Hülya Gülay Ogelman

Teaching Preschool Children About Nature: A Project to Provide Soil Education for Children in Turkey

In terms of gaining environmental awareness and sensitivity, preschool is the most important period in an individual’s life. Preschool education enables lasting steps to be taken towards sustainable development, which has become widespread issue of increasing importance in recent years, and whose importance continues to increase. There is a need for studies that establish environmental awareness and support sustainable development throughout the world, especially in developing countries, such as Turkey. Taking this need into consideration, the purpose of this study is to introduce the results of the “Learning about soil with Tipitop and his friends” project, a project organized within the scope of the project group activities of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Schools of Nature and Science (4004). The aim of the project was to introduce soil and concepts related to soil conservation to preschool children between 5 and 6 years of age. The sample group of the project was comprised of 180 children (90 experimental, 90 control) between the ages of 5 and 6, attending the kindergarten of primary schools, affiliated to the National Ministry of Education, located in the province of Denizli. Research findings demonstrated that the soil-related knowledge scores of children in the experimental group of the project increased in a statistically significant way, in comparison to those of children in the control group.

Attachment Stability in Children Aged 6 to 9 Years in Extended and Nuclear Families

Research Findings: The main aim of this study was to identify whether the attachment security of children living in nuclear and extended families is stable from ages 6 to 9 years in a sample of Turkish children. In total, 54 children participated in the study, of whom 27 lived in nuclear families and the other 27 lived in extended families in Muş Province, Turkey. Incomplete Stories with a Doll Family and the Kerns Security Scale were used with the same group after a 3-year interval. Attachment was found to be stable for 54% of the overall sample: 47% of those living in extended families and 59% of those living in nuclear families. These findings support the argument that attachment follows a stable course from age 6 to 9 years onward. Depending on time, this stability was also found to be significant in terms of gender and family type. Practice or Policy: The findings from this study contribute to the relevant literature both in terms of the identification of attachment stability between the ages of 6 and 9 and with regard to the effects of family type on attachment stability.

Examination of the relationship between technology use of 5–6 year-old children and their social skills and social status*

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study is to determine the predictive effect of technology use durations of 5–6 year-old children on their social skill levels and social status. In this study, children’s technology usage is restricted to the use of television, portable computers, tablets and smartphones. The sample group of the study consisted of 162 children aged 5 and 6 years old who are actively enrolled in seven kindergartens. The data required for the study were obtained from children, parents and teachers. The ‘Determination of Use of Technology by Children–Parent Form’, the ‘Social Skills Evaluation Scale’, ‘The Picture Sociometry Scale’ and ‘The Personal Information Form’ were used. The results revealed that the use of mobile technologies had no predictive effect on the social skill level, whereas, some mobile devices have predictive effects on the social preference and social impact.

Analysing the peer relationships of obese and normal-weight preschool children aged between five and six years

The objective of this study is to reveal whether the peer relationships of preschool children who are determined to be obese, based on their body mass index (BMI), differentiate or not. The study was conducted within the frame of a relational survey model. A total of 114 five- to six-year-old children (57 normal-weight children and 57 obese children), who attend preschool educational institutions, participated in the study. The Ladd-Profilet Child Behaviour Scale and Peer Victimisation Scale were used to obtain data of the study. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to test the data. As a result of the study, there were significant differences on prosocial behaviour and hyperactivity levels of children according to their gender and at aggressiveness, prosocial behaviour and hyperactivity levels according to the state of being obese. Besides, significant differences were observed on asocial behaviours, hyperactivity and peer victimisation levels of children according to the state of being obese and gender interaction.

Relationship between the preschool children's attitudes towards the environment and their social status

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the social position of preschool children and their attitude towards the environment. The sample group of the survey comprised 106 children from five-to-six years age group, attending nursery classes of primary schools affiliated to Ministry of National Education, in Denizli city centre. Relational survey method was used in this study. Personal Information Form, The Childrens Attitudes toward the Environment Scale – Preschool Version, and Picture Sociometry Scale were used as data collection tools in the study. The results of the study aiming to examine the relationship between the attitudes of preschool children towards the environment and their social position suggested a positive, significant relationship between the attitudes towards the environment and the social position. It was found that the attitude of children towards the environment was the precursor of their social position.

