INNOVATIONS AND INFLUENCES OF THE HELLENIC OPEN UNIVERSITY ON CONVENTIONAL TERTIARY EDUCATION. RESEARCH PROJECT’S RESULTS

Antonis Lionarakis; Kiriaki Korina Sfakiotaki

doi:10.46827/ejes.v12i4.5895

Forfattere

Antonis Lionarakis Professor, School of Humanities, Hellenic Open University, Greece
Kiriaki Korina Sfakiotaki PhD.c, School of Humanities, Hellenic Open University, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i4.5895

Nøgleord:

distance education, Hellenic Open University, educational innovation, universities, conventional education

Resumé

Τhe distance education model has been a popular form of education in recent years due to rapid economic, political, sanitary and social changes worldwide. This paper presents the results of a research project entitled "Innovations, changes, influences of the Greek Open University in the Academic Environment" funded by the university. The purpose of this research project was to analyse and investigate the innovations, changes, and influences that the Hellenic Open University (H.O.U.) has had over the years, particularly regarding the methodologies of study programs in conventional educational institutions of various forms and within the fields that constitute the pedagogical foundation of distance education. As the elements that essentially represent characteristics and are recorded as prerequisites for the effective functioning of distance education are not always thoroughly and comprehensively applied in educational practice, this research explores how the Hellenic Open University has influenced conventional higher education in the provision of distance learning programs or training concerning its physiognomy. Initially, the innovations and changes introduced by the Hellenic Open University in the country's educational landscape are presented, followed by an examination of how fourteen conventional higher education institutions implement distance learning programs alongside traditional ones, based on information provided by these institutions in their promotional materials. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with faculty members experienced in distance education at the Hellenic Open University and in conventional settings. The findings demonstrate that the instructor plays a crucial role, and the experiences they bring to traditional universities are significant. In practice, conventional higher education only mechanically applies the principles of distance education.

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Forfatterbiografier

Antonis Lionarakis, Professor, School of Humanities, Hellenic Open University, Greece

Antonis Lionarakis is Emeritus Professor at the Hellenic Open University. He served as a member of the Governing Committee of the Hellenic Open University and as Dean of the School of Humanities (2016 – 2021). He has taught in postgraduate programs at the Department of Education of the University of Athens and the University of the Aegean, at the Marasleio Teaching School, and at the University of Piraeus. He has also taught for 8 years at the Open University of the United Kingdom. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Lifelong Adult Education, founder and president of the Scientific Society "Hellenic Network of Open & Distance Education". He was a member of the Ministry of Education's committee for the establishment of the Hellenic Open University, later a member of the Project Implementation Team, and a proponent of the principles of open and distance education in Greece. He is also the founder and editor of the international journal “Open Education”. He has participated in the publication of 24 books (author and editor) and in many research projects, and over 170 of his papers have been published in dozens of scientific journals. He has been invited to teach and present his work by many universities in Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, France, Iceland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan. With reference to all of the above, 25 years ago, he submitted to the then Minister of Education (G.A. Papandreou) the file for the establishment, creation, and development of the Hellenic Open University as the first alternative university in Greece, based on the ideal of open education and the flexible methodology of distance education.
Academia.edu: https://eap.academia.edu/AntonisLionarakis
Kiriaki Korina Sfakiotaki, PhD.c, School of Humanities, Hellenic Open University, Greece

Kiriaki Korina Sfakiotaki is a philologist and academic. She graduated from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with a degree in History and Archaeology and is actively working as a philologist in secondary education. She has completed postgraduate studies at the Hellenic Open University, focusing on Educational Studies and Educational Sciences. She is a PhD candidate and a scholar of the State Scholarships Foundation, researching the ”Organisation of Studies in Distance and Conventional Educational Environments”. She has participated in numerous educational programs related to Multicultural Education, Special Education, Autism, Counselling, and Artificial Intelligence, showcasing her interdisciplinary approach. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Network of Open and Distance Education, she contributes to formulating strategies in this field. She has coordinated and participated in significant research projects, including initiatives centred on Student Support in distance education and developing educational programs” at the Hellenic Open University. She has published articles in scientific journals, participated in international conferences, and serves as a reviewer for related publications. As an educator in the Corresponding Scientific Society, she actively promotes educational innovation, demonstrating her dedication to continuous education and advancing new teaching methods.
Academia.edu: https://eap.academia.edu/KiriakiKorinaSfakiotaki
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9683-164X

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