Innovations in Greece at the end of the 20th century : problems, challenges and prospects

Abstract

International developments in the technological, economic and sociopolitical domains, the globalization of the economy and of communication systems, as well as the rapid rate in the transmission of knowledge-one and all are having a decisive effect on labor markets the world over. Professions are being transformed, leading to changes in the structure and functions of several social institutions, schools included (Rifkin, 1996; White, 1997). Several studies suggest that transformation and change are fast becoming the norm, particularly in the area of high technology Eraut, 1991; Castells, 1998). These changes will contribute to the formation of an international site that is linked to 'global modernities' (Husen, 1990; Featherstone et al., 1995; Spring, 1998) and to global perspectives in the socio-cultural and educational milieu (Diaz, Massialas & Xanthopoulos, 1999). Given this context, it is certain that schooling, whether in the European Union (EU) or elsewhere, will be challenged as it has never been before. Within the EU for example, education will have to fulfill other functions than those it has normally been asked to assume, and will therefore have to move beyond a focus on the transmission of knowledge, attitudes and culture, on the promotion of professional and other skills, and on the contribution to economic efficiency (Rothstein, 1996). While schools will still be required to do all this, they will also be asked to undertake additional tasks, such as the transmission of new knowledge, new technical and professional skills, the development of critical thinking, the facilitation of personal development in the context of multicultural and multilingual societies, and so on (European Commission, 1995a). Both current and emerging roles of education, as well as other challenges that will arise in the future and which are presently unpredictable, may affect, more than ever before, the effectiveness of schools, especially since technological and other innovations will invade all aspects of social life. In this paper we will describe the educational innovations that have marked Greece in the last three years of the 20th century. These will be discussed in the context of the most recent educational reform, which was implemented through Law 2525 in the year 1997. Often, a distinction is made between an educational innovation and an educational reform; the latter is usually associated with drastic or substantial changes in the educational policies and it concerns the reorganization of the whole educational system or its key structures or functions. Usually, fundamental educational reforms precede educational innovations, with the latter aiming at enhancing the efficiency of aspects of the system, and thus contributing to the overall goals of the reform. In the two decades spanning the mid-70's and the mid-90's, Greece saw a large number of substantial educational reforms. These included the enforcement of nine years of compulsory school attendance; the introduction of the demotic Greek language; the abolition of school superintendents and supervisors; the setting up of school counseling; the establishment of a four year, university-based training of primary school teachers; the reform of the curriculum and the introduction of new school textbooks (1981-1989); the establishment of the comprehensive school; and the introduction of technical vocational secondary schools and of post lyceum centers (IEK). All these and several other efforts were meant to modernize the educational system and to bring it in line with the transformation of the Greek economy (Kazamias & Kassotakis, 1986). These reforms therefore engaged developments in the socio-economic and political fields in Greece. Educational innovations, as defined here, are not only concerned by components of a particular program, or by, say, a new school subject. They also target corresponding practices of the educational process, including, for instance, appropriate teaching methods, new curricular areas, innovative pilot programs, alternative teaching techniques, changes in the infrastructure, and the use of new technologies and other media, including CD-ROM and hypertext, among others. At the dawn of the 21 st century, Greek education must cope with old problems, but it also has to face up to new challenges. These challenges stem from the unprecedented changes that are taking place both in Greek society, and in the world more generally. The value of social and economic factors is assessed through the acquisition, application and diffusion of new knowledge in the productive process, as well as from the direct and flexible adjustment in the new techno-scientific processes and organizational structures (van Aalst, 1998). The fast moving productive and organizational transformations lead inevitably to a radical reassessment and restructuring of the labor market as well as to changes in the nature of employment. New professions are appearing, while it is estimated that youngsters of eighteen years of age will change professions several times in their lives (Flouris, 1995). Underemployment, partial employment, unemployment and social exclusion are considered to be the most important problems in modem, postindustrial societies (Drucker, 1994; European Commission, 1994a). In such a situation, the role of education cannot but be vital and, naturally, it can no longer stress traditional subjects and provide outmoded training for the workforce. Rather, schools have to impart new knowledge and skills to students, preparing them for lifelong learning, and transforming them into active citizens in the knowledge society (Flouris & Pasias, 2000).