A comparison between Turkish and English history textbooks: design, construction and usability issues

This study is about the comparison of Turkish and English history textbooks in terms of the issues of design, construction and usability. In order to address design and construction issues, a number of components of Turkish and English history textbooks were examined and compared. This incorporates the qualitative and quantitative comparisons made on the legibility and page layout, illustrations, readability, content and organisation of text, presentation of value judgements and controversial issues in the Turkish and English history textbooks. In addition, bureaucratic process and approval of a textbook in Turkey and England were also investigated. In order to find out the viewpoints of Turkish and English history teachers on the textbooks that they use, questionnaire and interview techniques were used. As a result, a total of 135 questionnaires and 14 interviews with the Turkish and English history teachers have been used for this research. In addition, two Turkish and two English textbook writers were interviewed to understand the processes and difficulties that they had in writing. Furthermore, in order to understand the importance and role of history textbooks in Turkish and English educational settings, a total of 108 lessons were observed in these countries. The findings of the research reveal that Turkey and England have very different history teaching policies in terms of the way historical knowledge, illustrations, controversial issues and value judgements, content and organisation of the text and page layout of the textbooks are presented. These countries have very different textbook approval systems as well. The findings of the empirical study also indicate the existence of very different viewpoints of Turkish and English history teachers and textbook writers about the quality of the textbooks. The roles that textbooks play in teaching processes in Turkish and English classrooms are considerably different from each other. Thus, this study can be taken as the story of the Turkish and English teaching experiences which appear to contrast with each other

EVALUATION OF THE FIELD TRIPS TO ENVIRONMENTS FOR INFORMAL LEARNING: CASE OF THE 'ENERGY PARK

Informal education needs to organize activities in accordance with goals as with formal education institutions and consider how efficient these activities are in reaching predetermined goals. However, the learning gains might become limited when the informal education was not organized to accompany formal education or according to the attainment targets determined. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the field trip to "Energy Park" in terms of prospective science teachers' learning about some of the science concepts and their ideas about effectiveness of the field trip. In the present study a pre-post test experimental design was benefitted. Final year prospective science teachers (n=30) participated in this study. A questionnaire was designed and used as data collection instrument. To trace the changes in their ideas the questionnaire was used prior to and after the field trip. Questionnaire possessed open ended questions, some of which asked prospective teachers' expectations from the Energy Park. The rest of the questions aimed to gauge prospective teachers' learning of the science concepts addressed during the field trip. Visual resources (such as video, photographs, etc.) were also collected and used as data source for mapping out prospective science teachers' performance during the visit. The results of the analysis indicated that field trip helped prospective teachers to progress and strengthen the scientific concepts such as bio energy and air pollution whereas they learnt new concepts such as Perlite and Zeolite

AN ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PROSPECTIVE CHEMISTRY TEACHERS' VIEWS OF LEARNING-TEACHING, THE NATURE OF SCIENCE, PREFERRED LEARNING STYLES AND THEIR CLASSROOM PRACTICE: IS THERE A CONSONANCE?

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between prospective chemistry teachers' (PCTs) views of learning-teaching, views of the nature of science, preferred learning styles and real classroom practice. At the outset of the study, PCTs' views of learning-teaching were determined via open-ended questionnaire. Their learning styles and views of the nature of science were also determined. PCTs' instructions at secondary schools were recorded digitally to find out if there is a consonance between instructions they carried out and their views of learning-teaching and the nature of science. Fourteen PCTs participated in the study. With the help of ideographic analyses, we decided whether their views of learning-teaching are constructivist in nature or not. The results of this analysis were compared with their preferred learning styles and their views towards the nature of science. The findings indicated that ten of the PCTs have constructivist points of view concerning teaching and learning. These PCTs' preferred learning styles are either collaborative or independent. Findings also indicated that even though they appeared to have constructivist points of view, most of the PCTs planned and conducted their lesson in behaviorist ways in differentiated ratios. It seems that there is dissonance between PCTs' views of teaching and their actual practice in classrooms

Yansıtıcı Düşünmenin Öğretmen Adaylarının Yapılandırmacı Öğrenme Ortamı Hazırlama Becerileri ve Becerileri Kullanma Sıklıklarına Etkisi

