Professor of Social Pedagogy at the DPPE of School of Education at NKUA

Iro Mylonakou - Keke is a Professor of Social Pedagogy at the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education (DPPE) of School of Education at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) in Greece.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

She holds undergraduate degrees (from the Marasleios Pedagogical Academy, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and the Athens University of Economics and Business) and postgraduate degrees (from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), in Educational Sciences, Pedagogy, Business Organisation and Management, and Marketing. She also has an extensive background in Music Studies and has received specialised training in Music and Movement Pedagogy.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

She has been a member of the academic staff in the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens since 2003 and has held the rank of Full Professor since 2017. Prior to her current appointment, she served as a Consultant at the Pedagogical Institute, as a Head of Environmental Education, and as a Primary School Teacher.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Social Pedagogy
• Synergies between School, Family and Community
• Interdisciplinary synergies between Social Neuroscience, Social Pedagogy and Education
• Interdisciplinary synergies between Social Pedagogy and Legal Studies
• Active Citizenship, Environmental Justice and Sustainable Development in the context of Social Pedagogy
• Artificial Intelligence and Ethics in Education and Social Pedagogy
• Systems Science
• Innovative Pedagogical Approaches and Interdisciplinary Research
• Transdisciplinary Education
• Creativity Development in Education and in Society
• Art in Education
• Cultural Memory, Identity, Otherness and, the Role of the School and Local Community
• Syneducation (Synergy + education: Collaborative Education of Children and Adults)
• Teacher Education and Professional Development
• Psychopedagogical Approaches to Children’s Drawings
• Socio-pedagogical Perspectives on: Human Rights Education, Democratic and Intercultural Education, Recognition of Human Uniqueness and Otherness, Education and Support of Socially Vulnerable Groups, Emotional and Social Education, Prevention and Addressing of Antisocial and Antidemocratic Behaviours, Systemic Cultural Transformation (e.g., within schools, families, and local communities) through the establishment and consolidation of a “Socio-pedagogical Ethos” among individuals and groups.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

She has overseen and conducted a substantial number of research programmes, both national and international, in collaboration with universities and academic institutions abroad. Her research has led to the development and publication of the following three Epistemological and Research Models: 

Α) Transdisciplinary Social Pedagogic Model / “Syn-epistemic Wholeness”
[This model focuses on the dialectical synergies among scientific disciplines, epistemologies, methodologies, research strategies, practices, ways of learning and knowledge, as well as among scientists, researchers, and all stakeholders involved in the learning and research process].

Β) Social Pedagogical Intervention Model for Refugee families by Students / SPIM4ReSt Model
[This model emphasises the emotional and social education and support of socially vulnerable groups, carried out by university students. It was developed in the context of a three-year social pedagogical programme implemented for refugee populations, including unaccompanied minors and families, by trained volunteer student groups from the Department of Primary Education, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. These students undertook a systematic and specialised training programme prior to their involvement].

C) Syneducation Model
[This Model promotes interactive education, mutual mentoring, and collaborative learning between children and adults. The term “Syneducation” (a synthesis of “synergy” and “education”) was coined in 2005, in collaboration with Ioannis Kekes].

ACADEMIC TEACHING EXPERIENCE

She has been teaching modulesaligned with her research interests for several years, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level at the NKUA, as well as other higher education institutions with which she collaborates.

Undergraduate modules (currently taught):

1. Social Pedagogy: Theory and Practice
2. Communication between School, Family, and Community
3. The Pedagogical Utilisation of Children Drawings
4. Creativity in Education and in Society

Postgraduate modules (currently taught):

1. Social Pedagogy (NKUA)
2. Educational Programme Design grounded in Social Pedagogy and Social Neuroscience (NKUA)
3. Social Pedagogy and the Prevention of Antisocial Behaviour (NKUA)
4. Intercultural Education (University of West Attica)
5. Drama-Based Facilitation and Group Empowerment(Democritus University of Thrace)

As part of the undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Social Pedagogy that she delivers, she designs and coordinates -leveraging interdisciplinary collaborations- Experiential Workshops and Practical Training Placements for students. These are implemented in primary and secondary schools, as well as in socio-pedagogical institutions, involved in formal and non-formal education, healthcare provision, and psychosocial support.

