The evaluation of the effect of a newly designed computer game on 7th grade students' motivation towards science and aggression

In this study, it is aimed to design a computer game for the 7th grade Science lesson and evaluate the effect of the computer game on students' motivation and aggression. The quasi-experimental method has been selected as a quantitative method of research. The study group of the research is comprised of 444 7th grade students in total studying in 7 different schools chosen from each region of Turkey. In this context, while there is no interference in one of the two 7th grade classrooms from each school, the other is sustained with a computer game as an additional material to the teaching process. The application proceeded through 2014-2015 academic year. Motivation towards Science and aggression scale have been applied to all groups three times; at the beginning of the first term, at the beginning of the second term and at the end of the second term. As a result of the research, the computer game is found to generate a meaningful difference on behalf of the experimental group and to have no effect on aggression. Computer games meet the deficiencies of a conventional educational system by promoting learning via games and creating an engaging atmosphere helping students increase their motivation. © 2017 Authors

EFFECT OF LABORATORY ACTIVITIES DESIGNED BASED ON PREDICTION- OBSERVATION - EXPLANATION (POE) STRATEGY ON PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS' UNDERSTANDING OF ACIDBASE SUBJECT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of laboratory activities designed based on Prediction - Observation-Explanation (POE) strategy on pre-service science teachers' understanding of acid- bases subject in chemistry III course. A total of 69 pre-service science teachers who took chemistry III course in the fall semester of 2010- 2011 academic year in the department of science education at Pamukkale University participated in the study. Two control groups and an experimental group were employed in the study. Of the participants, 22 pre-service science teachers were in experimental group, 22 pre-service science teachers were in control 1 group and 25 pre-service science teachers were in control 2 group. While approach to laboratory-based on POE strategy was applied to the experimental group and the control 2 group, and laboratory method in the program was employed to the control 1 group over a period of six weeks. A quasi- experimental design and two control groups (C1G, N=22; C2G, N=25) and experimental group (EG, N=22) were used. Acid and Base Concept Test (ABCT) and Science Process Skills Test (SPST) were used for data collection and administered to pre-service science teachers. The ABCT and SPST were administered to the control 1 group and the experimental group as a pre-test and were given all groups as a post-test. Data were analyzed using depended on t-test. The results indicated that approach to laboratory-based on POE strategy provided significantly achievement compared with laboratory method in the program on the understanding of acid-base concepts. Results also indicated that POE strategy helped to gain a better understanding of scientific concepts that are relevant acid- base concepts. As a conclusion the results of the present study showed that activities presented based on POE strategy had a significant effect on pre-service science teachers' conceptual understanding of acid-base. Results showed that POE strategy did not have a significant effect on pre-service science teachers' science process skills subject

Analyzing the views of the science teachers about in-class integration of stem applications

Taking into account the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) integration, it is important to investigate teachers' understandings, perceptions about STEM and how STEM practices should be incorporated into the classroom in order to explore the perceptions of science teachers on this subject and provide important information to teachers and researchers in connection with how STEM applications can be applied at high quality. The purpose of this study is to analyze the views of the science teachers about in-class integration of stem applications. 5 science teachers working in the province of Denizli participated in the study. The teachers received STEM training for 5 days in 2015-2016 school year. The training provides instructional strategies to assist Science Teachers in the implementation of STEM integration in the classroom environments and in the development of an understanding of the connection between the various STEM domains. All five teachers in this study have participated in the training given. A case study was conducted to describe the teachers' views on STEM integration and the situations related to the in-class practices on this topic. Teachers in general have described STEM integration as a way of problem solving, and stated that the They also think that the STEM integration will give students a variety of 21st century skills they can develop. They think that when solving a real life problem, these skills provide them to create their own methods instead of the things given to them. Moreover, teachers have identified STEM integration as an approach that develops problem-solving skills. © The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology

The effect of the computer game developed for the 7th grade science lesson, on student’s self-efficacy toward science

Human being starts learning about life via games. Therefore games have always maintained their importance and have always been interesting since the beginning of the human life. Games are being moved from streets to virtual platforms today as information Technologies are considerably progressing. And because of that, computer games are one of the entertainments for people today, especially for the children of school age. Analysing the literature, we find the computer games to have many positive effects on children’s performance at school. In this research, the effect of the computer game developed for the 7th grade science lesson, on student’s selfefficacy toward science is studied. Quasi-experimental design is used as the quantitative research method. The study group consists of 444 7th grade students in total attending to 7 different schools chosen from 7 different regions in Turkey. In this context, while there has not been any interference to the students attending to one of the 7th grade classrooms chosen from each school, the other students are provided with the computer game which is developed in the context of the application as an additional exercise. Seven experimental groups and seven control groups were chosen from each region in total one of which is the control group and the other is experimental group. “Science Self- Efficacy Scale” was drawn on as the data collection tool. The scale was applied two times in total, the first of which was before the application and the second after the application. As the result of the study, the developed computer game is determined to be an effective material in increasing the students’ self-efficacy toward Science. In addition, It is concluded that there are regional differences regarding the students’ self efficacy. © The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology

