International Journal of Progressive Education (IJPE)
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Views of Classroom Teachers Concerning Students with Reading Difficulties
Get PDFThis study aimed to try to understand the views and attitudes of classroom teachers concerning students with reading difficulties. Data was collected using the semi-structured interview technique, which is among the qualitative data collection techniques. The researcher prepared a semi-structured interview with 5 questions to be addressed to classroom teachers. The findings were assessed under the headings determination of reading difficulties, reasons for reading difficulties, effect of reading difficulties, methods used by teachers to cope with reading difficulties and expectations of help. Teachers generally stated that they determined the presence of reading difficulties through knowing students families, their own occupational experiences, students who were behind in class and the characteristics of their students. They associated the reasons for students having reading difficulties primarily with familial problems and then mental and psychological problems. They generally cope with reading difficulties by offering extra classes and giving homework. Teachers state that it is noteworthy that families often request cooperation. Considering the findings of this study, teachers think that the parents of students are central to the reasons behind and solutions to reading difficulties. Moreover, it is seen that children with reading difficulties are exposed to bullying by peers despite all efforts to create a positive classroom environment
Theme-Based Culture Capsules and EFL Learners’ Multicultural Attitude%253A The Efficiency of Explicit and Implicit Instruction
Get PDFThe current study aims at gaining insight into the effectiveness of the explicit and implicit instructions of the culture capsules through multimedia resources and tracks EFL learners| multicultural attitudes. The study sampled 43 advanced EFL learners who took part in speaking courses at Shoukoh and Safiran institutes. The researchers applied one-stage cluster sampling to select two groups of participants. The first group received both input (multimedia resources) and the explicit instruction of L2 culture capsules and the second group were exposed to the same cultural input through the implicit instruction. In order to track down the potential enhancement of the multicultural attitudes of the learners, Munroe and Pearsons (2006) multicultural attitude scale (MASQUE) was administered to the respondents at the pre-test stage and after the treatment phase. In order to have an exhaustive analysis, the researchers evaluated different levels of multicultural attitude, that is, multicultural knowledge, care, and act. The findings of the study, through one-way MANOVA, showed that the learners in the first group significantly outperformed in multicultural knowledge (rho%253B%253D.001) and care (rho%253B%253D.039), but there was no significant difference between the groups regarding the multicultural act (rho%253B%253D.177) at plt%253B .05 level of significance. Based on the findings, it can be suggested that the positive multicultural attitude can be achieved through the proper input and explicit instruction
Improving Preschool Teachers Attitude towards The Persona Doll Approach And Determining The Effectiveness of Persona Doll Training Procedures
Get PDFThe study features two basic steps. The first step of the research aims to develop a scale to measure the attitude of preschool teachers towards the Persona Dolls Approach and to verify its validity%252Freliability through a general survey. The cohort employed in the research was drawn from a pool of preschool teachers working in and around the cities of Ccedil%253Banakkale and Mardin, Turkey during the 2011-2012 academic year. The first sampling taken with the purposive sampling method was carried out in June 2011 with 187 preschool teachers employed in schools in and around the city of Ccedil%253Banakkale. Validity was measured through the application of structure and scope verification procedures, while reliability was established using the test - re test method and internal consistency procedures. The resulting analyses presented a scale with KMO Value (Kaiser Meyer Olkin) of 0.812 and an internal consistency value of 0.916, where a value approximate to %2B1.00 indicates a high level of internal consistency. The second step of the research involved a cohort of 46 preschool teachers from Mardin and surrounding districts, 23 in the trial group and 23 in the control group. The aim was to assess whether the trial group teachers would present a change of attitude following a two-day training in the Persona Doll Approach. A pre test-post test and control group trial method was employed for this purpose. The groups were equalized taking into account the validity-reliability studies related to the teacher survey and attitude scales from the first step of research, and related and unrelated Group T Tests were applied in data analysis. At the conclusion of the experimental model, comparing pre and post-test results, significant levels of positive attitude change were perceived in terms of measurable variances among teachers in the experimental group receiving instruction in the Persona Doll Approach. These results would appear to imply the positive effects of training in the Persona Dolls Approach for teachers in the experimental group
Comparison of Science-Technology-Society Approach and Textbook Oriented Instruction on Students’ Abilities to Apply Science Concepts
Get PDFIt is important for students to learn concepts and using them for solving problems and further learning. Within this respect, the purpose of this study is to investigate students abilities to apply science concepts that they have learned from Science-Technology-Society based approach or textbook oriented instruction. Current study is based on quantitative research methodology. The participants of the study are 609 students. Science classes were designed based on STS approach curriculum for 301 students, which is called as experimental group and textbook oriented instruction was followed with 308 students as a control group. The students were from sixth grade to ninth grade (age 12-15). The Iowa Assessment Handbook for the Chautauqua Program was used to collect data. The mean differences, standard divisions and t-values were calculated and used to assess pre- and post-test results. The results indicate that students, who experienced STS based curriculum through one full semester, are able to apply basic science concepts to new situations meaningfully better than students who exposed to textbook oriented instruction
Effect of Drama Instruction Method on Students’ Turkish Verbal Skills and Speech Anxiety
