The 2nd Conference of EDIFE
and
The 2nd IOSTE Symposium in Southern Europe
Science and Technology Education at cross roads: meeting the challenges of the 21th century
Jointly Organized by
Science Education Association (EDIFE), International Organization for Science and Technology Education (IOSTE),
University of Peloponesse, Univeristy of Patras, Hellenic Open University
Education Research Centre of Greece
March 18-20, 2004
Elite Hotel, Kalamata
GREECE
SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT
Overview
After two and a half decades of intensive research effort in science and technology education, a narrow range of problems have been sorted out while at the same time many others have been posed.
Despite the enormous amount of efforts and money that have been invested in S&T education, the levels of public awareness about science and technology both internationally and in our region of southern Europe still remain alarmingly low.
In parallel, the institution of science and technology is increasingly confronted with a growing social scepticism about both its functioning and the applications it produces (technological risks, ethical considerations, etc). The extended climate of public distrust to S&T gives rise to the revival of pseudoscientific and new age ideas (astrology, paranormal beliefs, etc).
At the same time the relationship between research on S&T education and S&T teaching is multi-dimensional and multi-semantic. The implications of research findings to S&T curriculum planning and implementation is a field that needs to be further explored.
Taking then into consideration this situation, it becomes evident we, as S&T educators, are obliged to explore new strands of research with the aim to provide novel answers to the challenges of our era.
The Symposium will address world trends in science and technology education. Building upon the research tradition of science and technology education it will attempt to open up new roads by proposing novel problems proposing novel methodologies and integrating fragmented paradigms.
Particular emphasis will be put on topics that can readily influence the everyday practice of the S&T classroom and hence directly improve the levels of techno-scientific literacy of the future citizens. These topics are related to curriculum planning, teaching interventions, teachers’ and students’ perceptions, teacher training and professional development, ICT integration in teaching and learning, as well as on formal and informal learning.
Conference Themes
Submissions on all areas of the Conference are invited. Main emphasis is given but is not limited to the following areas:
· Curriculum and assessment
· Teaching materials and resources
· Teaching approaches
· Teachers and students conceptions
· Teachers’ pre-service and in-service training
· ICT in S&T education
· Informal and life-long learning
· Distance learning
· Historical and philosophical dimensions
· Cultural diversity and equal opportunities
Invited speakers
Andrée Tiberghien, CNRS - Université Lyon 2 - ENS-Lyon – INRP, France (Science Education)
Laurence Simonneaux, Ecole Nationale de Formation Agronomique, Toulouse, France (Biology Education)
John Ogborn, London School of Education, United Kingdom (Science and Chemistry Education)
The activities of the Conference
The main activity of the conference focuses on the original papers which will be proposed and reviewed by the scientific committee and/or distinguished reviewers. The conference includes speeches from invited speakers, and it supports workshops and tutorials, and poster presentations.
Greek and English will be the official language of the conference. The presentations will be organized in Greek or English parallel sessions. Simultaneous translation from/to Greek/English will be provided in plenary sessions only.
During the working of the Conference a symposium is organized in honour of Professor of Science Teaching and President of Science Teaching Association P. Kokkotas on the occasion of his retirement from the Pedagogical Department of Primary Education, University of Athens. Members of the conference scientific committee as well as former students will present his work.
Call for papers and proposals
The scientific committee calls for papers and proposals on the following:
Papers
Lecturers will be asked to present papers based on consistent methodologies and research methods, and to achieve international contribution. Papers should report original work and must not have been published previously. A 350 word summary of the paper will be refereed by the Scientific Committee. All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings in paper and electronic form. The Proceedings will be published as an edited volume under the title: Proceedings of the Common Conference of EDIFE and IOSTE: Science and Technology education at cross roads; meeting the challenges). Specific instructions on format of accepted papers is included in the conference web site Submission of a paper implies a commitment to present the paper if accepted.
