Abstract
The present study aimed to improve reflective thinking skills of doctoral students from different fields taking the Instructional Planning and Evaluation course (IPE) during their studies in order to obtain findings that can contribute to enhance the quality of teaching at a state university. A total of 80 doctoral students in the spring (n= 47) and fall (n= 33) semesters of 2016 participated in the study which was conducted with the Technical/Scientific/Cooperative action research design and implemented two actions. Data were collected using the Reflective Thinking Scale and the Attitude Scale towards IPE Course. The main activities of the program implemented in the first action included small group work, teaching real students, writing reflective pieces and feedback. In addition, participants were better encouraged to think reflectively, participated in reflective discussions and took formative tests in the second action. Descriptive statistics results of the study showed that both actions helped the participants to reach the levels in the order of reflection, understanding, critical reflection and habitual action. On the other hand, participants’ attitudes towards the IPE course were found to be low. For future actions, it is recommended that participants gain experience in their own fields in order to improve their reflective thinking levels through theory-practice connection and conduct their reflection activities over these experiences.
Highlights
A great number of studies have indicated that university teachers receive very little education on teaching skills (Erginer & Dursun, 2005; Roche & Marsh, 2000)
Novice university teachers need education to enhance teaching skills (Erginer & Dursun, 2005; Hodkinson & Taylor, 2002). Such education must be provided in a programmed way (Stokking, Leenders, De Jong, & Van Tartwijk, 2003) and regularly at certain periods starting as of undergraduate studies (Erginer & Dursun, 2005). Until they participate in such educational activities, university teachers may consider themselves as good teachers; once they start receiving this type of education, their opinions might change, their definitions regarding teaching may be altered, they may become aware of their teaching approaches, their teaching self-efficacy could be improved (Postareff, Lindblom-Ylänne, & Nevgi, 2007), the academic circle where they can have educational discussions may be enlarged (Van Waes, Van den Bossche, Moolenaar, Stes, & Van Petegem, 2015), and their reflective thinking skills may be developed as well (Nevgi & Lӧfstrӧm, 2015; Stewart, 2014)
Since doctoral programs are generally chosen to become an academician in Turkey (YÖK, 2000b) the present study went through an action research process with the aim of improving doctoral students’ reflective thinking skills through theory-practice connection so as to help them better prepare for teaching
Summary
Anahtar Kelimeler: Yansıtıcı düşünme, Kuram-uygulama bağlantısı, Yükseköğretim. Bir devlet üniversitesindeki öğretimin niteliğinin yükseltebilmesine katkı sunabilecek bulgulara ulaşmak için öğrenimleri sırasında Öğretimde Planlama ve Değerlendirme (ÖPD) dersini alan değişik alanlardaki doktora öğrencilerinin yansıtıcı düşünme becerilerinin geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Yansıtıcı Düşünme Düzeyini Belirleme Ölçeği ve ÖPD Dersine Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği ile toplanmıştır. Birinci eylemde uygulanan programın temel etkinlikleri küçük grup çalışması, gerçek öğrencilere öğretim, yansıtıcı yazılar yazma ve geribildirimdir. Araştırmanın betimsel istatistik sonuçları her iki eylemin, katılımcıların sırasıyla yansıtma, anlama, eleştirel yansıtma ve alışkanlık düzeylerine ulaşmalarını sağladığını göstermiştir. Katılımcıların ÖPD dersine yönelik tutumları ise düşük bulunmuştur. İlerideki eylemler için; katılımcıların kuram-uygulama bağlantısı yoluyla yansıtıcı düşünme düzeylerini geliştirmeleri amacıyla kendi alanlarında öğretim deneyimi edinmeleri ve yansıtma etkinliklerini bu deneyimleri üzerine yapmaları önerilmiştir.
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