In the research area of Learning in the Natural Sciences and the Environment, are active the following three research groups :

The Environmental and Sustainability Education Research Team

The Environmental and Sustainability Education Research Team(www.ucy.ac.cy/teamEE)  works on environmental education, education for sustainability and ecology education. The team has expertise on the designing and evaluation of ecology and environmental education projects, materials and activities. The focus of the research is on the educational conditions that support people’s empowerment for action, agency, pluralism, community engagement and environmental citizenship.

Furthermore, the team tries, through their research, to highlight the importance of scientific and environmental literacy, critical thinking skills, and decision-making skills for educating citizens in order to deal with the complex socio-scientific nature of current socio-ecological issues. Team’s research is published in international scholarly journals and books, and it is presented in international conferences.

The research team also participates in European networks and programs of environmental/sustainability education, as well as biology education, and we will soon host the 13th European Conference Eridob 2022 (European Researchers in Didactics of Biology).

The team retains strong collaboration with the competent authorities responsible for environmental and sustainabiltiy education in Cyprus (Ministry of Education and Cyprus Pedagogical Institute), as well as with environmental NGOs.

The Environmental Education and Education for Sustainability Research Team of the University of Cyprus consists of members of academic and special teaching staff, specialist scientists, research associates, postgraduate students and PhD candidates of the Department of Education of the University of Cyprus.

Members of the Environmental Education and Education for Sustainability Research Team participate to present their research work in International and Greek scientific conferences on Environmental Education and have publications in International and Greek scientific journals. The research team also participates in European networks and programs of Environmental Education and will soon host the 13th European Conference Eridob 2022 (European Researchers in Didactics of Biology), which will take place from August 29th to September 2nd, 2022, at the University of Cyprus.

In addition, members of the research team are involved in the development and evaluation of learning materials and activities on Ecology, environment and environmental issues, promoting the development of critical thinking skills, empowerment for action, pluralism, community connection and feeling of democratic citizenship. Finally, the action of the research team includes the organization of educational seminars and meetings for teachers of Primary and Secondary Education and other stakeholders (e.g. researchers, trainers of EE), communicating the current research developments in the field of Environmental Education and Ecology.

Research in Science & Technology Education Group (ReSciTEG)

The work of the Research in Science & Technology Education Group (ReSciTEG) focuses on research and teaching across K-16, mainly, in the domain of Science Education and the domain(s) of STE(A)M. The ReSciTEG members are active in conducting research into inquiry learning, computer supported collaborative learning, physical and virtual laboratory experimentation, STEM, STEAM, RRI, modelling, science curriculum development and assessment, conceptual understanding, equity and multiculturism, teacher training and professional development, and educational evaluation in the cognitive and the affective domain. In addition to research across K-16, the group focuses on developing and implementing seminars, workshops and conferences for professional development purposes among pre-service and in-service teachers. ReSciTEG’s members have also an extensive experience in developing, implementing and evaluating educational materials and curriculum for the Natural Sciences and the STEAM education.
A huge part of the group’s research activities, which are being carried out under various research programs (e.g. FP7, Horizon2020, Erasmus +), are funded by national and European funding organizations (e.g. RIF, European Commission). Members of the team are also involved in academic work, such as teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, presenting in national and international conferences and publishing research papers in peer-reviewed journals. The team has established a wide network of national and international collaborations with organized educational and research groups.

The group consists of academic staff, scientific partners, postdoctoral researchers and postgraduate students. The founder and director of the research group is Dr. Zacharias Zacharia, Professor of Science Education.

ReSciTEG’s research interests include among others inquiry learning, computer supported collaborative learning, physical and virtual laboratory experimentation, STE(A)M, RRI, modelling, science curriculum development and assessment, conceptual understanding, equity and multiculturism, teacher training and professional development, and educational evaluation in the cognitive and the affective domain.

Research Programmes:

Title: COST Action: Building on scientific literacy in evolution towards scientifically responsible Europeans (EuroScitizen) CA17127

Website: EuroScitizen building in Scientific Literacy in Evolution in Europe

Funded by: COST

Duration: 01/09/2018 – 30/09/2022

Research Co-ordinator: Konstantinos Korfiatis

 

Title: EVIDENCE: Promoting students’ key competences for making evidence-based decisions on controversial socio-scientific issues

Website: evidence (ut.ee)

