Volume 8 Issue 2 (March 2023)

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The Relationship between Reading Comprehension and Writing Skills of Fourth Grade Students and Their Motivation to Read and Write

Nurhan Aktaş Ezgi Çetinkaya Özdemir Bengisu Kaya Özgül
Pages: 122-136

Motivation is well-known to have a crucial influence on the growth and acquisition of language skills, including reading comprehension and writing. From this point of view, the goal of this study was to explore how 4th graders’ reading comprehension, writing skills, and motivation to read and write are connected to each other. Conducted according to the correlational research design, the study consisted of a total of 581 students, 297 boys and 284 girls, studying at the 4th grade of the public primary schools located in the central districts of Kars, Konya, and Zonguldak provinces. Data collection tools included the “Reading Comprehension Test”, “Motivation to Read Profile”, “Motivation to Write Profile”, and “Story Text Assessment Analytic Rubric”. Data analysis results indicated that the reading comprehension scores of female and male students were close to each other with statistical significance in favour of female students considering the scores of story writing and of motivation to read and write. A major positive correlation was found between the motivation to read and its sub-factors and the sub-factors of motivation to write, as well as between the motivation to read and motivation to write. Furthermore, motivation to read was found to be a considerable predictor of the reading comprehension skill, while motivation to write was found to be a major predictor of the writing skill.

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An Investigation of Primary School Students’ Critical Thinking Dispositions and Decision-Making Skills

Engin KARAHAN Mehmet Arif BOZAN Ahmet Oğuz AKÇAY İsmail Mustafa AKÇAY
Pages: 137-150

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between 3rd and 4th-grade primary school students’ critical thinking dispositions and decision-making skills. The participants in this study consist of 3rd and 4th-grade students studying in a primary school in Istanbul, Turkey, and a total of 749 students participated. The correlational design, one of the quantitative research designs, was used in the study. The Critical Thinking Disposition Scale for Primary School Students and the Decision-Making Skills Scale for Primary School Students were used as data collection tools. An independent sample t-test was conducted to examine the scales according to variables such as gender and grade level. One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to examine the scale scores according to the educational status of the parents. Finally, Simple Linear Regression Analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the scales. The results showed that primary school students' critical thinking disposition level was higher than the mean score, and their decision-making skills were average. Also, it was found that primary school students’ critical thinking dispositions predicted their decision-making skills.

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Analyzing Classroom Climate From Teachers’ Perspectives: A Qualitative Study

Özge Ceren Çelik Melek Gülşah Şahin
Pages: 151-165

This study aimed to determine teachers’ perspectives about classroom climate by investigating teachers’ descriptions of a positive classroom climate, their practices towards a positive classroom climate, the challenges they encounter in creating a positive classroom climate, and their suggestions for a positive classroom climate. The research adopted the basic qualitative research design. The study group consisted of 45 teachers, and the data was collected via a questionnaire form composed of four open-ended questions. Based on the content analysis, sub-categories and categories were identified for each sub-problem, and frequencies were reported. Findings showed that teachers regarded classroom climate as a multidimensional construct and their descriptions of a positive classroom climate included a wide range of interrelated in-class and out-class variables. It was also determined that teachers substantially focused on instructional practices to enhance the classroom climate. The most frequently encountered challenge was related to students’ disinterest, followed by uninvolved parenting. For a better classroom climate, teachers suggested improvements regarding all stakeholders, instructional practices, social, emotional, and physical environment, and rules. Findings are discussed based on previous research, and suggestions are offered for further studies.