These Practical Training Placements include correctional facilities, governmental and non-governmental organisations, agencies specialising in human resource management, psychosocial well-being, neuro-social counselling, lifelong learning, and professional development, as well as institutions engaged in educational, social, and medico-pedagogical frameworks, among others.

Through the systematic integration of theory and practice, and by employing a range of participatory and collaborative methods and techniques, these Practical Training Placements significantly contribute to the enhancement and expansion of social pedagogical applications and capacities. At the same time, they foster the development and reinforcement of students’ skills and competences, nurtured within a framework of pedagogical, social, and ethical responsibility.

SELECTED ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

• Founder and Director (since 2015) of the Master’s Programme “Social Neuroscience, Social Pedagogy and Education”, the first of its kind in Greece [a joint initiative of the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education (DPPE), the School of Medicine, and the Department of Biology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA)], which she continues to lead. The Programme investigates and applies inter- and transdisciplinary synergies across these fields. 
• Director of the Laboratory of Experimental Pedagogy at the DPPE, NKUA
• Member of the NKUA Committee for International Relations and European Educational Programmes.
• Represented the NKUA as its delegate for Innovative Pedagogies at CIVIS – the European Civic University Alliance.
• Regular academic collaborations with leading international Universities, with multiple appointments as a research fellow and visiting professor.
• Supervisor of doctoral dissertations and master’s theses; member of doctoral and master’s thesis examination committees in Greece and abroad.
• Evaluator for the election and promotion of University Faculty in Greece and internationally.
• Member of Greek and international scientific societies, committees and networks
• Peer reviewer for Greek and international academic journals and scientific conferences
• Evaluator of primary education curricula, school textbooks, and educational resources for primary education
• Academic Lead for professional development programmes for primary and secondary education teachers
• Invited speaker at national and international scientific conferences, symposia, and workshops
• Organisation and coordination of academic events, including conferences, specialised seminars, and public lectures, aligned with her aforementioned research interests.

PUBLICATIONS

She has published a number of books (16 to date), as well as numerous studies and research articles (over 130) in peer-reviewed international and national academic journals and edited scientific volumes, reflecting her research interests. Among other editorial activities, she has served as Guest Editor of the first Special Issue of the International Journal of Social Pedagogy, entitled ‘’Social Pedagogy in times of crisis in Greece’’ (2015, London: UCL Press /Institute of Education).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Books and Monographs

Mylonakou - Keke I. (2022). How children communicate through drawings. Psycho-pedagogicalutilisationandapplications  [Πώς τα παιδιά μιλούν με το σχέδιο. Ψυχοπαιδαγωγική αξιοποίηση και εφαρμογές]. Athens: Papazisis Publications.

Mylonakou - Keke I. (2021). Social Pedagogy: Theory and Practice [ΚοινωνικήΠαιδαγωγική: ΘεωρίακαιΠράξη]. Athens: Papazisis Publications.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2019). School, Family and Community: Collaboration, Empowerment and Development [Συνεργασία, ΕνδυνάμωσηκαιΑνάπτυξη]. Athens: Armos Editions.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2013). Social Pedagogy: Theoretical, Epistemological and Methodological Dimensions [Κοινωνική Παιδαγωγική: Θεωρητικές, Επιστημολογικές και Μεθοδολογικές Διαστάσεις]. Athens: Diadrasis Editions.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2009). Collaboration between School, Family and Community: Theoretical approaches and practical applications [Συνεργασία Σχολείου, Οικογένειας και Κοινότητας: Θεωρητικές Προσεγγίσεις και Πρακτικές Εφαρμογές]. Athens: Papazisis Publications.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2005). When Children Talk about Themselves, their Family and their World through their Drawings [Όταν τα παιδιά μιλούν με το σχέδιο για τον εαυτό τους, την οικογένεια και τον κόσμο τους]. Athens: Papazisis Publications.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2003). Issues of Social Pedagogy [Ζητήματα Κοινωνικής Παιδαγωγικής]. Athens: Atrapos Editions.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2002). Individual Learning Styles for Students, Teachers and Parents: Theoretical Approaches and Exploration Methods [Ο Προσωπικός Τρόπος Μάθησης για Μαθητές, Εκπαιδευτικούς και Γονείς: Θεωρητικές Προσεγγίσεις και Τρόποι Διερεύνησης]. Athens.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. & Manousou E. (2001). Looking at the World of today: Creative-Interdisciplinary Activities for the “Flexible Zone” of Primary Schools [Βλέπω το σημερινό κόσμο. Δημιουργικές-Διαθεματικές Δραστηριότητες για την Ευέλικτη Ζώνη του Δημοτικού Σχολείου]. Athens: Ministry of Education & Pedagogical Institute.