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of reflective thinking practices on prospective teachers’ skills in preparation of the constructivist learning environment and frequencies of the their use of constructivist learning environment principles at the Teaching Practice Course II. Sixteen prospective teachers (eight female, eight male), taking the Teaching Practice II course in the Department of Elementary Education at Marmara University, participated in this study. The Embedded design, a mixed methods design, was used. At the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference between constructivist learning environment preparation skills of the prospective teachers in both experimental and control groups. At the end of the reflective thinking practices, there was a significant difference between experimental and control groups’ protest scores in relation to constructivist learning environment preparation skills’ favoring the prospective teachers in the experimental group. Analysis of the observations made during the implementation and it was observed that prospective teachers in the experimental group used the constructivist learning environment skills during teaching practice more oftenBu araştırma, yansıtıcı düşünme uygulamalarının sınıf öğretmeni adaylarının yapılandırmacı öğrenme ortamı hazırlama beceri düzeyleri ve bu becerileri kullanma sıklıkları üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. 16 sınıf öğretmeni adayının yer aldığı araştırmada öntest-sontest kontrol gruplu deneysel model kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın uygulama süreci başında öğretmen adaylarının yapılandırmacı öğrenme ortamı hazırlama beceri düzeyleri arasında fark olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Yansıtıcı düşünme uygulamalarının sonunda uygulanan sontestlerin analizi ise deney grubunda yer alan öğretmen adaylarının daha yüksek yapılandırmacı öğrenme ortamı hazırlama beceri düzeyine sahip olduklarını göstermiştir. Aynı şekilde, uygulama süresince yapılan gözlemlerin analizi deney grubunda yer alan öğretmen adaylarının yapılandırmacı öğrenme ortamı becerilerini öğretmenlik uygulaması süresince daha sık kullandıklarını göstermiştir

SECONDARY STUDENTS' USE OF SUBMOLECULAR REPRESENTATIONS: HOW COMPATABLE THEY ARE WITH THE ACCEPTED MODELS

To analyze students' submicroscopic representations of atoms, molecules and ionic lattice structures a survey design was implemented in the study in which high school Grade 9 Turkish students (n= 100) were participated. The questionnaire included 4 open ended molecular drawing questions that take place in the textbook as molecular models. The data obtained from students' molecular drawings and verbal explanations in the questionnaire were analysed together ideographically. The findings indicated some of the students were able to relate submicroscopic representation with the symbolic ones in an acceptable way. Yet, most of the students failed to show submicroscopic level, instead they used Lewis dot structures with outermost shell electrons for molecular drawings. Most of the students were successful in differentiating between solid, liquid and gaseous state of the same substance at submicroscopic level where the position of the molecules, atoms or ionic lattice were drawn in an acceptable way

Dünyadaki eğitim temelli sivil toplum kuruluşları kimler ve neler yapmaktalar?

Son dönemin popüler ifadelerinden biri oldu \"Coğrafya kaderdir\" sözü. Şüphesiz, doğal olarak bu bakış açısına karşı çıkacaklar olsa da, doğduğun ülke gerçekten de bazen kişinin kaderi olabilmektedir. Düşünsenize, ortalama bir Iraklının, Suriyelinin, Sudanlının, Eritrelinin, Afgan’ın, Vietnamlının, Kübalının, Kuzey Korelinin kendisinin ya da çocuğunun insan ve çocuk hakları özelinde yaşam standartları dünyanın diğer gelişmiş ülkelerindekilerle karşılaştırıldığında ne durumdadır? Beslenmenin niteliğinden, kültür sanata, bilimsel anlayış ve nimetlerinden yararlanmadan özgürlük anlayışına dek pek çok ölçütte akranlarından çok daha geride dünyaya geldiklerinin ne derece farkındadırlar? Bu anlamda fakirliğin ve cehaletin giderilmesinde vatandaşı oldukları ülkeler genellikle başarılı olamayabiliyorlar ve hatta bazen statükonun devamı adına olmak da istemeyebiliyorlar. İşte böylesi durumlarda, devletlerden bağımsız olarak UNESCO, UNICEF gibi çok uluslu kuruluşlar ya da sivil toplum kuruluşları birer kurtarıcı olarak sahaya inebilmektedirler. Bu çok uluslu organizasyonlar ya da sivil toplum kuruluşlarının en etkin olduğu alanlardan biri de eğitim alanıdır. Okul öncesinden üniversite eğitimine ve hatta kimi zaman yetişkin eğitimine kadar tüm basamaklarındaki eğitim öğretimle ilgili katkı sunan bu kuruluşlar insan hakları, çocuk hakları, çevre eğitimi, göçmen/dezavantajlı/kız çocuklarının eğitimi gibi tema alanlarda da işlev yerine getirebilmektedir. Bu alanların ötesinde matematik, fen, sanat, beden eğitimi gibi alan eğitimi üzerine uzmanlaşmış sivil toplum kuruluşları da bulunmaktadır. Bu kitabın amacı, bu alan ve alt alanlarda dünyanın farklı noktalarında hizmet veren belli başlı çok uluslu ve sivil toplum kuruluşlarını genel hatlarıyla gündeme getirmektir. Önsöz’ünü okumakta olduğunuz bu kitap aslında \"bir devam kitabı\" niteliğindedir. \"Demokrasinin Beşinci Gücü Olarak (Türkiye’de) Eğitim Temelli Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları\" adlı kitabın ardından yerelden evrensele ilkesi ışığında \"Dünya’da Eğitim Temelli Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları\"nın çalışılması adeta bir zorunluluktu. İlk kitapta da ifade ettiğim gibi, bu kitapların yazılma fikrinin arkasında, \"Uluslararası Karşılaştırmalı Eğitim\" adlı yüksek lisans programında yer alan \"Uluslararası Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları\" adlı dersin bana önerilmesi olmuştur. Kaynak kitap eksikliği ve \"neden olmasın\" öngörüsü/cesareti bu kitapların varlık nedenlerinin ardındaki temel motiflerdir; belki de biraz alanımın dışına çıkarak haddimi aşma pahasına da olsa

