University of Cyprus

Department of Educational Sciences

University of Cyprus
Department of Educational Sciences
http://www.ucy.ac.cy
Phone: + 357 22753758, + 357 99308803
Constantinos Constantinou, e-mail: c.p.constantinou .at. ucy.ac.cy
Zaharias Zaharia, e-mail: zach .at. ucy.ac.cy
Elena Kyza, e-mail: ekyza .at. northwestern.edu


The University of Cyprus is a public University that was established in 1989 and received its first students in 1992. It now includes five Schools (Schools of Letters, School of Economics and Business Administration, School of Humanities, School of Natural Sciences and the School of Engineering) and sixteen departments. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs (Masters and PhD). All departments are active in research and there are very strong links that facilitate close collaboration between the University and many parts of the Government of Cyprus.
The Department of Educational Sciences at the University of Cyprus is a large department with 35 members of the faculty, and 35 associate or assistant personnel. There are two undergraduate (primary and pre-school education) programs and four postgraduate programs at the Masters and PhD level (Learning in Science, Mathematics Education, Educational Administration and Psychology). Science Education has four members of the faculty who are active in research into conceptual models, epistemology, alternative conceptions and conceptual understanding. The Department has two laboratories specifically for science, one human behaviour research laboratory, one computer laboratory, a range of teaching laboratories and it also has access to other University facilities. The University Library hosts around 20 scientific periodicals in the area of Science and Technology Education.
University of Cyprus participated in EU Socrates institutional contracts (TS and student exchanges) during years 1998, 1999 and 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.
University is a part of the following thematic networks:
- Science Teacher Education in a Developing Europe, STEDE, The European Science Education Research Association Thematic Network (2001-2004).
- is a member of steering committee of the following thematic network: HEROdotNET (the Thematic Network on Geography Education), 103700-CP-1-2002-1-UK-ERASMUS-TN. and, a partner in the following projects:
INCO-DC-973324 Science Journeys in the Information Society.
ODISEAME: Open Distance Inter-university Synergies between Europe, Africa and the Middle East: EUMEDIS B7-4100/2000/2165-79 P546.
EMPEE: European Masters Program in Environmental Education, EU Socrates Program.
WEBLABS: new representational infrastructures for e-learning IST 2001-3220.
as well as a co-ordinator of the following projects:
EKTEMA: Energy, Society and Technology: a learning environment for developing systemic thinking and decision making skills with the use of webquests (2003-2005): Funded by the Cyprus Research Foundation, Young Researchers' Program 2002, Marine Ecosystems in Cyprus: a learning environment for developing investigative skills through webquests and field studies (2002-2005): Funded by the Cyprus Research Foundation.
The Learning in Physics Group at the University of Cyprus conducts a co-ordinated program of research, curriculum development and instruction. Directed by Dr C.P. Constantinou, the group includes faculty, research associates, graduate students and a small administrative staff. Graduate students in the group select science and technology education as their field of research for their PhD degree in Learning Sciences. The group is currently engaged in three major projects: preparation of future teachers to teach science and technology as socially relevant processes of inquiry; developing support and motivating mechanisms for achieving improvement of student learning in science; integration of information and communication tools in innovative learning environments. Through in-depth investigations of student understanding, the group seeks to identify and analyse common difficulties that students encounter in their effort to construct meaning in science and to develop the reasoning, investigative and communication skills that are important in decision making situations. Computer based tools are incorporated into these activities both as investigatory probes and as instructional media. The Group has a lot of experience with designing curriculum for teacher training especially in the area of science and mathematics. Also, there is experience in distance learning from a project that aimed to provide internet based resources for in service teachers of rural schools. Furthermore, there is an experience with evaluating the development of reasoning and scientific method skills as well as changes in student attitudes and perceptions.
The Group is taking a leadership role in the efforts of the University of Cyprus to implement its eLearning strategy through a series of pilot projects including topics such as CIT in science and the school practicum in the context of teacher preparation.