THE METAPHORICAL PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS ON A TEACHER-TRAINING COURSE TOWARDS THE CONCEPTS OF 'TEACHER' AND 'TEACHER TRAINING'

Problem Statement: Two different teacher training programs have been implemented in Turkey over recent years. In addition to attending faculties of teacher training (on traditional educational degree programs), graduates from different faculties have the right to become teachers by way of the ‘pedagogical formation certification programs’. Given such a situation, it has become a question of great interest to what extent the teacher candidates participating on such a program perceive the concepts of ‘teacher’ and ‘teacher training’. Metaphors are frequently used to elicit the ideas of teachers and teacher trainees with respect to certain elements that constitute the education system. Purpose study: This research was conducted to elicit by means of metaphor the perceptions of teacher candidates participating on ‘pedagogical formation certification program’ towards the concepts of ‘teacher’ and ‘pedagogical formation’. Method: The participants in this research consisted of 280 mathematics teacher candidates who were undertaking pedagogical formation certificate program at four different universities. Having employed open-ended questions, the date collected was then exposed to a process of data content analysis. Findings and results: At the end of the research, the metaphors created by teacher candidates for the concept of ‘teacher’ were then grouped under four main themes: a constructivist teacher, a teacher that is regarded like a family (member), a behavioralist teacher and a negative attitude towards the teacher’. As for the metaphors used by the teacher candidates for the concept of ‘teacher training’, these were evaluated under four main themes headings; ‘what is perceived as a compulsion’, ‘what is perceived as unnecessary’, ‘what is perceived as a mistaken application’ and ‘what is perceived as necessity’. Discussion, conclusions and recommendations: Finally, while the metaphorical perceptions of participant teacher candidates towards the metaphor of ‘teacher’ displayed similarities to a great degree, a number of negative metaphors were also encountered. It was established that approximately one half of the metaphors generated with regard to teacher training encompassed negative meanings. The metaphors generated by teacher candidates were partially elicited with regard to the quality of the pedagogical formation certificate programs

Stromal Stem Cells from Parathyroid Glands of Patients with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Demonstrate Higher Telomerase Activity and Osteogenic Differentiation Ability than Normal Bone Marrow Derived Stromal Stem Cells

Aims: The aim of this study was to isolate and extensively characterize parathyroid gland stem cells (PT-SCs) from secondary hyperparathyroidism cases. For this purpose, proliferation capacity, phenotypic properties, differentiation characteristics and gene expression profiles were analyzed and compared with mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow (BM-MSCs) of the human. Methods: Stem cells isolated from PT and BM were analyzed by flow cytometry, RTPCR, Real Time-PCR, and immunocytochemistry. Both cell lines were directionally differentiated towards adipogenic, osteogenic and neurogenic cell lineages. Results: The isolated hPT-SCs share similar characteristics of hBM-MSCs by immunophenotypic, histological and molecular analyses. Both cells were shown to differentiate successfully into adipogenic and osteogenic cell lines. Embryonic stem cell markers Pou5F1, Zpf42, FoxD3, Sox2 and Nanog were also expressed beside 5 fold higher telomerase activity in hPT-SCs that could indicate the regenerative ability of the human parathyroid gland. The osteogenic cell markers were expressed by hPT-SCs, which transformed efficiently into osteogenic cell lines, both at the level of genes (BMP2, BMP4, BGLAP, Coll11a1, Runx2, Sparc) and of proteins (BMP2, BMP4, Osteocalcin, Osteonectin, Osteopontin). Higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity indicating osteogenic differentiation was determined in hPT-SCs from secondary hyperparathyroidism patients. Conclusion: PT-SCs might responsible for the calcified parathyroid glands and other ectopic calcifications including the vascular ones, observed in the secondary hyperparathyroidism cases, beside parathyroid hormone-dependent hypercalcemia leading diffusion of calcium phosphate precipitation in tissues

Syndromic etiology in children at schools for the deaf in Turkey

WOS: 000224885800007PubMed: 15488971Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the syndromic etiology of bilateral severe sensorineural hearing disorders in children and current etiological causes to reduce the cases in the unknown group. Methods: This study was conducted on 550 students of five schools for the deaf in Istanbul and Zonguldak, Turkey. Otologic, audiologic, dysmorphologic, ophtalmologic and dental examinations were performed in all children. Familial and medical histories were obtained. Results: The etiology of hearing loss was genetic in 346 (62.90%), acquired in 107 (19.45%) and unknown in 97 (%17.63) cases. A total of 619 malformations were defined in 550 children and 99 of them belonged to a syndrome. We identified 33 different syndromes for these 99 syndromic children. Syndromic etiology was found in 18.0% of the total and 28.61% of the subjects with genetic etiology. Most common syndrome was Waardenburg syndrome which occurred in 33 children. Conclusion: The incidence of hereditary hearing impairment is very high in developing countries compared to developed countries. Prevention is essential to reduce the incidence, multidiciplinary approach and genetic counselling are necessarry in this regard. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Syndromic etiology in children at schools for the deaf in Turkey

WOS: 000224885800007PubMed: 15488971Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the syndromic etiology of bilateral severe sensorineural hearing disorders in children and current etiological causes to reduce the cases in the unknown group. Methods: This study was conducted on 550 students of five schools for the deaf in Istanbul and Zonguldak, Turkey. Otologic, audiologic, dysmorphologic, ophtalmologic and dental examinations were performed in all children. Familial and medical histories were obtained. Results: The etiology of hearing loss was genetic in 346 (62.90%), acquired in 107 (19.45%) and unknown in 97 (%17.63) cases. A total of 619 malformations were defined in 550 children and 99 of them belonged to a syndrome. We identified 33 different syndromes for these 99 syndromic children. Syndromic etiology was found in 18.0% of the total and 28.61% of the subjects with genetic etiology. Most common syndrome was Waardenburg syndrome which occurred in 33 children. Conclusion: The incidence of hereditary hearing impairment is very high in developing countries compared to developed countries. Prevention is essential to reduce the incidence, multidiciplinary approach and genetic counselling are necessarry in this regard. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved