Examining Development of Curriculum Knowledge of Prospective Mathematics Teachers

Explanatory-confirmatory research design, one of the mixed methods research designs, was used in this study to investigate Curriculum Knowledge developments of prospective teachers regarding algebra. Cross-sectional study method, as a type of descriptive research and one of the non-experimental research designs, was used to collect quantitative data in the study. In the qualitative part of the study, case study was used. The participants of the study were composed of 176 prospective teachers studying in the elementary mathematics education department of a university in Turkey, who were first, second, third, and fourth year students with equal numbers. Interview, observation (observation notes, lesson video recordings, in-class observation form), knowledge test were used as the instruments for the purpose of examining prospective teachers’ curriculum knowledge development. Kruskal-Wallis test, which is a non-parametric test, was used to compare the means of prospective teachers’ Algebra Curriculum Knowledge Test (ACKT) scores since these scores are not normally distributed. According to the results of the study, it was observed that knowledge levels of the prospective teachers in terms of curriculum knowledge developed as directly proportional depending on the class level. In addition, it was also observed that the knowledge of prospective teachers in terms of curriculum knowledge was not at the desired level. Also, considering the general centrality of prospective teachers’ answers on the partially true A and partially true B categories, it can be already concluded that prospective teachers’ curriculum knowledge is inadequate. Keywords: Curriculum Knowledge, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Prospective Mathematics Teacher

Cultural leadership behaviors of the primary school principals regarding certain variables

This study was carried out in order to analyse the primary school teachers’ perception of the cultural leadership behaviours of the primary school principals regarding the personal and vocational qualities of the principals and certain features of the school in which they work, and in order to develop suggestions based on the findings. “The Scale for Cultural Leadership Behaviours of the School Administrators” Yıldırım (2001) was used as data collection tool.  The scale tool used in the study was applied to 859 teachers working in randomly selected 51 primary schools in four central districts (Konak, Buca, Karşıyaka and Bornova) of İzmir-Turkey. Arithmetic average, standard deviation, t- test, ANNOVA and Scheffe Test were made us of in the analysis of the study. These findings were attained in the study: The perceptions of the primary school teachers for the cultural leadership behaviours of the primary school principals are at a good level. The perceptions of the primary school teachers for the school principals’ cultural leadership behaviours indicate significant discrepancy in terms of gender, age, training of educational administration and school type variables. However, the perceptions of the primary school teachers for the school principals’ cultural leadership behaviours indicate no significant discrepancy in terms of vocational seminars or school size.

Removal of naproxen and diclofenac using magnetic nanoparticles/nanocomposites

Magnetic iron oxide and iron/copper nanoparticles were synthesized using Lathyrus brachypterus extract, and then magnetic Fe3O4–CS, Fe3O4–AT, Fe/Cu–CS and Fe/Cu–AT nanocomposite beads were synthesized using chitosan and alginate natural polymers. They were used for both adsorption and heterogeneous catalysts for the catalytic wet peroxidation (CWPO) of naproxen (NPX), diclofenac (DCF) and NPX + DCF drugs which are important micro-organic pollutants, separately and together (NPX + DCF) from aqueous media. In adsorption studies, the drugs were adsorbed very quickly in the first minutes and then, desorbed in between 8 and 10 min. In competitive adsorption, the adsorbents showed selective properties for DCF and NPX. In CWPO technique, drug removal was achieved in 9 min with a conversion capacity of 92% for DCF with Fe/Cu–CS and 84% for NPX with Fe/Cu–AT optimum experimental conditions, such as pH 5, 30% of H2O2, 100 mg catalyst and 298 K. Based on reusability of the catalysts, it was seen that there was a slight decrease in the removal efficiencies in the third cycle and the stable and active structure of the catalyst was preserved to the desired extent. Furthermore, the oxidation reaction was in good agreement with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V

A remarkable new leaf-cutter bee from Thailand (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

This is the publisher's version, copyright by Akademie Verlag.A remarkable new species of leaf-cutter bee, Megachile trichorhytisma ENGEL sp. n., is described and figured from two males collected in northern Thailand. The species is placed in a new subgenus, Aethomegachile ENGEL & BAKER subgen. n., and is differentiated from previously known lineages of Megachile

Examining development of assessment knowledge of prospective mathematics teachers

