Georgios Giannakopoulos

Pedagogical Research & Development - Teacher - Teacher Trainer

Lighthouse Private Primary School

My name is Giorgis and i am a Pedagogue by choice. I decided to get involved in teaching when i realised that contemporary childhood is, unfortunately, for a large number of children, an experience that hurts them, an experience that restricts them, an experience that is not actualised naturally-organically, allowing them to develop into healthy adults who can realise and address challenges, who can imagine and create solutions and who can live life in a meaningful way, their way. I´ve been a teacher for quite some time now, but i´ve also been a student, a salesman, an analyst, a builder, a farmer, a researcher and plenty more. This variety of experiences has allowed me to develop a perspective about life; and since we are talking about children, about education as well. I have tried very intensely to use my experiences and the experiences of people i have been lucky enough to meet during my life-journeys, so as to try and understand what goes wrong in education, why is it failing in its role and primary objectives, which for me are the unveiling of reality, the production of knowledge that serves the learner and not an exploitative system; and the overall healing of our communities through the fostering of skills and attitudes that serve the people and the land itself. My contemplations have led me to understand that the problem lies in the absence of Pedagogical Democracy in our practices, in our facilities, in our approaches and in our interactions. Having been mentored by a variety of Pedagogues; and still doing so, i´ve had the opportunity of learning and developing a variety of skills and approaches that i try to bring together in a hybrid, sort of speak, approach, believing that this is my personal way of contributing to the greater good. To be a bit more specific, as far as teaching practices are concerned, i continuously research, develop and employ a triangulated approach that employs Inquiry, Project-Based and Concept-Based learning. All three of these teaching practices aim to not only maximize student learning outcomes, but also to promote a more horizontal, student-centered educational experience, each by employing its own respective tools and focusing on different aspects of the learning procedure. Inquiry-Based Learning promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills, encourages student autonomy in learning, allowing them to pursue their own interests within the curriculum, creates a more engaging classroom where students feel responsible for their learning journey and equalizes participation by shifting the teacher from the role of authority to that of facilitator. Project-Based Learning develops collaborative skills as students work in groups and learn from one another, enhances real-world problem-solving, where students tackle practical and societal challenges, encourages a cross-disciplinary approach, integrating knowledge from various subjects and builds agency and responsibility, as students take ownership of long-term projects with tangible outcomes. Lastly, Concept-Based Learning promotes a deeper understanding of key concepts that transcend individual subjects, encourages students to develop transferable skills that they can apply across various contexts and disciplines, moves away from rote learning, placing emphasis on critical thinking and understanding why something is important, not just how it works; and helps students make connections between different domains of knowledge, fostering a more integrated worldview. Furthermore, i am being trained; and also provide training, on a pedagogical culture that is based on the three pillars of Agency, Inquiry and Vulnerability, aiming at transforming both learners and teachers into something more, a dynamic community that allows learners to own their experiences; and teachers to stop being dictating operators of contents and processes, but instead become imaginative facilitators of their students and their choices on what they deem meaningful to learn and how they want to achieve that. This culture also introduces serious considerations on the aspect of learning spaces, how the physical layouts of our schools need to be re-imagined in ways that reflect inclusivity, collaboration, student agency and shared ownership, calling for flexible, open and student-centered spaces, that foster equal access to the pedagogical procedure and the breakdown of barriers between teachers, students and administration. It is more than evident that the learning experience requires flexible learning spaces, collaborative zones, teacher-student parity in space use, transparent and inclusive administrative spaces, community and parent integration spaces, outdoor and nature-based learning environments, accessibility and inclusivity in the overall design processes and a new approach on the overall aesthetics introduced. Reaching a conclusion, another topic i would like to address is the following. It goes without saying that contemporary education has to take into consideration a new factor, one that can potentially revolutionise the totality of what is considered a learning experience, or act as a new system of authoritative control, suffocating the imagination and cognitive development of both learners and teachers. This factor is the one of artificial intelligence. We live in an era where we are constantly introduced to new A.I. tools that promise to make our jobs as Pedagogues easier, to allow us to reach our goals faster and to create a richer output for our students. Is that the case though? And how is the ongoing implementation and use of A.I. related to the question about democratization? Artificial Intelligence has the potential to significantly impact the expansion of access to knowledge and to reshape the learning environment in ways that can foster more equitable, inclusive and personalized learning experiences. However, this potential comes with notable challenges that must be addressed. A.I. can play dual roles in education, as agents (autonomous entities like A.I. tutors or learning companions that do the thinking for us) or as tools (technologies that enhance existing educational practices and designs in a variety of ways). The choice is up to us; and it is a choice we are actively taking day by day. I have come to realise that the most pressing considerations to be taken are, firstly, the potential, gradual dehumanization of education, a reality that plenty are arguing is already unfolding. The human connection in education is vital for building relationships, understanding individual student needs beyond data points and fostering a supportive, collaborative environment. Over-reliance on A.I. agents could risk making learning feel transactional rather than personal. Secondly, the fact that we are risking the degeneration of dialogue and shared decision-making practices. If A.I. agents take on too much authority in guiding learning, there is a risk that students’ voices could become diminished. Instead of engaging in open discussions and debates with peers and teachers, students might come to rely on A.I. as an “all-knowing” entity, which would undermine the democratization of knowledge and power in the classroom. But where there is will, solutions arise; and i am more than confident in our collective ability to come up with answers to even the most complicated of inquiries.

Georgios Giannakopoulos's links

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/www.linkedin.com/in/georgios-giannakopoulos-a365a4114

Georgios Giannakopoulos follows

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  Sabina Mammadova