European Journal of Education Studies

21

Authors: Muhammed Doğukan Balçin, Ayşegül Ergün

During the course of their profession, teacher candidates are required to develop course materials in line with their course content. Development of course materials by teachers using their pedagogical content knowledge and technology is highly important in terms of providing an effective learning environment. The aim of the present study was to determine the extent to which science teacher candidates can use their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) while developing their course materials with the incorporation of stop motion animations. During the study, the survey method was used as a quantitative research method. The research population consisted of 62 teacher candidates from the Department of Science Teaching at the Manisa Celal Bayar University during the 2015-2016 academic year. The SPSS 18.0 software package was used for data analysis. Suggestions were made based on the results of the study.

36

Authors: John Manginas, Constantinos Nikolantonakis, Aikaterini Papageorgioy

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of cognitive capabilities and flowing intelligence on mathematical proficiency of pre-school students, shortly before attending elementary school. Eighty kindergarten students participated in the survey. Student performance was assessed in terms of short term memory (auditory and verbal short-term memory, visual short-term, semantic and non-semantic memory), working auditory and visual memory, visual long-term memory, fluid intelligence and math performance. Based on the results, there was a strong positive correlation (,777) between verbal working memory and mathematical performance. Moderate positive correlation between mathematical performance and short-term memory, visual spatial working memory, visual long-term memory and fluid intelligence was also found. To identify which factors have predictive value for mathematical competence, regression analysis was used. It has been found that verbal working memory is an important factor in explaining mathematical competence. Combined with long-term visual spatial working memory, they can more accurately predict the level of mathematical performance. The results show that verbal working memory is the best predictor of mathematical performance. Visual long-term memory follows, and finally visual spatial working memory seems to have the lowest impact on a student’s mathematical performance.

20

Authors: Mehmet Ali Kandemir, Rahile Akbaş-Perkmen

The main purpose of the current study is to examine the construct, convergent and discriminant validity of the Sources of Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (Usher & Pajares, 2009) in a Turkish sample. Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986) served as the theoretical framework for the current study. According to Bandura (1986), people’s self-efficacy develops from 4 sources: (1) Mastery Experiences, (2) Vicarious Experience (3) Social Persuasion and (4) Physiological States. Research studies in this area revealed that mastery experiences and social persuasion are highly correlated. Even it is not clear that these two constructs are distinct constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to examine the construct validity of the scale. In order to see if mastery experiences and social persuasion are two distinct constructs, discriminant validity was examined. The participants were 616 secondary school students in Turkey. 3-factor and 4-factor models were nearly identical in terms of goodness of fit of data in the confirmatory factor analysis. The analysis of discriminant validity revealed that mastery experiences and social persuasion are not two different constructs.

28

Authors: Fevzi Dursun

Improving quality and providing permanent learning in the teaching process undoubtedly depend on the time that teacher spends and active and voluntary participation of students. This study is important for providing perspectives about new techniques and suggestions to the teachers and related persons by determining actions and thoughts of teachers relating teaching process. Aim of the research is to determine teachers’ actions for increasing the quality of teaching process. The research was carried out by using screening model to determine the actions of subject-matter teacher, working in Tokat province, for increasing the quality in teaching. 50 primary and middle school teachers attended to the research, working in Tokat central district and filling out the form voluntarily in interview. 12 open-ended questions weren’t evaluated due to several missing information. Convenience sampling method was used in the research, one of the qualitative research techniques. The convenience sampling technique brings speed, easy implementation and economy. Six (6) open-ended questions addressed to 50 voluntary teachers to determine the opinions of teachers about increasing the quality of teaching process. Before the final form of the open-ended questionnaire, opinions of 2 specialists who have doctoral degree in Department of Curriculum and Instruction were obtained, and 5 subject-matter teachers who didn’t include in study group were implemented pretesting. Questionnaire with open-ended questions were designed and participants were asked to write their opinions in the form and send e-mails to researcher including the forms. In this method, participants were asked to answer the questions as they were asked in the interview. These answers were supposed to be in written form. Questions used to determine teachers’ opinions are as follows: 1. What does it mean to be an active student in teaching process? How do you evaluate this? 2. What can be done to make students active in teaching process? 3. How do you keep alive student’s interest (voluntary participation without boredom)? 4. How do you support permanent learning? 5. How do you support motivation? 6. Which activities do you implement activities to improve quality of teaching process? Content analysis method was used, one of the qualitative data analysis. In the process of reporting the data, reliability was attempted to increase by quoting teachers’ opinions directly. Participants were coded as TE1, TE2… In order to increase reliability, two researchers randomly coded 5 open-ended questions; coefficient of coincidence was computed .76 by using “agreeing/agreeing & disagreeing” formula. Findings were organized under the seven themes: motivation, active student, teacher, providing permanent learning, features of teaching environment, method, technique and restraining student’s activity.

10

Authors: Anas Sofi, Mohamed Laafou, Rachid Janati-Idriss, Mourad Madrane

Dans cet article, nous nous intéressons à l’intégration des dispositifs mobiles dans l’enseignement supérieur au marocain. Nous proposons une solution basée sur l’apprentissage mobile est particulièrement dans les travaux pratique de biologie de la filière DUT GBABB (Diplômes Universitaires de Technologie Génie Biologique: Analyses Biologiques et Biochimiques). Nous nous proposons cette méthode à cause de problème de la non-disponibilité des matériels chez les étudiants qui veulent suivre des travaux pratique dans leurs formations. L'objectif de ce papier est de proposé une solution permettant à ces étudiants d’effectuer leurs travaux pratiques malgré l'absence des matériels, en utilisant une application mobile 3D installer dans les appareils mobiles (Smartphones, Tablettes…), qui montre un modèle en trois dimensions des organes du corps humain et une description de chacun d'eux. L'analyse des résultats obtenus nous a montré que l'utilisation des dispositifs mobiles dans les travaux pratiques permet aux étudiants de combler le manque des matériels et d'améliorer la qualité de l'enseignement de la matière biologie de la filière DUT GBABB.

15

Authors: Fikret Alıncak

Taking Personnel to Government departments via Public Personnel Selection Exam was first done in 1999. Ministry of Education used this exam results in any of the Teacher Assignments. In the year 2013, as it is thought that this exam was not sufficient for Teacher Selection, another exam which measures Teaching Field Knowledge for some branches was conducted. But the Physical Education graduates have to enter only the Public Personnel Selection Exam. This study is to find out the thoughts of the Physical Education graduates about the Public Personnel Selection Exam. In the research, The views of Physical Education Teacher graduates on Public Personnel Selection Exam, whether Teaching Field Knowledge questions should be asked or not, the views of teachers’ on these assignment style, views on this job for their future, in which field they see themselves successful, what kind of problems they face while getting ready for this exam and what their advices are for this exam were tried to be answered. Open-ended questions were asked to the candidates in this research. Interview method, which is one of the qualitative methods, was used for 50 candidates who have graduated from different universities. At the end of the research it was found that most of the Physical Education teacher candidates were opposed to Public Personnel Selection Exam because it was not adequate to designate and assign the teachers, the preparing phase for the exam was creating anxiety and fear, the exam was creating a negative point of view about teaching profession and it was not able to contribute a lot to the profession. In addition, as a result it was reached that teacher candidates were expressing their ideas as there should be field information exams besides Public Personnel Selection Exam also for physical education teacher candidate’s assignments like other branch teachers assignments.