning. Communities of practice establish their regime of competence, a set of principles and expectations that recognise membership. To be competent is translated as understanding the shared enterprise of the community, being capable and allowed to engage in it and, thus, interact with the ...
Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making the... more Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making their competence an important factor in the quality of VET. This study explores how principals and vocational teachers identify important and achieved competencies in relation to vocational teachers’ work. The data was collected through an online questionnaire, centred in two types of competence, competence important for teachers (important competence) and competence they consider they have already developed (achieved competence). For each type, a set of 27 competencies was evaluated on a Likert- scale by 370 participants, including both teachers and principals. The statistical analysis was primarily descriptive. The findings indicated that good communication with students, assessment of students’ knowledge, skills and abilities, and creating conditions for learning, are the three most important and achieved competencies in VET teachers’ work. On the contrary, previous teaching experience, working experience with adults and migrants, and the competence related to recruitment of students and marketing of the school, were seen as the least important and achieved ones. Different actors, meaning principals and teachers, reached an agreement on these findings. Future research should look into the reasons behind the selection of specific competence as important and the processes of competence development.
The Challenges of the Digital Transformation in Education, 2019
The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students’ perspectives on the assessm... more The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students’ perspectives on the assessment methods used in Higher Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Are traditional methods still effective? What are the students’ perspectives on the diverse evaluation methods in Higher Education? To answer these questions, the Educational Involvement Department of BEST (Board of European Students of Technology), a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political and non-representative student organization, organises BEST Symposia on Education, BSE (former Events on Education—EoEs), which aim to convene Higher Education stakeholders and raise the students’ engagement in Higher STEM Education. By performing a secondary data analysis of the students’ perspectives as they were expressed and recorded in EoE Gliwice (Manasova et al. in Be on the right track with SMART, learning - change the education of tomorrow!. Gliwice, 2016 [1]) and EoE Chania (Kloster Pedersen et al. in Refreshing education: update, rethink, grow. Chania, 2017 [2]) reports, the current study shows that laboratory settings are supportive for combining the three most preferred learning techniques: discussion groups, practicing by doing and teaching others/immediate use. Moreover, it was concluded that the assessment on every evaluation system should combine the students’ attitude in class and feedback from professors. Final exams no longer appeal to students and cannot reflect the knowledge and skill set obtained. Professors, universities and particularly educational policymakers should consider the students’ needs both when formulating a fair assessment system and creating/updating academic curricula.
Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with... more Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with the aim to assist them in developing a set of skills, knowledge, competences and attitudes. The overall aim of the education process is dual: employment and contribution to society. Actors with a direct impact in this process are the professors, teachers with various roles, lecturers or heads of laboratories, supervisors or examiners.
Vocations and Learning, 2021
In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with re... more In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with reference to vocational teachers is reviewed and discussed. Previous vocational teacher research has been found to focus on which professional competencies vocational teacher possess or should demonstrate, with little focus placed on how competence is defined, leaving a gap related to how the professional competence concept is perceived and constructed. Through a conceptual analysis method (CAM), which follows the data collection process of a systematic literature review, the researcher identifies the concept attributes that are commonly shared as well as neighboring concepts associated with professional competence. Findings indicate that only few studies detail solid concept definitions. Furthermore, there is an agreement amongst the researchers on the main attributes of professional competence, including the situated and developmental character of professional competence as well as its r...
Vocations and Learning
The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error. Many of the in-text refere... more The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error. Many of the in-text references have not been linked to the reference list. Below are the missing reference in the list. 1. Adams, E. (2010). A framework for the preparation of accomplished career and technical education teachers.
Nordic Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 2022
Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making the... more Vocational teachers have a key role in the professional growth of vocational students, making their competence an important factor in the quality of VET. This study explores how principals and vocational teachers identify important and achieved competencies in relation to vocational teachers’ work. The data was collected through an online questionnaire, centred in two types of competence, competence important for teachers (important competence) and competence they consider they have already developed (achieved competence). For each type, a set of 27 competencies was evaluated on a Likert- scale by 370 participants, including both teachers and principals. The statistical analysis was primarily descriptive. The findings indicated that good communication with students, assessment of students’ knowledge, skills and abilities, and creating conditions for learning, are the three most important and achieved competencies in VET teachers’ work. On the contrary, previous teaching experience, working experience with adults and migrants, and the competence related to recruitment of students and marketing of the school, were seen as the least important and achieved ones. Different actors, meaning principals and teachers, reached an agreement on these findings. Future research should look into the reasons behind the selection of specific competence as important and the processes of competence development.
Vocations and Learning, 2021
In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with re... more In this article, the variety of interpretations of the concept of professional competence with reference to vocational teachers is reviewed and discussed. Previous vocational teacher research has been found to focus on which professional competencies vocational teacher possess or should demonstrate, with little focus placed on how competence is defined, leaving a gap related to how the professional competence concept is perceived and constructed. Through a conceptual analysis method (CAM), which follows the data collection process of a systematic literature review, the researcher identifies the concept attributes that are commonly shared as well as neighboring concepts associated with professional competence. Findings indicate that only few studies detail solid concept definitions. Furthermore, there is an agreement amongst the researchers on the main attributes of professional competence, including the situated and developmental character of professional competence as well as its relationship with action. In regard to concept use, there are distinct interrelationships between professional competence, professionalism, performance and qualification. Most definitions regard the individual as the reference point and little to no discussion takes place regarding professional competence at a collective level. Because complex concepts like the one under study can lead to confusion, it is suggested that their use should be accompanied by a discussion of their various meanings.
