The Department of Educational Studies is the only department in the School of Philosophy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens that has included in its Curriculum the implementation of two mandatory courses (with theoretical and practical components) of Teaching Practicum (A' and B', winter and spring semester of the 4th year of study), requiring the continuous presence of students for 3-4 weeks in real secondary school settings (the academic courses are entitled Theory and Practice of Teaching A-Practicum and Theory and Practice of Teaching B-Practicum).
Theory and Practice of Teaching A – Practicum:
During the 7th semester of their studies, undergraduate students engage in observation and teaching implementations in secondary education school settings. In the theoretical part of the academic course, they enhance their theoretical knowledge on lesson planning and teaching and reflect on their own teaching practices. Students are expected to identify and choose suitable teaching methods for each educational situation; analyze the characteristics of the lessons they observe; examine their underlying assumptions about teaching and learning; explore the concept of the teacher's personal theory; and recognize the primary role of the reflective practice of the student teacher before, during, and after their teaching practicum.
Theory and Practice of Teaching B – Practicum:
During the 8th semester of their studies, undergraduate students undertake teaching practicum in secondary education school settings, with higher demands compared to Practicum A'. The theoretical part of the course enriches their theoretical knowledge regarding lesson planning and teaching based literature review, and they reflect on their own teaching practices.
Undergraduate students are expected to:
- Experiment with and analyze various teaching practices and methods.
- Investigate the appropriateness of theoretical themes on teaching and learning and corresponding teaching methods concerning the specific learning environment.
- Explore the concept of their personal practical theory through awareness of their frames of reference, progressing to more complex levels of reflection (utilizing reflections and observations from Teaching Practicum A').
- Not only understand but also transform (to some extent) their own assumptions about teaching and learning.
Teaching Practicum A' is a prerequisite for attending the course Theory and Practice of Teaching B-Practicum.
