IOJET - International Online Journal of Education and Teaching
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An investigation of visual perception levels of pre-school children in terms of different variables
No full textPre-school ages, which is the period of rapid development of all developmental areas, is the stage in which children acquire visual perception ability and this ability acquisition process accelerates between the ages of three and seven. Visual perception that accelerates during childhood, is an important factor for academic and motor skills which are essential for school success. In this research, it is aimed to examine visual perception levels of preschool children according to various variables. The research was conducted through the survey model. The study population is consisted of children aged 5-6, who are attending preschools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Kadıköy, Maltepe, Beşiktaş and Sarıyer districts on Anatolian and European sides of Istanbul. The sample of the study consists of 114 children aged between 5-6 years and who study in preschools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in these districts. The "Visual Perception Scale for Preschool Period" and personal information form were used to collect data for the study. Data were analyzed with Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis one-way analysis of variance. According to the results of the findings, while preschool children's visual perception levels do not differ according to the gender, age and duration of education variables; there is a significant difference in favor of high-middle socio-economic level based on the socio-economic level variable. The findings are discussed in the framework of the relevant literature
Teaching grammar is not my main responsibility”: Exploring EFL teachers’ beliefs about grammar teaching
No full textThis mixed-methods study investigated a hundred university EFL teachers’ beliefs about several issues in grammar teaching. Teachers’ beliefs about these issues such as the explicit and implicit teaching of grammar, its integration with other language skills, and the role of a teacher in grammar teaching were elicited by means of a questionnaire. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten volunteer teachers to obtain more in-depth information about teachers’ reported beliefs. These results were analyzed by using the descriptive statistics and in-vivo coding. The findings of the study demonstrated that most teachers believed in the centrality of grammar instruction to helping language learners attain a substantial proficiency in English. Moreover, it was found that most teachers favored an inductive, integrative and communicative approach to grammar teaching. Although teachers’ reported beliefs were, overall, in harmony with the literature on grammar teaching, there were no hints suggesting that teachers were aware of grammar theories or their beliefs were based on SLA/grammar literature. The findings indicated that the distinction between pedagogical dichotomies proposed in the literature seemed to blur in the practice since teachers frequently referred to personal and contextual features as the main factors shaping their beliefs and practices
English
No full textThis study was designed to explore strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats driven by teacher-parent communication (TPC, henceforth) from the perspectives of teachers and students based on teacher views. A phenomenological design was adopted in the study of which sampling was constituted by 10 Turkish teachers of different subject areas working at state middle schools. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews with these teachers and examined through content analysis. Based on the preliminary findings, the teachers believe that TPC has certain strengths such as enhancement of students' feeling of worthiness and their sense of belonging to the school, and improvement of their motivation and in-class performance, and facilitation of the learning process. The teachers also reported that it helps students develop a sense of responsibility and improve self-confidence, and reduce student misbehaviors. As for the TPC-driven strengths from teachers' perspective, they stated that it facilitates recognition of students from different angles, makes positive contributions to the learning process, improves teacher status and prestige, and reduces teachers' workload through collaboration with parents. The study discusses strengths, weaknesses, possible threats and opportunities of TPC in detail.
Keywords: teacher-parent communication, school success, SWOT analysi
A NEW APPROACH IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE PERCEPTIONS OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS RELATED TO FLIPPED LEARNING
No full textThe purpose of this study was to develop and implement flipped learning materials in the Principles and Methods of Instruction course and investigate the perceptions of pre-service teachers about flipped learning. This study was conducted in the fall semester of 2017-2018 for 11 weeks at a public university located in the Aegean Region in Turkey. This study employed a mixed method research design. There were 30 pre-service teachers in the flipped learning group. In the current study, student questionnaire and interview schedule were implemented. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistical analysis techniques. For the analysis of the data, SPSS 22.0 was used and alpha level was determined as .05. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by using both the content and descriptive analysis techniques. The findings of the study showed that pre-service teachers mostly had positive perceptions about flipped learning processes and materials. They agreed that flipped learning supported and facilitated learning was effective in order to practice theoretical knowledge and contributed to personal development and self-enhancement. Their perceptions were examined and discussed in detail.