Chapters and Articles

Mylonakou - Keke I. (2025). Social Pedagogy and Artificial Intelligence: Issues, Opportunities and Challenges [Κοινωνική Παιδαγωγική και Τεχνητή Νοημοσύνη: Ζητήματα, ευκαιρίες και προκλήσεις]. In: Spantidakis, I., Dinas, K., Chatzinikita, V. & Griva, E. (Eds.), Language, Education and Artificial Intelligence (pp. 761–786). University of Crete, University of Western Macedonia, Hellenic Open University.

Mylonakou-Keke, I., Kallinikaki, T. & Mertzanidou, A. (2022). Social Pedagogy and Social Work relations in Greece: Αutonomous trajectories. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 11(1): 1-17.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2021). Social Pedagogy: Theory and Practice. In: Ciolan, L. et al. (ed.): Handbook on Innovative Pedagogies: Ways into the process of learning transformation, 25-27. CIVIS / European Civic University.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2021). Education of Vulnerable Groups: A Syneducational Model for refugee children with their families and students In: Ciolan, L. et al. (ed.): Handbook on Innovative Pedagogies: Ways into the process of learning transformation, 30-33. CIVIS / European Civic University.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. & Koukounaras - Liagis, M. (2020). The Interdisciplinary Synergy between Religious Education (Education & Research) and Social Pedagogy towards the Development of a Theoretical and Research Field [Η Διεπιστημονική Συνέργεια της Θρησκευτικής Εκπαίδευσης (εκπαίδευση και έρευνα) και της Κοινωνικής Παιδαγωγικής για την ανάπτυξη ενός πεδίου έρευνας και θεωρίας]. Nea Paedia, 175, 23-41.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2018). A Social Pedagogical Intervention Model (Spim4Rest): A Human Rights Education Model for Refugee Children and Families. In: Giotsa, A. Ζ. (Ed.) Human Rights in α Changing World: Research and Applied Approaches. Chapter 10: 121-138. New York:Nova Science Publishers.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2017). Relationships between School, Family and Community with a social pedagogic focus: Commencing the research with teachers [Σχέσεις Σχολείου, Οικογένειας και Κοινότητας με κοινωνικοπαιδαγωγικό προσανατολισμό. Εκκινώντας την έρευνα από τους εκπαιδευτικούς]. Education Sciences (2), 84-113.

Botou, Α., Mylonakou - Keke, I., Kalouri, Ο. & Tsergas, Ν. (2017). Primary School Teachers’ Resilience during the Economic Crisis in Greece. Psychology, 8, 131-159. 

Mylonakou – Keke, I., Alevizos, St. & Salichos, P. (2016). Children Protection and Residential Care in Greece and the case of “The Smile of the Child” In: Fulcher, L. & Islam, T. (Eds.) Residential Child and Youth Care in a Developing World: Global Perspectives, 215-232. Cape Town: The CYC-Net Press.

Kyriacou, C., Mylonakou – Keke, I. & Stephens, P.  (2016). Social Pedagogy and bullying in schools: the views of University Students in England, Greece and Norway. British Educational Research Journal, 42(4), 631–645.

Mylonakou - Keke, I., Giotsa,A. & Zergiotis, A. (2016). The Need to Enhance Parents’ Role in School, Family and Community Collaboration: Opportunities, Strategies and Programmes. International Journal of Education and Culture, 5, (3-4), 55-65.

