The effect of computer assisted ınstruction in teaching ıonic compounds on pre-service elemantary science teachers’ academic achievement and permanent learning

AbstractIn this study, the effect of the use of computer assisted teaching method for ionic compounds included in content of General Chemistry course in science education undergraduate programme on academic achievement and permanance have been researched. This study was carried out with 70 pre-service elemantary science teachers studying their first year at Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Education, Science Education Department. While the traditional teaching method was applied to the first group, the computer assisted teaching method was applied to the second group. As a means of data collection, 50-item-multiple choice achievement test whose Kuder Richardson-20 (KR-20) was 0.868, was applied as a pretest for pre-study, posttest at the end of the study and 12 weeks later it was applied as a permanance test at the end of the study. Also 5 open-ended questions related to the subject were applied to each of 2 groups both before teaching the subject and after teaching the subject. The data was analysed with SPSS statistical package programme. The data was evaluated using t test, Mann Whitney-U test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and percentage (%) distribution. According to the results obtained from the statistical analyses, the experimental group applied computer assisted teaching method was significantly observed to be more successful than the control group applied traditional teaching method (t(68) =21.318; p < .05). It was concluded that the use of computer affected permanance in a positive way

The Effect of the SCAMPER Technique in Raising Awareness Regarding the Collection and Utilization of Solid Waste

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the SCAMPER technique in raising awareness among science students regarding the collection and utilization of solid waste. The participants included a total of 65 third-year students. According to the study results, the science students described schools and visual media as their main source of information regarding the collection and utilization of solid waste. Following the application of the SCAMPER technique, the students described that they will recycle all solid waste except for organic waste, and that, if available, they would dispose each type of waste in different recycling containers. Keywords: SCAMPER technique, solid waste, awareness, science studen

Evaluation of the Knowledge and Misconceptions of Science Teacher Candidates in Turkey Regarding the Greenhouse Effect Through the Use of Drawings

The aim of this study was to identify, through the use drawings, the knowledge and misconceptions of science teacher candidates regarding the greenhouse effect, and to thereby categorize their level of knowledge on this subject. The study was conducted with a group of 327 science teacher candidates. In this study, science teacher candidates were asked to demonstrate their knowledge of the greenhouse effect by answering questions in writing and through the use of drawings. The answers to the study questions were also evaluated through a descriptive analysis. Based on the study results, it was observed that students erroneously associated the greenhouse effect with the thinning of the ozone layer, with greenhouses used in agriculture, with air pollution, with acid rain, and with global warming. Keywords: Greenhouse Effect, Misconception, Drawing, Science Teacher Candidate

Development of Achievement Test: Validity and Reliability Study for Achievement Test on Matter Changing

For "Matter Changing" unit included in the Secondary School 5th Grade Science Program, it is intended to develop a test conforming the gains described in the program, and that can determine students' achievements. For this purpose, a multiple-choice test of 48 questions is arranged, consisting of 8 questions for each gain included in the training program. The test, of which the content validity is reviewed and ensured by 2 chemistry domain experts and 2 science lecturers, is applied to 354 6th grade students (ages 11-12) in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, in a city centre. Item analysis of the test is carried out and 16 items of which the distinctiveness are below 0,30 are excluded from the test. As a result of item analysis the average difficulty of the questions are estimated to be 0,38 and it is seen that their difficulty level is intermediate. Likewise, the average distinctiveness of the questions are estimated to be 0,38 and it is seen that the distinctiveness strength of the questions are well. After the questions are excluded, Kuder Richardson-20 reliability coefficient is estimated to be 0,763. As a result of the study, an effective and reliable achievement test including 32 questions with intermediate difficulty level and well distinction strength created for "Matter Changing" unit is brought to the science education. Keywords: Validity, reliability, matter changing, science

Identification and characterization of antibacterial compound(s) of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana)

Infectious diseases remain a significant threat to human health, contributing to more than 17 million deaths, annually. With the worsening trends of drug resistance, there is a need for newer and more powerful antimicrobial agents. We hypothesized that animals living in polluted environments are potential source of antimicrobials. Under polluted milieus, organisms such as cockroaches encounter different types of microbes, including superbugs. Such creatures survive the onslaught of superbugs and are able to ward off disease by producing antimicrobial substances. Here, we characterized antibacterial properties in extracts of various body organs of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and showed potent antibacterial activity in crude brain extract against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and neuropathogenic E. coli K1. The size-exclusion spin columns revealed that the active compound(s) are less than 10 kDa in molecular mass. Using cytotoxicity assays, it was observed that pre-treatment of bacteria with lysates inhibited bacteria-mediated host cell cytotoxicity. Using spectra obtained with LC-MS on Agilent 1290 infinity liquid chromatograph, coupled with an Agilent 6460 triple quadruple mass spectrometer, tissues lysates were analyzed. Among hundreds of compounds, only a few homologous compounds were identified that contained isoquinoline group, chromene derivatives, thiazine groups, imidazoles, pyrrole containing analogs, sulfonamides, furanones, flavanones, and known to possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties, and possess anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, and analgesic properties. Further identification, characterization and functional studies using individual compounds can act as a breakthrough in developing novel therapeutics against various pathogens including superbugs