The influence of argumentation on understanding nature of science

The aim in conducting this study is to explore the effects of argumentation on pre-service science teachers’ views of the nature of science. This study used a qualitative case study and conducted with 20 pre-service science teachers. Data sources include an open-ended questionnaire and audio-taped interviews. According to pretest and posttest scores, 3 participants were selected for gathering qualitative data and follow-up interviews. Analyses of the findings revealed that the argumentation based instruction was effective in 2 of 3 participants’ views of the nature of science. According to the results, 2 aspects of the nature of science were the most developed aspects of the nature of science assessed in this study; the social and cultural and the creative and imaginative nature of science. These findings highlight the need for teacher preparation programs to incorporate argumentation based instruction that promotes the development of the nature of science views. © Author(s)

Fen öğretmeni adaylarının bir çevresel konuyu anlaması: ozon tabakasının incelmesi

The purpose of this study is to determine pre-service science teachers' misconceptions, knowledge level and the ways of gaining knowledge in relation to ozone layer and ozone layer depletion, which is one of the global environmental problems. In order to get relevant data, the questionnaire comprising 30 items on a five point Likert type scale and seven multiple choice questions were administered to 308 pre-service science teachers. Statistical procedures were performed in order to interpret the data obtained through the questionnaires. The findings revealed that the pre-service science teachers participated in the study have insufficient knowledge as well misconceptions regarding ozone layer depletion. In addition, it was also found out that they had the information about the ozone layer not only through formal education but also through other sources such as media, peers etc. The differences and similarities of the results compared to the other research studies are emphasized and implications of the results for deeper understanding as well as for better teaching are discussed.Bu çalışmanın amacı küresel çevre sorunlarından birisi olan ozon tabakası ve onun incelmesi ile ilgili olarak öğretmen adaylarının bilgi düzeylerini, kavram yanılgılarını ve bilgi edinme yollarını belirlemektir. Bu amaçla beşli likert ölçeğinde otuz madde ve yedi çoktan seçmeli soru içeren bir anket formu 308 fen öğretmeni adayına uygulanmıştır. Anketten elde edilen verilerin yorumlanabilmesi amacıyla istatiksel işlemler yapılmıştır. Sonuçlar, fen öğretmeni adaylarının ozon tabakasının incelmesi konusunda hem yeterli düzeyde bilgiye sahip olmadıklarını, hem de kavram yanılgılarına sahip olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuçlar ayrıca fen öğretmeni adaylarının ozonla ilgili sadece okulda aldıkları eğitimle değil, basın-yayın, arkadaş grubu vb. diğer kaynaklardan da beslendiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu araştırmada elde edilen sonuçların diğer çalışma sonuçları ile karşılaştırıldığında ortaya çıkan farklılık ve benzerlikler vurgulanmış, sonuçların daha derin bir öğrenme ve daha iyi bir öğretme için anlamı tartışılmıştır

Biomonitoring of zinc and manganese in bark of Turkish red pine of western Anatolia

Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia) is a widespread evergreen tree in Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Turkey. The barks of Pinus brutia were tested as a possible biomonitor of Zn and Mn accumulation studied in Western Anatolia, Turkey. Samples collected from industry, roadside, suburban and rural areas from thirty locations in the study area were investigated. The concentration of zinc and manganese were determined in the bark of the red pine by atomic absorption spectrometry. As a result of this study, the following mean concentrations were determined: for Zn between min 8.4 and max 14.1 µg g-1, and for Mn between min 19.1 and max 24.0 µg g-1. It was found that there is no affect of location on the element concentration of both Mn and Zn

Trace element biomonitoring by leaves of Populus nigra L. from Western Anatolia, Turkey

The West Anatolian Region is one of the most important areas for industrialization, population density and traffic in Turkey. Therefore, the leaves of Populus nigra L. (Salicaceae), which are used as biomonitor to investigate the levels of the trace elements Cd, Pb, Fe, Zn and Cu, were sampled at 30 locations having different pollution levels in the region. The concentrations of elements were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples were collected at both reference and contaminated locations where iron was found as the priority element. The strong association between a gradient of contamination and concentration in all samples tested indicates that they are reflecting well the environmental changes, and that they appear as appropriate biological indicators of heavy metal contamination