Ahmet Karaburun

Implementation and Effectiveness of GIS-Based Projects in Secondary Schools

This study aims to provide an understanding of the main obstacles to conducting GIS-based projects in secondary schools and to determine the effects of these projects on students, teachers, and schools. The study was conducted in three public high schools in Turkey. The students first surveyed over 4,015 people in their school districts to understand the main social, environ- mental, and economic problems in their area, then conducted nine different GIS-based projects to help design solutions to these problems. As seen in the study, GIS is a very important teaching and learning tool for secondary schools; however, its effective use depends on planning, motivation, support, resources, time, and enthusiasm, especially for teachers.

Impacts of urban growth on forest cover in Istanbul (1987-2007).

This article reports findings of a study that examined the impacts of urban growth on forest cover in Istanbul between 1987 and 2007. Four Landsat images from 1987, 1990, 2000, and 2007 were classified with maximum likelihood supervised classification method by using ERDAS IMAGINE 9.1. Forest and urban areas were given highest importance in the classification, while other land-use characteristics, like agriculture and bare soil, were grouped into a third class as others. The study revealed that rapid increase in population and accompanying unplanned urban growth in Istanbul resulted in significant changes in land use after 1987. Urban areas have expanded 87.9% from 1987 to 2007, while forest areas declined 5.4% in the same period. One of the most significant results of the study was that total forest areas in Istanbul have increased 0.3% between 2000 and 2007. This suggests that progress has been made in Istanbul not only in having sustainable urban growth, but also in preserving, restoring, and even expanding forest areas, especially after the year 2000.

Using Google Earth as an educational tool in secondary school geography lessons

This article evaluates effectiveness of Google Earth (GE) as an educational tool in secondary school geography lessons and whether it contributes to students’ achievement. A GE exercise was developed regarding the types of coastal formations. It was implemented in a ninth-grade geography lesson in three high schools in Turkey. The students followed the exercise from a printed set of instructions and entered the same steps on their computers. Pre- and post-tests were used to evaluate the effects of the GE exercise on students’ achievement. A self-assessment form was also used to obtain students’ opinions regarding GE and the exercise. This study revealed that the GE exercise was followed accurately and understood by the majority of the students in all the three schools. Students’ overall achievement varied with average scores of 9.8 and 24.2 points in the pre- and post-tests, respectively. The majority of the students liked the GE exercise and found it useful and engaging. As is evident from this study, GE is an effective educational tool for secondary school geography lessons, especially when used with proper methods, materials, and objectives.

İSTANBUL AVRUPA YAKASINDAKİ OKUL BAHÇELERİNİN ÖĞRENCİ SAYISINA GÖRE YETERLİLİKLERİNİN MEKÂNSAL OLARAK DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Bu calismada Istanbul’un Avrupa yakasindaki okul bahcelerinin okullardaki mevcut ogrenci sayisina gore alansal olarak uygunlugu degerlendirilmistir. Calisma Istanbul’un Avrupa yakasinda yer alan 1.323 okul uzerinde yurutulmustur. Calismada okullarin bahce alanlari CBS ortaminda belirlenmis, okullara ait ogrenci sayilari kullanilarak her okul icin bir ogrenciye dusen bahce alani metrekare olarak hesaplanmistir. Ogrenci basina dusen bahce alani okul, ilce ve tum calisma alani olceginde ayri ayri hesaplanmis, sonuclar okullarin devlet ve ozel olma durumu ile ilk-ortaokul ve lise olma durumuna gore ayri ayri degerlendirilmistir. Calismada ele alinan tum okullarda ogrenci basina dusen ortalama bahce alani 3,17 m2 olarak tespit edilmistir. Bu alan ilk ve ortaokullarda 2,46 m2 , liselerde ise 5,34 m2 ’dir. Ogrenci basina dusen bahce alani devlet okullarinda 3 m2 , ozel okullarda ise 7,97 m2 olarak tespit edilmistir. Bu degerler TSE’nin okul bahceleri icin belirlemis oldugu ogrenci basina 5 m2 alandan olusan standart ile karsilastirildiginda Istanbul’daki okul bahce alanlarinin ogrencilerin fiziksel, zihinsel, pedagojik ve sosyal yonden gelisimlerini destekleyecek olcude yeterlilige sahip olmadiklari gorulmustur. Istanbul’daki mevcut ve yeniden yapilacak okullarin uygun olcu ve niteliklerde bahce alanlarina sahip olabilmesi icin farkli anlayis, strateji, plan ve uygulamalara ihtiyac vardir.