Workshops and Tutorials
Workshops and Tutorials provide an opportunity for small groups to meet and engage in rich and interactive discussions about topics of common interest with the experts in the field. We invite submissions addressing any topic interesting to the Science and Technology community: basic research, applied research, new methodologies, emerging application areas, tools, models and design innovations. A workshop or tutorial is suggested to be 4 hours in duration. We encourage electronic submissions (no more than two pages) from the organizer of the workshop/tutorial that should describe goals of the Workshop/Tutorial, clear and detailed description of the topics that should be discussed, justification of their importance and indication of the background of potential participants. Workshop/Tutorial Submissions should also include details of the organizer (name, address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, institutional affiliation and a brief CV). Papers that will be presented in the workshop will be selected from the organiser of the workshop in cooperation with the scientific committee. Accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings with an introductory section by the worksop/tutorial organiser. The organizers of accepted Workshops and Tutorials will be granted free registration for the Conference.
Posters
Posters provide an opportunity for researchers to present their research results as a visual display, which is positioned on a poster board. The poster could be a mixture of a brief narrative paper, intermixed with tables, graphs, pictures, and other presentation formats. A poster presentation can intellectually communicate the research and help synthesize main ideas and research directions. During the poster presentations parallel session the researcher is expected to stand by his/her poster display, while other conference participants can come and view the presentation and interact with the author. A 350-word summary of the poster presentation will be refereed by the Scientific Committee.
Important dates
Deadline for submission of summaries: 30 December 2003
Notification on acceptance: 15 February 2004
Advance registration: 25 February 2004
Deadline for submission of accepted papers: 18 March 2004
Conference: 18-20 March 2004
Electronic submissions should be sent to:
with the subject line "<type of presentation-Author's surname> Submission for EDIFE and IOSTE, 2004
and should contain two distinct files:
a) The accompanying bulletin for submission, by completing the respective form
b) The 350-word summary of the proposal
Conference Venue
Conference Venue of Elite Hotel in Kalamata, Greece
Kalamata
Kalamata is in the south-western Peloponesse, capital of Messinia prefecture, the land of the Kalamatianos dance and the silk kerchief. Off succulent black olives, honeyed figs and the sesame-covered sweet called pasteli. The town is dominated by the 13th century castle above it built by Geoffry de Villehardouin. On the north side of the citadel there is a small Byzantine church, dedicated to the Virgin Of Kalomata (of the good eye), from which the town may have acquired its name.
From the castle you can survey the expanse of sea below with its sandy and pebbly shores or turn your gaze upon the deep green plain, the “happy land” of the ancients.
The old city is spread out of underneath the castle. This is where the Byzantine church of the Virgin Ypapanti and the convert of the Kalograies, where the nuns weave the famous Kalamata silk, are situated.
There are many churches in town, the oldest being the historic church of Agii Apostoli (13th c.) where the Greek Revolution against the Turks was formally declared on March 23, 1821. Kalamata has an archaeological and folklore museum, a fine arts museum and a library containing 60,000 volumes.
Every summer cultural events like concerts and plays put on by the Kalamata theatre are held in the amphitheatre of the castle. In the evening the town comes alive, especially along the waterfront which is lined with tavernas, seafood restaurants and rotisseries serving local dishes and drinks, fresh fish, roast suckling pig and chicken, sausages, cheese, olives, retsina and raki.
Travel Information
How to get in Kalamata
Kalamata is approximately 7hours drive from Athens by bus, the capital city, and only 3hours drive from Patras by bus, the major port connected daily to Italy with the most European countries by both regular and high speed ferry boats. Athens can be reached by rail, road, sea and of course, by air. The “Eleftherios Venizelos” international airport of Athens is directly linked to 68 cities in 45 countries worldwide.
Conference Transportation to Kalamata
The Conference Organizing Bureau, in order to facilitate the travel of conference participants and their accompanying persons, will arrange the following:
§ From Athens: A bus will depart from (meeting point) / Athens on March 17th 2004 at 08.00 hrs for transportation to Kalamata and all the hotels reserved for the Conference.
§ From Patras: A bus will depart from the port of Patras on March 17th 2004 at 15.30 hrs and/or at 21.30 hrs (depending on the participation) for transportation to Kalamata and all the hotels reserved for the Conference.
Similar arrangements will also be available for the participants return transportation (depending on the participation).
