ΒΟΟΚ “Teaching Methodology in Higher Education”

The term “teaching method” is difficult to define because each definition reflects different conceptions of teaching and learning. We could say that teaching method refers to the general principles (pedagogical, ethical, political, social) and strategies followed in a teaching process.

It is mainly chosen by the teacher in order to facilitate or enhance the learner’s learning. However, the choice of the appropriate teaching method is often a daunting task and depends on many factors. The explicit and/or implicit perceptions of the teacher, the educational values he/she espouses, the educational policies, the demographic characteristics of the classroom, the subject taught are just some of them. Instructional methods also determine teaching strategies which, although representing structured instructional interventions in a sequence of principles, may reflect multiple methods (Wiggins & McTighe, 2006).

We could argue that the more teaching methods a teacher knows, the more likely it is that he/she will eventually move away from the reproduction of past teaching models based on lecturing and a relative uniformity in teaching, and try something new. This transition, however, can often be cumbersome, for two main reasons. First, because these patterns are deeply rooted in the tradition of teaching (and even more so in academic teaching) and, second, because it is very difficult for any lecturer to change his/her teaching practice, as well as any other habit (Oreg, 2003; Smollan, 2011; Yılmaz & Kılıçoğlu, 2013). Particularly in university education, two other important factors often have an impact that inhibit efforts to renew the teaching methods used. The first is the assumption that anyone who knows a subject very well (as is certainly the case with university teachers) knows how to teach it. The second is the university’s focus on research, not teaching, in all faculty developments. These two factors are likely to be the reasons why the international literature and debate on university education and teaching methodology is relatively limited, compared to that of school education, which is particularly rich.

This collective volume comes to fill the gap, as described above, in the Greek literature. It aims, above all, to initiate a discussion and reflection related to teaching methodology in higher education among lecturers, but also between them and educational researchers. It is likely that in the future this discussion will also bring about more testing of new teaching methods in teaching, i.e. in the teaching practice of higher education itself, and perhaps also an awareness by some lecturers of the often unclear perceptions that influence and/or shape teaching to a large extent.

Such processes are always long-term and challenging for the participants, but always bring – even small – changes that can gradually lead to significant improvements in teaching. The ultimate aim and main perspective of this volume is to provide structured opportunities for reflective participatory education for the purpose of autonomous learning and professional development of academics in Greek Universities.

The link to open access e-book is here : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-JagQqQXh2ioOlx8Ymg-XsXmSsyX1Sg8/view