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Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Biography-Based Values Education Program Implemented by Distant Education Method

Yusuf YILDIRIM
Pages: 166-179

The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of biography-based values education program (BBVEP) implemented through the distant education method. Moreover, BBVEP carried out through distant education was also studied in the context of the views of students and parents. A mixed method was used in the research process. In this context, the research was carried out from the perspective of exploratory-sequential mixed method, which is one of the mixed methods. The research was carried out with a total of 34 students, including an experimental group of 16 students and a control group of 18. The qualitative dimension of the research included 9 students and 15 parents. Data on the quantitative dimension of the research were collected through the Tolerance Tendency Scale, Helpfulness Value Scale and Love Value Scale. Qualitative data were acquired through semi-structured interview forms created separately for parents and students. Quantitative data were subjected to t-test, Shapiro-Wilk Normal Distribution Test, and ANOVA; Qualitative data, on the other hand, underwent descriptive analysis. According to the quantitative results of the study, biography-based values education program implemented through distant education did not make a statistically significant impact on the values of love, helpfulness, and tolerance of students. However, there was an increase in the score averages of each scale in favor of the posttest. It was determined as a result of interviews conducted with parents and students that they believed the implemented program was effective and efficient. According to qualitative results, parents generally believe that the study of values education can be performed by way of distant education. Parents and students have positive opinions on biography-based values distant education program. Furthermore, some parents and students noted that the conducted studies were effective in the behaviors of the students, while some parents indicated that their results could be observed in the future.

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Evaluation of Primary School Teachers and Students Opinions About Conscious Consumerism

Nur Leman BALBAĞ
Pages: 180-194

The aim of this study was to present the conscious consumerism perceptions and behaviors of second grade elementary school students and teachers. For this reason, a basic qualitative research design was used in the study. The aim of basic qualitative research is to focus on how individuals give meaning to the reality in the social world. Participants were selected using the criterion sampling strategy, which is a purposive sampling method. The study was conducted with 48 second grade students studying at a school in a district with an average socioeconomic level in the 2020-2021 academic year. Twenty-one of the participants were girls, and 27 of them were boys. The data of the study were collected from the students by instructing them to draw pictures about conscious consumerism and explain the picture they drew, and open-ended questions were asked to the teachers. Three of the teachers were women, and two of them were men. In the examinations of the data on conscious consumerism perceptions, from among the six emerging themes, only the theme of “wishes and needs” was expressed by both students and teachers.

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Using Plot of the Prose as the Model of Writing Narrative Text

Joni Susanto Irmayani
Pages: 195-207

The problems of writing narrative text are mostly faced by students in the early semester. The Narrative text has a certain model to stimulate the feeling of the reader to be really absorbed in the story, that’s why the plot of the narrative text must be applied similarly to the plot in the prose model. This research was done due to seeing that many novice writers in universities in Indonesia especially the College of Foreign Languages located in Malang East Java. The weaknesses of the students in learning writing narrative text were not triggered by the course itself yet by the material used in the class, the method of teaching, the student in learning, and how to reward to raise the enthusiasm. the application of action research through the planning to prepare the material, acting to apply to preserve the plot method, observing to see the students respond, enthusiasm and spirit in learning, and reflecting to see the overall action in the process of research. Also, it was found that most of the students’ assignments and the tests could exceed the student score or mean score in a preliminary through the statistical computation and through the questionnaire. The students felt satisfied. It can be concluded that a prose plot can improve the student’s writing capability

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The Philosophical Foundation of Western Higher Education: A Critical Review of Theory and Practice

M. Abdul Aziz
Pages: 208-219

Philosophy of education especially higher education is central to making a discipline or subject rational regarding its study as well as its implication in human society. In this regard, the research is an attempt to examine the philosophical foundation of higher education as stated in the major western-liberal philosophies e.g. Idealism, Realism, Thomism, and Pragmatism. It also figured out the strengths and weaknesses of the philosophical basis of the western education system. The study argues that every philosophical endeavor represents the rational ground, which is universal in nature. Besides, the philosophy by and large espouses a value-laden system, which is based on ethics and morality. Although western liberal philosophies on higher education are Universalist, they are value-free or value-neutral as opposed to rationality. In fact, value-free educational philosophy devalues life as a whole and fails to accomplish the desired goals of a graduate. © IJERE. All rights reserved

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Comparison of Turkey and Canada (Ontario) Science Curriculum in the Context of Physics Learning Area