Dificultades de los estudiantes turcos de español (nivel a1) en la adquisición y uso del artículo: propuesta de soluciones

Aquesta tesi doctoral se centra en les dificultats que experimenten els alumnes turcs d'espanyol en l'adquisició i ús de l'article en espanyol en el nivell A1 de l'MECR (2002) i busca solucions per millorar aquest procés. En aquesta tesi es duen a terme tres investigacions diferents. En primer lloc, s'analitzen tres manuals d'ELE del nivell A1, d'ús freqüent a Turquia, per conèixer com es tracta aquesta categoria gramatical en aquests manuals i detectar si necessiten alguna millora en aquest aspecte. En segon lloc, es realitza una anàlisi d'errors d'alumnes turcs per conèixer els problemes que tenen per usar l'article en espanyol. L'anàlisi dels manuals ha demostrat que aquests manuals ofereixen menys referències sobre el contrast dels articles definit i indefinit i sobre l'omissió de l'article. D'altra banda, l'anàlisi d'errors dels alumnes turcs ha revelat que els alumnes turcs principalment tenen problemes amb l'omissió errònia de l'article definit i la compatibilitat de l'article definit amb alguns verbs. A partir d'aquestes dues investigacions, s'ha dissenyat una intervenció didàctica per fomentar l'ús de l'article de l'alumnat esmentat. Abans i després de la intervenció, s'ha mesurat el rendiment dels alumnes a través de dues proves idèntiques.Esta tesis doctoral se centra en las dificultades que experimentan los alumnos turcos de español en la adquisición y uso del artículo en español en el nivel A1 del MCER (2002) y busca soluciones para mejorar este proceso. En esta tesis se llevan a cabo tres investigaciones diferentes. En primer lugar, se analizan tres manuales de ELE del nivel A1, de uso frecuente en Turquía, para conocer cómo se trata esta categoría gramatical en estos manuales y detectar si necesitan alguna mejora en este aspecto. En segundo lugar, se realiza un análisis de errores de alumnos turcos para conocer los problemas que tienen para usar el artículo en español. El análisis de los manuales ha demostrado que estos manuales ofrecen menos referencias sobre el contraste de los artículos definido e indefinido y sobre la omisión del artículo. Por otro lado, el análisis de errores de los alumnos turcos ha revelado que los alumnos turcos principalmente tienen problemas con la omisión errónea del artículo definido y la compatibilidad del artículo definido con algunos verbos. A partir de estas dos investigaciones, se ha diseñado una intervención didáctica para fomentar el uso del artículo del alumnado mencionado. Antes y después de la intervención, se ha medido el rendimiento de los alumnos a través de dos pruebas idénticas.This doctoral thesis focuses on the difficulties experienced by Turkish students in the acquisition and use of the article in Spanish at level A1 of the CEFR (2002) and seeks solutions to improve this process. In this thesis three different investigations are carried out. In the first place, three ELE manuals of level A1, frequently used in Turkey, are analyzed to find out how this grammatical category is treated in these manuals and to detect if they need any improvement in this aspect. Second, an error analysis of Turkish students is carried out to find out the problems they have in using the article in Spanish. The analysis of the manuals has shown that these manuals offer fewer references on the contrast of the definite and indefinite articles and on the omission of the article. On the other hand, the error analysis of Turkish students has revealed that Turkish students mainly have problems with the erroneous omission of the definite article and the compatibility of the definite article with some verbs. Based on these two investigations, a didactic intervention has been designed to encourage the use of the article by the aforementioned student

Geometry of D-semianalytic and subanalytic sets over complete non -Archimedean fields

This is an investigation of basic geometric properties of D-semianalytic and subanalytic sets over an arbitrary (i.e. not necessarily algebraically closed) non-trivially valued complete non-Archimedean fields, mostly in the characteristic 0 case. Main results include a Parameterized Normalization Theorem and a Parameterized Smooth Stratification Theorem for D-semianalytic sets as well as a Bounded Piece Number Theorem for fibers of a D-semianalytic set. Several properties that a well behaved dimension function is expected to satisfy are also proved to hold for a natural notion of dimension when applied to D-semianalytic and subanalytic sets. As an application of the Bounded Piece Number Theorem, a new proof of the Complexity Theorem of Lipshitz and Robinson is given at the end