Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research (EPASR - E-Journal)
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A Management Factor at Sick Building Syndrome%253A Are Old or New School Buildings Sick%253F
No full textThe training and learning activities for students are primarily conducted in closed environments. The symptoms resulting from living environments in occupied buildings are referred to as sick building syndrome (SBS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the SBS associated with the age of a school building. In this research, grounded research design, which is a type of mixed-method approach, was preferred because qualitative and quantitative methods were used to support each other. Four different schools were selected based on the ages of the school buildings by criterion sampling method. These schools were identified to be 1-, 5-, 10-, and 40-year old buildings. Thus, the research sample comprised a total of 423 students. The students were provided with a questionnaire and the data obtained were analyzed with IBM SPSS 25 software. At the end of the research, it was observed that 329 students experience symptoms in the school, and the most commonly experienced physical symptoms are headache (188 students), physical and mental fatigue (175 students), and concentration disorder (142 students). Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between the symptoms experienced by the students during their time in the school and the symptoms they experienced after school. It was revealed that the most uncomfortable places are corridors and washrooms. In general, it can be concluded that the SBS symptoms are observed in four different buildings, and they vary depending on comfort conditions such as hygiene, ventilation, and heating instead of the age of the school building. Furthermore, it was noted that school principals responsible for the administration of school buildings have an important role in the improving or deteriorating of SBS symptoms
An Explanatory Model of Academic Success
Get PDFThe aim of this study is to test the model which explains the academic success suggested by the researchers by considering the theoretical explanations and the results of the studies in the literature. The hypotheses tested in accordance with this general aim are%253A The number of social media accounts and the duration of internet usage positively and directly affect internet addiction, internet addiction negatively and directly affects academic motivation, academic motivation positively and directly affects school attachment and school attachment positively and directly affects academic success. In the model explaining academic success, measurement tools were applied to 205 high school adolescents. Internet Addiction Test-Short Version by Young, Academic Motivation Scale, School Attachment Scale for Children and Adolescents along with personal information form prepared by the researchers were used as data collection tools. Analyses were performed using SPSS 20 and AMOS software. In the test phase of the model, covariance matrix and maximum likelihood method were used. As a result of the analysis, the proposed hypotheses were confirmed and the proposed hypothetical showed compliance [chi%253B2%253D75.510, df%253D33, chi%253B2%252Fdf%253D2.288, RMSEA%253D0.079, SRMR%253D0.078, GFI%253D0.93, AGFI%253D0.89, CFI%253D0.88%253B IFI%253D0.80, TLI (NNFI)%253D0.85]. According to the results of the research it has been concluded that the higher number of social media accounts and the increase in the duration of internet usage leads to internet addiction, internet addiction negatively affects academic motivation, low level of academic motivation affects school attachment negatively and low level of school attachment does not negatively affect academic success
The Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Organizational Commitment
Get PDFThis research study aiming at revealing the relationship between emotional labor behaviors and organizational commitment perception levels of the instructors working in faculties of education, was designed in the relational screening model. The research was carried out with 365 volunteer instructors selected by proportional cluster sampling method and working in 12 Faculties of Education in ADIM Universities in Turkey. The data of the research was collected by using Organizational Commitment Scale and Emotional Labor Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used in data analysis. As a result of the research, it was revealed that the instructors exhibited surface acting behaviors and affective commitment at the highest level. The instructors emotional labor levels were found to be significantly different according to their educational status and whether they did their job willingly or not%253B while their organizational commitment levels were found to be significantly different according to their title and whether they did their job willingly or not. It was also found that there were positive, low level and moderate, significant relationships between the instructors emotional labor levels and their organizational commitment. It was revealed that the instructors genuine acting and deep acting behaviors significantly predicted their affective, normative and overall commitment%253B while their surface acting, deep acting and genuine acting behaviors significantly predicted their continuance commitment. Various suggestions were made such as increasing emotional labor behavior levels of the instructors and appointing the instructors who are eager to do their job willingly