The effects of inquiry-based learning on elementary students' conceptual understanding of matter, scientific process skills and science attitudes

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) environments, on students' conceptual understanding of matter, scientific process skills and attitudes towards science. A teaching intervention was designed on the basis of IBL principles, which was put into practice in a 5th grade science class (n=20). Instruction lasted 8 weeks in total as provided by normal science curriculum. The success of teaching intervention was tested via concept test, scientific process skills test and attitude scale. The findings indicated that IBL had a positive impact on students' conceptual understanding and scientific process skills, but did not make any difference on their attitudes towards science. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS’ and STUDENTS’ IDEAS on EVIDENCE-BASED HISTORY TEACHING: An EXAMINATION of EXISTING STATUS

Bu araştırma, öğretmen ve öğrencilerin “kanıt temelli tarih öğretim yöntemi”ne yönelik algılarını belirlemek; aynı zamanda öğretmen ve öğrencilerin kanıt temelli tarih öğretim yöntemini mevcut sistem ile karşılaştırmalarını sağlayarak değerlendirmede bulunmaları amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma farklı lise türlerinde görev alan 12 tarih öğretmeni ve yine farklı lise türlerinde eğitim alan 12 tarihi seven/sevmeyen öğrenci ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma deseni olarak nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden eylem araştırması çalışma deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada eylem araştırması deseni örneklerinden ise; özgürleştirici/geliştirici/eleştirisel eylem araştırması deseni tercih edilmiştir. Araştırmanın örneklem tipi amaçlı örnekleme modelinden ölçüt örnekleme tipiolarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırmanın gerçekleştirilmesi sürecinde “Öğretmen ve Öğrenci Görüşme Formu, Kanıt Temelli Tarih Öğretimi Tanıtımı ve Ses Kayıt Cihazı”ndan yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sürecinde görüşmeler, önceden belirlenmiş olunan okullarda öğretmen ve öğrencilerin uygun oldukları gün ve saat dilimleri içerisinde yapılmıştır. Araştırma sürecinde toplanan veriler aslına uygun şekilde çözümlenmiştir. Bu amaçla, ilk etapta ses kayıt cihazına kaydedilen görüşmeler aynıyla kelime işlem dosyasına aktarılmış; sonrasında ise önermelerden oluşan kategorik analiz tabloları araştırma sorularına uygun şekilde kullanıma hazır hale getirilmiştir. Araştırma sonucuna yönelik; “kanıt temelli tarih öğretimi” uygulamasında öğretmen ve öğrencilere yöneltilen araştırma soruları hemen hemen aynı olmakla birlikte görece; kendilerine yöneltilen sorulara öğrencilerin öğretmenlere nazaran daha özel cevaplar verdiği gözlemlenmektedir. Ayrıca öğretmen ve öğrencilerin genel görüşlerine bakıldığı zaman kanıt temelli tarih öğretim yönteminin okullarda uygulanması ve ivedilikle hayata geçirilmesi hususunda aynı görüş açılarını paylaştıkları söylenebilir.This study has been realized to detect perception of teachers and students to “history teaching method based on evidence”; to provide to teachers and students comparison between “history teaching method based on evidence” and existing system in purpose to evaluate, at the same time. The research has been realized with 12 history teachers from different high school types and 12 students from different high school types who loved/ unloved history. As the research design, action research study pattern from qualitative research methods was used. As among the examples of action research pattern; liberatory/developmental/critical is preferred in research. Criterion sampling type from purposeful sampling model was defined as the sample type for the research. "Teacher and Student Interview Form, Evidence-Based History Teaching Presentation and Voice Recorder" were used in the collection of research data. During the research process, interviews were held in pre-determined schools in days and time periods for which teachers and students were available. The data collected during the research process were analyzed letter- perfect. For this purpose, at the first stage interviews recorded voice recorder was transferred to word processing file; after that categorical analysis tables formed from proposals were made ready to use in accordance with the research questions. For the research result; in addition to that research questions asked from teachers and students during the "history teaching based on evidence” practice are almost same, it has been observed that students gave more specific answers than teachers. In addition, when general opinions of teachers and students are examined, it can be said that their opinions on applying the history teaching method based on evidence to the schools and urgently to put it into practice are the same