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Christoforos Mamas

Associate Professor

 

Christoforos Mamas is an Associate Professor in Transforming Special Education in the Department of Education Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Previously, he worked in the field of education as an elementary school teacher, lecturer and researcher and has extensive research experience within international contexts.

Christoforos received his BA (Hons) in Education from the University of Crete, Faculty of Education. He then gained an MA in Special and Inclusive Education from the University of Worcester, Institute of Education. In 2006, he was awarded an MPhil in Educational Research from the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education. In 2009, he earned his PhD in Education (Inclusive Education) at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education. His PhD research concerned the social status of pupils identified as having special educational needs within mainstream primary education in Cyprus.

At the Department of Education Studies, Christoforos has recently completed a research project funded by the Marie Curie Research Fellowship Award of the European Commission. The title of the project was ‘Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Europe: Examining Social Interactions, Dynamics and Friendship Networks of Students in Mainstream Primary Schools’ which was a comparative study between the US, UK and Cyprus. Currently, he is involved in numerous projects aiming to understand and transform special education in K-12 and higher education settings. In terms of methodology, Christoforos applies mixed-method designs in collecting and analyzing data. He primarily uses social network theory and analysis as well as qualitative methods to examine the social networks of students in schools.

PhD in Education with an emphasis in Inclusive and Special Education

University of Cambridge, UK, 2009.

Master of Philosophy in Educational Research with an emphasis in Research in Special and Inclusive Education

University of Cambridge, UK, 2006.

Master of Arts in Special and Inclusive Education

University of Worcester, UK, 2005

Bachelor of Arts in Primary Education

University of Crete, Greece, 2004

Credentials

Qualified Teacher Status in Greece and Cyprus, 2004

Qualified Teacher Status in the UK, National College for Teaching & Leadership, Teacher Reference Number: 3574657, 2015.

Higher Education Academy Fellow, UK, 2015. 

Research interests

Christoforos’s main research interests are:

- Early childhood studies and primary education

- Inclusion, inclusive education and inclusive pedagogy

- Special education

- National and international perspectives on inclusion, disability and equality

- Comparative and interdisciplinary studies

- Transformative research

- Sociometry, social network analysis and theory

- Mixed methods approaches

Grants & contracts

- California Educational Research Association Research Award, 2018-2020.

- Marie Curie Fellowship, European Commission, 2015-2018.

- Exploring peer relationships, friendships and group work dynamics in Higher Education (HE), 2014-2015.

- An exploration of international students’ main challenges or problems while studying at Plymouth University, 2014-2015.

- Social Science Collaboration with Exeter University award, 2012-2013.

- Social Inclusion in the Classroom:  Institute of Health and Community Pump-priming funding, 2012-2013. 

Journal articles

Mamas, C., & Goldan, J. (2023). Exploring the Social Networks of Highly Diverse Middle School Students with Disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 1-17.
Mamas, C., Bjorklund Jr, P., Cohen, S. R., & Holtzman, C. (2023). New friends and cohesive classrooms: A research practice partnership to promote inclusion. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 4, 100256.
Mamas, C., Daly, A. J., Cohen, S. R., & Jones, G. (2021). Social participation of students with autism spectrum disorder in general education settings. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 28, 100467.
Mamas, C., Schaelli, G. H., Daly, A. J., Navarro, H. R., & Trisokka, L. (2020). Employing social network analysis to examine the social participation of students identified as having special educational needs and disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 67(4), 393-408.
Mamas, C., Bjorklund Jr, P., Daly, A. J., & Moukarzel, S. (2020). Friendship and support networks among students with disabilities in middle school. International Journal of Educational Research, 103, 101608.
Mamas, C., Daly, A. J., & Schaelli, G. H. (2019). Socially responsive classrooms for students with special educational needs and disabilities. Learning, culture and social interaction, 23, 100334.
Mamas, C., Daly, A. J., Struyve, C., Kaimi, I., & Michail, G. (2019). Learning, friendship and social contexts: Introducing a social network analysis toolkit for socially responsive classrooms. International Journal of Educational Management, 33(6), 1255-1270.

 

Book Chapters

Froehlich, D. E., Mamas, C., & Schneider, H. W. (2019). Automation and the journey to mixed methods social network analysis. In Mixed Methods Social Network Analysis (pp. 219-230). Routledge.
Mamas, C., & Daly, A. J. (2018). Social network analysis in K-12 settings: Review, implications, and new directions for higher education. Researching and Enacting Change in Postsecondary Education, 30-54.

Mamas, C. (2018). Exploring peer relationships, friendships and group work dynamics in higher education: applying social network analysis. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 42(5), 662-677.

Chanda-Gool, S., & Mamas, C. (2017). ‘Becoming others’ Valuing our relationship and communication with students. Pastoral Care in Education, 35(3), 192-202.

Chanda-Gool, S., & Mamas, C. (2017). ‘Coming from somewhere else’–group engagement between students and academics. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education ISSN, 667(12), 2017.

Mamas, C., Georgeson, J., & Kaimi, I. (2017). Mixed-Methods Approach to Researching Friendships and Social Interactions in Mainstream Schools in England and Cyprus. Sage Publications Limited.

Seale J, Georgeson J, Mamas C & Swain J. (2015) 'Not the right kind of 'digital capital'? An examination of the complex relationship between disabled students, their technologies and higher education institutions' COMPUTERS & EDUCATION 82, 118-128.

Mamas C. & Avramidis E. (2013) 'Promoting social interaction in the inclusive classroom: Lessons from inclusive schools in England and Cyprus' LEARNING CULTURE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION 2, (4) 217-226.

Mamas C. (2013) 'Teaching contested narratives: identity, memory and reconciliation in peace education and beyond' JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR TEACHING 39, (2) 250-252.

Mamas C. (2013) 'Understanding Inclusion in Cyprus' European Journal of Special Needs Education 28, (4) 480-493.

Mamas C (2012) 'Pedagogy, social status and inclusion in Cypriot schools' International Journal of Inclusive Education 16, (11)

Hohmann U. & Mamas C. (2015) ‘Research projects in Early Childhood Studies’, in Parker-Rees R. & Leeson C. (eds) Early Childhood Studies: an introduction to the study of children’s worlds and children’s lives, Edition: 4th, Chapter: 18, SAGE.

Mamas C. (2014) 'The relationship between intercultural and inclusive education: two sides of the same coin?' in Hatzisoteriou C; Xenofontos C Intercultural education: challenges, pedagogy and suggestions.