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Take advantage of the Conference Special Transportation Package to save money and time. Please complete the appropriate section on the Accommodation and Tour Booking Form.
Pre- Post Conference Travel Arrangements
The Conference Organising Bureau will be happy to provide assistance to participants wishing to extend their stay in Greece. Services that are available include: accommodation on mainland and islands, cruises, motor-coach tours to famous archaeological sites. Please complete the appropriate section on the Accommodation and Tour Booking Form.
Visas
Visas are not required for participants from USA and most European countries. If in doubt, please confirm if you need one with your travel agent or Greek Consulate.
Letter of Invitation
Participants who need an official letter in order to attend the Conference may write to the Conference Secretariat specifying the necessary details. This service is designed only to assist participants who need to obtain a visa or permission to attend the Conference. It should not be considered an official invitation covering fees or other expenses.
Liability and Insurance
Neither the organizers nor the travel agencies assume responsibility for injury and/or damage involving persons or property during the Conference. Participants are advised to take their own personal insurance.
Climate and Clothing
The weather in March is usually chilly. The average temperature is 150C. to 200C. For this time of the year we recommend winter to spring clothing, and conformable shoes.
Foreign exchange and banking arrangements
The official currency in Greece is the EURO. Foreign currency may be exchanged and traveler’s cheques or Eurocheques cashed at the bank of the airport upon arrival and all banks in the country.
Personal cheques may not be cashed by banks or hotels. Participants are therefore advised to bring cash, traveler’s cheques or Eurocheques. Major credit cards are accepted. Banks are open to the public from Monday to Friday 08:00-14:00 hrs.
Accommodation
Hotel Accomodation
A sufficient number of variously priced hotel rooms has been provisionally reserved for Conference participants. However, because tourism is in its peak season and the area has limited accommodation, it is advisable to book as early as possible to ensure reservation of the preferred category.
Hotel Reservation
Please complete the Accommodation and Tour Booking Form by typewriter or in block capitals, ticking the appropriate boxes. The hotel reservation cannot be confirmed until the Accommodation and Tour Booking Form has been received including 50% deposit, specification of the category and type of room preferred, and the dates required. Participants are asked to indicate their preference of hotel category in numerical order. If the preferred hotel category is not available, registrants will be given the next available category. The deposit should correspond to the price for the hotel category of the registrant’s first choice. The Accommodation and Tour Booking Form should be sent along with the deposit to ERASMUS CONFERENCES TOURS & TRAVEL S.A., Athens, Greece till January 15, 2004. Then, a note of confirmation will be sent to the registrants stating the amount left to be paid as well as the name and address of the reserved hotel. Full payment should be made latest by February 15, 2004.
Shuttle Bus
Shuttle bus service will be operated every day between Conference Hotels and Conference Venue.
Cancellation and refund for hotels and tours
Written notification is required for all cancellations and changes. A copy of the accommodation and tour booking form should be attached to the letter of notification and sent to ERASMUS CONFERENCES TOURS & TRAVEL S.A. Refunds will be made as follows according to the postmark on the notice of cancellation:
POSTMARK DATE / HOTEL (Refund per room) / TOURS (Refund per person)Up to 15/2/04 / 50% / 50%
After 15/2/04 / None / None
All refunds will be made within two months after the Conference; bank charges and exchange rate differences will be deducted.
METHODS OF PAYMENT
All payments should be made in Euros without charges for the beneficiary,
to the order of ERASMUS CONFERENCES TOURS & TRAVEL S.A.,
1, Kolofontos Street & 18, Evridikis Street, 161 21 Kaisariani, Greece.
For payment by bank transfer, please forward a copy of the bank transmission.
For payment by credit card, a surcharge of 4% will apply.
· By bank cheque issued to the order of Erasmus Conferences Tours & Travel S.A. (Personal Cheques are NOT accepted)
· By bank transfer to the order of Erasmus Conferences Tours & Travel S.A.,
Alpha Bank, Venizelou Branch (014) - Athens, Greece
Account Number: 103-002320-000855
· By credit cards (MASTER/EUROCARD, VISA/AMERICAN EXPRESS)