Bu çalışmada ilköğretim matematik öğretmeni adaylarının ölçme-değerlendirme bilgilerinin lisans eğitimleri boyunca nasıl bir gelişim gösterdiğinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu araştırmada karma araştırma desenlerinden açıklayıcı-doğrulayıcı araştırma deseni kullanılmıştır. Bu çalışmanın katılımcılarını; amaçsal örneklem yöntemiyle seçilen, bir üniversitenin eğitim fakültesinin ilköğretim matematik öğretmenliği bölümünde öğrenim gören 44 birinci, 44 ikinci, 44 üçüncü ve 44 dördüncü sınıf olmak üzere toplam 176 öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada öğretmen adaylarının ölçme-değerlendirme bilgi gelişimlerini incelemek amacıyla mülakat, gözlem ve on sorudan oluşan ölçme-değerlendirme bilgi testi veri toplama aracı olarak kullanılmıştır. Çalışmadan elde edilen verilerin analizinde nitel ve nicel veri analiz teknikleri bir arada kullanılmıştır. Çalışmanın geçerliğini artırmak için öğretmen adaylarının bilgi testine verdikleri cevaplardan, mülakatlardan ve gözlemlerden doğrudan alıntılara yer verilmiştir. Çalışma sonunda öğretmen adaylarının ölçme-değerlendirme bilgilerinin sınıf düzeyiyle doğru olarak geliştiği fakat bu gelişiminin yetersiz olduğu sonucu ortaya çıkmıştır. Ayrıca çalışma sonunda; öğretmen adaylarının sınıf içi gözlemlerde daha çok geleneksel ölçme-değerlendirme yaklaşımlarını tercih ettikleri görülmüştür. Buna karşın öğretmen adaylarının alternatif ölçme-değerlendirme yöntemlerini ise kullanmakta zorlandıkları sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.The purpose of the study was to investigate assessment knowledge developments of prospective mathematics teachers during the undergraduate education. The explanatory-confirmatory research design, one of the mixed research designs, was used in this study. The participants of the study consist of 176 prospective teachers in total, 44 of them being first-grade, 44 second-grade, 44 third-grade, and 44 fourth-grade students studying at the department of elementary school mathematics education of a university in Turkey. In this study, the assessment knowledge test consisting of ten questions, the interview, the observation were used as data collection tools to examine the assessment knowledge development of prospective teachers. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques were used during the data analysis process. The data on the classroom observations, interviews and knowledge test were presented in the study as direct quotations. As a result, it was found that the assessment knowledge of the prospective teachers was developed as directly proportional depending on the class level but this development was insufficient. Moreover, prospective teachers preferred traditional measurement-evaluation approaches more in their lesson practices. At the same time, it was observed prospective teachers did not benefit sufficiently from alternative measurement-evaluation approaches

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Lathyrus brachypterus extract for efficient catalytic reduction of methylene blue, methyl orange, methyl red and investigation of a kinetic model

A facile, green, and an efficient method for the synthesis of AgNPs (silver nanoparticles) using Lathyrus brachypterus var. brachypterus extract is reported. AgNPs was characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, TEM and FTIR. The UV-Vis spectra of the AgNPs revealed a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 452 nm. The synthesized AgNPs reacted as a heterogeneous catalyst for the reduction of dyes (methylene blue, methyl red and methyl orange) both in unary and ternary mixture (TM) with and without NaBH4 (sodium borohydride). The kinetic parameter (k) for the degradation reactions and half-life (t(1/2)) of dyes has been calculated according to Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Green synthesized of AgNPs effectively degraded the dyes at approximately 4-6 min. In addition, oxidation studies of methyl orange with H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) have been also carried out and it has been reported that AgNPs can be reused as heterogeneous catalysts. The oxidation of MO was monitored with a UV-Vis spectrometer. AgNPs was separated using a filter paper after the oxidation of MO. The separated AgNPs were reused without important loss of its activity with a conversion efficiency of around 98%

