Hatice Yildiz Durak

Analysis of the relation between computational thinking skills and various variables with the structural equation model

The aim of this study is to determine how much various variables explain students computational thinking (CT) skills. Furthermore, it was aimed to produce a model that explains and predicts the relations between computational thinking skills and various variables. Study group consists of 156 students who were studying in 512. Class in 20152016 academic year in different schools in Ankara. Relational screening model was used in this research. Two different data collection instruments were used in this research. The first one is Personal Information Form. The second one is Computational Thinking Skills Scale. Structural Equation Model was used in data analysis so as to produce a model that explains and predicts the relations between computational thinking skills and various variables. According to research results, it was found that computational thinking skill was highly predicted by variables, respectively; thinking styles, academic success in mathematic class, attitude against mathematic class. We investigated the relationship between the presence of several variables with computational thinking skill levels.We have created a data model describing the relationship between the various variables and computational thinking skills.Students success in maths positively affects their computational thinking skill levels.Students ways of thinking have a positive effect on their computational thinking skill levels.

Examining pre-service teachers’ opinions about digital story design

Math is a subject in which students are generally not very interested and are unsuccessful compared to other courses. It has been suggested that digital stories designed for educational purposes could be used to prevent students’ lack of interest and failure in this subject. However, designing stories that are fit for purpose is important if the use of digital stories is to be successful. The purpose of this study is to investigate pre-service teachers’ opinions about how they utilized the steps of Gagne’s model while designing digital stories for math lessons. The participants in the study were 49 pre-service teachers studying at a Math Department at a Turkish state university in the spring term of the 2014–2015 academic year. The Pre-service Teachers’ Opinion Form and a Personal Information Form, both developed by the researchers, were used as data collection tools in the study, in which the qualitative method was adopted. Content analysis was utilized to analyze the data collected through open-ended questions. When the findings were examined it was seen that pre-service teachers had designed digital stories in which they often chose to attract attention by creating interesting characters in the “gaining students’ attention” step of Gagne’s teaching model, that the main character stated the objectives/topic in the story precisely in the “informing students of the objectives” step, and that the characters created repeated the previous topic in the “stimulating recall of prior learning” step. In the current study, the integration of digital story design into lesson plans in accordance with Gagne’s model was carried out and pre-service teachers’ opinions about their experiences of this process were investigated.

The Effects of Using Different Tools in Programming Teaching of Secondary School Students on Engagement, Computational Thinking and Reflective Thinking Skills for Problem Solving

The aim of this research is to determine the effects of Scratch and Alice tools and programming teaching practices on student engagement, reflective thinking and problem-solving skills and computational thinking (CT) comparatively. A quasi-experimental design was used in the research and patterns with pretest–posttest control group were chosen for the variables. The study group was compromised of 110 students at 5th grade in 2016 spring semester. 1st and 2nd groups of Computing Technologies Course have been assigned objectively. Alice programming tool was preferred in the learning process of the 1st experimental group, whereas, Scratch programming tool was utilised in the 2nd study group during application process which lasted for 8xa0weeks. Results of the research show that programming teaching with Scratch has affected engagement and reflective thinking skills of the students for problem solving more positively than Alice. It has been stated that teaching with Alice affects skills related to CT of the students positively. Furthermore, some recommendations have been made for the future researches.

Examining the acceptance and use of online social networks by preservice teachers within the context of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model

Social network sites (SNSs) has a big potential to improve teaching and learning experience. It has become a necessity for teachers to transfer this technologies to learning environments has become a requirement. For this reason, the use of SNSs in the education process of preservice teachers who are the teachers of the future and examination of variables that have an impact on the acceptance of these technologies are found important. The use of SNSs in teacher education will enable preservice teachers to be more willing to use information technologies and will improve their skills in using these technologies. For the reasons given, in this study, it is aimed to examine the acceptance and use of SNSs by preservice teachers for educational purposes on the basis of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model. The study was designed according to relational screening model. Study group of the study consists of 274 preservice teachers at a university in 2017. Data were collected via various scales and personal information form at the end of an application process of 14xa0weeksu2009+u200914xa0weeks. Descriptive statistics, linear multiple hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation model were used in analysing the data. As a result of the study, it was determined that the acceptance of SNSs for educational purposes was affected respectively by social effect, performance expectation and effort expectation, and behavioral intention of using these technologies affected the actual use. Besides, variables of moderators that were effective on acceptance and use were also determined.

Modeling of variables related to problematic internet usage and problematic social media usage in adolescents

Depending on technological developments, the use of Internet and social media has become an important component of everyday life. This component showed perhaps its greatest effect on adolescents and their communication patterns. When the characteristics of adolescents’ developmental period and their developmental tasks are taken into account, it is noteworthy that they constitute a significant risk group in terms of problematic Internet use and problematic social media usage. In this framework, it is primarily necessary to examine adolescents’ problematic social media usage, since as said; they are seen as a risk group in terms of Internet usage. Secondly, problematic Internet usage behaviors need to be analyzed and their correlations with various variables need to be revealed. The objective of the present study is to examine the relationship between adolescents’ “problematic social media usage” and “duration of social media usage, social anxiety, self-regulation, academic procrastination, problematic Internet usage”. The study group consists of 451 adolescents, who are 8th grade middle school and 9th, 10th and 11th grade high school students. Relational screening model was used in this study. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Research results showed that there was a significant relationship between “problematic social media usage” and “social anxiety, self-regulation and academic procrastination”. However, neither the duration of social media usage nor the problematic use of the Internet showed a significant relationship with problematic social media usage. Research results were discussed within the context of “the effect of problematic social media usage on individuals themselves and their learning environments”. Suggestions were made accordingly.