Ahmet Çoban Mustafa Yılmazlar
Pages: 220-232

This study aims to determine the similarities and differences of both programs by analyzing physics subjects, vision, purpose, learning areas according to grade levels, units, course hours and number of learning outcomes in the context of physics learning area of secondary school science curricula in Turkey and Canada (Ontario). This research uses the document analysis method, which is one of the qualitative research methods. This research demonstrates that the aims of Turkey secondary school science curriculum are to be expressed longer and more intensely than Canada (Ontario) secondary school science and technology curriculum. Moreover, while spiral approach is used in Turkey science curriculum, modular approach is used in Canada (Ontario) science and technology curriculum. Both countries are similar in terms of their vision to raise scientifically literate individuals. The Turkish science curriculum includes numerically more physics-containing Units, course hours and the number of learning outcomes numerically compared to the Canadian (Ontario) physics curriculum. Canada (Ontario) physics curriculum is completely associated with daily life in terms of learning outcomes compared to the Turkish physics curriculum.

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Teacher Opinions Concerning The Leadership Competencies of School Principals

L. Aytaç Özmen Nihan Turhan
Pages: 233-243

The aim of this study is to reveal the perceptions of the teachers about the technological leadership competencies of school principals in solving the problems encountered in the technological use process. Concordantly, it is aimed to analyze the views of the teachers on the technologial leadership of the school principals in the process of using technology, adapting to technological changes and solving problems. The study is designed in accordance with the phenomenology pattern, one of the qualitative research approaches. This research was conducted with 20 teachers serving in state secondary schools in İstanbul Province, Sultangazi and Üsküdar districts in the 2021-2022 academic year. In the selection of the study group, outlier sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods was preferred. In the research, the data were collected using a semi-structured interview form. Throughout the research, the data obtained with the semi-structured interview form were evaluated by content analysis. As the data were analyzed according to the research findings, 3 different themes were revealed. The themes coming out from this research are determined as “technological leadership roles”, “variables affecting leadership competence” and “proficiency in solving problems”. According to the results of the research, about half of the participating teachers opined about solving financial, infrastructural and technical issues whereas other participants stated that the tehcnological leadership competences of the school principals come into prominence in solving the problems encountered during the practices, in solving the cyber security problems and guiding on the proper use of technology. In reference to the results of the research, it has come to the fore to enchance the opportunities for developing the technology and attach importance to trainings in order to provide technological leadership competence to school principals.

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The Use of Web 2.0 Applications in Chemistry Teaching: Acids, Bases and Salts Unit

Ebru Şeker Ayşe Yalçın-Çelik
Pages: 244-256

By engaging the focus of today's students, who are immersed in technology from birth, the employment of Web 2.0 tools in the educational process enriches learning environments. Because of this, the purpose of this study is to ascertain the impact of course materials created using Web 2.0 applications on the academic achievement and attitudes of 10th-grade chemistry students in the unit on "Acids, Bases, and Salts." One of the quantitative research techniques used in this study is a quasi-experimental design with a pre-and post-test control group. For this reason, students in the experimental group who used course materials developed by Web 2.0 applications and the control group who used the traditional teaching methods had their academic achievement scores and attitudes in the chemistry course compared. 48 students in the 10th grade of a public high school in a district of one of Turkey's most populous provinces participated in the study. The application procedure lasted 9 weeks. The academic achievement test post-test scores of the experimental and control groups showed a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group, according to the analysis's findings, whereas there was no statistically significant difference between the chemistry attitude scores. These findings revealed that students' achievement in chemistry was raised by activities created using Web 2.0 tools.

