SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS IN GREECE: THE PURSUIT FOR ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Authors

  • Nikos Nikolakakos PhD Candidate, Department of Education Sciences and Social Work, University of Patras, Greece
  • Dimitris Vergidis Professor Emeritus, University of Patras, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v11i8.5436

Keywords:

substitute teachers, lifelong learning, competition, neoliberalism

Abstract

The purpose of our study is to examine the consequences of the pursuit of academic qualifications by substitute teachers in Greece in their everyday lives. The data of our research came from conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 substitute teachers, 8 women and 2 men, of public elementary schools from different regions of Greece. From the analysis of the content of the interviews it emerged that the pursuit of academic qualifications has various negative consequences in the everyday life of substitute teachers. However, it also emerged that substitute teachers are able to mitigate these negative consequences in their everyday life, by adopting a discourse of resistance against the discourse of competition cultivated by the implementation of neoliberal policies in the field of education.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Nikos Nikolakakos, PhD Candidate, Department of Education Sciences and Social Work, University of Patras, Greece

    Nikos Nikolakakos is a teacher with a permanent position in Primary Education and a PhD candidate in the Department of Education Sciences and Social Work at the University of Patras. He is also a certified adult trainer of non-formal education. He holds a master's degree in education sciences with a specialization in lifelong education. He has worked for several years as a substitute teacher in public elementary schools in Greece. He is co-author of scientific articles which have been published in reputable Greek and international journals and conference proceedings.

  • Dimitris Vergidis, Professor Emeritus, University of Patras, Greece

    Dimitris Vergidis is Professor Emeritus of Continuing Education and Educational Policy at the University of Patras. He studied Mathematics in Greece and Education Sciences in France. He worked at the General Directorate of Greek European Communities Relations of the Ministry of Coordination and at the General Secretariat for Popular Education. He taught at the Pedagogical Departments of the Universities of Thessaly and Patras, as well as at the Hellenic Open University. He has participated in European and international research and in more than 40 research projects in total, in several of which he has been scientific supervisor. He has collaborated in research with scientific institutions such as the Association pour le development des actions collectives d' éducation permanente en Europe (ACEPE), UNESCO Institute for Education, Institut National de Recherche Pédagogique (France), Centro Europeo Dell'Educazione (Italy), Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium).

     

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Published

2024-06-21

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 8 (2024)

Section

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