Learning beyond the classroom: A qualitative study of Student Clubs in Greek Model and Experimental High Schools

This study examines the learning processes developed within student clubs in Greek Model and Experimental High Schools (MEHS), a category of public secondary schools assigned an institutional role in piloting and disseminating innovative educational practices. Although MEHS clubs are formally embedded in the public education system, their pedagogical functioning as structured learning environments remains largely undocumented in educational research and policy discourse. The study aims to analyse the pedagogical characteristics of learning in MEHS clubs and assess their relevance to improving teaching and learning practices in formal upper secondary education. A qualitative research design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 27 teachers and focus group discussions with 72 students from seven MEHS in the Attica region. The data were analysed using thematic qualitative content analysis, supported by methodological triangulation across data sources and participant groups. The findings reveal systematic differences between club-based learning and conventional classroom instruction. Learning in clubs is organised around collaborative, inquiry-based, and experiential practices, with limited emphasis on curriculum coverage and examination-oriented assessment. Students assume active roles in planning, decision-making, and task implementation, while responsibilities are primarily shaped by voluntary engagement and collective goals. Teachers adopt facilitative and coordinating roles, supporting horizontal interaction and shared ownership of learning processes. Both teachers and students identify clubs as learning communities that enhance student participation, agency, and engagement. The study demonstrates that MEHS clubs function as structured non-formal learning settings within public secondary education. Its scientific contribution lies in providing empirical evidence on the pedagogical operation of MEHS clubs. From a policy perspective, the results indicate that selected features of club-based learning — particularly collaborative inquiry, student initiative-taking, and facilitative teaching roles — can inform the design of pedagogical innovation and support curriculum and school-level reform, subject to institutional constraints.