The Postgraduate Programme, “Didactics of Science and Information and Communication Technologies in Education: an Interdisciplinary Approach” is part of the strategic planning of the University of the Aegean and the Department of Early Childhood Education and Educational Design, offers a curriculum with scientific coherence and aims to promote pedagogical knowledge by developing epistemological and teaching research in the digital environment of modern education. The design of the seminars and workshops of the MSc provides for the active participation and collaboration of postgraduate students in specific projects, ensuring the high level of expertise of the graduates. The development of an interdisciplinary approach to Mathematics, Science and Information and Communication Technologies constitutes an innovative and international field of study in the field of Educational Design Sciences, as it is linked to cognitive flexibility and collaborative teaching-learning in pedagogically autonomous educational structures with a high quality of organizational intelligence.

Program Structure

The interdisciplinary approach seeks the connections, interactions, and boundaries among the Didactics of Mathematics, Science and ICT, the common areas with other fields as well as the cognitive properties that emerge at three levels:
  • at the level of epistemology and learning
  • at the level of teaching and school unit
  • at the level of educational innovation and pedagogy
On these content axes, the seminars are structured, the laboratories are organized, and the workload and attendance of the MSc (90 ECTS) are distributed over three (3) semesters, in a full program of courses, practical training, and dissertation. The postgraduate program has been operating at the Department’s Seat in Rhodes since 2014 and has been reformed with digital/online distance learning up to 100% from 2023 (Government Gazette 6981/13.12.2023).  It leads to a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Education Sciences and certifying both, the pedagogical and didactic competence.

Focus of Study

The Postgraduate Program focuses on the production and dissemination of metacognitive pedagogical intelligence in the field of the Didacticts of Mathematics, Science, and ICT in Education through the development of the Interdisciplinary approach to learning, Educational Engineering in the development of human resource development projects and systems approaches to understanding educational structures.
The aim of the M.Sc. is the postgraduate training of teachers from various disciplines and levels, to contribute to:
  • τhe design of Technologically Enhanced Interdisciplinary Teaching Situations for the reflective construction of school knowledge in Science with ICT, Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence,,
  • the development and utilization of appropriate Educational Materials for understanding the differentiation and intersection of Science and ICT,
  • the design of Educational Programs, digital environments, and web-based applications adaptable to all levels of education (preschool, primary, secondary, tertiary) and to any form of describable education condition (formal, informal, open, lifelong), aiming at the interdisciplinary formation of scientific knowledge and the critical connection with international STEM-type practices.

Strategic Goals

The strategic goals of the postgraduate program, include:

the acquisition of Knowledge about:

  • the concepts and research methodology of Mathematics and Science Teaching
  • the theoretical foundations and the educational and network applications of ICT
  • the theoretical principles and methodologies for the design of educational standards, curricula, assessment tools and teaching materials
  • the signifigance and development of interdisciplinary connections and fields as well as of collaboration in research and learning
  • the interactions between Mathematics/Science teaching and ICT
  • the functional relationship of the Didactics of Science and ICT in the pedagogical and professional teachers training.

the acquisition of Skills related to:

  • recognising and diagnosing learning difficulties in mathematics and science in the context of the school or ‘out-of-school’ environment
  • understanding the challenges of designing the educational use of ICT in the school environment and in connecting school, family, and society
  • the pedagogical and interdisciplinary adaptation of curricula for learning and teaching Mathematics and Science in specific educational and social collaborative environments
  • the differential development and management of Educational Materials and online learning resources in scientific learning activities
  • the cooperation in research and training activities in the Didactics of Science and ICT

the acquisition of Competencies related to:

  • combining methods of scientific observation and educational intervention in a school environment
  • designing teaching situations and learning environments with functional integration of ICT, the Internet and the interdisciplinary approach
  • the construction and management of innovative programs and products for education and the dissemination of scientific theories from Mathematics and Science
  • organizing and managing collaborative learning and teaching activities in Mathematics and Science, in the context of the study of broader complex phenomena
  • the organisation and management of training and research programs in the field of the Didactics of Mathematics, Science and ICT

Infrastructure

The MSc operates in the modern facilities of the School of Humanities of the University of the Aegean in the University Unit in the centre of Rhodes and is well equipped for high quality educational and research operation. The School of Humanities has excellent seminar and teaching rooms, laboratories, library (https://www.lib.aegean.gr/), student restaurant, canteen, sports and recreation facilities, within a short distance from the centre and the medieval town of Rhodes. The Postgraduate Studies Programme also utilizes the equipment (STEM, Makers, drones, physical computing etc.) and the facilities of the research laboratory “Learning Technology and Teaching Engineering” (https://ltee.aegean.gr) of T.E.P.A.E.S., where students can practice and carry out research activities in the context of courses, practical training and thesis.