Aggression Levels of 5- to 6-Year-Old Turkish Children in Terms of Gender, Age, and Peer Relations Variables

The purpose of this study is to assess the aggression levels of 5- to 6-year-old Turkish children in terms of various variables. Participants of this study were 697 children (335 girls and 362 boys) attending preschool. According to study results, the level of aggression in Turkish children between ages 5 and 6 changed, based on all variables in the research. The variables used to determine childrens levels of aggression were gender, age, prosocial behavior, asocial behavior, exclusion, fearful-anxiety, hyperactivity-distractibility, and peer victimization.The purpose of this study is to assess the aggression levels of 5- to 6-year-old Turkish children in terms of various variables. Participants of this study were 697 children (335 girls and 362 boys) attending preschool. According to study results, the level of aggression in Turkish children between ages 5 and 6 changed, based on all variables in the research. The variables used to determine childrens levels of aggression were gender, age, prosocial behavior, asocial behavior, exclusion, fearful-anxiety, hyperactivity-distractibility, and peer victimization.

Analyzing Perspective Taking Skills of 5- to 6-Year-Old Preschool Children in Relation to Their Self-Perception and Gender

The purpose of this study is to analyze the ability of preschool children to take on a perspective, based on their self-perception and gender. A relational survey method was used, with 124 children between ages 5 and 6 participating—74 girls (59.7%) and 50 boys (40.3%). The Self-Perception Scale for Children and Perspective-Taking Test was conducted on the children individually by the researchers. The Pearson product–moment correlation coefficient, two-way ANOVA, and simple linear regression analysis were used for data analysis. The results for the study indicate a significant relationship between the skill of perspective taking and self-perception. In addition, the score mean for the skill level of perspective taking changed according to self-concept. Children with a high level of self-perception had a higher skill level of perspective taking in comparison to children with a low level of self-perception.

The analysis of the relationship between fathers’ parenting self-efficacy and the peer relations of preschool children

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects that parenting self-efficacy perceptions of fathers have on the peer relations of their 5–6-year-old children. This study was conducted on 200 5–6-year-old preschool children and their fathers. The results of the analysis concluded that there was a low-level negative and significant relationship between the fathers’ parenting efficacies and the aggression, exclusion, hyperactivity–distractibility, and victimisation levels of their children. The results concluded that the parenting self-efficacy level has the best predictor effect on victimisation among the peer relationship variables. Father training programmes should be organised by the preschool teaching departments of universities, and it should be ensured that the fathers of children aged 0–6 participate in these programmes. Training should be offered to fathers of children attending preschool education institutions by these institutions. Different father training programmes should be organised in accordance with arising needs.

Examination of the effect of perspective-taking skills of six-year-old children on their social competences

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to reveal the effect of perspective-taking skills of six-year-old children on their social competences. Determined by two independent kindergartens at Yenişehir district in Mersin as study groups, 115 children (59 girls, 56 boys) in the age group of 6, constituted the study group of the study. In order to reveal the predictor effect of perspective-taking skill on level of social competence, the technique of simple linear regression analysis was used in the data analysis. According to the results, the cognitive perspective-taking skill of six-year-old children predicted variables of entering a peer group, reaction to provocation, teacher expectations, and reactive aggression in a statistically significant manner. However, the cognitive perspective-taking skill of six-year-old children did not predict variables of reaction to failure, reaction to success, social expectations, and proactive aggression in a statistically significant manner. In addition, perceptual and affective perspective-taking skills did not predict the variables of entering a peer group, reaction to provocation, reaction to failure, reaction to success, social expectations, teacher expectations, reactive aggression, and proactive aggression in a statistically significant manner.

Comparison of environmental attitudes and experiences of five-year-old children receiving preschool education in the village and city centre

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study is to compare environmental attitudes and experiences of five-year-old children receiving preschool education in the village and city centre. The first group comprised 54 five-year-old children who received preschool education and attended kindergartens of two primary schools in the Karateke and Kocabaş villages of Honaz district in Denizli province, Turkey. The second sample group comprised 50 children receiving education in an independent kindergarten in Merkezefendi district of Denizli province. As data collection tools, Attitude towards Environment Scale and questionnaire of Environmental Experience were used in the study. According to results, environmental attitudes of preschool children living in the village showed a significant difference in favour of children living in the city centre. Examining in terms of gender, it was observed that environmental attitudes of children in both groups did not show a significant difference based on gender.