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The Influence of Web-Based Learning on Students' Self-Regulated Learning in High School Chemistry Learning

Nur Chamimmah Lailis Indriani Mustaji Andi Mariono
Pages: 257-267

The rapid development of technology has impacted various areas, including education. Web-based learning is an integration of technology and education. Students are the main agents of learning; hence, increasing students' self-regulated learning certainly influences the success of learning. Chemistry is a main course studied by senior high schoolers majoring in natural science. This research was an experimental study using a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The subjects of this research were eleventh graders while the object was students' self-regulated learning and the intervention was web-based learning. This research aims to see the influence of web-based learning in increasing students' self-regulated learning in Chemistry. The results showed that implementing web-based learning as a learning method in Chemistry learning was provably able to increase students' self-regulated learning. It was seen from the result of hypothetical testing where showed the tcount is higher than ttable. However, the effect size (ES) showed that the influence of web-based learning was considered moderate (proved by the ES value of 0.58 or in the range of 0.2 and 0.8). Therefore, the results indicated that implementing web-based learning in Chemistry learning moderately influenced students' self-regulated learning.

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Differentiation Models for the Curriculum of Gifted and Talented Individuals: A Literature Review

Derya YÜREĞİLLİ GÖKSU Yücel GELİŞLİ
Pages: 268-279

The purpose of this research is to inform about the differentiation models related to the teaching programs of the gifted and talented individuals in the scope of the special education and to prove the necessity of using these models with related researches. Differentiation, which is accepted as changing the education process according to the individual differences of the students in the education of the gifted, is used as a tool in enrich the education programs of these individuals. In this study, information about gifted is given, the necessity of differentiating the curriculum of these individuals is emphasized and information about differentiation models is given. In this context, the definitions of The Maker Curriculum Differentiation Model, The Parallel Curriculum Model, The Curriculum Narrowing Model, The Integrated Curriculum Model, The Grid Curriculum Model, The Three-Stage Purdue Model, The Enrichment Triad Model, The Autonomous Learner Models about the curriculum of gifted students and supporting studies in the context are researched.

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The Effect of the Homework Process on Academic Procrastination Behavior in Higher Education

Onur İşbulan Emre Çam Hakkı Bağcı
Pages: 280-288

This study aims to examine the effect of homework process on academic procrastination behavior in higher education. In this direction, the opinions of 300 pre-service teachers selected by convenience sampling method were consulted and the opinions of 287 students were included in the study. The research data were collected with the Homework Process in Higher Education Scale and Academic Procrastination Behavior Scale. The collected data were subjected to correlation analysis on the basis of both total score and sub-factors. In addition, simple linear regression analysis was applied to examine the effect of homework process on academic procrastination behavior in higher education. After the correlation analysis, a significant negative correlation was found between the homework process in higher education and academic procrastination behaviors. After the regression analysis, it was revealed that the homework process in higher education had an effect on academic procrastination behavior and explained 10% of the total variance. © IJERE. All rights reserved

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Relationship between Anxiety Sensitivity, Death Anxiety, and Resilience in the Age of Pandemics and Lifelong Learning

Eyüp Çelik Eda Biçener Samet Makas
Pages: 289-302

Epidemics bring along many pathologies and become a threat for ill individuals because of an outbreak and those exposed to the outbreak process. Many negative psychological and educational results can be encountered following the COVID-19 process when previous studies were considered together with these threats. In this context, this research aimed to examine the effect of the COVID-19 on anxiety sensitivity, death anxiety, and resilience. In addition, examining anxiety sensitivity in terms of some personal variables (gender, physical health, marital status, and working status). The study has been conducted on a relational survey method. The participants consisted of 955 individuals aged between 18-68, of which 281 were males, and 662 were females. In this study, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Death Anxiety Scale, and Brief Resilience Scale were used to collect data. The data were analyzed with Pearson correlation coefficient, regression, independent samples t-test, and ANOVA. The result of analyses showed a positive correlation between anxiety sensitivity and death anxiety; however, there is a negative correlation between resilience and anxiety sensitivity. Furthermore, resilience and anxiety sensitivity differed significantly according to gender, marital status, and working status (student, unemployed, employed, retired); however, the level of death anxiety did not differ according to gender and marital status. Anxiety sensitivity, death anxiety, and resilience did not differ significantly in terms of physical health. When considering the finding obtained in the present study, individuals with high anxiety sensitivity levels were affected more by the COVID -19 pandemic, but those with high resilience levels were affected less.

