DECISIONS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COUNCILS

National Education Councils are the most important educational meetings in our country, which give direction to the National Education System and the education system in Turkey with the agenda items and decisions taken regarding the education system and educational policies. Due to the importance of these meetings, it has been tried to examine how and in which subject contents the decisions taken in the National Education Councils regarding higher education were handled. All written policies, documents and strategies of the twenty National Education Councils held between 1939-2021 were taken as the main source in order to determine the importance given to higher education in the National Education Councils, which are the highest advisory body of our education system, to evaluate the extent to which higher education education was included in which councils and to determine the decisions taken regarding higher education. In the study, since primary sources related to all content were accessed and it was deemed appropriate to include all Council meetings in the study, written (printed and digital) documents related to the National Education Councils were scanned and examined without selecting any sample in the data search, and the data were evaluated by descriptive analysis and content analysis. Keywords: National Education Councils, Higher Education, Council Decisions, Educatio

I HAVE A LETTER TO MY MATH TEACHERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY WITH GIFTED STUDENTS

This research aimed to explore the experiences and phenomenological aspects of gifted students' participation in mathematics classes at a science and arts center (a gifted education center in Turkey). This phenomenological study involved 47 students aged 8-15. Data were collected through letters written by the students to their mathematics teachers and analyzed using phenomenological and inductive content analysis. The findings revealed the overarching theme: "My Mathematical Course". Under this theme, students' perceptions of mathematics as a space of freedom/place of self-discovery and, conversely, as a source of boredom were identified. Furthermore, the students expressed expectations and desires regarding the mathematics class, the science and arts center, the system, and their teachers. The findings are discussed within the broader context of the literature

EVALUATING WHAT MATTERS: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON PEER EVALUATION IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING

This study investigates the criteria college students prioritize in peer evaluation within cooperative learning environments, aiming to establish a student-centered evaluation framework to enhance team effectiveness and learning outcomes. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, one of the qualitative research methods, 25 students from an education-related course at a Korean university were sampled for this study with creating and weighting peer evaluation criteria based on their experiences in team-based problem-solving tasks. From their criteria responded, seven primary categories emerged, including task preparation and completion, problem-solving skills, diligence and attendance, responsibility in role performance, communication, proactiveness and contribution, and creativity and originality. Findings indicate that responsibility and trust are fundamental to effective collaborative learning. This study contributes to understanding peer assessment’s role in fostering teamwork, with recommendations for integrating responsibility-driven evaluation criteria in colleges and universities

THE ROLE OF HOPE IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CAREER TRANSITIONS

This article offers a theoretical, empirical, and practice-oriented examination of the central role that “hope” plays in university students’ post-graduation career transitions. It first addresses the concept of career, the nature of career transitions, and the uncertainty, anxiety, and stress factors that arise during this process. The article highlights the key needs of students as they form their professional identities, develop competencies, set future goals, and access support resources. Subsequently, the text situates hope within career development theories—particularly Career Construction Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory—and outlines the theoretical foundations of hope through the lens of positive psychology. Snyder’s Hope Theory is used to define hope in terms of goal-directed thinking, pathways thinking, and agency thinking. Emphasis is placed on how hope enhances students’ psychological well-being, transforms uncertainty into a challenge, and fosters flexibility and resilience. From a cultural perspective, the article explores economic, familial, and societal factors influencing Turkish university students’ levels of hope. It also addresses the measurement and evaluation of hope, proposes hope-based interventions, and offers recommendations for career counseling practices. Ultimately, hope emerges as a fundamental psychological resource that enables students to approach the future more constructively, adaptively, and resolutely. Keywords: Career transitions, hope, university students

EVALUATION OF THE PRE-SCHOOL CURRICULUM ACCORDING TO THE OPINIONS OF TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

This research aims to evaluate the 2013 Preschool Curriculum by teachers, parents, students, and school administrators. In this study, a mixed research model was used, in which qualitative and quantitative research methods were considered together. The study group of the research are preschool teachers, parents, students and school administrators. The data obtained from teachers, parents, and school administrators was obtained using a semi-structured interview form, and the data obtained from students was obtained using the "Primary School Readiness Scale". The data obtained from the interviews were completed in thirty-three days by audio recording face-to-face or via Zoom application. The data obtained from the scale was administered to the students by their teachers within a week. Content and descriptive analysis techniques were used in the analysis of qualitative data, and descriptive analysis techniques were used to analyse quantitative data. Looking at the results of the research, according to the teachers, the curriculum was found to be sufficient in terms of achievements but insufficient in terms of 21st-century skills. According to the results of the parents, they stated that they had no idea about the achievements in the curriculum and that they wanted activities such as mathematics and intelligence games. According to the results of school administrators, while the curriculum was found sufficient in terms of primary school preparation and achievements, it was found inadequate in terms of values ​​education, 21st-century skills, and adaptation to primary school. According to the results obtained from the Primary School Readiness Scale, the 2013 Preschool Curriculum is a curriculum aimed at "preparing the child for primary school"

INTEGRATING BIOPHILIA IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN EDUCATION: AN EXAMINATION OF ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS' CREATIVITY

Architecture, as a continuously evolving creative field, constantly adapts to the changing needs of our society and environment. A significant educational trend that has emerged over the past few decades is the integration of biophilia into architectural education. This approach provides an innovative framework for stimulating the creativity of future architects. This article focuses on exploring how second and third-year architecture students approach the concept of biophilia integrated into the curriculum of their second-semester architectural design studies. The research methodology combines quantitative and qualitative approaches, involving a comparison of data before and after the integration of biophilia in architectural design education. This study, conducted at the University of Sétif 1 in Algeria, involved second and third-year architecture students during the 2022-2023 academic year. The research aimed to assess the impact of this integration on students' creativity using pre- and post-integration surveys involving a sample of 287 students. Additionally, the study analyzed and evaluated 53 student projects by tutors, based on criteria established by Kellert and Calabrese in their work (The Practice of Biophilic Design). The study sought to understand how teaching biophilia influences students' perception of creativity and the quality of their architectural projects. The results of this study revealed a growing awareness of the positive impact of integrating biophilia into architectural education on students' creativity. It also enhanced their motivation to explore innovative architectural solutions in their design projects. Keywords: Architectural Design, Biophilia, Creativity and Environment, Education, Biophilia Receptivit

COMPONENTS AND INDICATORS OF EDUCATION MANAGEMENT ACCORDING TO SUB-DISTRICT NON-FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATION CENTRE STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

The research aims to study components and indicators of education management according to Sub – District Non – Formal and Informal Education Centre Standards for Excellence. The researcher studies principles, concepts, and theories from documents, textbooks, and related research both domestically and internationally. Then gather information analyze and synthesize data. To obtain the components and indicators of educational management according to the Sub – District Non – Formal and In-Formal Education Centre Standards for Excellence. The tools used for data collection were document recording forms and a form to assess the suitability of components and indicators by confirming the elements and indicators from the 9 experts. The results of the study showed that 1) the Components and Indicators of Education Management according to Sub-District Non-Formal and Informal Education Centre Standards for Excellence consisted 7 components: (1) Organizational Leadership, (2) Strategic Planning, (3) Learner and Stakeholder focus, (4) Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management, (5) Personnel focus, (6) Process management, and (7) outcomes. 2) Organizational leadership elements and indicators. It is most appropriate. 3) Strategic planning elements and indicators. It is the most appropriate. 4) Elements and indicators of learner and stakeholder focus are most appropriate. 5) Elements and indicators of measurement, analysis, and knowledge management are very appropriate. 6) Composition and indicators of personnel focus. It is very appropriate. 7) Process management elements and indicators. It is the most appropriate

ENHANCING SELF-EFFICACY LEVELS OF EFL TEACHERS: A SUGGESTED MODEL FOR TERTIARY LEVEL

The aim of this study is to examine the self-efficacy levels of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, specifically focusing on three subdimensions: management, planning, and instruction. Employing a quasi-experimental research design, the study aims to assess the impact of an intervention program designed to increase the self-efficacy levels of EFL instructors, thereby proposing a model for self-efficacy development at the tertiary level. Initially involving forty teachers, with seven participating in the intervention program, the study targets EFL instructors teaching in the English preparatory school of a state university in Turkey during the 2021-2022 academic year. Quantitative data was gathered using the EFL Teacher Efficacy Scale (ETES) developed by Chiang (2008), facilitating an examination of teacher self-efficacy levels. Subsequently, an intervention program was implemented for seven instructors, followed by a comparative analysis of pre-test and post-test scores from the ETES to evaluate program effectiveness. Qualitative data, through semi-structured interviews and online entries, was subjected to content analysis. The results indicated high self-efficacy levels among EFL teachers, with the experimental group demonstrating higher scores than the control group. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference between intervention and control group self-efficacy levels. Qualitative findings highlighted the positive impact of the intervention on teacher self-confidence, self-awareness, and teaching efficacy, with participants attributing mastery experiences as the most influential source of self-efficacy

ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH SENTENCE STRUCTURES IN THE SPEECH OF STUDENTS MAJORING IN ENGLISH FOR INTERNATIONALCOMMUNICATION AT RAJAMANGALA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY TAWAN-OK

This research aims to investigate the utilization of English sentence structures in spoken language, the occurrence of errors in employing English sentence structures in spoken language, and the level of satisfaction with teaching through the B-SLIM Model. The study involved a sample of 35 first-year students enrolled in the English for International Communication program at Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok. The participants were chosen through a specific sampling procedure. Data collection encompassed the utilization of 7 B-SLIM Model lesson plans. The research design included a pre-test and post-test on English speaking abilities. Additionally, a satisfaction questionnaire gauging students' contentment with B-SLIM Model learning activities was administered, along with a focus group session that delved into the reasons behind speaking errors. The collected data underwent analysis to determine the mean, standard deviation, and percentage. The findings revealed that students employed singular sentences in the form of declarative statements with using the active voice. Following the integration of B-SLIM Model lesson plans into the curriculum, students demonstrated an enhanced ability to construct compound sentences, complex sentences, and compound-complex sentences. Regarding the occurrence of errors in employing English sentence structures within spoken language, the errors were categorized based on word type and word order

VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES AND INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND SKILLS TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Students with special needs may face difficulties in demonstrating abstract concepts and the skills associated with these concepts. These challenges can vary based on individual differences, learning characteristics, types of disabilities, and many other factors. Manipulatives serve to concretize abstract concepts and skills, allowing students to learn through seeing, hearing, and doing. In the special education literature, there are two types of manipulatives: concrete and virtual manipulatives. With the advancement of technology, it is suggested that virtual manipulatives can be effective in teaching mathematical concepts and skills to students with special needs. Virtual manipulatives, as digital forms of concrete manipulatives, can be beneficial for both practitioners and students. This study examines manipulatives, virtual manipulatives, and the instructional processes involved in imparting mathematical concepts and skills to students with special needs, as well as the related research in this context. Additionally, virtual manipulative platforms that practitioners can use are introduced