Thursday, 24 June 2004, Elliniki Etairia, Plaka, Athens
The 1st meeting of Greek educators that had implemented the educational materials
on water and wastes during the last school year was organised by MIO-ECSDE,
within MEdIES framework, with the aim (a) to support them with the theoretical
background of evaluation in education (ways and methods etc), and (b) to collect
their comments and suggestions on how the materials may be amended.
The meeting was attended by 39 participants, all interested formal and in-formal educators that exchanged views on the abovementioned educational materials and gave useful input based on their actual implementation. Their evaluation is considered particularly important for the package on wastes, as we are now in the process of preparing the new English version.
Several educators brought and displayed posters and materials created by their students with garbage. Photos from this exhibition are available herewith.
On the theoretical basis of evaluation a few key notes that
where stressed during the meeting where the following:
- There is not one and only definition or way to evaluate but evaluation is
always depended on the objectives of an EE project.
- Evaluation can never be “objective”, however it can and should be reliable,
valid, fair, sincere and useful.
- In order for evaluation to be effective certain criteria should be set that
will not refer to mere knowledge but also to the skills of learners. Of course
applying evaluation criteria to address the skills that are cultivated within
a program is not an easy task.
- There are many ways to evaluate a project in EE such as presentations, discussions,
role plays, student portfolios etc. Observation on behalf of the teacher is
an efficient evaluation method but this is a very difficult process, unless
there are at least two teachers implementing the programme (one guiding the
students and one for mere observation).
- Networks in Education cannot live long unless proper evaluation and feedback
takes place. This process should be done on annual or biennial basis.
- The essence of every network is constant and satisfactory communication. The
role of modern communication technologies is very important (internet, emails
etc); however these cannot replace the direct contact of members, which should
be done regularly.
Some key comments regarding the package "Wastes in our life" are the following:
The subjects that could be stressed more in the package include
recycling and ways to make rubbish useful, proposals for intervention in surroundings,
regulation in EU. Also it was proposed for the package to include an extended
catalogue of all relevant bodies and institutions.
Several educational methods were mentioned that could be included
in the package such as surveys on behalf of the students, interviews with elderly
and educational drama.
As for the package on "Water in the Mediterranean", there was a proposal to include a CD with relevant photographic material of several cases from the Mediterranean countries.
All these comments are taken into account and they will provide useful background for the upcoming meeting in Turkey in October 2004, where the Task Group members of MEdIES will be asked to evaluate and amend the draft English version of the educational package “Wastes in our life”.
For a summary report in Greek click here.
For more information contact:
Iro Alampei, MEdIES secretariat
mio-ee-env@ath.forthnet.gr ,
iro@medies.net