Funded by: ERASMUS+

Duration: 01/01/2021 – 30/06/2023

Research Co-ordinator: ERASMUS+

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  • Title: Special Education STEAM Academy (SpicE)
  • Duration: 07/2022 – 06/2025
  • Description: The project is implemented by a consortium of 11 public and private organizations from Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Bulgaria and aims at building significant knowledge and skills for students with mild disabilities who may experiencing educational and social exclusion. SpicE’s bundle of actions aims to enhance Primary Education Teachers’ ability to implement effective STEAM tools in education and to protect students with Mild Disabilities (Special Education) from educational and social exclusion. The consortium will develop an education framework for STEAM in Special Education, design an innovative Joint STEAM Curriculum for Special Education and a STEAM Training Programme, which will be further, assessed, and create and nurture a sustainable Community of Practice (CoP).
  • Funding: Erasmu s+ Teacher Academies
  • More information: spiceacademy.eu

• Title: MSc course in STEAM education – STEAMedu
• Duration: 2021-2023
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the University of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
• Description: STEAMEdu aims to design of a master’s program for STEAM Education for training in-service and future educators to implement STEAM related courses in Wester Balkan Countries (higher education institutes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Kosovo). It involves transfer of know how, infrastructure development and capacity building for designing curricula and delivering STEAM education courses as well as establishing synergies between STEM and non-STEM higher education institutes.
• Funded by: Erasmus +, KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices – Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education

 

• Title: Developing innovative practices in a digital era for the teaching of Natural Sciences-Digi-Science
• Duration: 2021-2023
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the University of Tartu.
• Description: Digi-Science aims to equip science teachers with the digital competences, tools and resources needed to confidently implement student-centred and collaborative learning experiences in new situations like online/distance and blended learning.
• Funded by: Erasmus+ KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices (KA226 – Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness)

 

  • Title: Schools as Living Labs (SALL)
  • Duration: 2020 – 2023
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is Ellinogermaniki Agogi.
  • Description: SALL is a European project gathering the expertise of 13 organisations from 12 different countries to propose a new approach to open schooling. By adapting the principles of the Living Lab methodology, SALL supports schools in the implementation of projects which link them with their local communities and address locally relevant issues related to the food system in all its dimensions (production, distribution, waste management, health, economy, etc.). Find more at https://www.schoolsaslivinglabs.eu/
  • Funded by: Ηorizon 2020, CSA

 

  • Title: Differentiation in Inquiry-based Learning (focus experimentation) – DifferentiatInq
  • Duration: 09/2019-08/2022
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the University of Heidelberg
  • Description: The project aims to the development of a differentiation tool for inquiry-based learning with a focus on experimentation. The main output of the project will a manual on the differentiation concept for teachers and teachers students. The book will be available in both a digital form as well a print medium. In addition, based on the book, the consortium of the project will produce teacher training material and guidelines. Find more at http://differentiatinq.eu/
  • Funded by: Erasmus+, KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices (KA201-Strategic Partnerships for school education)

• Title: GINOBOT
• Duration: 06/2020-05/2022
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is ENGINO (Cyprus).
• Description: The project is about the development of a new, expandable robotics vehicle that will enable students at Primary and Secondary school level to effectively learn Coding and STEM.
• Funded by: Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) – Restart 2016-2020

 

  • Title: STE(A)M IT – An interdisciplinary STEM approach connected to ALL around us
  • Duration: 11/2019 – 10/2022
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the European Schoolnet (Belgium).
  • Description: STE(A)M IT project aims to produce the first European integrated STE(A)M framework. Specifically, the project aims to (1) create and test of a conceptual framework of reference for integrated STE(A)M education; (2) develop a capacity building programme for primary schools teachers and secondary STEM teachers, based on this framework, with a particular focus on the contextualization of STEM teaching, and (3) establish a network of guidance counsellors/career advisors in schools promoting the attractiveness of STEM jobs to their classes. Find more at http://steamit.eun.org/
  • Funded by: Erasmus+, KA3

• Title: BRIDGES – Broadening Recognition Initiatives Developing Gender Equity in Sciences
• Duration: 09/2019 – 08/2022
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the Espace Mendès France.

• Description: BRIDGES aims to design, evaluate and optimise an infrastructure based on recognition badges in order to stimulate an increased participation of women in STEM education and careers.
• Funded by: Erasmus+, KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices; KA203 – Strategic Partnerships for higher education

 

  • Title: Polar Star Project
  • Duration: 2019 – 2022
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the University of Turku (Finland).
  • Description: POLAR STAR aims to bring together state-of-the-art learning pedagogies and combine them with exciting activities that focus on contemporary science, thus helping teachers to introduce STEAM successfully in their class. At the same time the project focuses on the development of students’ key skills and competences as well as deepening their knowledge of fundamental science principles, increasing their appreciation of science and technology and their role in todays’ societies. Find more at http://polar-star.ea.gr/
  • Funded by: Erasmus+, KA201

 

