Browsing by Person "Beloyianni, Vassiliki"

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Nature connection in adulthood: The role of childhood nature experiences
(Wiley Open Access, 2024-05-24) Barrable, Alexia; Friedman, Samantha; Beloyianni, Vassiliki
1) Context: Nature connection describes our relationship with the rest of the natural world. Promoting nature connection in children and adults has been identified as a worthwhile focus for education and public health, given the positive associations between nature connection, wellbeing and pro-environmental behaviours. Prior research has looked at activities that promote an individual’s connection to nature, reporting that a variety of interventions can be effective. Particular emphasis has been placed on positive childhood nature experiences due to their effects on adult nature connection. Research from varied places such as New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Brazil suggest that an individual’s childhood nature experiences can play a positive role on their adult connection to nature. 2) Approach: This paper is the first of its kind to explore the associations between childhood nature activities, both their type and frequency, and adult nature connection in a Greek sample (n=401). We gathered the perspectives of Greek-speaking adults using quantitative measures in an online survey. 3) Results: Our results suggest that, in line with previous research, childhood nature experiences were significantly and positively correlated with adult nature connectedness. However, contrary to previous research, analysis suggested that adult nature experiences did not mediate the relationship between childhood nature experience and adult nature connection. Age was positively correlated with less structured childhood nature experiences such that older adults were more likely to have participated in unstructured outdoor activities like flower picking and general alone time outside during childhood. 4) Synthesis and applications: Capturing retrospective self-reports on the frequency and type of childhood nature experiences in this Greek sample helps us understand how these experiences may predict engagement and relationships with nature in adulthood. In turn, these findings inform context-specific recommendations for encouraging nature contact in childhood. For instance, this may have implications for nature-based learning in Greece, as well as the provision of urban green and blue spaces.
Αποδομώντας πέντε διαδεδομένους μύθους για τη χαρισματικότητα και τους χαρισματικούς μαθητές / Deconstructing five myths of giftedness and gifted students
(2022-11-01) Touloumakou, Anna K.; Beloyianni, Vassiliki; Barrable, Alexia; Lada, Mirka
Gifted and talented children constitute a rather neglected and underserved student population with limited access to appropriate educational services that may contribute to their talent identification and development. The prevalence of a host of misconceptions and myths around giftedness and the characteristics of the gifted, tends to further undermine the effors for an efficient psychoeducational approach with gifted students. Within this context, this paper seeks to debunk five prevalent myths and misconceptions about giftedness and gifted students as yielded through a literature review, starting from the relevant special issue of the Gifted Childhood Quarterly. Though this review, five common misconceptions about the denition, the expression of goftedness as well as the educational needs and potential of gifted students. Debunking these myths goes through the juxtaposing current research findings and modern theories that add to the available knowledge about and promote evidence-based inclusive practices.