Principals and Teachers Views on Home Visits in Turkey
Get PDFSchools must cooperate with parents to be effective. Families are critical to childrens educational success as Sheldon (2018, vii), declared. The history of cooperation with parents is quite old. One effective way of cooperating with parents is home visits. The impacts of home visits on school-parent cooperation and student outcomes have been revealed in the researches. Since home visits are mostly an out-of-school activity, they are made with the dedication and personal efforts of the teachers. This study aims at revealing the opinions of teachers and principals about home visiting practices in Turkish primary and secondary schools. This is a qualitative research. The study group consists of 12 secondary schools and 10 primary schools in Sivas city center. So, the questionnaires developed by the researchers were distributed to the determined schools. The survey forms were distributed to volunteer teachers and principals. 102 survey forms from teachers and 41 principals were evaluated in accordance with the research purpose. The data obtained from the research were analyzed by content analysis method. The results show that both principals and teachers believe the positive effects of home visits and they find home visits necessary to build an effective school environment. However, they have some reservations of home visit practices
Foreign Language Teachers Views on Pedagogic Research
Get PDFPedagogic research may be called insider action research that has several objectives. The research conducted by teachers in educational settings may result in furthering the already existing knowledge on a particular pedagogic approach, increasing the efficiency of learning, or contributing to the development of policy and practice within the related contexts. A question whether teachers should engage in research hereof appears. In order to probe the issue, the current phenomenologic study utilized a scale (N%253D 118) and a semi-structured interview (N%253D 20) directed to EFL teachers working at state schools in the disadvantaged areas in Turkey. The findings suggested that having no available time, resources, and institutional support, but having high level of stress or related psychological barriers as a result of working at disadvantaged areas, teachers lacked both psychological and physical accessibility to research. Further, the study put forward precious advice to authorities in promoting ways to develop the conditions of EFL teachers working in disadvantaged areas
Analysis of Articles Related to Electronic Books%253A A Descriptive Content Analysis Study in Turkey Context
No full textThe present study aimed to review the articles published in Turkey on electronic books. In the study, descriptive content analysis method was employed. In the study, national databases such as Ulakbim-UVT, Asos Index, Turkish Education Index (TEI) and international databases such as ERIC, DOAJ, EBSCO, Google Scholar and past issues of educational and social sciences journals in Web of Science (WOS) as of 2017 were searched with e-book, electronic book, z-book, digital bookquot%253B keywords both in English and Turkish. Forty-three articles that were accessed in the search were analyzed using the article classification form. The data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. In the present study research, it was determined that the majority of the articles on e-books were on the quot%253Bdetermination of perception, attitude and viewsquot%253B in e-books, the highest number of publications was published in 2013 and 2014, and the studies were mostly authored by a single scientist. Furthermore, it was determined that the authors preferred the literature review method, most articles lacked a research question in most studies where a sample was set, the data were collected from undergraduate students and random sampling was preferred. It was also determined that the quot%253Bfrequencyquot%253B and quot%253Bpercentagequot%253B techniques were the most commonly used techniques in data analysis
Students Metaphors on Formation of Molecules from Atoms
Get PDFChemistry as a discipline in general incorporates abstract concepts, which should be visualized through experiment- and application-oriented methods. It is a well-known fact in Turkey that chemistry class offered by simple and traditional methods cannot be understood by students at a satisfactory level. Such chemical subjects as atoms, molecules, and compounds include abstract concepts of this kind. The visualization of these structures is as strenuous as their teaching. Among the most arduous subjects is the teaching of the mechanism by which atoms form molecules, compounds, and many other structures by means of chemical and physical bonds. Students cannot conceptualize and understand such aspects as atom, molecule, compound, and mixture. This study investigates how associate and bachelors degree students in the departments of social and natural sciences metaphorize the formation of molecules from atoms. The metaphors produced by the participating students were classified into eight themes for the purpose of the study. All the created metaphors incorporate positive connotations. It can be proposed based on the metaphors that the subjects at stake can be metaphorized and thematized for the concretization thereof. Thus, learning becomes more permanent and effective
Scheduled Leadership Behaviors Scale for School Administrators%253A Validity and Reliability Study
