Melek Demirel

Probleme Dayalı Öğrenmenin Akademik Başarıya Etkisi: Bir Meta-Analiz Çalışması

Today there is need for individuals who solve problems, who argue, question, change and take the lead and who use information instead of accumulating it. This need reveals the value of problem-based learning approach (PBL) which provides students to work in groups on a scenario prepared for the particular topic. Independent studies, aiming to determine PBL’s impact on achievement when compared to traditional teaching, often focus on a particular type of application or operation. In the relevant literature, there are many studies on different educational fields, different lectures and different student groups concerning PBL’s effects on achievement when compared to traditional teaching. This has lead to the need for meta-analysis of these studies. Therefore, this study aims to combine findings of independent studies through meta-analysis method. This integration is expected to contribute literature. In the study, studies, which can be meta-analysed with regard to predefined criteria, were examined and 98 studies fulfilling these criteria were identified. Effect size and combined effects sizes were calculated with the help of the Comprehensive Meta Analysis v2.0 (CMA) Statistical Packet program. The results of the study are the following: (1) The average effect sizes of studies included in meta-analysis done in line with random effects model is calculated as 0.83. This finding showed that according to traditional teaching, PBL’s effects on academic achievement are high. (2) According to the analyses done in order to reveal publication bias, it was found that meta-analysis study has no publication bias. (3) It was found that PBL approach affects the studies teachers and master’s students the most and affects faculty members studies the least. (4) It was found that sample size of the PBL’s groups, big or small, has no significant impact on student achievement. (5) It was identified that PBLs effects on student achievement when compared to traditional teaching has not changed according to field of sciences PBL was applied. (6) There is no difference between the academic achievements of different educational levels where PBL was applied. (7) PBL’s effects on academic achievement, does not depend on the approach’s application time in the teaching-learning process. In addition to its research findings, this study includes descriptive analysis results of studies that were included in meta-analysis.

Prospective English Teachers' Teaching Practices in Primary Education

Abstract The aim of this paper is to determine the opinions of prospective English teachers related to their teaching practices and observations in primary education about English language teaching. In this study, a qualitative research method was used. The study group consisted of 30 prospective teachers attending the “English Teaching Certificate Program” and taking a “Teaching Practice” course at a state university in Ankara. To collect data, semi-structured interviews were used in focus group discussions made up of 6-7 students. These semi-structured interviews included two dimensions: one to understand the observations and experiences of prospective teachers, and one to determine the opinions of prospective teachers about teaching English in primary education. The data obtained via the interviews were analyzed through descriptive analysis. As a result, prospective teachers generally stated positive views on teaching practices and made some suggestions regarding the improvement of the quality of teaching.

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Meraklılık Düzeylerinin Bazı Değişkenler Açısından İncelenmesi

Bu arastirmanin amaci, universite ogrencilerinin meraklilik duzeylerini belirlemek ve bunun cinsiyet, fakulte, universiteye giristeki puan turu, gelir duzeyi ve basari algilarina gore degisip degismedigini ortaya koymaktir. Tarama modelinin kullanildigi calismada Erwin (1998) tarafindan gelistirilen ve genislik ve derinlik olmak uzere iki alt boyuttan olusan “Meraklilik Olcegi”nin Turkce’ye uyarlama calismasi yapilmistir. Ic tutarliligin gostergesi olarak elde edilen Cronbach alfa degeri .86 olarak bulunmustur. Olcegin yapi gecerliginin belirlenmesi amaciyla yapilan faktor analizi sonucunda uyarlama calismasi yapilan olcekteki maddelerin, orijinal olcekte oldugu gibi iki alt boyutta toplandigi belirlenmistir. Elde edilen bulgular, universite ogrencilerinin (n:620) meraklilik duzeylerinin, olcekten elde edilen ortalama puanin, olcek orta puaninin ustunde olmasi nedeniyle yuksek duzeyde oldugunu ortaya koymustur. Olcegin genislik boyutuna iliskin puan ortalamasi, derinlik boyutuna iliskin puan ortalamasindan daha yuksek bulunmustur. Ayrica ogrencilerin meraklilik duzeylerinin cinsiyet, ogrenim gorulen fakulte ve universiteye giristeki puan turu acisindan farklilik gosterdigi, gelir duzeyi ve basari algisi acisindan ise farklilik gostermedigi belirlenmistir.