International Association of Educators   |  ISSN: 1308-951X

Volume 1 Issue 1 (January 2010)

Original Articles

Goal Structures: Learning Together and Alone

Feryal ÇUBUKÇU

pp. 2 - 11

Abstract

: In each classroom, it is possible to find students who prefer engaging in win-lose struggle to see who is best in completing the assignment, working independently to complete the assignment, working together in small groups, helping the others achieve the task and learn better. Students’ learning goals are structured to promote cooperative, competitive or individualistic efforts. Each student has a different preference when it comes to the goal structure. In this study conducted with 92 teacher trainees at the English language Teaching Department during the fall academic term 2008-2009, the aim is to highlight the characteristics of each goal structure and to show that in the class dynamics it is possible to find that different groups prefer different goal structures and even the same individual may prefer using the different structures and not employing only one type of social interdependence. For this purpose a semi structured interview was conducted and students gave different answers and expressed their preferences for the learning styles and did not show a predominant choice on one style only. 

Keywords: goal structures, cooperative learning, competitive learning, teacher trainees

Investigation of Self-Efficacy Perception and Metacognitive Awareness of Prospective Teachers

Dursun YAVUZ & Aysel MEMİŞ

pp. 12 - 27

Abstract

This study analyzes self-efficacy perceptions of prospective teachers towards teaching profession and their metacognitive awareness related to selecting teaching as a career. It was conducted with 781 prospective teachers. Self-efficacy perceptions of the participants were detected via the long form of Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) and their metacognitive awareness was determined by employing the long form of Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI). The motives accounting for their selection of teaching as a career was explored through open-ended questions. It was detected that prospective teachers are at a rather sufficient level with respect to their general self-efficacy perception and its sub-dimensions and their metacognitive awareness is at rather high levels. At the end of the research, in general self-efficacy averages of prospective teachers, amongst all prospective teachers who answered that the profession was selected due to SSE (Student Selection Examination) result and the ones who selected it according to its suitability with his/her personality choice; in general metacognitive awareness averages amongst prospective teachers who answered that the profession was selected due to SSE (Student Selection Examination) result and its conformity with his/her ideal choice, love of children-nation-teaching choice and its suitability with his/her personality choice, a significant difference was detected in comparison with those prospective teachers who selected the profession according to SSE (Student Selection Examination) choice

Keywords: Öz-yeterlik, öğretmen öz-yeterliği, üstbiliş, üstbilişsel farkındalık

The Relationship between Behavioral Problems of Primary School Students in Pre-Adolescence Period and Family Functionings

Firdevs Savi ÇAKAR & Rengin AKBOY

pp. 28 - 41

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between primary school student‟s behavior problems and family functionings in early puberty. The sampling of the study consists of 389 adolescent students attending 6th, 7th and 8th grades. The data of the study was collected via using Youth Self Reported /11-18 and Family Assessment Device. The data was analyzed with the help of Pearson‟s Correlation of Coefficient technique. As a result, a quite positive relation between adolescents‟ behavioral problems and family functionings was found and it was determined that as the family functionings became maladaptive, behavior problems tended to increase. In this sense, this study underlines the importance of family, which can carry out their family functions completely, bringing up of adolescents healthily. It is suggested that further studies should make use of different age groups from the point of such an analytic concept.

Keywords: Pre-adolescence period, behavioral problems, family functioning.

The Effect of Worksheets Developed for the Subject of Chemical Compounds on Student Achievement and Permanent Learning

Dilek ÇELİKLER

pp. 42 - 51

Abstract

 In this study, the effect of worksheets developed for chemical compounds included in General Chemistry class of Science education undergraduate programme in accordance with the constructivist learning theory on academic achievement and permanency was investigated. The subjects of the study were 80 first grade teacher candidates attending 19 Mayıs University, Education Faculty, Science and Technology Education Department. While the subject was taught to the students in the first group by the use of traditional instruction method, it was taught to the students in the second group by the use of worksheets. To obtain data, an achievement test consisting of 50 multiple-choice questions with a Cronbach-alpha value of 0.921 was applied as pre-test before the study, post-test at the end of the study and permanency test 5 weeks later after the study. Data were analyzed by the use of t-test in SPSS 15.0 package program. Study results revealed that experimental group students to whom subject was taught by the use of worksheets were more successful than the group students to whom subject was taught with traditional instruction method (t=23.230; p< .05) In the light of this data it was concluded that the use of worksheets as supplementary materials affect permanency positively (t=27.505; p < .05). 

Keywords: chemical compounds, constructivist learning method, worksheets, student achievement

Measuring the Efficiency of Secondary Schools in Different Regions in Turkey Using Data Envelopment Analysis

İbrahim DEMİR, Özer DEPREN & Serpil KILIÇ

pp. 52 - 64

Abstract

The low performance of Turkey in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) was a great disappointment. To investigate the likely causes for the low performance in mathematics, reading and science, this study measured the efficiency of secondary schools in different regions in Turkey. In this study, NUTS 1 (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) was used for the regions. The sampling data consisted of the students who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 in Turkey. The efficient and inefficient schools in different regions in Turkey were determined by analyzing the sample data. Strategies for turning the inefficient schools into efficient were examined using output oriented CCR model. As a result of the study, it was found that 7 of the 48 schools (%14.56) were efficient. Also, it was found that the most efficient region in Turkey was Istanbul and the most efficient school types were science high schools and police colleges

Keywords: data envelopment analysis, education, performance of secondary schools, PISA

Practical English Language Teaching - Singapore: McGraw-Hill, 2003, 342 p. ISBN 007-282062-4

Adnan YILMAZ & Sinem TEKİR

pp. 65 - 72

Abstract

Being a good English language teacher encompasses a multifaceted understanding of teaching and learning processes which starts with having a good command of the knowledge of the subject area; namely the English language itself, pedagogy and culture. These three aspects are so tightly interwoven that one cannot be considered separate from the others, and all of them are of approximately equal importance. Of these three aspects, Practical English Language Teaching basically focuses on language teaching pedagogy and subject area in order to assist both novice and experienced teachers.

Keywords: -