Reflective thinking and professional development: an autoethnography of an efl teacher educator

Reflective teacher education for developing critical and inquiry-based competencies among pre- service teachers through enacting noticing, questioning, associating, reasoning and deducing conclusions have served immensely for the beginning of their professional development. Reflective thinking and learning has become a dominant paradigm in teacher education for the last three decades in the Turkish context. Foreign language teacher education within the reflective paradigm has also been accelerated since then. This study is designed as an autoethnographic one where I analyse my own professional developmental journey as an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher educator centralizing the concept of reflection along the timeline. Autoethnographies are in a way self-studies in which the processes are analyzed from the insider’s perspective. In the paper, the term reflection is elaborated for not only the meaning within my English Language Teaching process to follow a career pathway but also as a concept whereby I have developed the use of reflective thinking in educating EFL teachers for the last two decades. The way I developed the concept in my learning and teaching, and its evolution in the training procedures are examined via my practical uses in the coursework with EFL pre-service teachers. As a result, this study reveals a transformation in one’s reflective learning to become a reflective teacher and thus a teacher educator. Such studies, like this one, might present not only valuable insights at the personal level but also a contribution to others for conceptualizing the construction and complex processes of professional development in teaching and teacher identities

Critical pedagogy in ELT: A scoping review on the studies conducted in Türkiye (2015-2022)

Critical Pedagogy (CP) which was introduced by Paulo Freire in 1968 has started to become visible in the context of Turkish ELT, recently. Emergence of CP in this academic field has also accelerated the crucial discussions regarding various ELT components across Türkiye. In this paper, the focus is on CP with the motivation of exploring how it is exploited in numerous Turkish ELT settings and the gap in the relevant field of research. Designed as a scoping review, the research specifically outlines the studies conducted between January 2015 and May 2022. Analyses of a total of 34 publications comprising of theses/dissertations, books/book chapters and peer-reviewed articles display that CP has been used in four research strands (i)beliefs and perspectives about CP, (ii) critique of ELT/Teacher education curriculum, (iii) course content, methodology and material analysis, and (iv) course design. As for the gap, derived from recommendation and implications of the studies, four main suggestions including CP integration into ELT curricula, opening CP-based new courses in teacher education programs, re-designing ELT materials considering CP and the use of CP-based methodologies. Last but not least, studies do not mention what does not work well with the CP-use in context. Also, very few theoretical but no policy papers are found, which might be interpreted that CP as a theory is still not quite in the agenda of the relevant authorities

A scoping review on practicum of turkish pre-service EFL teachers during COVID-19

The practicum period is a crucial component of teacher education as it embodies the first phases into "real" teaching and thus provides a leap into professional transformation and growth on the side of pre-service teachers. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic jeopardized this period and placed the educational contexts at stake in providing that reality. Within this frame, the present study focuses on the research conducted on the practicum period of Turkish pre-service teachers of English during the pandemic. More specifically, the research question that the article addresses is “what is the nature of studies conducted about Turkish pre-service EFL teachers’ practicum period during the COVID-19 pandemic concerning their characteristics, methodologies and contributions to the field?” With the aim of answering the research question, the seven studies conducted in Turkey regarding the practicum during the pandemic were collected and analyzed as to their bibliographic features, methodological orientations, foci and context, with a scoping review methodology. This scoping review demonstrated both positive/beneficial and negative/challenging aspects of the pandemic period for the English language teacher education context of Turkey. The results of the present study displayed a wider lens in perceiving the English language teaching and teacher education settings during both such emergencies and transition from existing to 'new normal'.Staj uygulamaları, öğretmen adaylarının ilk “gerçek” öğretim aşamasını oluşturması ve dolayısıyla mesleki dönüşüm ve gelişime bir geçiş sağlaması nedeniyle, öğretmen eğitiminin çok önemli bir dönemidir. Fakat COVID-19 salgını bu dönemi tehlikeye sokmuş bu gerçekliğin yerine getirilmesi görevini de eğitim kurumlarına yüklemiştir. Bu çerçevede, çalışmamız salgın esnasında Türkiye’de İngilizce Öğretmenliği bölümlerinde okuyan öğrencilerin staj sürecini kapsayan yayınlanmış diğer çalışmalara odaklanmaktadır. Daha net ifadeyle, bu makale, “COVID-19 salgını sırasında Türkiye’de İngilizce Öğretmenliği Bölümlerinin staj uygulamaları kavramını ele alan çalışmaların özellikleri, metotları ve alana katkıları açısından doğası nedir?” araştırma sorusunu cevaplamayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu soruyu cevaplamak için, Türkiye'de salgın esnasında İngilizce Öğretmenliği bölümlerinde okuyan öğrencilerin staj uygulamaları deneyimi sürecine odaklanan çalışmalar taranmış ve toplamda yedi yayına ulaşılmıştır. Bu çalışmaların yayın özellikleri, metodolojik yaklaşımları ile amaç ve bağlamları, kapsam analizi metoduyla analiz edilmiştir. Kapsam analizi, salgın sürecinin Türkiye'deki İngilizce öğretmeni eğitimine pozitif/yararlı ve negatif/zorlayıcı etkilerini gözönüne sermiştir. Bulgular, İngilizce öğretimi ve öğretmen yetiştirme çerçevesinde varolandan ‘yeni normal’e geçişte geniş bir bakış açısına erişimde katkılar sunmaktadır

