Using Structural Equation Modeling to Investigate Students’ Reading Comprehension Abilities

In this study, Structural Equation Modeling was used to determine the factors that affect reading skills. To determine the factors data of PISA 2009 was used. It assessed students’ capacities to apply knowledge and skills in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy. It describes some wider findings about what lies behind results. Structural Equation Modeling is examined and four independent latent variables as “reading attitudes,” “study habits,” “stimulate,” and “strategies the teacher used” are determined. It was observed that the most important variable was the “strategies the teacher used” (γ=0.33). The second important latent variable that affected the students’ reading comprehension skill was “teacher stimulating students”(γ=0.26). Another latent variable affecting the students’ reading comprehension level was observed as “the students’ study habits” (γ=0.22). The final latent variable was “attitude towards reading” (γ=0.16)ABSTRACT In this study, Structural Equation Modeling was used to determine the factors that affect reading skills. To determine the factors data of PISA 2009 was used. It assessed students’ capacities to apply knowledge and skills in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy. It describes some wider findings about what lies behind results. Structural Equation Modeling is examined and four independent latent variables as “reading attitudes,” “study habits,” “stimulate,” and “strategies the teacher used” are determined. It was observed that the most important variable was the “strategies the teacher used” (γ=0.33). The second important latent variable that affected the students’ reading comprehension skill was “teacher stimulating students”(γ=0.26). Another latent variable affecting the students’ reading comprehension level was observed as “the students’ study habits” (γ=0.22). The final latent variable was “attitude towards reading” (γ=0.16)

A Comparison of IRT Vertical Scaling Methods in Determining the Increase in Science Achievement

This study is based on a vertical scaling implemented with reference to the Item Response Theory, and involves a comparison of vertical scaling results obtained through the application of proficiency estimation methods and calibration methods. The vertical scales thus developed were assessed with reference to the criteria of grade-to-grade growth, grade-to-grade variability, and the separation of grade distributions. The data used in the study pertains to a dataset composed of a total of 1500 students from twelve primary schools in the province of Ankara, characterized by different levels of socio-economic cultural development. The comparison of the findings pertaining to the first and the second sub-problems reveals that the mean differences found through separate calibration were lower than those applicable to concurrent calibration, while the standard deviation found in the case of separate calibration were again lower than the values established through concurrent calibration. Furthermore, the scale of impact in the case of separate calibration was again lower than the values applicable to concurrent calibration. The results reached for all three criteria, using the concurrent calibration method were ranked in the order ML < MAP < EAP, with ML leading to the lowest value while EAP producing the highest one. In case of separate calibration, on the other hand, the ranking of results was found to vary with reference to the criteria applied

İkili Karşılaştırmalar Yargılarına ve Sıralama Yargılarına Dayalı Ölçekleme Yaklaşımlarının Karşılaştırılması

This study aims to provide an insight into the scaling model used in social sciences and to determine whether the two scaling method produces similar results based on the judgements decision. The study conducted 194 preservice teachers in the department of Science Teacher Education at Hacettepe University. The scaling procedure was conducted to get scaling values for pair-wise comparison and ranking judgment on the collected data. The Spearmen-rho correlation coefficient which was calculated to examine the consistency between the scale values was found 0,09 at a 0,05 significance level and this value was not significant (r=0.09, p>0.05). Based on these findings, these two scaling approaches didn’t produce similar conclusions so it can be said that attention should be paid to the selected scaling methods and assumptions in study of scalin

Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Patients with Dysphagia: A Delphi-Based Consensus Study of Experts in Turkey-Part I: Management, Diagnosis, and Follow-up

Dysphagia is one of the most common and important complications of stroke. It is an independent marker of poor outcome after acute stroke and may become chronic after the acute period and continues to affect all aspects of the patient's life. Patients with stroke may encounter any of the medical branches in the emergency room or outpatient clinic, and as in our country, there may not be specialists specific for dysphagia, such as speech-language pathologists (SLP), in every hospital. This study aimed to raise awareness and create a common opinion of medical specialists for stroke patients with dysphagia. This recommendation paper has been written by a multidisciplinary team and offers 45 recommendations for stroke patients with dysphagia. It was created using the eight-step Delphi round via e-mail. This study is mostly specific to Turkey. However, since it contains detailed recommendations from the perspective of various disciplines associated with stroke, this consensus-based recommendation paper is not only a useful guide to address clinical questions in practice for the clinical management of dysphagia in terms of management, diagnosis, and follow-up, but also includes detailed comments for these topics

Best Practice Recommendations for Stroke Patients with Dysphagia: A Delphi-Based Consensus Study of Experts in Turkey-Part II: Rehabilitation.

Dysphagia is one of the most common and important complications of stroke. It is an independent marker of poor outcome after acute stroke and may become chronic after the acute period and continues to affect all aspects of the patient's life. Patients with stroke may encounter any of the medical branches in the emergency room or outpatient clinic, and as in our country, there may not be specialists specific for dysphagia, such as speech-language pathologists (SLP), in every hospital. This study aimed to raise awareness and create a common opinion of medical specialists for stroke patients with dysphagia. This recommendation paper has been written by a multidisciplinary team and offers 45 recommendations for stroke patients with dysphagia. It was created using the eight-step Delphi round via e-mail. This study is mostly specific to Turkey. However, since it contains detailed recommendations from the perspective of various disciplines associated with stroke, this consensus-based recommendation paper is not only a useful guide to address clinical questions in practice for the clinical management of dysphagia in terms of management, diagnosis, and follow-up, but also includes detailed comments for these topics