Get PDFThe objective of the present study is to determine the effect of the drama method on students Turkish verbal skills and speech anxiety. Pretest-posttest experimental model with control group was utilized in the study. In the analysis of data obtained by Turkish Rhetorical Skills Scale (TRSS) and Speech Anxiety Scale (SAS), t-test statistics were used. The following results were obtained in the current study%253A 1. It was determined that drama instruction method was more successful than the instructional activities in the existing Turkish curriculum for development of Turkish rhetorical skills. 2. In minimizing students speech anxiety, drama method was found to be more successful than the instructional activities in the existing Turkish curriculum. These results demonstrated that drama method is an effective technique in development of students Turkish verbal skills and reduction of students speech anxiety
An Exploration of English Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Culture Teaching and Its Effects on Students’ Motivation
Get PDFAs the seamless connection between language and culture is commensurate with related research carried on language and culture%253B language is greatly affected and structured by cultural values, attitudes and beliefs. The goal of the present study is to investigate and analyse English language teachers perceptions and opinions about the integration of target culture into the foreign language courses. In the same vein, this research aims at finding out the connection between the instructors thoughts about the integration of the target culture elements and students motivation in English classes. Having been randomly selected on a voluntary basis, the participants of the study included 7 English language instructors, working at a Turkish state university. Semi-structured interviews were implemented as the instrument to elicit data. The results were analysed qualitatively and indicated that the instructors espouse the incorporation of target language culture into the courses%253B however they cannot allocate enough time to have culturally embedded courses. They claim that these two inextricably connected fields are to be evaluated concurrently in L2 courses. As for the effects of target culture teaching on students academic achievement and motivation, they unanimously agree that it has a positive and motivating impact on their proficiency level of English
American progressive education and the schooling of poor children%253A A brief history of a philosophy in practice
Get PDFThis paper provides a historical analysis of the past century of progressive education, within the general socio-political context of schooling within the US. The purpose of this review is to create a social, historical and philosophical context for understanding the current narrative of progressive education that exists in educational policy discussions today. Major scholarly works related to progressive education are situated within the political climate of the times of their publication. Over the course of this discussion an argument is presented that shows how progressive education has been related to the education and emancipation of disadvantaged children at different points according to the societal emphasis of the time. The final section of the paper proposes a radical form of emancipatory teaching that requires a wide range of abilities among teachers and is matched to elements of the moments in history when progressive education was most effective for poor children
Using Strategic Planning to Create the Public Good for Higher Education in Volatile Times
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to assess how public higher education institutions are serving the public good at time when economic, social and environmental conditions are increasingly becoming more volatile. While by no means the only issues of concern, Zizek (2009) argues that impending ecological threats, the growing divide between the rich and the poor, the growing instances of social turmoil and political instability and the threats associated with technology are the most serious issues facing the world today. This paper employs a gap method to determine how higher education institutions are serving the public good. The gap method utilizes a researcher created conceptual framework to represent the more volatile factors which have the potential to impact any notion of the public (the four listed above). The framework is used to critically evaluate three strategic plans of higher education institutions in a state on the east coast of the United States
An Examination of Pre-Service Primary School Teachers’ Comprehension of The Concept of Physics Through Metaphors
Get PDFThe aim of this study is to lay bare pre-service primary school teachers perception of physics through metaphors. The study was realized with the participation of 38 freshmen pre-service teachers taking General Physics at a public university. Data of the study were obtained with participants filling the blanks in the following sentence%253A In my opinion physics is like a%252Fan hellip%253B because hellip%253B The study was designed in phenomenological method, which is one of the qualitative research methods. In the analysis of data, content analysis method was used. As a result of the obtained data, it was determined that pre-service primary school teachers constructed 31 valid metaphors in relation to the concept of physics. It was determined that the highest frequency among these metaphors belongs to the nightmare. Metaphors generated by the pre-service teachers were grouped under seven different conceptual categories in terms of the meanings they contain. As a result of the study, it was determined that most of the metaphors generated by the pre-service teachers consist of a negative perception
Turkish Version of Students’ Ideas about Nature of Science Questionnaire%253A A Validation Study
Get PDFMass assessment of large samples%252339%253B nature of science views has been one of the core concerns in science education research. Due to impracticality of using open-ended questionnaires or conducting interviews with large groups, another line of research has been required for mass assessment of pupils%252339%253B nature of science conception meaningfully. Considering these issues, Chen et al. (2013) developed the questionnaire titled Students Ideas about Nature of Science (SINOS) to evaluate young students NoS views. This study targeted to translate and adapt SINOS into Turkish with the aim of measuring Turkish middle-school students%252339%253B nature of science (NoS) views. Analysis results presented confirmation for the reliability and validity of Turkish version of the questionnaire with seven-factor structure as similar to the original questionnaire. The study concluded with recommendations for use of SINOS in Turkish context in order to improve NoS perspectives in national science curriculum