National Technology Projects for EFL Teaching in Turkey

Technology integration into education has become a national priority for many centuries after the 1980s. However, making sound policies and creating a functional decision-making mechanism depend on various factors and differing alternative pathways. Following the developed country models during the 2000s, Turkey introduced a national ICT integrated instructional model in EFL teaching by implementing DynED (Dynamic Education), an internet-based language-learning module. Furthermore, the country has recently prioritized technology-integrated education as its foremost national policy via Fatih Project whereby the learning materials are digitalized and learners are to follow their classes on their tablet PCs throughout all levels of compulsory education. Considering the immense amount of investment in allocated resources, the project is understandably a long-term one with many stages of implementation by adopting a multi-dimensional approach. The current paper analyses the governmental policies by indicating the political attitude towards ICT integration into EFL teaching/learning at compulsory education with two main projects, namely DynED and Fatih. It achieves the aim via examining each step of policy-making via addressing mandates, actors, roles and responsibilities, and further binding decisions. Results indicate that Turkish government regardless of political ideology has always possessed positive dispositions towards technology integration into EFL teaching at public schools though the policies were introduced with urgency hesitating to fall behind the age. Keywords: ICT and Education, EFL Teaching, Political Attitude, Turkey, Policy Analysis

Vías del afecto positivo y negativo a los síntomas depresivos: mediación múltiple de las estrategias de regulación de la emoción

The current study aims to examine the multiple mediations of emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between positive and negative affect and depressive symptoms in adolescents. Participants included 290 students attending middle schools in a mid-size city in Southeastern Anatolian region. Among students, 137 were females (47.2%) and 153 (52.8%) were males. Participants’ ages ranged between 9 and 15 with a mean of 12.12, SD=1.53. Research data were collected through Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Adolescents, Emotion Regulation Scale for Adolescents, and Depression Scale for Children. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, an approach based on Ordinary Least Squares Regression, and Bootstrap method. Research findings indicated that the mediation of external dysfunctional emotion regulation, internal dysfunctional emotion regulation, and external functional emotion regulation in the relationships between positive emotions and depressive symptoms was statistically significant. However, the mediation of internal functional emotion regulation was not found to be statistically significant. In the relationship between negative emotions and depressive symptoms, the mediation of internal dysfunctional emotion regulation and external functional emotion regulation was found to be statistically significant. In addition, the mediation of internal functional emotion regulation and external dysfunctional emotion regulation was not found statistically significant. Research findings were discussed based on the relevant literature and some suggestions for researchers were put forward.El presente estudio tiene como objetivo examinar las múltiples mediaciones de las estrategias de regulación de las emociones en la relación entre el afecto positivo y negativo y los síntomas depresivos en los adolescentes. Los participantes fueron 290 estudiantes que asisten a escuelas intermedias en una ciudad de tamaño medio en la región del sudeste de Anatolia. Entre los estudiantes, 137 eran mujeres (47.2%) y 153 (52.8%) eran hombres. Las edades de los participantes variaron entre 9 y 15 con una media de 12.12, DT = 1.53. Los datos de la investigación se recogieron a través del Programa de Afecto Positivo y Negativo para Adolescentes, la Escala de Regulación de la Emoción para Adolescentes y la Escala de Depresión para Niños. El análisis de los datos se realizó mediante estadística descriptiva, coeficiente de correlación de Pearson, un enfoque basado en la regresión de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios y el método de Bootstrap. Los resultados de la investigación indicaron que la mediación de la regulación de la emoción disfuncional externa, la regulación interna de la emoción disfuncional y la regulación externa de la emoción funcional en las relaciones entre las emociones positivas y los síntomas depresivos fue estadísticamente significativa. Sin embargo, la mediación de la regulación de la emoción funcional interna no fue estadísticamente significativa. En la relación entre las emociones negativas y los síntomas depresivos, se encontró que la mediación de la regulación de la emoción interna disfuncional y la regulación de la emoción funcional externa es estadísticamente significativa. Además, la mediación de la regulación de la emoción funcional interna y la regulación de la emoción disfuncional externa no se encontró estadísticamente significativa. Los hallazgos de la investigación se discutieron en base a la literatura relevante y se presentaron algunas sugerencias para los investigadores