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Exploring the Views of the Trainees on the Use of Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 Tools in Language Teaching

Gizem YILDIZ Mutlu Tahsin ÜSTÜNDAĞ
Pages: 303-321

The current study aims to investigate the literature on the use of web tools in language teaching with an in-depth analysis by obtaining the opinions of the trainees of the certificate program in different periods. Literature on the use of web tools was analyzed according to certain criteria and summarized to gain a broad perspective. The research was carried out with 45 trainees within the scope of the case study. The online certificate program, in which the study is conducted, is a certificate program that is organized periodically within the scope of Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language, and its target is teachers or pre-service teachers. A different subject is covered in each course in the certificate program. One of the topics covered in "The Use of Web Tools in Language Teaching". In the context of this subject, theoretical and practical training is given on the use of web tools in online language teaching. Within the scope of this course, the learners were given training on the use of web tools in language teaching, and applications were made. The same training was given for each group and data collection was carried out immediately after the training. The data was obtained online from the participants in three different certificate programs held in different periods. The data were analyzed with NVivo 12 software and content analysis was performed. In conclusion, almost all of participants expressed a positive opinion on the integration of web tools in teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language with online learning environments. They frequently expressed the benefits of providing activities for their skills, increasing interaction, material diversity, providing an effective learning environment, and being able to use the four basic language skills. In the context of the type of tool that they can use as online learning environments in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language, participants frequently mentioned digital story, brainstorming, metaverse. Scenarios can be developed and various research can be done to support the use of brainstorming and digital stories in metaverse environments.

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Compatibility between History Textbooks and Historian’s Historiography in terms of Historical Reasoning: The Example of Halil İnalcık and Establishment of Ottoman State in Turkish History Education

Fatma Gültekin
Pages: 322-329

To answer the question of how to think historically, the best and most common examples of historical reasoning can be found in historians' historiography. Textbooks, as the most and sometimes even the only used materials by students and teachers in history education, should be in parallel with the writing of history. From this point of view, the research aimed to find out the compatibility of the Turkish history textbooks with historiography in terms of historical reasoning. In the study, Halil İnalcık's article and the relevant parts of the second unit of the 10th grade history textbook were examined on the subject of the establishment of the Ottoman State. Historical reasoning/argumentation is divided into three categories: approaches of reasoning (inductive, deductive), techniques of reasoning (formal, informal) and reasoning procedures (analogical, reasoning for differences, pros-cons, proportional, criterion, modality). The two texts were compared according to these categories. As a result of the research, it was determined that the textbook was compatible with İnalcık's article in terms of reasoning approaches and techniques, but incompatible in terms of reasoning procedures. In addition, it has been determined that the textbook contains less reasoning but more knowledge than the article. In line with this finding, it can be concluded that history textbooks are incomplete in terms of supporting historical reasoning. In this respect, history textbooks need to be examined and improved more comprehensively

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Tracing the Relationship Between Pre-service Teachers’ Learning Styles and Attitudes Toward Online Learning

Serkan Düzgün Alper Kaşkaya
Pages: 330-342

The present study attempted to uncover pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward online learning and investigate the relationship between these attitudes and their learning styles, year of study, gender, enrolled program, and grade points average (GPA). In this descriptive survey study, we recruited 337 pre-service teachers enrolled in a state university in Türkiye and having had to attend the emergency remote learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. The findings revealed the participating pre-service teachers overall held positive attitudes toward online learning. Besides, while they had a high general acceptance of online learning, their attitudes toward its usefulness were relatively low. Most of the participants often adopted a multimodal learning style, and the kinesthetic learning style was highly preferred among unimodal learners. Those adopting the kinesthetic learning style had a more positive view of online learning than their peers adopting the visual and read/write learning styles. In addition, the male participants had more positive attitudes toward online learning than their female counterparts. However, the pre-service classroom teachers had lower attitudes toward online learning than their peers in the other programs. Finally, it is surprising that the participants with lower GPAs had higher attitudes toward online learning.

