Opinions of pre-service teachers on online discussion environments

Pala, Ferhat Kadir (Aksaray, Yazar)Çevrimiçi tartışma ortamları öğretmen adaylarına verimli çalışma olanakları sağlayabilmekte midir? Daha verimli ve katılımı motive eden çevrimiçi tartışma ortamları oluşturma konusunda öğretmen adaylarının görüşleri ve beklentileri nelerdir? Bu sorulardan hareketle gerçekleştirilen bu araştırma, daha verimli ve katılımı motive eden çevrimiçi tartışma ortamları oluşturmaya rehberlik edebilecek öneriler geliştirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Çalışmada veriler, çevrimiçi öğrenme ve tartışma ortamlarında yaşantı geçirmiş öğretmen adaylarıyla yürütülen odak grup görüşmeleri yoluyla toplanmıştır. Çalışma grubunu 2007-2008 öğretim yılı güz döneminden 2010-2011 öğretim yılı güz dönemine kadar üçüncü ve dördüncü sınıfta öğrenim gören öğretmen adayları (84 katılımcı) oluşturmaktadır. Odak grup görüşmelerinde katılımcılara; “çevrimiçi tartışma ortamlarına katılma ya da katılmama nedenleri”, “bu ortamlardan beklentileri”, “hangi özelliklere sahip ortamlarda daha iyi öğrenecekleri” gibi açık uçlu sorular yöneltilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler içerik analizi ile temalara ayrılmıştır. Analiz sonucunda; Katılım Biçimleri, Hiyerarşik Yapı, Dönüt Sistemi, Tartışma Başlıkları, Yorum Takip Etme Şekli, Anlık Tepkilerin İfade Edilmesi ve Görsel Tasarım temaları oluşmuştur. Oluşan bu temalara göre geliştirilen önerilerden bazıları: Çevrimiçi tartışma ortamlarının yorumları yazılı yapabilmenin yanı sıra görsel ve işitsel materyal ekleyerek görüntülü ve sesli yorum yapabilmeye, dolayısıyla okumanın yanında dinleyerek ve izleyerek yorumları takip edebilmeye olanak vermesi, yorumların uygun bir listeleme yöntemiyle verilmesi, katılımcı yorumlarına yapılan yorumların farklı bir renkle ve yorum sayısını gösterir şekilde verilmesidir.Do online discussion environments provide affective opportunities to the pre-service teachers? What are the opinions and the expectations of the pre-service teachers to create more affective online discussion environments that motived the online participation? Departing from these questions, this research aimed to present some suggestions to create more affective online discussion environments that motived the online participation. The study data were collected from focus group interviews of pre-service teachers who have experience on online learning environments and online discussions. The study group consisted of 84 pre-service teachers whose grade were between 3rd year and 4th year. The study had conducted between fall semester of the 2007-2008 academic year and fall semester of the 2010-2011 academic year. Open-ended questions like “what are your reasons to participate or not to online discussion environment”, “what are your expectations from these environments” and “in which environment you would learn better” were asked to participants of focus group interviews. The obtained data were divided to the themes by content analysis. As a result of this study, seven themes were formed. These themes are Participation Forms, Hierarchical Structure, Feedback System, Discussion Topics, Comment Tracking, Expression of Instant Response and Visual Design. Some of the suggestions developed from these themes are online comments would be in visual and audible formats by adding visual and audible materials as well as having done in text format, therefore comment tracing would allow listening and watching, comments would be listed in an appropriate sorting methodology, reply comments would be displayed in different color and with quantity

Development of a participation style scale for online instructional discussions

Pala, Ferhat Kadir ( Aksaray, Yazar )The purpose of this study is to develop a standardized measurement tool that can be used to determine the participation styles of individuals participating in online instructional discussions. The scale consists of two dimensions called ‘Why’ and ‘How.’ The Why dimension comprises the main motivators of the participants’ participation in online instructional environments, whereas the How dimension comprises items expressing participation behaviors or forms. Two separate datasets were used for exploratory factor analysis (450 participants) and confirmatory factor analysis (693 participants), and the scale was applied to both undergraduate and graduate students. The scale consisted of eight factors, with four in the Why dimension and four in the How dimension. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale was able to identify four different patterns of participation. Expressed as participation styles, these patterns are To Socialize/Connective, To Get Information/Analytical, To Discuss/Innovative, and To Fulfill Requirements/Practical. According to these results, the Participation Style Scale for Online Instructional Discussions was assumed to be a valid and a reliable measurement tool for determining the participation styles of participants of online instructional discussions. These four styles are thought to contribute to the instructors, the researchers, and the learners who want to benefit from effective learning in online environments. Instructors and researchers can determine learners’ participation styles before organizing discussion environments, and learners who think and gain awareness about their own participation styles can manage their discussion and learning processes more effectively

Neuroprotective Effect of Thymoquinone through miR-204-3p in 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Parkinson Model

[No Abstract Available

A Usability Study of An Online Instructional Multi-Media Discussion Environment

The present study aims to evaluate the usability of the Online Instructional Multi-Media Discussion Environment which was developed in the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (CEIT) at the Hacettepe University as part of a doctoral thesis. The study was designed as a case study and conducted with 56 CEIT senior students. The results of the research are considered to be significant as they could both help the people responsible for the design of sites and their contents, and form the basis for further usability studies in order to develop online instructional multi-media discussion environments. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Wo

Deep phenotyping of miRNAs in the exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis

Cardiac hypertrophy (CH) is an adaptational enlargement of the myocardium, in exposure to altered stress conditions or in case of injury which can lead to heart failure and death. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that play a significant role in modulating gene expression. Here, we aimed to identify new miRNAs effective in an experimental CH model and to find an epigenetic biomarker that could demonstrate therapeutic targets responsible for the pathology of heart tissue and serum. In this study, Sprague–Dawley male rats were divided into the training group (TG, n=9) and the control group (CG, n=6). Systolic and diastolic dimensions of the left ventricle and myocardial wall thickness were measured by echocardiography to assess CH. After the exercise program of the rats, miRNA expression measurements and histological analyses were performed. The 25,000 genes in the rat genome were searched using microarray analysis. A total of 128 miRNAs were selected according to the fold change rates, and nine miRNAs were validated for expression analysis. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick (TUNEL) method was used to detect apoptotic cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) method. Necrosis, bleeding, and intercellular edema were detected in TG. The mean histopathological score was higher in TG (p=0.03). There were rarely positive cells for apoptosis of both groups in cardiomyocytes. In the receiver characteristic curve analysis (ROC), the heart tissue rno-miR-290 had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.920 with 100% sensitivity and 89.90% specificity (p=0.045), rno-miR-194-5p had AUC of 0.940 with 83.33% sensitivity and 100% specificity (p=0.003), and the serum rno-miR-132-3p AUC was 0.880 with 66.67% sensitivity and 100% specificity (p=0.004) in TG. miR-194-5p was used as a therapeutic target for remodeling the cardiac process. While miR-290 contributes to CH as a negative regulator, miR-132 in serum is effective in the pathological and physiological cardiac remodeling process and is a candidate biomarker