Factors for Success and Course Completion in Massive Open Online Courses through the Lens of Participant Types

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the factors for success and course completion through the lens of participants in a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) system implemented in Turkey. Thirty-two participants were selected on the basis of purposive sampling among 5000 enrolled users from 10 MOOCs, who were then classified into 3 types –lurking, moderately active, memorably active– based on their participation rate in the course activities. The data were collected via the use of two semi-structured interviews. According to the findings, the factors for success in MOOCs to the participants were divided into three categories: instructor effectiveness, course design, and personal factors. As to the factors for course completion, the categories identified were the instructor, course design, personal factors, technical issues, and affordability/clarity. The findings regarding success and course completion were discussed in detail and recommendations were provided to enhance participation in MOOCs

Akademisyenlerin Bilgi ve İletişim Teknolojilerine Erişimi Ölçeğinin Türkçe’ye Uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması

DergiPark: 852047tredBu çalışmanın amacı “Faculties’ Information and Communication Technology Access (FICTA)” isimli ölçeğin Türkçe ’ye uyarlanması ile birlikte geçerlik ve güvenirlik sonuçlarının sunulmasıdır. Orijinal formu İngilizce olan, 7 faktör ve 44 maddeden oluşan ölçeğin bazı boyutları bu uyarlama çalışması kapsamına alınmıştır. Öncelikle ölçeğin maddeleri uzmanlar tarafından titizlikle hedef dile çevrilmiş ve geri çeviri yöntemi ile kontrol edilmiştir. Dilsel geçerliliği tespit etmek için özgün ve uyarlanan formları belli aralıklarla hedef kitleye uygulanmıştır. Pozitif korelasyon ile dilsel geçerliliği sağlanan ölçeğin, faktör yapısını ortaya çıkarmak amacıyla 265 gönüllü akademisyenden toplanan veriler üzerinde açımlayıcı faktör analizi uygulanmıştır. Analiz sonucunda orijinalden farklı olarak Stratejik ve Bilgisel Beceri olarak ayrışan iki boyutu tek faktör altında birleşmiş ve Beceri olarak isimlendirilmiştir. Beceri, öğretimsel kullanım, dışsal motivasyon ve içsel motivasyon olarak isimlendirilen yapılardan birer madde çeşitli nedenler ile çıkartılmış ve sonuçta toplam 25 maddeden oluşan 4 faktörlü bir yapı elde edilmiştir. Faktör yükü dağılımlarının .87 ile .44 arasında değiştiği, açıklanan toplam varyansın % 66.03 olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca farklı bir çalışma grubundan oluşan 251 akademisyene uygulanan doğrulayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda kabul edilebilir düzeyde uyum değerlerine ulaşılmıştır. Ölçeği oluşturan yapıların güvenirlik analizi sonuçlarının ise .95 ile .75 arasında değiştiği görülmüştür. Akademisyenlerin bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerine erişimini ölçmek için kullanılacak bu ölçeğin geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğu tespit edilmişti

İngilizce öğretmen adaylarının kaygı aşamalarının ve teknoloji entegrasyonu öz yeterliliklerinin araştırılması.

The main aim of this study was to explore psychoeducational group counseling process in 3D VWs. The purposes of current study were; to explore affordances and challenges of 3D VWs for psychoeducational groups, to describe how features of 3D VWs are perceived by participants, to explore psychoeducational groups process and outcomes in 3D VWs and understand how it differs from face-to-face, and to identify effective instructional strategies for psychoeducational groups. In this respect, two psychoeducational procrastination groups were organized. There were nine participants in each group and two group counseling leaders led both groups. The research design was qualitative in nature; more specifically, multiple case study methodology guided the researcher. Multiple forms of evidences were collected from group members and group counseling leaders. The data were collected through interviews, questionnaires and observations. Collected data were analyzed according to qualitative data analysis techniques and non-parametric tests. The results of this study revealed some prominent findings. First, features of 3D VWs indicated important affordances for psychoeducational groups. These affordances included interactive 3D space, avatar representation, extended sense of presence and comfort of self-disclosure. On the other hand, some identified challenges were; technical issues, multitasking and lack of non-verbal cues. Second, both cases showed similar patterns in terms of procrastination behavior outcomes, motivation and satisfaction. Finally, effective instructional strategies were discussed. Due to limited research regarding participants’ and counselors’ experiences of using 3D VWs in the literature, results of this study might provide invaluable information for researchers, practitioners and administrators.Ph.D. - Doctoral Progra

Replication Data for: pre-service teachers’ stages of concern development for technology integration in English language teaching

The purpose of the study is to investigate stages of concern of English language pre-service teachers for technology integration in English language teachin

Investigating the Concerns of First-Time Distance Education Instructors

WOS: 000502555700006The purpose of the study is to investigate the concern developments of first-time distance education instructors using the concerns-based adoption model (CBAM). This study used stages of concern (SoC), a component of CBAM, as its theoretical framework. A descriptive case study was implemented, which focused on the adaptation processes of nine instructors lecturing for the first time via distance education. The instructors attended a two-day training, which was designed based on their initial concerns. Then instructors implemented their courses for four weeks via distance education. While the informational and personal stages (self-concerns) decreased compared to the initial findings, the consequence stage increased in intensity. However, self-concerns remained predominant in the process despite the reduction in self-concerns and increase in the consequence stage. Based on the findings, the implications for distance education and recommendations for addressing the instructors' concerns are discussed. Recommendations for alleviating the concerns of first-time distance education instructors include: the provision of ongoing concern-based interventions that incorporate technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge; providing working examples related to distance education from which instructors can learn vicariously; and encouraging collaboration among instructors