Keywords: Flipped learning, pre-service teacher education, video
A CORPUS ANALYSIS OF ARGUMENTATIVE STRUCTURES IN ESP WRITING
No full textOne of the challenges in ESP classrooms is teaching writing genres, especially to students who come from fields that are taught in L1. This is presumably “not only because different languages seem to have different ways of organizing ideas and structuring arguments but because students’ prior writing experiences in the home, school or elsewhere do not prepare them for the literacy expectations of their university or professional workplace” (Hyland, 2013, p. 95). In our study, we analyze 36 argumentative essays written by students of Political Science and International Relations in an English for Social Sciences course taught at the West University of Timisoara in Romania. The essays are written in English and the students’ L1 is Romanian. The aim of the study is to find out to what extent argumentative structures in English are influenced by Romanian academic writing genre norms. For our analysis, we use corpus linguistics methods, looking at frequencies and phraseology patterns as well as prominent rhetoric features related to argumentation. We argue that translations of Romanian structures feature prominently when descriptive moves (description, definition, enumeration) are employed
21. YÜZYILDA ÖĞRENME VE YENİLİK BECERİLERİNİ İNGİLİZCE ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ ÖĞRETMENLİK UYGULAMASI PROGRAMINA ENTEGRE EDİLMESİ İÇİN BİR ÇERÇEVE OLUŞTURMA
No full textResearch has shown that teacher education programs are ineffective in preparing teachers for 21st century skills so there exists a need for professional development to improve teachers’ knowledge and practices which improve student learning outcomes. Teachers’ Professional Development (PD) has been intriguing researchers in the 21st first century more than the previous century since the skills students need to learn in preparation for further education are more sophisticated in this century. This paper aimed to develop a framework to integrate 21st century learning and innovation skills (4Cs) into pre-service ELT teacher education curriculum framework for 21st century learning and skills. The framework was developed through a full evaluation of the related research and analysis of a 12-week teaching practicum data. It was intended to be a guide for those who are developing professional development programs for 21st century skills. The developmental process revealed positive casual relations between the framework developed and the probability of having positive and significant results. Regarding the focus of the framework, we also observed more positive outcomes for the intervention of 21st century skills, mainly learning and innovation skills due to the active participation of the pre-service teachers.Araştırmalar, öğretmen eğitimi programlarının öğretmenleri 21. yüzyıl becerilerine hazırlamada etkisiz kaldığını göstermiştir, bu nedenle öğrencilerin öğrenme çıktılarını yardımcı olan öğretmen bilgi ve uygulamalarını geliştirmek için mesleki gelişime bir ihtiyaç vardır. Öğretmenlerin Mesleki Gelişimi (PD) daha önceki yıllara göre 21. Yüzyıl araştırmacılarının daha fazla ilgisini çekmektedir, çünkü öğrencilerin daha üst düzey becerilere sahip olmaları için bu yüzyılda daha sofistike bir eğitime ihtiyaç vardır. Bu çalışma, 21. yüzyıl öğrenme ve yenilik becerilerini (4C), hizmet öncesi ELT öğretmen eğitimi müfredatı içerisine entegre etmek için bir çerçeve geliştirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Çerçeve, ilgili araştırmaların derinlemesine değerlendirilmesi ve 12 haftalık öğretmenlik uygulama verilerinin analiz edilmesiyle geliştirilmiştir. Çerçeve ayrıca 21. yüzyıl becerileri için mesleki gelişim programları geliştirenler için bir rehber olması amaçlanmıştır. Gelişim süreci, geliştirilen çerçeve ile pozitif ve anlamlı sonuç alma olasılığı arasındaki pozitif ilişkiyi ortaya koydu. Çalışmanın amacını göz önüne aldığımızda öğretmen adaylarının aktif katılımı nedeniyle, 21. yüzyıl becerilerini, özellikle öğrenme ve yenilik becerilerinin farkındalığında ve kullanımında olumlu sonuçlar gözlemledik
THE CASE FOR EXAMINATION OF DIFFERENT METHODS USED IN LIFE SCIENCES AND SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES
No full textIn this study aimed to identify preservice gifted education teachers’ opinions on the instruction of life sciences and social studies courses and examine the activities, they developed regarding the several methods and techniques related to the courses. In this study, which has qualitative research features, an open-ended questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. It has been determined that the majority of preservice teachers prefer to use the constructivist approach in life sciences and social studies courses in terms of the obtained data. In addition, preservice teachers have stated drama, case study, and empathy among the methods and techniques that can be used in life sciences and social studies courses. It has been determined that preservice teachers also state various types of activities that can be used in the classroom for these methods and techniques. These types of activities include impersonations, activities which involve examples from everyday life and activities based on human relations.
Keywords: life sciences and social studies course, gifted education preservice teachers, methods and techniques
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND TERTIARY LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS’ ACHIEVEMENT
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between student engagement and achievement. The study sample was composed of 296 at Ufuk University in Ankara, Turkey. The participants were enrolled in the intensive English language program of the foreign language Preparatory School of the institution. Data collection was carried out with the Mazer’s (2012) Student Engagement Scale, which was adapted to Turkish by Uğur and Akın (2015). Students’ English achievement was measured by their mid-term exam results. Statistical analysis revealed participants to be more engaged in silent in class behaviors followed by out of class behaviors, thinking about course content, and out-of-class behaviors. Moreover, it was found that participants had low engagement levels in oral in class behaviors. All types of engagement had a positive correlation with mid-term exam scores. Among all types of engagement behaviors, oral in class behaviors was the only predictor of students’ exam scores.
Keywords: student engagement, achievement, foreign language learnin
A criss-cross of forces: The power relationship in the process of creating the citizenship curriculum in Taiwan
No full textThe citizenship curriculum used in Taiwan during the authoritarian period from 1949 to 1987 sacrificed the individual for the national interest as a tool for political socialisation. In the wake of democratisation since 1987, the curriculum has gradually been stripped of its nationalist overtones which were designed to foster ‘informed citizens’ to facilitate those in power. The increased stress on the reflective and critical capabilities of the individual reminds pupils to examine their positions and roles in society instead of mechanistically accepting the existing social structure. This article sheds light on the intricate internal-external power relationships and differing views on critical pedagogy among curriculum designers. Interviewed curriculum designers hold that pluralistic ideologies should be presented in the curriculum and then room should be left for students to deliberate or judge for themselves. As the gatekeepers tasked with deciding which information to include and being faced with the intervention of numerous internal and external forces, the Curriculum Committee sided with the critical theory and aimed to break the unreflective social reproduction.
Keywords: Curriculum Studies, Citizenship Education, Critical theory, Critical Pedagogy, Curriculum Design, and Social Reproductio
UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE TEACHER AUTONOMY: A CRITICAL REALIST PERSPECTIVE ON EFL SETTINGS IN TURKEY
No full textThis study examined the understandings and exercise of teacher autonomy and aimed to uncover the deep structure that might shape these in the EFL context in Turkey. The study relied on a range of data sources including documents, a questionnaire, observations and interviews with Turkish teachers of English, headteachers and educational administrators. Our findings highlight a complex interplay between structure and agency that underpins the emergence of teacher autonomy. We conclude that we need to extend our understanding of language teacher autonomy and identify the underlying mechanisms that shape the development and exercise of teacher autonomy within a particular context