  • Title: Inclusive Environmental STEAM education with online labs – inSTEAM
  • Duration: 10/2019 – 09/2021
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia is the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator is the University of Deusto (Spain).
  • Description: The InSTEAM project aims to create a series of learning resources that allow for more individualized, inclusive and personalized STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) learning. The goal is to establish pathways for inclusive, innovative and interdisciplinary environmental STEAM education that reduces disparities in access to and engagement with digital STEAM education. The learning resources are organized into three environmental topics: Climate change, Water management and Renewable sources of energy. Find more at http://insteam.deusto.es
  • Funded by: Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership KA201

Completed programmes

  • Title: Modernization of pedagogical higher education by innovative teaching instruments – MOPED
  • Duration: 10/2017 – 10/2020
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the Precarpathian National University – Vasyl Stefanyk (Ukraine).
  • Description: The MoPED project aimed at inspiring Pedagogical Schools & Faculties of Ukrainian (UA) Universities personnel to develop innovative curricula, which include modern teaching tools and methodologies, in order to modernize the education that Ukrainian students receive. The idea was to make the Ukrainian education system competitive at a global level and set the basis for establishing education that promotes 21st century skills across all Ukrainian higher education institutions. Find more at  http://mopedproject.eu/
  • Funded by: Erasmus+, KA2
  • Title: School Networks Alert Citizens protection project (SNAC)
  • Duration: 2018-2020
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the National Observatory of Athens.
  • Description: The aim of the project was to transform schools to local hubs of education, innovation and information about earthquakes and disaster prevention, connecting them to the local authorities, local civilian protection agencies etc. Find more at http://snac-project.ea.gr/
  • Funded by: Erasmus+, KA201

• Title: Teaching ICT with Inquiry – TIWI
• Duration: 09/2018-09/2020
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the National Agency for Education in Lithuania.
• Description: The TIWI project aimed to help upper primary and secondary educators to: (a) Gain new skills and be in a position to teach coding efficiently to their students; (b) Become comfortable in using the inquiry based approach in their teaching and see its direct connection to the coding logic; (c) Provide them and their students with self-assessment instruments that will allow them to take control of their personal development and their students’ further learning.
• Funded by: Erasmus+, KA201

• Title: Next Generation of Stakeholders and Next Level of Ecosystem for Collaborative Science Education with Online Labs – Next-Lab
• Duration: 01/2017-12/2019
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the University of Twente (The Netherlands).
• Description: The Next-Lab was the continuation of the successful Go-Lab project and aimed to bring large-scale changes in the way that science, engineering and technology are taught throughout Europe. A huge collection of interactive online laboratories and teaching modules are available and students can use these resources to carry out scientific experiments, while teachers can use them to enrich their classes.
• Funded by: Horizon 2020

 

  • Title: Global Online Science Labs for Inquiry Learning at School – Go-Lab
  • Duration:11/2012-10/2016
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the University of Twente (The Netherlands).
  • Description: The overall aim of the project was to engage young people in science topics in way that they acquire scientific inquiry skills, and experience the culture of doing science by undertaking active scientific experimentation. To that end, a repository of online labs, inquiry learning applications and online inquiry learning spaces was created. Find more at https://www.golabz.eu/
  • Funded by: 7th Framework Programme

 

  • Title: Ark of Inquiry
  • Duration: Ark of Inquiry
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the University of Tartu (Estonia).
  • Description: The Ark of Inquiry project centred around two closely related concepts: Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE). Ark of Inquiry aimed at raising youth awareness to Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), as well as building a scientifically literate and responsible society through Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE). Find more at http://www.arkofinquiry.eu/
  • Funded by: 7th Framework Programme

 

  • Title: The PLATON project
  • Duration: 09/2016-08/2018
  • Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the Nucleo Interactivo de Astronomia (Portugal).
  • Description: PLATON aimed to provide teachers communities with a coherent teachers’ training framework which focused on the promotion of student-centered teaching approaches, such as inquiry-based learning and a holistic interdisciplinary approach for teaching science in schools, based on innovative teaching methods, like the “Big Ideas of Science”, also fostering collaboration between teachers of different science disciplines. Find more at http://platon-project.eu/
  • Funded by: Erasmus+, KA201

• Title: School Studies Earthquakes (SSE)
• Duration: 09/2015-09/2017
• Person in charge/coordinator: Dr. Zacharias Zacharia was the person in charge on behalf of University of Cyprus. The project’s coordinator was the National Observatory of Athens.
• Description: The main aim of the project was to promote scientific literacy and cooperation between schools and countries, through the concept of earthquakes. More specifically, students learnt in depth special topics of physics and geology, performed investigations, and worked with instruments used in seismology, all in a cooperative manner.
• Funded by: Erasmus +

Last Updated on February 28, 2023