Investigating Pre-Service English Teachers Stages of Concern toward Using Wiki

Concern Based Adaption Model (CBAM) was used as the theoretical framework for examining the Stages of Concerns of English Language pre-service teachers regarding the use of a Wiki for English as Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Stages of concern are used as a measure for adaptation of new technologies to instruction. Learning by Design (LBD) instructional method was implemented for three weeks in the context of an undergraduate course, “Approaches to English Language Teaching”, in the department of Foreign Language Education. A single group pretest-posttest design was used where the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) of 14 pre-service teachers were measured and analyzed. Results of the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test showed that there was statistically significant difference between the Consequence and Collaboration concerns pre and post-test scores. However, the analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the Unconcerned, Informational, Personal, Management, and Refocusing stages of the pre-service teachers

English Language Preservice Teachers\u2019 Stages of Concern for Web 2.0 Technology Integration

This study explores the English Language preservice teachers (PST)’ stages of concern (SoC) for Web 2.0 technology integration in the Learning Technology by Design (LBD) based course. It aims to identify and better understand PSTs’ concerns. Understanding the concerns has advantages of describing and addressing the needs of PSTs prior to actual in-service experiences. SoC model, a component of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, was used as the theoretical framework. An embedded mixed methods design was implemented, which included 24 English language PSTs. The PSTs attended a semester-long course in which they were involved in LBD activities that included Web 2.0 technologies. While the quantitative data were collected through the SoC questionnaire, the qualitative data were gathered from the focus group and individual interviews. According to the findings, the PSTs improved their knowledge and skills regarding Web 2.0 technology integration and increased the Consequence stage’s intensity significantly. Namely, the PSTs gained an understanding of how to design technology-integrated lesson activities that can promote learning. The findings further identified that the Unconcerned, Informational, and Personal stages’ intensities remained predominant and unchanged over the semester. Recommendations for addressing the PSTs’ concerns include: integrating LBD activities into the English language teaching curriculum and reinforcing the LBD activities with modeling, mentoring, or teaching practices to assure PSTs’ commitments for technology integration.Bu çalışma, İngilizce öğretmen adaylarının, Teknolojiyi Tasarlayarak Öğrenme (TTÖ) yaklaşımı tabanında hazırlanmış bir derste, Web 2.0 teknoloji entegrasyonuna yönelik kaygı aşamalarını araştırmaktadır. Çalışma öğretmen adaylarının kaygılarını belirlemeyi ve daha iyi anlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Öğretmen adaylarının bu konudaki kaygılarını araştırmak, asıl hizmet içi deneyimlerden önce ihtiyaçları tanımlama ve ele alma fırsatını sunmaktadır. Çalışmanın teorik çerçevesi olarak Kaygı tabanlı adaptasyon modelinin bir bileşini olan Kaygı aşamaları kullanılmıştır. 24 İngilizce öğretmen adayını içeren gömülü bir karma yöntem tasarımı uygulanmıştır. Öğretmen adayları, Web 2.0 teknolojileri içeren TTÖ aktivitelerinin uygulandığı derse bir dönem boyunca katılmışlardır. Çalışmadaki nicel veriler kaygı aşamaları ölçeği ile toplanırken, nitel veriler odak grup ve bireysel görüşmelerden alınmıştır. Bulgular, öğretmen adaylarının Web 2.0 teknolojilerine yönelik bilgi ve becerilerinin geliştiğini ve kaygı aşamalarından biri olan Sonuç aşamasının yoğunluğunun istatistiksel olarak arttığını göstermiştir. Diğer bir ifadeyle, öğretmen adayları öğrenmeyi artırabilmek amacıyla teknoloji ile desteklenmiş ders etkinliklerinin tasarımı konusunda bir anlayış kazanmışlardır. Bulgular ayrıca Kaygısız, Bilgilendirici ve Kişisel aşamaların yoğunluklarının dönem boyunca baskın ve değişmeden kaldığını da ortaya koymuştur. Bu doğrultuda, bu çalışma öğretmen adaylarının teknoloji entegrasyonuna yönelik kararlılıklarını sağlamak için, TTÖ etkinliklerinin İngilizce öğretimi müfredatına entegre edilmesini ve bu etkinliklerin modelleme, mentorluk yada öğretim deneyimi uygulamaları ile zenginleştirilmesini önermektedir

Effect of learning technology by design (LBD) activities on technology integration self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service english teachers

The aim of the present study is to investigate technology integration self-efficacy beliefs of teachers treated with Learning Technology by Design (LBD) activities. The participants of the study were 24 (2 males and 22 female) English language pre-service teachers taking the “Instructional Principles and Methods” course in the department of Foreign Language Education in a public university in Turkey. The LBD activities were aligned with the course goals and objectives and Web 2.0 tools were utilized. Technology integration self-efficacy belief survey was administered to collect data. Results indicated that there was a significant difference from pre-test to post-test scores of technology integration self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers with large effect after the LBD activities conducted. The findings from qualitative data provided important explanations about technology integration self-efficacy beliefs of English language pre-service teachers