Get PDFScheduled leadership can be defined as empowering individuals with the exception of the team%252339%253Bs top manager with lsquo%253Bfreedom of acting and decision making. A wide range of measurement tools have been developed with the aim of measuring planned private leadership. In Turkey, the studies have begun to adapt it to our language and have continued to develop an appropriate scale for the Turkish management structure and operation. The planned leadership scales that have been developed in the field of education are not adequate and the relevant scale development studies are required. The main objective of this study is to re-approach the behavior of school administrators of planned leadership and to develop a scale within this framework. In Canakkale, a sample group, 360 individuals who were identified using a cluster sampling method were studied. SPPS 23.0 and AMOS 24.0 statistical packaged software were used for data analysis. Explanatory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were calculated for the suitability of the data set for factor analysis, sample efficiency and validation studies%253B Cronbach Alpha internal consistency was calculated for the reliability studies. With the actions being carried out, the scale of 30 items is such that the %252339%253BSchool Manager%252339%253Bs planned leadership behaviors%252339%253B are presented. In conclusion, the scale developed has a four-factor structure, Development and Cooperation,Culture,Vision and Responsibility and Chances and Opportunities and is characterized by a high degree of validity and reliability
An Action Research on the Improvement of Writing Skill in Teacher Training
Get PDFThe aim of the research is to improve the writing skills of students with procedure-based gradual writing training practice by positively changing their writing perception, attitude and motivation, anxiety and fear, lack of education, writing difficulties, and writing process. The present research is considered to be significant in terms of affecting the writing perception, attitude and motivation, anxiety and fear, writing training and process as a result of performing the writing training with a gradual procedure. The research was conducted with action research model from the qualitative research designs. The study group consists of 15 first grade students, 7 male and 8 female, who were studying in the Turkish Teaching Program at the Faculty of Education in a university in the fall semester of 2018-2019 academic year. The criterion sampling method was used among the non-probability sampling methods in the determination of the study group. Data collection was performed with a semi-structured interview form. Two semi-structured interview form was used as before and after the application. The data of the research was collected in two stages from the students in the study group as before and after the application. The application consists of preparation, planning and forming a draft, writing, editing and reviewing, correction and presentation, and evaluation stages. The research data was analyzed with the content analysis technique. A code-category map of the obtained data was created by using a qualitative data analysis program, MAXQDA 12. Before the application, it was determined that students tried to write without planning, they were not willing to write and positive about writing, experienced writing anxiety and fear, their writing training was insufficient, they perceived writing as expressing emotions and thoughts, and didnt know how to write. It was concluded that the writing perceptions of students were positively changed, their motivation increased and they were positive about writing, their writing anxiety and fear decreased%252Feliminated, they could write in a planned and prepared way, did not experience writing difficulties, their insufficiencies in writing training was eliminated and learned how to write
The Views of Instructors on Teaching Speaking Skills to the Syrian Students Learning Turkish as a Foreign Language
Get PDFHaving a significant role in communication, speaking skill is an inborn and improvable abilty. Since their existence, human beings have consistently improved this ability in order to communicate with others. Besides, one of the most fundamantal keystones of making a healthy contact and living in harmony with different societies are no doubt being a proficient speaker of this language. Therefore, the need for speaking Turkish of Syrian refugees forced to migrate to Turkey, because some political reasons have also increased and Turkish instruction has started to be given accordingly. In this study, the evaluation of Turkish speaking skills of Syrian students through the views of instructors giving Turkish lessons is aimed within this study. The research data were obtained through the interviews with the instructors who teach Turkish to Syrian Students in Adana Turkish Education Centre. In these interviews, eleven instructors were asked to answer eight open-ended questions. The data collected from the interviews were analysed by content analysis method. According to the findings obtained, it was found out that instructors have some difficulties in improving speaking skills of Syrian students%253B facing some problems like mispronunciations of Syrian students during speaking activities, abstaining from speaking Turkish, regarding speaking Turkish as a difficult ability, and thus the instructors fail to asses and evaluate the speaking skill despite conducting various activities so as to overcome the problems