Over the previous decade, a rise in terrorism combined with the growing discrimination on multi-r... more Over the previous decade, a rise in terrorism combined with the growing discrimination on multi-religious societies, have put global peace in danger, highlighting the role of religious education (RE) and the need to be brought in discussion anew. Globalization of the education arena has led to supranational organizations having increasing influence over national policymaking, raising questions about the extent that the suggestions of international institutions are reflected in the national curricula. This article looks into the cases of Sweden and Greece. A comparison of curricula, and more specifically aim catalogues, demonstrates how the same suggestions can take different forms in different national contexts. The Council of Europe has refrained from defining religious education. However, acknowledging the important role religious education can play, the intercultural education approach has been linked with religious education in an attempt to develop critical empathy and dialogue that will foster respect for the rights of others. For that purpose, it is suggested that the aims and values of intercultural education should be infused in the subject of religious education. Therefore, both Greece and Sweden are expected to comply with the learning about and learning from religions approach. Learning about religion, or education about religion, referrs to the acquisition of knowledge about different religions and non-religious outlooks of life. Moreover, learning from religion or education from religion, aims to assist students widening and deepe ning their understanding of religions. The method of the study is thematic template analysis. This style of analysis is more flexible regarding the format of the coding template, since it does not suggest a specific sequence of coding levels. The themes emerging are compared with reference to the Greek and Swedish curriculum, but also with the themes emerging from the suggestions of supranational organizations on the subject of religious education.
Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with... more Tertiary education institutions educate a great number of individuals of all ages every year with the aim to assist them in developing a set of skills, knowledge, competences and attitudes. The overall aim of the education process is dual: employment and contribution to society. Actors with a direct impact in this process are the professors, teachers with various roles, lecturers or heads of laboratories, supervisors or examiners While teachers in all levels of formal education are trained in specialised institutions and acquire formal teaching qualification, higher education professors lack such education in most cases. Consequently, the question raised is what competences a university professor should have in order to reach a quality teaching practice. In modern times, these competences are not limited to teaching, since professors perform multiple roles. Interpersonal competences, designing and implementing the learning process as well as innovation are also in demand. This study will reflect how students in European STEM education perceive professors' competences within the given framework, based on their university, field of study and degree. The conclusion is reached on which competences are of more importance and which should be reinforced in order to improve the quality of transmitting the knowledge in higher educational institutions.
The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students' perspectives on the assessm... more The purpose of this paper is to provide input regarding the students' perspectives on the assessment methods used in Higher Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education. Are traditional methods still effective? What are the students' perspectives on the diverse evaluation methods in Higher Education? To answer these questions, the Educational Involvement Department of BEST (Board of European Students of Technology), a non-profit, non-governmental, non-political and non-representative student organization , organises BEST Symposia on Education, BSE (former Events on Education -EoEs), which aim to convene Higher Education stakeholders and raise the students' engagement in Higher STEM Education. By performing a secondary data analysis of the students' perspectives as they were expressed and recorded in EoE Gliwice [1] and EoE Chania [2] reports, the current study shows that laboratory settings are supportive for combining the three most preferred learning techniques: discussion groups, practicing by doing and teaching others/immediate use. Moreover, it was concluded that the assessment on every evaluation system should combine the students' attitude in class and feedback from professors. Final exams no longer appeal to students and cannot reflect the knowledge and skill set obtained. Professors, universities
Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attrac... more Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attracting more and more attention. Characterized by high participation rates and enjoying long tradition, the Swedish adult education is considered a thriving education system. Nevertheless, with regards to adult educators’ qualifications, low regulation is detected turning the Swedish case in an intriguing topic of investigation.
In this context the current study attempts to explore the competences of adult educators. More specifically, it constitutes an effort to detect the most significant among them, by examining the perspective of adult education centers principals, actors with major influence in recruiting and further training adult educators.
The study engages a qualitative approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with adult education centers principals. The findings are analyzed and compared based on predetermined units of comparison, consisting of municipal adult education centers (komvux) and folk high schools, two different types of education providers.
On the basis of the findings of this research study, it can be concluded that the locus was on competences related to teamwork and organizational learning. On the other hand, teaching competences, especially in the form of formal qualifications were not prioritized or set in the center of discussion.
Nevertheless, the lack of initial education programs specialized in adult learning affects the professionalization of adult educators in various unexplored ways and thus requires more research.
Keywords: adult educators, competences, principals, Sweden, Municipal Adult Education (MAE), Folk high schools (Folkhogskolor)
In order to plan changes in education following to the omnipresence of Information Technology, st... more In order to plan changes in education following to the omnipresence of Information Technology, students have been able to give specific input on how valuable but riskbearing those changes can be. During an Event on Education (EoE), organised by the Board of European Students of Technology (BEST), students coming from all over Europe analysed new upcoming learning styles and their effect on engineering educatio n. More specifically, Virtual Exchange Programs, Open Access materials and Remote Labs were subjected to scrutiny. Despite their urgent need for further development, these and many other IT trends were evaluated as crucial for the improvement of today's engineers. IT in university thus shows high potential if its implementation respects the students' and teachers' needs, privacy and safety.
Emerging Issues on VET. Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education, 2020
Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attra... more Due to the growing importance of lifelong learning, country examples of good practices are attracting more attention. Characterized by high participation rates, the Swedish adult education is considered thriving. However, with regards
to adult educators’ qualifications, low regulation is detected making Sweden an intriguing case for investigation. The current study explores adult educators´s competence, identifying the most significant competence, by examining the perspective of school principals, actors with major influence in recruiting and further training of adult educators. The study engages a qualitative approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews with the principals. The findings reveal that the locus is on competences related to teamwork and organizational learning. On the other hand, teaching competences, especially in the form of formal qualifications are not the center of attention. Nevertheless, the lack of initial education programs specialised in adult learning affects the professionalization of adult educators in unexplored ways and thus requires more research.
Facets and Aspects of Research on Vocational Education and Training at Stockholm University, 2019