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Winning and Achievement Goals of Female Basketball Players

The aim of this study was to measure the levels of perceptions of winning and determine the achievement goals of female basketball players, and to investigate the relationship between the two. Ninety-two female basketball players between the ages of 16 and 31 (Xage=19.45± 3.46; Xsportage= 6.97± 4.64) participated in this study. In order to measure the participants’ perceptions related to winning, the “Perception of Winning Scale”, developed by Okur and Güven (2012), was used. The "2x2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire”, developed by Conroy et al. (2003) and adapted for Turkish by Kazak Çetinkalp et al. (2009), was used to determine the achievement goals of the participants. Descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Multiplication Correlation Analysis, and the independent t-test were used to analyse the data. The participants scored high on the Perception of Winning Scale, while their highest mean scores on the 2x2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire were on the “mastery approach” subscale. Pearson correlation analysis revealed the existence of a statistically significant and positive correlation between winning perception and performance-approach and between winning perception and performance-avoidance. The results of this study indicated that the participating female basketball players perceived winning as being ahead of others, being superior to or not being surpassed by others, and not being behind others. We thus concluded that they attributed winning to external factors

The comparative evaluation of carbon mineralization in soils contaminated and uncontaminated with chromium

The environmental risk of Chromium (Cr) pollution is pronounced in soils adjacent to chromate industry. It is important to investigate the functioning of soil microorganisms in ecosystems exposed to long-term contamination by Cr. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Cr on carbon mineralization in soil. The study was carried out in soils contaminated and uncontaminated with Cr near and away from a Cr mine in three different districts (Bozluk, Kızılyüksek and Yanıkçam) of East Mediterranean Region, Turkey. Carbon mineralization were determined in soils humidified 80% of field capacity at 28°C over 30 days under the same laboratory conditions. These results showed that carbon mineralization was greatly inhibited by the presence of Cr in all contaminated sites. Based on these results, microbial activity can use as an indicator for the Cr pollution level in the soil ecosystems

Self-Regularity of Non-Negative Output Weights for Overparameterized Two-Layer Neural Networks

We consider the problem of finding a two-layer neural network with sigmoid, rectified linear unit (ReLU), or binary step activation functions that "fits" a training data set as accurately as possible as quantified by the training error; and study the following question: \emph{does a low training error guarantee that the norm of the output layer (outer norm) itself is small?} We answer affirmatively this question for the case of non-negative output weights. Using a simple covering number argument, we establish that under quite mild distributional assumptions on the input/label pairs; any such network achieving a small training error on polynomially many data necessarily has a well-controlled outer norm. Notably, our results (a) have a polynomial (in $d$) sample complexity, (b) are independent of the number of hidden units (which can potentially be very high), (c) are oblivious to the training algorithm; and (d) require quite mild assumptions on the data (in particular the input vector $X\in\mathbb{R}^d$ need not have independent coordinates). We then leverage our bounds to establish generalization guarantees for such networks through \emph{fat-shattering dimension}, a scale-sensitive measure of the complexity class that the network architectures we investigate belong to. Notably, our generalization bounds also have good sample complexity (polynomials in $d$ with a low degree), and are in fact near-linear for some important cases of interest.Comment: 34 pages. Some of the results in the present paper are significantly strengthened versions of certain results appearing in arXiv:2003.1052