Number System Conversions in Spreadsheets for vocational school students: A Case Study from Instrumental Genesis

Theoretical frameworks for mathematics teaching and learning technology-supported provide a systematic structure in examining the contribution of the tool to conceptual development. This study examines the processes for the use of spreadsheets and the mathematical development of the participants in the tasks for performing the conversions between number systems using the instrumental genesis approach, which deals with transforming a tool into an instrument that will contribute to the conceptual development. In the study, the screen images of the worksheets of the participants, who are at the Department of Computer Technologies Program in a vocational school in Turkey, are analyzed together with the observation notes and evaluation scales prepared based on the outcomes. In the study, while the efforts of the participants to transform the spreadsheet into an instrument are observed, it is seen that their habits of paper-and-pencil experiences and misconceptions lead to an obstacle to transferring their operations to the spreadsheet and hesitations. However, their developments in instrumentalization processes are reflected by the following: they use subjective usage schemes, realize the advantages of spreadsheet functions and features, and create dynamic worksheets through dragging and cell addresses. Nevertheless, it can be stated that the reflections of instrumentalization progress on the instrumentation processes for conceptual development are limited

Qualitative Analysis of the Relationship between Online Homework and Prior Success, Self-efficacy, Perceived Responsibility, Motivation and Academic Success

In this study it is aimed at analyzing the relationship between online homework and students’ prior success, self-efficacy beliefs, perceived responsibility, motivation level and academic success. Oxford Online Practice is an online homework platform which has been used at the School of Foreign Languages in Gaziantep University, within the scope of this study online homework performances of students have been studied in terms of its relationship with students’ prior success, self-efficacy beliefs, perceived responsibility, motivation and academic success. The existing literature about the effects of online homework reveals the importance of cognitive processes, in this regard students’ prior success, self-efficacy beliefs, perceived responsibility and motivation are in mutual interaction in the use of online homework. In learning processes online homework, which has an important role in practising, reinforcement and presenting new content, is also seen as an effective learning tool in increasing success. In this sense analyzing the effects of online homework has an utmost importance in understanding both academic and cognitive processes in a better way. In this study when the acquisite data were analyzed it was concluded that students’ prior success (first exam grades) is effective on their online homework performances, self-efficacy beliefs and perceived responsibility, in general students’ online homework performances are effective on their self-efficacy beliefs, perceived responsibility, motivation and academic success in a positive way. In the analysis of students’ views about perceived responsibility and motivation level, it was concluded that highly motivated students and the students with higher sense of responsibility are also academically successful. 

Teachers' instructional design for e-learning of deaf and hard of hearing students

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers ’ e-learning instructional design and practices for deaf/hard of hearing students during the COVID-19 period. For this reason, this study is assumed to serve as a reference point for the development of accessible e-learning instruction for teachers of deaf/hard of hearing students. This study is a quantitative research in survey design. During the COVID-19 pandemic, education and communication were maintained thanks to e-learning, which has become an integral part of education. Since it was intended to establish the attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors of the sample over a specific time period, a cross-sectional design was used. The data collection tool was an online survey developed by the researcher. The participants of the study were 138 teachers. However, neither before nor throughout the COVID-19 period, 13 of the participating teachers had no experience with e-learning. Therefore, they did not answer the questions related to e-learning in the third part of the survey. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.  As a result, it was determined that teachers of deaf/hard of hearing students were unprepared for the e-learning process. They require assistance with the instructional design for e-learning

Facing Forward: Obstacles and Implications for Kindergarten Teachers' Professional Development

In line with the new trend toward reforming the education system in the 21st century, teachers are more willing to accept changes in order to improve performance and achieve success in the educational process. Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Saudi Arabia recently witnessed a huge revolution. Teacher Professional Development (PD) is one of the most influential elements in achieving quality education. The present study focuses on revealing the Professional Development Programs (PDPs) obstacles of kindergarten teachers from their perspectives, as well as their implications for overcoming these obstacles. These obstacles are divided into three main parts include administrative, personal, and digital. The current investigation adopted the exploratory approach, where a total of (n=102) kindergarten teachers in the city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, participated in this study by filling out a self-administered questionnaire. Results showed that all kindergarten teachers admitted that they faced several obstacles in their professional practices, which hindered the quality of their practices. Most kindergarten teachers reported a lack of motivation and adequate training opportunities, influencing their reluctance to participate in PDPs. However, they revealed their positive attitudes and willingness to implement a variety of strategies and practices that contribute to their own PD. It recommends that decision-makers and government agencies consider the needs and capabilities of kindergarten teachers during training and involve them in the professional planning and development process to ensure that the training outputs are more effective in their professional practice.Keywords;Administrative, digital obstacles, children, implications, kindergarten teachers, training program.

Views of Parents with A Child Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder on Their Burnout: A Meta-Synthesis Study

This research aims to analyze the views of parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) regarding their burnout, using the meta-synthesis method. A total of 456 articles published between 2010 and 2023, utilizing qualitative methodologies, were analyzed, resulting in the examination of 10 studies. Google Scholar, DergiPark, ERIC, EBSCO, EBCSCO Academic Search Ultimate, Elsevier, SCOPUS, Web of Science (WOS), and Wiley databases were utilized for study selection. The subject headings and keywords used in the searches were: 'autism spectrum disorder, parent, family, burnout, child, perspective, qualitative research.' Content analysis was the preferred method during the data analysis. Using content analysis, the sampling methods, research purposes, data collection tools, and attained results in the studies were examined. The identified data were interpreted based on frequency and occasionally presented using tables and graphs. The findings were categorized under identified themes based on the collected data. The studies examined within the scope of the research were evaluated as a whole and five themes were reached: getting support, isolation, disruption of daily routine, anxiety and emotional outbursts. The study's conclusions also provide recommendations for educators, parents, and future research directions.Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Parent, Mother, Father, Burnout, Meta-Synthesi

Effect of Parental Interest on the Self-Regulation Ability of Preschool Children

This study was conducted to examine the effect of parental attention on the self-regulation ability of children aged between 48 and66 months who have just started their preschool education. For this purpose, an example of a training program to improve parental interest was prepared for the parents of the children participating in the study. The study group consisted of 40 children who attended an independent kindergarten affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Nilüfer District of Bursa Province in the 2019–2020 academic year and their mothers (40) and fathers (40), totaling 120 people. The “Parental Interest Scale for Children” and the “Preschool Self-Regulation Scale (OÖDÖ)” have been used as data collection tools. In addition, the “General Information Form” was used to obtain information from the participants. The obtained data were analyzed with ’Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)’26 package program. In light of the findings; it was seen that parental attention has an effect on the self-regulation ability of children aged between 48 and66 months who have just started their preschool education, and this positively observed effect is due to an increase in parental interest. As a result, when the correlation test analyzes between parental interest scores and self-regulation skill scores are considered. Parental interest has a positive effect on the self-regulation skills of 48-66-month-old boys and girls who have just started preschool education. Training aimed at improving parental interest is effective in achieving this

Literacy in Indian Akshara Languages and Other Transparent Orthographic Languages - Teacher Education Considerations

Alphabet-based languages are more often researched in literacy acquisition and education than akshara languages. Languages that use alphasyllabaries including symbols, called aksharas, represent a large portion of the world languages, including the languages in the second most populous country, India. This conceptual research paper addresses teacher education in literacy related to akshara languages. Using theory and research base of existing alphabet and akshara acquisition, with teacher education standards for literacy in alphabet languages, this paper presents a model for teacher education in literacy for akshara languages. This framework provides teacher education standards and other considerations such as evaluation of teacher education curriculum and performance to enable data-based decision making in literacy instruction. The premise of this paper is to approach the problem of dismal literacy rates by drawing into the robust research in alphabetic language literacy education by using a systematic approach to target the source – pre-service teacher education. While the paper addresses examples of languages in India, other transparent orthographies that use symbols or aksharas can draw from this to inform their teacher education in literac

The Walled Garden of Pedagogy: Leveraging Protection and Risk in Education

This conceptual paper introduces the idea of the walled garden of pedagogy. I will come to delineate it as a desirable and necessary feature of education given that it offers a protective space for pedagogical practice and rehearsal. This paper critiques a previous conceptualisation of a walled garden introduced by unschooling advocate John Holt (in relation to the raising of children), in which such a metaphorical construction is described as a prison. The limitations of Holt’s conceptualisation are used to then build upon the concepts of pedagogical reduction and Yves Chevallard’s notion of “la transposition didactique” to argue that educators in practice inevitably build walled gardens from pedagogical foundations. It is argued, and thus recommended, that it is the gradual introduction of risk that separates the pedagogical walled garden from the conceptualisation of the childhood prison. It is imperative that educators understand their responsibility for leveraging the inevitable protective element and the necessary risk required in education

Challenges and Opportunities of Meta-Analysis in Education Research

Meta-analyses are systematic summaries of research that use quantitative methods to find the mean effect size (standardized mean difference) for interventions. Critics of meta-analysis point out that such analyses can conflate the results of low- and high-quality studies, make improper comparisons and result in statistical noise. All these criticisms are valid for low-quality meta-analyses. However, high-quality meta-analyses correct all these problems. Critics of meta-analysis often suggest that selecting high-quality RCTs is a more valid methodology. However, education RCTs do not show consistent findings, even when all factors are controlled. Education is a social science, and variability is inevitable. Scholars who try to select the best RCTs will likely select RCTs that confirm their bias. High-quality meta-analyses offer a more transparent and rigorous model for determining best practices in education. While meta-analyses are not without limitations, they are the best tool for evaluating educational pedagogies and programs

Understanding The Relationship Between Self-Control and Grit: The Mediating Role of Academic Motivation and Attention Control

Over the past several decades, the psychological concepts of self-control and grit have gained prominence in the research literature. While these constructs have been studied extensively in isolation, there has been growing interest in understanding the relationship between the two constructs and the factors that mediate this relationship. The current study sought to examine the relationship between self-control and grit in a sample of 1079 undergraduate students (67.9% female) from twelve different state universities. Specifically, this study aimed to examine the mediating role of academic motivation and attention control in this relationship. Correlational analyses revealed that self-control and grit were positively associated with each other, as well as with academic motivation and attention control. Mediation analyses using bootstrapping procedures revealed that academic motivation and attention control partially mediated the relationship between self-control and grit. In other words, higher levels of self-control were associated with higher levels of academic motivation, which was associated with higher levels of grit. Similarly, higher levels of self-control were associated with better attention control, which was associated with higher levels of grit. These findings have important implications for understanding the components that contribute to the development of grit and suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing academic motivation and attention control may promote the development of greater grit in individuals