Comparison of Optical versus Ultrasonic Biometry in Keratoconic Eyes

Purpose. To compare the measurements of optical versus ultrasonic biometry devices in keratoconic eyes. Materials and Methods. Forty-two eyes of 42 keratoconus (KC) patients enrolled in the study were examined. Clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients were noted, and detailed ophthalmological examination was performed. Following Pentacam measurements, central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and axial length (AL) were obtained using the Lenstar and US biometer to determine the reproducibility of the measurements between the two devices in keratoconic eyes. The Bland-Altman method was used to describe the agreement between the two devices. Results. The Lenstar could not measure at least one of the biometric properties in one eye and did not automatically give the corrected ACD in 2/3 of our study population. The Lenstar measured CCT (average difference 5.4 ± 19.6 µm; ICC = 0.90; ), LT (average difference 0.13 ± 0.17 mm; ICC = 0.67; ), and AL (average difference 0.10 ± 0.76 mm; ICC = 0.75; ) thinner than US biometer, whereas it measured ACD (average difference 0.18 ± 0.17 mm; ICC = 0.85; ) deeper than US biometer in keratoconic eyes. Conclusion. Although the difference between the measurements obtained using the two devices might be clinically acceptable, US biometry and Lenstar should not be used interchangeably for biometric measurements in KC patients

Ispitivanje vještina modeliranja budućih nastavnika matematike u višim razredima osnovnih škola na zadatcima množenja i dijeljenja razlomaka

Modelling can be considered as an effective way of ensuring permanent learning in the ‘Fractions’ topic, as well as the other topics of mathematics. When the effect of teacher’s knowledge on students’ learning is considered, it is important to investigate modelling skills of tomorrow’s teachers regarding fractions. Within this context in the present study, prospective middle school mathematics teachers’ modelling skills of multiplication and division in fractions were examined. The study was carried out with a total of 104 prospective middle school mathematics teachers who study at the Faculties of Education at two different universities in Turkey. The Modelling Fractions Test (MFT) with six items, three of which were on multiplication and three of which were on division in fractions, was used as a data collection tool. In analyzing the data, descriptive statistics was used and items were evaluated one by one. The findings indicated that the participants showed better performance on modelling with operations in multiplication than with the ones in division, created better models regarding operations requiring multiplication and division of a whole number and unit fraction, and also half of the participants answered questions in MFT as completely correct.Modeliranjem se učinkovito osigurava trajno učenje matematičkoga sadržaja razlomaka i ostalih matematičkih sadržaja. Kako bi se utvrdilo znanje koje nastavnici imaju o učeničkom učenju, važno je ispitati vještine modeliranja budućih nastavnika u rješavanju računskih operacija s razlomcima. U ovome se radu u navedenome kontekstu istražuju vještine modeliranja koje posjeduju budući nastavnici matematike u višim razredima osnovnih škola u rješavanju računskih operacija množenja i dijeljenja razlomaka. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 104 buduća nastavnika matematike u višim razredima osnovnih škola koji studiraju na učiteljskim fakultetima na dva različita turska sveučilišta. Za prikupljanje podataka upotrijebljen je Test modeliranja računskih operacija s razlomcima (engl. Modeling Fractions Test – MFT) koji se sastoji od tri pitanja o množenju razlomaka i tri o dijeljenju razlomaka. U analizi podataka upotrijebljena je deskriptivna statistika te je svako pitanje analizirano zasebno. Ispitanici su pokazali bolje vještine modeliranja u svojim odgovorima na pitanja s računskim operacijama množenja, nego dijeljenja, izradili su bolje modele u slučaju operacija množenja i dijeljenja cijelih brojeva i jediničnih razlomaka te je polovica ispitanika potpuno točno odgovorila na pitanja u TMR-u

Demographic and etiologic features of adult patients with uveitis in southeastern Anatolia

Objective: To evaluate the demographic and clinicalcharacteristics of adult patients with uveitis who were admittedto our clinic between 2011 and 2013.Methods: Records of the patients older than 18 years oldwith a diagnosis of uveitis between November 2011 andMay 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Age, gender, diagnosis,affected eye, anatomical localization of uveitis,and systemic features were recorded from the patientfiles.Results: In this study 352 patients were evaluated. Themean age of the patients was 35.7±12.8 years. Of the patients177 patients (50.3%) were women and 175 (49.7%)were male. The most common etiology was detected asidiopathic uveitis. Following most common reasons wereBehcet’s disease, and toxoplasma chorioretinitis. Anterioruveitis was found to be the most common involvementsite. Panuveititis was the second most common involvementsite. 69.1% of the patients had unilateral uveitis. Themost common complications of the uveitis were found tobe the development of secondary cataracts and glaucoma.Conclusion: In our study general characteristics of patients,the etiological factors and demographic data of theuveitis patient in Southeastern of Turkey were presented.Because of a similar study has not been performed previouslyin our region, our data will be useful in earlier diagnosisand follow-up of uveitis patients.Key words: Demographic, etiology, uveiti