Hamide Ertepinar

Environmental attitudes of young people in Turkey: effects of school type and gender

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of school type (private and public) and gender on sixth, seventh, eighth and tenth grade students’ attitudes toward the environment. A total of 1497 students (n = 765 girls; n = 715 boys; and n = 17 gender not provided) attending public (n = 603) and private schools (n = 892) located in Ankara participated in the study. A 45‐item Likert‐type questionnaire consisting of four dimensions, namely, awareness of environmental problems, national environmental problems, solutions to the problems and awareness of individual responsibility, was used to measure students’ environmental attitudes. A two‐way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine the effect of school type and gender on four dimensions of the environmental attitude questionnaire. Results showed that school type and gender had a significant effect on the collective dependent variables. Univariate ANOVAs indicated that mean scores on each dimension of the questionnaire were significantly different for students in public and private schools. Moreover, there was statistically significant mean difference between boys and girls with respect to scores on each dimension of the questionnaire. It is concluded as a result of the study that, although there are differences between categories of individuals, there is a widespread support for conservation of the environment among young people living in Ankara/Turkey.

Effect of instruction supplied with the investigative‐oriented laboratory approach on achievement in a science course

Summary This study examines the differential effectiveness of the laboratory method based on the investigative approach and the worksheet study, both used as a supplement to the regular class work on achievement in science subject‐matter. Subjects were 43 students (8th grade) enrolled in two science classes of a secondary school. Each teaching strategy was randomly assigned to one class. The experimental group utilized supplementary instruction through the investigative‐oriented activities; the control group received similar instruction through worksheet study. The Logical Thinking Ability Test was used as a pretest to control students’ intellectual ability before treatment. The dependent variable was achievement in science subjects assessed through the use of the Science Subject Achievement Test. All subjects received instruction covering the same science topics during approximately five weeks. It was found that both treatment groups had statistically identical performance related to logical thinking abi...

A Statistical Analysis of Children’s Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes in Turkey

The aim of this study was three-fold: (1) to determine 6th, 8th and 10th grade students’ environmental knowledge and attitudes in Turkey; (2) to investigate the effect of the grade level and gender on students’ environmental knowledge and attitudes; (3) to explore how environmentally responsible behaviour is related to environmental knowledge, affects, behavioural intentions, and demographic variables. Data were obtained by the administration of the Turkish version of Children’s Environmental Attitudes and Knowledge Scale to 1,977 students from 22 randomly selected schools located in urban areas. The data were analysed using one-way analyses of variance, independent samples t-test, and multiple regression analysis. A statistically significant effect of grade level was found on environmental knowledge and attitudes. While the effect of gender on attitudes toward the environment was statistically significant in favour of females, the gender difference on environmental knowledge was not statistically significant. Multiple regression analysis revealed that environmentally responsible behaviour can be predicted by behavioural intentions, environmental affects, gender, and age. Environmental knowledge appeared to be influential on behaviours not directly, but mediated by behavioural intentions and environmental affects.

A survey on Turkish elementary school students’ environmental friendly behaviours and associated variables

This study investigated elementary school students’ environmental knowledge and attitudes, the effects of sociodemographic variables on environmental knowledge and attitudes, and how self‐reported environmentally friendly behaviour is related to environmental knowledge, behavioural intentions, environmental affects, and the students’ locus of control. Data were gathered by administration of the Children’s Environmental Attitudes and Knowledge Scale and Locus of Control scale to 1140 students from 18 randomly selected elementary schools located in urban areas of Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Descriptive results indicated low levels of knowledge, but favourable attitudes toward the environment. The three‐way ANOVA provided a significant main effect on students’ environmental knowledge of education level of fathers. The sex difference regarding students’ attitudes toward the environment was statistically significant in favour of girls. In addition, multiple regression analysis results showed that behavioural intentions, environmental affects, and locus of control, could be accounted as significant predictors of self‐reported environmentally friendly behaviour. On the other hand, the present study showed that elementary school students’ behaviours toward the environment were independent from their knowledge of environmental issues.

The Nature of Pre-service Science Teachers’ Argumentation in Inquiry-oriented Laboratory Context

The aim of this study was to investigate the kinds of argumentation schemes generated by pre-service elementary science teachers (PSTs) as they perform inquiry-oriented laboratory tasks, and to explore how argumentation schemes vary by task as well as by experimentation and discussion sessions. The model of argumentative and scientific inquiry was used as a design framework in the present study. According to the model, the inquiry of scientific topics was employed by groups of participants through experimentation and critical discussion sessions. The participants of the study were 35 PSTs, who teach middle school science to sixth through eighth grade students after graduation. The data were collected through video- and audio-recordings of the discussions made by PSTs in six inquiry-oriented laboratory sessions. For the analysis of data, pre-determined argumentation schemes by Walton were employed. The results illustrated that PSTs applied varied premises rather than only observations or reliable sources to ground their claims or to argue for a case or an action. It is also worthy of notice that the construction and evaluation of scientific knowledge claims resulted in different numbers and kinds of arguments. Results of this study suggest that designing inquiry-oriented laboratory environments, which are enriched with critical discussion, provides discourse opportunities that can support argumentation. Moreover, PSTs can be encouraged to support and promote argumentation in their future science classrooms if they engage in argumentation integrated instructional strategies.

