Dr Ilektra Spandagou
|
MEd(Sheff), PhD(Sheff), GradCertEdStud(Higher Education)(Sydney) Senior Lecturer, Inclusive Education |
Email: Phone: +61 2 9351 6379 Fax: +61 2 9351 2606 Building.Room: A35.705 |
Research interests
Research on teaching and learning
- Special and inclusive education
Social structures, inequalities and social justice
- Social change
Social work and social policy
- Disability and mental health
Keywords
Inclusive education, social policy and social inclusion, disability studies, attitudes towards disability and inclusive education
Professional biography
Ilektra worked as a special teacher and completed her PhD at the University of Sheffield, UK in the area of inclusive education. She worked as a researcher at the University of Sheffield, UK, and as a lecturer at the University of Athens and the University of Thessaly, Greece before moving to the University of Sydney. Her research interests include disability, classroom diversity, and curriculum differentiation.
Ilektra has been involved in teacher education and teacher training in special and inclusive education both in Greece and Australia. She has experience working with general and special education teachers in the area of philosophy and theories of inclusive education, policy and legislation issues, and curricula adjustments for students with a disability and special education needs. She has also experience in preparing materials, including audio-visual resources for teacher training. She had taught at special education master programs (University of Athens, Greece), special education undergraduate programs (University of Thessaly, Greece) and teacher specialisation programs in blindness/vision impairment.
Ilektra currently teaches in the pre-service special education mandatory units of study and the Master of Education (Special Education) in the area of special and inclusive education. She is involved in higher degree supervision and other research projects. Her publications included the book ‘Inclusive Education: International Policy & Practice’ (co-authored with A.C. Armstrong and D. Armstrong) and published by Sage).
Awards
Faculty of Education and Social Work Teaching Excellence Award, 2010
Current projects
- Teacher attitudes to inclusion: qualitative and quantitative exploration of how inclusion and disability is constructed by pre- and in-service teachers. Study has a comparative dimension.
- Inclusive education, disability and media: Representations of disability and inclusive education in newspapers.
- Inclusive education in a time of crisis: Examination of public debates on inclusive education.
Current research students
| Project title | Degree | Research student |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment Data Use and its Impact on the Learning Outcomes of Students with Special Needs | PhD | Nicole Bien |
| The attitudes of beginning teachers toward inclusive education | PhD | Jihee Ryu |
Selected publications
Books
- Armstrong, AC, Armstrong, D, Spandagou, I . (2010). Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice . London: Sage.
- Zoniou-Sideri, A, Spandagou, I (Eds.). (2005). Education and Blindness; current trends and perspectives. Greece: Ellinika Grammata.
Book chapters
- Spandagou, I. (2011). Η αξιοποίηση των μουσείων στην ενταξιακή εκπαίδευση των παιδιών με αναπηρίες (The use of museums in inclusive education of chilldren with disabilities). In Greek Children Museum (Despoina Kalesopoulou) (Ed.), Παιδί και Εκπαίδευση στο Μουσείο: Θεωρητικές Αφετηρίες, Παιδαγωγικές Πρακτικές (Child and Education in Museums: theoretical orientations, pedagogical practices, in Greek) (pp. 113–124), Athens, Greece: Patakis.
Journal articles
- Wood, P., Evans, D., & Spandagou, I. (in press). Attitudes of principals towards students with disruptive behaviour: An Australian perspective. Australasian Journal of Special Education.
- Wood, P., Spandagou, I., & Evans, D. . (2012). Principals confidence in managing disruptive student behaviour: Exploring geographical context in NSW primary schools. School Leadership & Management, 32(4), 375–395. DOI:10.1080/13632434.2012.708329
- Armstrong, D., Armstrong, A. C. & Spandagou, I. (2011). Inclusion: By Choice or By Chance. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(1), 29–39. DOI:10.1080/13603116.2010.496192
- Graham, L. & Spandagou, I. (2011). From vision to reality: views of primary school principals on inclusive education in New South Wales, Australia. Disability & Society, 26(2), 223–237. DOI:10.1080/09687599.2011.544062
- McDougall, M., Evans, D., & Spandagou, I. (2009). Teaching phonics and sight words to Year One through the medium of "working with words" and "games". Special Education Perspectives, 18(1), 35–46.
- Zoniou-Sideri , A, Karagianni, P, Deropoulou-Derou, E, Spandagou, I. (2006). Inclusive Discourse in Greece; strong voices, weak policies. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 10(2-3), 279–291.
Conference papers
- Tearle, K., & Spandagou, I. . (in press). Learning support policy in Australia (New South Wales) and New Zealand; Discourses of Influence. In Paper presented at the AARE-APERA 2012 International Education Research Conference.
- Hoskin, C., Evans, D., Little, C., & Spandagou, I. (2011). Examining the tensions of professional practice: Preparing quality special educators.. In W.Beamish 2011 AASE National Conference: Tensions in Competing Agendas. Gold Coast, 28-30 September, 2011.
- Armstrong, A.C., & Spandagou, I. (2010). Poverty, Inclusion and Inclusive Education: exploring the connections. In Paper presented at the AARE2009 International Education Research Conference. Canberra, 29 November-3 December.
- Spandagou, I., Evans, D., & Little, C. (2009). Primary education preservice teachers' attitudes and prceptions on preparedness to respond to classroom diversity. In Paper presented at the AARE2008 International Education Research Conference. Brisbane, Australia, 30 November-4 December 2008.
- Armstrong, D, Spandagou, I, Armstrong, AC . (2009). One Nation Globalisation and Inclusive Education . In Paper Presented at the AARE2008 International Education Research Conference. Brisbane, Australia, 30 November-4 December 2008.
- Zoniou-Sideri , A, Deropoulou-Derou, E, Spandagou, I. (2006). Professional journeys of graduates with disabilities of the Education departments. In Professional journeys of graduates with disabilities of the Education departments. Cyprus, Nicosia, 2-3 June 2006.
- Zoniou-Sideri , A, Karagianni, P, Deropoulou-Derou, E, Spandagou, I. (2005). Inclusive Classes in Greece: new names, old institutions. In Inclusive Classes in Greece: new names, old institutions. Glasgow, Scotland, 4-5 August 2005.