Mylonakou - Keke, Ι. (2016). The Epistemological Character of Social Pedagogy [Ο Επιστημολογικός Χαρακτήρας της Κοινωνικής Παιδαγωγικής]. In: Baros, V. et al. (ed.): Childhood and Immigration: Challenges facing Pedagogy of Heterogeneity [Παιδική Ηλικία και Μετανάστευση: Προκλήσεις για την Παιδαγωγική της Ετερογένειας]. 215 - 250. Athens: Diadrasis Editions.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2015). 1844 - 2014: 170 years of Social Pedagogy. Can economic crisis highlight the potential of Social Pedagogy? International Journal of Social Pedagogy. Special Issue on “Social Pedagogy in times of crisis in Greece”, 4(1), 2-23.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2015). The emergence of “Syn-epistemic Wholeness” from Dialectic Synergy of disciplines: A Transdisciplinary Social Pedagogic Model. Creative Education, 6(17), 1890-1907.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2015). Social Pedagogy and School Community. Preventing bullying in schools and dealing with diversity: Two sides of the same coin. International Journal of Social Pedagogy, 4(1), 65-84.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2014). Transdisciplinary Approaches to Education in the Time of Crisis. The case of addressing bullying and violence in schools. China-US Education, 1(6): 153 – 169.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2014). Social Pedagogical Approaches to Bullying in the Greek School Environment. Proceedings of the 1st Scientific International Conference of European Anti-bullying Network (EAN) “Bullying and Cyber-bullying across Europe”, 668-690. Athens, under the auspices of the Greek Presidency of the Council of European Union. Athens: The Smile of the Child.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2012). Social and emotional education through sociopedagogical practices. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 69: 169-176, Elsevier.

Kekes, I. & Mylonakou I. (2011). Syneducation: A new emerging interdisciplinary field or the Lysimachos challenge for syneducational learning [Συνεκπαίδευση (Syneducation): ένα νέο αναδυόμενο διεπιστημονικό πεδίο ή η πρόκληση του Λυσίμαχου για συνεκπαιδευτική μάθηση]. In: G. Spanos, L. Dellasoulas & E. Frydaki (Eds.), Grace needs anti – grace, 367 – 413 [Η χάρη θέλει αντίχαρη]. Athens: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Mylonakou-Keke, I. (2011). A Socio-pedagogical Reading of a Victorian Novel [Η «κοινωνικοπαιδαγωγική» ανάγνωση ενός βικτωριανού μυθιστορήματος]. In: Papadakis, N. & Chaniotakis, N. (Eds.) Education – Society and Politics, 1153–1180. Athens: Pedio.

Mylonakou-Keke, I. (2009). Sociopedagogical Dimensions of Diversity through Teaching Approaches. Proceedings of 7th International Conference of the European Research Network About Parents in Education (ERNAPE): Diversity in Education. Luleå University of Technology, Umeå University, Malmö University.

Mylonakou - Keke, I. (2009). The operation of Syneducational Research Communities. Proceedings of International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI), 1898-1909. Madrid: International Association of Technology, Education and Development (IATED) Publishes.

Mylonakou, I. & Kekes, I. (2007). School, Family and the Community in cooperation: The model of Syneducation. International Journal about Parents in Education, 1, 73 - 82.

Kekes, I. & Mylonakou, I. (2006). Syneducational Transactions among Students, Parents, Educators and Policy Makers: The Transdisciplinary Program SYNTHESIS. Interactive Learning Environments, 14 (1), 35–54.

Mylonakou, I. & Kekes, I. (2005). Syneducation (Synekpaidefsis): Reinforcing Communication and Strengthening Cooperation among Students, Parents and Schools. Harvard Family Research Project, March, Cambridge, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2004). Strategic Utilisation of Social Marketing to Enhance School – Family Relationships [Στρατηγική αξιοποίηση του Κοινωνικού Μarketing για την ενδυνάμωση της σχέσης Σχολείου και Οικογένειας]. Proceedings of the 5th Greek National Conference on: Learning and Teaching in the Knowledge Society. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2002). Traveling through Image: A Teaching Proposal [Ταξιδεύοντας μέσα στην Εικόνα: Μια διδακτική πρόταση]. Proceedings of International Conference Image & Child. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2002). The Case for a New Social Pedagogy. The Role and Significance of Informal Education [Το αίτημα για μια νέα Κοινωνική Παιδαγωγική: Ο ρόλος και η σημασία της Άτυπης Εκπαίδευσης]. Science and Pedagogy, (2), 29–41.

Mylonakou – Keke, I. (2001). "Pygmalion" Programme: A Proposal for the Reform of the Primary School Curriculum Timetable [Πρόγραμμα «Πυγμαλίων»: Μια Πρόταση για την Αναμόρφωση των Ωρολογίων Προγραμμάτων στα Δημοτικά Σχολεία]. Review of Scientific and Pedagogical Issues, 4: 7-21.