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The Mediating Role of Perfectionism and the Need for Social Approval in the Effect of Helicopter Parenting on Psychological Well-Being in Emerging Adults

Tolga SEKİ
Pages: 343-353

Although helicopter parenting first attracted attention in the popular press, it is a concept that has gained experimental significance in the last few years. The growing literature on this subject has revealed many negative consequences of helicopter parenting. Research on emerging adults has shown that helicopter parenting is related to negative mental health outcomes. However, this effect can show a complex structure. The structure revealed by helicopter parenting attitude and related factors should be supported by a new study. In line with this information, the mediating role of perfectionism and the need for social approval in the effect of helicopter parenting attitudes in emerging adults on psychological well-being were investigated. The study was carried out on 405 university students (Mean= 21.09, SD= 1.79). The relations between the variables were analyzed by the Structural Equation Model. According to the research findings, the need for social approval and maladaptive perfectionism played a fully mediating role in the effect of helicopter parenting attitude on psychological well-being. The results highlighted that although the helicopter parenting attitude poses a threat to emerging adults’ psychological well-being, this effect occurs indirectly through maladaptive perfectionism and the need for social approval.

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Investigation of the Relationship Between Anger Control and Self-Disclosure

Nihan Arslan Fatma Nur Öztürk
Pages: 354-359

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between anger control and self-disclosure. In addition, within the scope of the research, the demographic variables of the sample of adolescents' anger control, and self-disclosure variable; gender;class level. Anger Control Scale for Adolescents is a 26-item measurement tool that includes a four-point Likert response format (almost never, sometimes, often, and almost always). The sample of the study consists of 653 adolescents. 370 students are female and 253 students are male. Within the scope of the scale adaptation study, reliability was examined with item analysis corrected item-total score correlation and confirmatory factor analysis. In the confirmatory factor analysis for the scale, it was observed that the uni-dimensional model fitted well. The reliability coefficient of the scale was found to be .86. As a result of the research; the anger control level of adolescents did not differ according to gender. There was no significant difference between the digital commitment levels of female and male students. Also, the anger control level of adolescents did not differ according to the class variable. There is no significant difference between the anger control level of female and male students. In addition, the level of self-disclosure of adolescents did not differ according to the gender variable. There was no significant difference between the self-disclosure levels of female and male students. Also, the level of self-disclosure of adolescents did not differ according to the class variable. There was no significant difference between the self-disclosure levels of female and male students. Finaly; there was a significant relationship between the levels of self-disclosure and anger control levels of adolescents.

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The Effect of Geography Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Teaching on Motivation

M.Mücahit Yentür
Pages: 360-367

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of geography teachers' self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes toward teaching on their motivation levels. In this context, 299 geography teachers who were actively working participated in the research. A positive relationship was found between the geography teachers' self-efficacy perceptions, their attitudes towards teaching, and their motivations. According to the results of the study, as the service years of geography teachers increase, their motivation levels decrease. Furthermore, it was observed that female geography teachers' attitudes towards teaching were higher than male geography teachers. Finally, it was seen that geography teachers' self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes toward teaching predicted their motivation positively and significantly. The findings are discussed in light of the literature

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Hypotheses Testing of Variables of Basic Science Teachers’ on Performance of Students’ in Upper Basic Schools in Kwara State, Nigeria

Florence Omosholape Abidoye Adekunle Omotayo Abidoye
Pages: 368-372

This study aims to examine the effect of homework process on academic procrastination behavior in higher education. In this direction, the opinions of 300 pre-service teachers selected by convenience sampling method were consulted and the opinions of 287 students were included in the study. The research data were collected with the Homework Process in Higher Education Scale and Academic Procrastination Behavior Scale. The collected data were subjected to correlation analysis on the basis of both total score and sub-factors. In addition, simple linear regression analysis was applied to examine the effect of homework process on academic procrastination behavior in higher education. After the correlation analysis, a significant negative correlation was found between the homework process in higher education and academic procrastination behaviors. After the regression analysis, it was revealed that the homework process in higher education had an effect on academic procrastination behavior and explained 10% of the total variance.

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