A QSAR study of the biological activities of some benzimidazoles and imidazopyridines against Bacillus subtilis

Summary A set of benzimidazole (1) and imidazopyridine (II) derivatives that have previously been tested for their antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis were analyzed using the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) method. The activity contributions for structural and substituent effects were determined from the correlation equations, which were derived using all possible combination and stepwise regression techniques. The best equation was chosen among the other equations by considering the various statistical criteria. The resulting QSAR revealed that the activity contributions of benzimidazoles and imidazopyridines against B subtilis depend almost entirely on their relative lipophilic character as defined by their octanol/water partition coefficients, log P . The ideal lipophilic character for the investigated imidazole nuclei has been found to be about 4.9.

Synthesis and characterizations of new polyamidoximes and their crosslinking by metal ions

Abstract Two new polyamidoximes having appropriate functions to bind transition metal ions such as Ni(II) and Pd(II) were prepared. Polymers were obtained by the reactions of (E,E)-dichloroglyoxime with new aromatic primary amines. Polymers and their complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, i.r. and 1 H-NMR spectra, DSC, and electrical conductivity measurements. The molecular weights of polymers were determined by light scattering technique.

QSAR study on antibacterial and antifungal activities of some 3,4-disubstituted-1,2,4-oxa(thia)-diazole-5(4 H)-ones(thiones) using physicochemical, quantumchemical and structural parameters

Abstract This work demonstrated the quantitative structure-activity relationships of 3,4-disubstituted-1,2,4-oxa(thia)-diazole-5(4 H)-ones (thiones) using quantum chemical parameter R( I ), hydrophobicity descriptor and structural parameters. Semiempirical molecular orbital calculations were used to determine the quantum chemical parameter R( I ), which is the electron density of HOMO at the sulfur and oxygen in position 1 of the compounds investigated, divided by the orbital energy of HOMO. It was shown that the electron density of HOMO at the sulfur and oxygen of the molecules was strongly related to the biological activities of these molecules. The results obtained from the QSAR application indicated that there was a parabolic dependence between the biological activities and the R( I ) index. The structural factor I Y which shows the presence of a sulfur atom in position 1 was the dominant predictor for the antibacterial and antifungal activities. On the other hand, the other structural variable I X which shows the presence of a sulfur atom double bonded to the C atom in position 5 caused a decrease, but the hydrophobicity of the whole molecule (Σ) caused an increase in activity.

Development and Validation of Nature of Science Instrument for Elementary School Students.

The purposes of this study were to develop and validate an instrument for assessing elementary students’ nature of science (NOS) views and to explain the elementary school students’ NOS views, in terms of varying grade levels and gender. The sample included 782 students enrolled in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Exploratory factor analysis factor structures and confirmatory factor analysis fit indices confirmed the existence of the hypothesised four dimensions in the structure of the nature of science instrument (NOSI). These dimensions and associated Cronbach α reliabilities of scores were observation and inferences (0.74), tentative NOS (0.76), imagination and creativity (0.80), and empirical NOS (0.63). Descriptive analyses revealed that the most favourable NOS views were obtained for the empirical nature of scientific knowledge. The students were uncertain about NOS views related to tentative NOS and imagination and creativity. The least favourable NOS views were obtained for observation and inferences.

Use of self-determination theory to support basic psychological needs of preservice science teachers in an environmental science course

In this paper, we examine how the basic psychological needs of preservice science teachers (PSTs) were supported in a series of environmental science course activities informed by self-determination theory (SDT). We collected qualitative data about the PSTs’ sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness through interviews, group discussions, assignments, and reflection papers. Data were analyzed in relation to the instructional design features of the course; namely, collective construction of ideas, student guided discussions, real life connection, and consistent group dynamics. Findings illustrate primary support for cognitive features, including, how course activities supported a sense of confidence in action, sense of self-initiation, awareness of personal role in the system, and awareness of environmental actions. Overall, results suggest that SDT can be effectively utilized as a framework for environmental education in courses designed to foster environmental self-determination and long-lasting pro-environmental behaviors.