ASIAN JOURNAL OF INSTRUCTION

16-26

Authors: Serkan TİMUR, Şirin YILMAZ, Betül TİMUR

As the technology develops, as a result of its integration in educational sphere, with an approach considering individual differences, contemporary societies aim at educating individuals, with active roles to reach knowledge, who are able to think fast and creatively and construct knowledge in their own minds. Computers and computer technologies have become indispensable elements of human life as the progressing technology is widely used. Educating qualified individuals in educational institutions is made possible when individuals use their knowledge and skills properly. In modern societies, it is tremendously important for teachers and students to be skilled in computer technologies in terms of their individual development and information literacy. Many studies have been and are being conducted on individuals’ computer skills and attitudes towards computers. Computers have considerable emphasis in our daily lives. Therefore, students are taught computer classes from elementary levels on. Attitudes are among emphasized elements within learning and teaching process. The purpose of measuring attitudes for education and instruction may be about predicting individuals’ behaviors to be exhibited in time or further and, based on this, altering the existing or constructing novel situations. The current research aims at determining middle school students’ attitudes toward computers and examining these on various variables. The study used a qualitative survey model. “The Computer Attitude Scale”, developed by Loyd and Gressard (1984), translated into Turkish by Berberoglu and Calikoglu (1991), and re-adapted into Turkish by Serefhanoglu, Nakiboglu, and Gur (2008), was used as the data collection tool. The study sample consisted of 195 middle school students who attended 5th grade (41), 6th grade (49), 7th grade (62), and 8th grade (43) at a high-SES school in the city of Sakarya. Analyses showed that middle school students’ attitudes towards computers did not differ on the grade level and ownership of a computer whereas students’ attitudes towards computers significantly differed on gender and curiosity levels towards computer-related news and information. Suggestions, based on findings, about the study and for future research were included in the current study. Key Words: Attitude towards computers, Computer, Attitude, Middle School Students

46-55

Authors: Mustafa KOCAARSLAN

Improving the quality of the education systems and thus, accelerating development and progress is an issue in the agenda of our country as in other countries around the World. It is often emphasized that the curriculums are not effective enough to realize the aforementioned objectives although they are continuously revised in line with the rapid and unpredictable development of technology. In this process, teachers, as they were in the past, stand out as the indispensable element of the education systems and keeps its significance. The main purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of prospective teachers towards teaching as a profession in a newly established education faculty and to determine whether there is a difference between their attitudes and variables as gender, registered type of program, presence of the teacher in the family and parent’s education level. The sample of this study which was used survey model consisted of 260 students who enrolled in programs of Classroom Teacher Education, Science Education, Social Studies Teacher, Elementary Mathematics Education and Religious Culture and Moral Education in Education Faculty of Bartin University in the 2012-2013 academic year. In this study was used the scale of attitudes towards teaching as a profession developed by Tanel, Şengören ve Tanel (2007) and which has Cronbach Alpha reliability of α = 0.87. In the analysis of the data, Independent-Sample t Test, One-Way-Anova and Scheffe Test were used. The findings indicated that the attitudes of prospective teachers participating in this study towards teaching as a profession were in the range of “I agree” and positive. According to our findings that female prospective teachers had more positive towards teaching as a profession than male prospective teachers and also prospective teachers enrolled in Classroom Teacher Education program had more positive attitude towards teaching as a profession than prospective teachers enrolled in Science Education program. Furthermore, it was determined that variables as presence of a teacher in the family, parent’s education level does not affect the attitudes of prospective teachers towards teaching as a profession. When the importance of attitude towards teaching as a profession is considered in terms of Professional development, it is highly important that all teacher training institutions should act responsibly and be engaged in activities that will improve teachers' attitude towards their profession. It is suggested that studies focusing on comparing prospective teachers' attitudes from first class to senior class and revealing the factors effective during this process should be carried out. Key Words: The attitude towards teaching as a profession, prospective teachers

64-79

Authors: Osman AKTAN , Ülker AKKUTAY

In this research preschool education in Turkey and countries that are succesful in OECD's PISA programme was evaluated comparatively. Qualitative survey method was used in research. Research's data source is 34 OECD countries. Criterion sampling method was used to define study grup. In study grup there are seven countries , our country, Korea, Japon, Finland, Estonia, Switzerland, Holland , that are in first ten countries as a result of OECD's 2012 PISA programme. Preschool education was investigated in Turkey and OECD' s countries. Datas were given in tables comparatively. Although preschool education isn't compulsory in OECD's countries, the rate of schooling in preschool education is so high. In OECD's coutries the rate of preschool education is parallel to the rate of woman employment. Our coutry is under the average of OECD's countries in the rate of schooling in preschool education, teacher career situation, number of student for a teacher, per capita expenditure in education, the rate of education budget. Also our country has the lowest rate in study grup. It is necessary that familes should be made conscious of preschool education and physical situation of schools should be improved to increae schooling in preschool education in our country. Preschool education should be compulsory at least 1 year before primary school and free of charge to become prevalent. Key Words: OECD, preschool education, kindergarden.