INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE
“MEDITERRANEAN SEA CONNECTS US: Multiple Dimensions in Science Education”
West Crete (Rethymnon, Chania), 1-6 December 2016
The School Advisor of Science Teachers of the Regional Administration of Primary & Secondary Education of Crete in collaboration with the Administrations of Secondary Education of Rethymnon and Chania, the Patriarchal Ecclesiastical School of Crete, Gymnasium of Vamos, the Laboratory Centre of Natural Sciences of Rethymnon and the Municipalities of Rethymnon and Apokoronas organize the International Education Conference “Mediterranean Sea Connects Us: Multiple Dimensions in Science Education”, in West Crete (Rethymnon, Chania), 1-6 December 2016.
In the paths of exploration and discovery, with the “Ariadne Mito” of the Minoan years, we attempt to map the unknown in societies of the Mediterranean that played a crucial role in the life and development of Europe, for the whole world, to get to know better the achievements of Science and Technology which emanated and returned to them by crossing and sailing. The multilevel relationship of the Mediterranean societies has rapidly and many times changed in the past due to geopolitical, digital and post-economic, social, political and cultural conditions created by the paths opened by water, land and air, mainly after the pro-Socratic natural philosophers’ era.
Greece is a European country in the southern Europe, a Mediterranean and a Balkan one, which has close traditional bonds and interactions with the Black Sea, the Middle East and the Arab world, added value for the European Union (Europe-our common Search, Greek Presidency of the Council of Europe, 2014). In 2014, Greece and Italy who had the Presidency of the Council of the European Union declared 2014 "Year of the Mediterranean" so as to work together in the framework of the Integrated Maritime Policy to promote activities in the southern neighborhood of Europe (www.gr2014. eu). Sea is the key element of the Greek identity and European history. It can be a horizontal priority for the Mediterranean populations and a factor of growth and collaboration in Europe, of common search, a vehicle for Education, Science and Culture.
The Conference is carried out in the framework of the Educational-Training Project “Mesogeios Isalos Grammi (Mediterranean-Water Line) which is addressed to executives and teachers of School Education who are interested in collaborating and sharing their knowledge and experiences in sustainable school leadership. The Project intends to unwrap the "waterline"(Isalos Grammi) from Crete to the Mediterranean, to the Europe, to the world, bearing in mind the words of Socrates ''I am not an Athenian or a Greek citizen, but a citizen of the world'', to expand the boundaries of the mind, the horizons of thought and the criticisms in untroden paths of investigation and discovery, promoting the values of Education for Sustainable Development. The journey is the goal and we are aiming to it (Breiting S. et al, 2005). [Regarding the title of the Project, the term ‘waterline’ – ίσαλος γραμμή- is shipbuilding and technical term which is an important factor in ship loading. Although it is called line, actually is defined as the level of the horizontal section of the surface of the sea with the ship to the point where it balances and floats when the ship is fully and properly loaded (Wikipedia)].
In this Conference, we aim for the personal and professional development of Science Teachers, the opening up and interaction of the school communities to neighboring educational societies, by approaching scientific and pedagogical issues related to Science teaching and the quality of daily school life, for more sustainable school leadership. We intend to approach the Conference’s topics, through a variety of educational techniques and tools, as trainees and trainers at the same time, starting the water line ‘Isalos Grammi’ from Crete, following the Odysseys routes, seeking the horizons of Mediterranean Sea to the east and west. We plan peer learning activities with presentations, discussions, laboratories, field works and educational trails in live and virtual learning environments with teachers of various disciplines and students of the organizing Municipalities, who will inquire in experiential way on philosophical and practical issues in labyrinthine educational paths of Sciences, Cretan Nature and Mediterranean Civilization.
In our schools and local communities, we struggle to avoid the bad consequences of the economic crisis with retrieving strength from our local civilization and, with surplus soul, we visualize and work for the future. We invite you to sustain us to exploit the advantages of Science to make Education more attractive and effective, contributing to the better quality of life in schools and societies.
THEMATIC FIELDS
EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS
SCHOOL LABORATORIES IN SCIENCE TEACHINGS
OUTDOOR SCIENCE EDUCATION
LIVE AND VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR SCIENCE TEACHING
SCIENCE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
SCHOOL CURRICULA AND EDUCATION REFORMING
MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE TEACHING IN SCHOOLS
NATURAL SCIENCES, LOCAL CIVILIZATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE