National Education Directorate Research Articles

Türkiye’de Kamu Politikalarında Yerel Karar Verme Sürecinin Merkezi İdareye Bağlı Taşra Teşkilatlarında Uygulama Örneği: Kefe Projesi

The supervision authority of the Ministry of National Education, which is the central administration in education policies in Turkey, is exercised by various methods in many areas. Auxiliary resources such as Education Information Network (Eba), General Directorate of Secondary Education Material (Ogmmateryal), Student/Teacher Support System (Ods) prepared by the Ministry of National Education for the use of students and teachers in lessons have been made available as an education policy on the basis of equal opportunity in education. However, the supervision and control of these resources by the Ministry of National Education at the policy evaluation stage is carried out only in Support and Training Courses, and there is no supervision or control in their use in other education and training activities. Within the scope of the Kulu District National Education Directorate Equal Opportunity in Education (KEFE) Project, ensuring that the auxiliary resources of the Ministry of National Education are used by teachers and students in lessons is supervised within a system integrity, taking into account local needs in addition to the central administration's supervision system. This research examines an example of how the KEFE project can be implemented by taking initiative in provincial organizations within the local decision-making process, which is mostly seen in local governments, by extending the partial control system of the central administration to all education and training activities, outside the central administration in the supervision of education policies. Keywords: Public Policies, Education policies, Local decision-making process, Ministry of National Education.

Situating a Prism to See ‘All Colors’: Evaluations of the E-school System in Türkiye from the Perspective of Educational Equity

This research intends to delve into the first-hand information pertaining to learning analytics that belongs to PreK–12 education at micro, meso, and macro levels (Shum, 2012) in Türkiye from the perspective of equity in education through seeking to obtain the views of educational authorities and policy makers viz. school principals, the members of district national education directorate as well as those of Innovation and Educational Technologies General Directorate of MoNE (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Education). To do so, adopting a qualitative route, the study attempts to inquire into the perceptions of the said groups i.e., 45 participants; in total-with 15 participants from each-about the role and place of the existing “E-school” structure that employs learning analytics towards the use of Big Data in Türkiye. This is realized particularly toward addressing and catering to students at risk alongside the disadvantaged. In this direction the research question is: “How do the decision-making bodies in Türkiye see the current E-school system as regards ensuring and sustaining educational equity?”. The semi-structured interviews aim to direct questions e.g., respecting the situation with school dropouts, the cases of students with special needs, the situation of those who are struggling and of refugees. The findings indicate a superposition; an entangled being of inherent disadvantages and that the present system needs to be further amended to better care for ‘all’ to speak of equity. This study will cast light on the potential value of learning analytics regarding its use for targeting/solving equity problems through the expert opinions from a developing country with highly dynamic demographics.

Promoting Young Children’s Right to Participate in the Classroom through Picture Books

Practices to promote the right of children to participate in the classroom can benefit from picture books that encourage children to be involved in different settings that reflect the qualities of participation. This study aims to examine the effects of the processes planned regarding children’s right to participation with picture books on preschoolers’ perceptions of their right to participate in the classroom. The study employed a pretest–posttest design, a quasi-experimental research design with a control group. A random sampling method was employed to determine the study sample. The sample consisted of a total of 42 children (21 in the experimental group and 21 in the control group), attending classes of 5-year-olds in a public kindergarten affiliated with the Directorate of National Education in a province located in the Inner Aegean region of Turkey. A “Personal Information Form” and the “Participation Right Scale in Preschool Classes” developed by Koran (2017) and Şallı İdare (2018) were used as data collection tools. Twice a week during eight weeks, the researcher conducted activities with children in the experimental group, which were prepared with picture books and integrated with classroom activities. As the data obtained in the study show a normal distribution, a two-factor ANOVA test was performed with measurements repeated in one factor, and the the t test for the dependent groups and intergroup comparisons. After the experimental study, it was determined that the children in the experimental group started to participate more in classroom activities and decision-making processes, whereas there was no change in the involvement of the children in the control group. Based on this result, to promote preschoolers’ right to participate in the classroom, teachers should place more emphasis on processes that are designed to use quality children’s books and that the use of such books is integrated with classroom activities.

The Effects of Intensive English Podcast Listening on High School Students’ Comprehension Skills and Impact on Learning Motivations

Listening is one of the most essential basic skills in foreign language learning. In recent years, technological advances have provided students with a wide range of digital applications, including podcasts, to improve their listening skills. This study aims to determine the impact of intensive listening to English podcasts on high school students’ comprehension skills and motivation to learn. The research centers on the following questions: “Does intensive podcast listening in a foreign language improve high school English learners’ language comprehension competence? Does intensive podcast listening in a foreign language provide retention in high school English learners’ listening skills? Does intensive podcast listening in a foreign language increase high school English learners’ motivation for language learning?” The study sample consists of 27 male and 27 female students studying in the 10th grade of Atatürk Anatolian High School affiliated with Erzurum National Education Directorate in the second semester of the 2022 academic year. The podcast listening practices with the participants were conducted in two 40-minute class hours each week for 12 weeks. Podcasts with an average duration of three to six minutes in the BBC Learning English application were used in the study. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in the study. Quantitative methods were used to analyze the data, and qualitative methods were used to interpret them. The survey results show that podcasts improve English high school students’ listening skills and increase their motivation to learn. Podcasts make high school students willing to listen and understand English.

Mathematics Homework View from the Perspective of Primary School Students' Parents

This research was carried carried to reveal the opinions of the parents of primary school students about mathematics homework. The research was designed with the case study model, which is one of the qualitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 26 parents whose children are studying in a primary school in the central of Konya, Provincial Directorate of National Education in the 2022-2023 academic year. Care was taken in the selection of an equal number of participants from each grade level. The parents were selected using criterion sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods. The research data were collected with a semi-structured interview form and the interviews were recorded on a voice recorder. The semi-structured interview form prepared by the researcher consists of five questions aiming to reveal the views of the parents of primary school students on mathematics homework. Content analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. Parents participating in the research define mathematics homework as reinforcement and repetition. Parents are involved in mathematics homework as control or direct support. Although students usually allocate half an hour for their math homework, this time is less in the 1st and 2nd grades, and more in the 3rd and 4th grades. According to the parents, teachers check the homework constantly and in detail. It has been concluded that the students love to do short-term homework using technological tools, made with concrete materials, and they do not like to do long-term homework that requires writing.

Üsküdar University explores the future with projects

The "Science and Idea Festival", organized by Üsküdar University in cooperation with the İstanbul Directorate of National Education, is being held for the 9th time this year.

Examining The Opinions of School Administrators on Rotation Practice

Education is one of the most important elements in the development and progress of a country. The quality of education also depends on teachers. In this sense, teachers need to be more devoted, to increase their motivation, and to be relocated in certain periods in order to improve their working conditions. This study was conducted to evaluate the opinions of school administrators regarding rotation practice. In the study group of the research, face-to-face interview technique was used with 20 school administrators working within the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education and on a voluntary basis. In the research, the interview method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used and the data obtained was analyzed by the content analysis method. As a result, school administrators stated that they saw the rotation practice as appropriate and that it increased the quality of education, and that they needed the rotation practice. School administrators who participated in the research stated that the rotation practice has some positive features, especially that it increases productivity and provides a new perspective. In addition, it was concluded that some school administrators experienced adaptation problems with the rotation practice, their current order was disrupted, they experienced poor performance at school and they experienced unrest.

Evaluation of the Opinions of Teachers Working in Different Branches on How Effective Classroom Management Should Be

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the opinions of different branch teachers on how effective classroom management should be. In the study group of the research, face-to-face interview technique was used with 20 different branch teachers working within the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education and on a voluntary basis. In the research, the interview method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was used and the data obtained was analyzed by the content analysis method. As a result of the research, teachers for effective classroom management; They stated that classroom discipline should be maintained and one should be open to innovation and development. In addition, it has been stated that creating a democratic and free environment, ensuring cooperation with students and involving students in the decision-making process will contribute to effective classroom management. In the classroom environment of the teachers participating in the research; It has been determined that increasing the student's motivation, focusing on the use of equipment and planning the lesson will increase success. In addition, it was concluded that teachers' following innovations in their fields, improving themselves and having effective communication skills will create a positive classroom environment.

Investigation of the Relationship between Liking of Children Levels and Attitudes Toward Teaching Profession of Physical Education Teachers

This study examines the relationship between liking of children levels and attitudes toward teaching profession of permanent and contracted physical education teachers working in public schools within the Malatya Directorate of National Education, Turkey, in the 2021-2022 education period. In our study, age, gender, marital status, years of professional seniority, educational status, having children, and workplace locality were also examined in terms of subscales. 103 physical education teachers voluntarily participated in the study. The “Attitudes Toward Teaching Profession” scale developed by Demirel and Ünişen in 2015, the “Barnett Liking of Children” scale developed by Barnett and Sinsini in 1990 and adapted into Turkish by Duyan and Gelbal in 2008, and a personal information form were applied to the teachers who participated in the study based on volunteerism. Quantitative research methods and techniques were used in this study. The correlational survey model, one of the general surveying models, was used. Prior to analysis, data underwent a normality test confirming a normal distribution. Pairwise comparisons were assessed using Independent Samples t-test, and three-or-more-sample comparisons utilized One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The Tukey test identified specific group differences in significant outcomes. The study revealed no significant difference in liking of children concerning the variables examined. Nonetheless, significant disparities were noted in attitudes toward teaching based on gender, marital status, parental status, age, and professional experience. Ultimately, a weak, positive linear correlation was identified between physical education teachers’ liking of children and their attitudes toward teaching.Keywords: Child, Love, Physical Education Teacher, Professional Attitude, Teacher Attitude

Relationship Between Brand Awareness Levels, Brand Loyalty Behaviors, Brand Function Perceptions, Factors Influencing Brand Loyalty, and Preferred Criteria in Product Purchasing Among Secondary School Students Engaged in Sports

This research was conducted to determine whether there is a significant relationship between brand awareness levels, brand loyalty behaviors, brand function perceptions, factors affecting brand loyalty and preference criteria in product purchase in a sample of secondary school students engaged in sports. In the research, a relational survey method was employed. The study group consisted of a total of 250 students [n(male=185), n(female=65)] who were enrolled in high schools affiliated with the Konya Provincial Directorate of National Education during the first half of the 2019-2020 academic year and represented different sports branches (such as football, volleyball, basketball, handball, folk dancing, taekwondo, kickboxing, badminton, fitness, wrestling, fencing) at their schools or participated in competitions. The average age of the students participating in the research is 16.48±1.16. Brand Awareness Scale consisting of 5 statements and a single dimension, Brand Loyalty Scale consisting of 6 statements and a single dimension, Brand Functions Scale consisting of 14 statements and 3 sub-dimensions, Factors Affecting Brand Loyalty Scale consisting of 13 statements and 4 sub-dimensions and Preference Criteria in Product Purchase Scale consisting of 23 statements and 4 sub-dimensions were used as data collection tools. Relational survey model and convenience sampling method were used in the study. As a result of the research, it was determined that there are positive, medium and low-level significant relationships between the brand awareness levels, brand loyalty behaviors, brand function perceptions, factors affecting brand loyalty and preference criteria in product purchase of secondary school students engaged in sports.Keywords: Brand Awareness, Brand Function, Brand Loyalty, Secondary School Students, Sports Marketing

Exploring the Impact of Special Learning Disability Diagnosis on Family Dynamics: A Parental Perspective

The aim of this study is to examine in-depth parental views on the effect of having a child diagnosed with a special learning disability on families. In line with the purpose of the research, phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research approaches, was used. The study group of the research consists of the parents of 12 children diagnosed with special learning disabilities, who are students in schools affiliated to the Van Province National Education Directorate in the 2022-2023 academic year. The data collection tools of the research are semi-structured interview questions with 24 questions and a demographic information form, which was created by the researcher and his advisor, taking the opinions of 3 different experts. The obtained data were converted into codes, subthemes and themes, respectively. Themes of the research; pre-diagnosis process, diagnostic process, family relations and social relations. Parents reported that there was no change in their social life after their child received this diagnosis. However, they stated that they avoided talking to people outside of their close circle about the diagnosis of special learning disabilities in their children. They said that the relations between parents were not affected by the diagnosis of special learning disability, but the relations between siblings and children with special learning difficulties were badly affected. In addition, it was stated that the child with special learning difficulties tried to stay away from academic activities and this turned into a problem between the child and their parents. It has been observed that families do not have enough information about the diagnosis of special learning disability. In this context, informative studies to be carried out in schools for parents about special learning disabilities may enable them to be noticed earlier and to better adjust their expectations for their children's performance.

Investigation of Educational Game-Playing Skills of Preschool Teachers

This study aims to assess the educational game-playing skill levels of preschool teachers. The survey method, a quantitative research approach, was employed in this study. The study involved 61 preschool teachers from official kindergartens and kindergartens affiliated with the Diyarbakır Provincial Directorate of National Education during the 2022-2023 education period. As the data collection tool, the "Educational Game Playing Skill Observation Scale" was used. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Independent Samples T-Test and One-Way ANOVA were utilized for the analyses while the LSD test, a Post-Hoc test, was employed to identify which group contributed to significant differences. It was discovered that preschool teachers' educational game-playing skill levels (x̄=100.47) were at satisfactory levels. In terms of the subscales of the observation scale, preschool teachers demonstrated very good skills in the preparation (x̄=3.60) and game phases (x̄=3.41), while their skills in the evaluation phase (x̄=2.66) were sufficient. There was no significant difference in the game skill levels of preschool teachers based on gender and educational level (p>0.05). The significant difference in skill levels among preschool teachers in the preparation phase, game phase, subscales, and evaluation phase subscale arises from participants with service periods between 21-31 years (p<0.05). In the study, the educational game-playing skills of preschool teachers are considered sufficient. The "preparation phase" and "game phase" exhibit very good levels of skill, while the "evaluation phase" is at satisfactory levels.

K-12 Düzeyi İngilizce Öğretmenlerinin Çevrimiçi Eğitim Programlarına Yönelik Algıları

This research was conducted in collaboration with the US Embassy Education Department located in Ankara and the Local Directorate of National Education (DoNE). The study aimed at designing an online in-service training program based on the needs and expectations of K-12 English language teachers; and to identify their perceptions regarding the online in-service-training program to make implications for the design of future online in-service programs. A needs analysis survey was conducted, resulting in an online program which included topic areas, such as use of technology, engagement of students in online classes, effective teaching and assessment of speaking and writing skills, use of drama techniques, professional development, the profile of next generation learners, as well as pedagogical approaches. The focus group meetings with the participant teachers at the end of the program revealed that the teachers in the study benefited from the online program in terms of improving their overall online teaching and assessment skills, contributing to their professional development, and improving their own language proficiency levels.

Okul Öncesi Eğitime Devam Eden Ulus Aşırı Göçmen ve Yerel Çocukların Sınıf Yaşantılarına Katılım Hakları

The purpose of this research is to examine the perceptions of transnational immigrant and local children attending pre-school education in Turkey regarding their right to participate in classroom life and their participation in classroom life according to teachers' views. In this research, sequential explanatory design merging model, which is one of the mixed research methods, was used. The study group consists of 41 children, 21 of whom are transnational immigrants, 20 of whom are local, attending a pre-school under the Directorate of National Education of Antalya, where immigrant children are dense and 9 teachers of these children. The Right to Participate in Pre-school Classes Scale was applied to measure the perceptions of pre-school children in the study group about their right to participation. Semi-Structured Interviews were conducted with teachers to get information about children's participation in classroom life. In the analysis of the quantitative data of the research, Mann Whitney U-Test was used and qualitative data were analyzed with descriptive analysis. The results of the analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the scores of transnational immigrant children and local children on the Right to Participate in Pre-school Classes Scale. According to the teachers' views, it was determined that transnational immigrant children participated in play activities in the classroom more than other activities. It has been found that the participation of transnational immigrant children who speak Turkish in classroom life is similar to that of local children. The research findings were discussed based on the relevant literature. The implications of research findings for future theoretical and applied research are presented.

Leaders and management structure in vocational and technical education in Türkiye

Vocational and technical education aims to train an innovative, entrepreneurial, productive, competent workforce that adds value to the economy, with national and international professional competence, professional ethics and professional values, in cooperation with social and economic sectors. With this purpose, each country carries out studies towards this goal with its own institutional and human capacity. Vocational and technical education is a process that is on the agenda in Türkiye. Leaders who carry out the vocational and technical education process and the functioning of the institutions involved in this process are gaining more and more importance. In this direction, the study focused on the leaders in vocational and technical education and the institutions in the management structure. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. With the purpose of the research, a field survey was conducted. It has been discussed who the leaders can be and what duties and responsibilities they have. In the management structure, there are different institutions and organizations in the central and provincial organization. The General Directorate of Vocational and Technical Education in the central organization and the provincial and district national education directorates in the provincial organization are in question. It is striking that there are managers with different duties and responsibilities in the management structure of vocational and technical education schools, which we can call the kitchen of the business. These administrators, who are accepted as leaders in this study, are school principals and vice principals who have different duties.

Investigation of the Effect of 12-Week Kinesthetic Intelligence Training Program on the Aggression Levels of Students with Intellectual Disabilities

This study aims to examine the effects of Mind Sports (chess and mancala) and Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence Training on the aggression levels of students with mild intellectual disabilities. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 60 students with mild intellectual disabilities (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) who study at schools affiliated with the Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education. While Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (1992) was applied as a pre-test and post-test to both groups, three hours of Mind Sports and Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence training was given to the experimental group three days a week for twelve weeks. (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 1,5 saat Mind Sports and 1,5 saat Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence training) The data obtained were analyzed by conducting frequency and percentage analyses, while dependent and independent t-tests were conducted to analyze the pre-test and post-test data using the statistical software of SPSS 24.0. According to the pre-test scores, a significant result could not be found between the experimental and control groups (p>.05). According to the evaluation between the experimental group and the control group, a significant result was found in the post-test scores in favor of the experimental group (p>.05). Based on the data obtained, we can conclude that Mind Sports and Kinesthetic Intelligence Training positively reduce the aggression levels of children with mild intellectual disabilities.

The Relationship between Intellectual Thinking Tendencies and Creative Leadership of Primary School Administrators

This study aimed to determine the relationship between intellectual thinking tendencies and creative leadership of primary school administrators. In this context, it was tried to investigate how intellectual thinking tendencies influence creative leadership. The study was conducted in the general survey model, which is widely used in quantitative research methods. The participants of study consist of school administrators working in primary schools affiliated to Manisa, Yunusemre District Directorate of National Education. The study was conducted in the fall term of 2022-2023 academic year. The data was collected by “Intellectual Thinking Tendency Scale” and “Creative Leadership Scale” and was analyzed with SPSS 25 package program by taking the significance level as.05. Parametric analysis techniques were used in the analysis of the data. In this meaning: by minimum, maximum, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation values for descriptive statistics; by independent sample t-test for the differences in genders, administrative duties, and administrative seniorities; by One-way ANOVA Analysis for the differences of professional seniorities and professional fields were analyzed. The relation between intellectual thinking tendencies and creative leadership was analyzed with Pearson Correlation Coefficient. According to the results, primary school administrators’ intellectual thinking tendencies and creative leadership levels were found as high; according to their genders, administrative duties, administrative seniorities, professional seniorities, and professional fields, no meaningful differences were found. As the last result, the relationship between intellectual thinking tendencies and creative leadership of primary school administrators was observed in high scores.

Efficacy of Technology Addiction Awareness Training Given to High School Students: Randomized Controlled Experimental Study

It was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Technology Addiction Awareness Training given to high school students in this study. This study was conducted in two different high schools of National Education Directorate of a province in the Southeastern Region of Turkiye as a randomized controlled experimental study. The research was finalized with 54 students (28 control, 26 Experimental). As data collection tools, Socio-demographic Information Form and Young Internet Addiction Test Short Form were used in the research. The students in the experimental group were given Technology Addiction Awareness Training for 5 weeks, but no intervention was made to the students in control group. The trainings were carried out as group education. Descriptive statistics such as number, percentage, mean, standard deviation were used in the analyses of data, and t test was used in dependent and independent groups After the Technology Addiction Awareness Training of the high school students in the experimental group, it was determined that the Young Internet Addiction Test Short Form post-test score average decreased compared to the pre-test. As a result, it is possible to say that Technology Addiction Awareness Training can be an effective and useable intervention in reducing technology addiction in high school students.

Impacts of the School Starting Age on Academic Achievement

The present research attempted to investigate the impacts of gender and age on the freshly-graduatedeighth graders’ percentiles in the central high school entrance exam (LGS) in 2020. The sample of this causal-comparative study comprised 6,039 students selected from secondary schools in Isparta who took the LGS in 2020. The data were obtained from the Isparta Directorate of National Education on a chart demonstrating the participants’ demographic characteristics and the percentiles of their exam scores. The findings revealed significant differences between the students starting school at 60-65, 66-68, and 69-71 months and those with a school starting age of 72 months and older by exam achievement. In this sense, the students starting school at an early age (60-71 months) had poorer achievement in the LGS than their counterparts starting school at an older age (72 months and above). Moreover, the students’ achievement on the said exam significantly differed by gender. Accordingly, the female students demonstrated greater achievement in the LGS when compared to the male students. Considering the findings, it may confidently be asserted that it would be appropriate to amend the provision of the relevant regulation as the minimum age for starting school to be 72 months as of the fall semester.

Examination of Gifted Students’ Opinions on Coronavirus and Pandemic

The COVID-19 virus emerged in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019, has affected the entire world in a short time, and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020 (WHO, 2020b). This large-scale outbreak has been on the agenda of Turkey. The main purpose of this research is to examine the opinions of gifted students about the coronavirus and the pandemic. The study was carried out with 70 gifted students studying in the 3rd and 4th grades of the Alanya Science and Art Center which is affiliated with the Alanya District National Education Directorate in Antalya, in the spring term of the 2021-2022 academic year, over a 2-week period. The phenomenological method was used for the study since the study aims to reveal the opinions of the students about the coronavirus and the pandemic documented in writing along with student pictures. Some parts of the book named “Benim Pandemi Hikayem (My Pandemic Story)” were used to obtain the study data. The children were asked to answer the questions in order to understand their views on the coronavirus pandemic and the process it brought and draw about coronavirus. The data obtained from the study were analyzed with descriptive and content analysis. According to the frequency distribution of the categories and codes of the theme “Resources for learning about the pandemic”, students learned about the pandemic most from the news (f=47). According to the frequency distributions of the categories and codes of the theme “What I learned about COVID-19”, students expressed the following the most: mask, distance, and hygiene rules (f=51). When the frequency distributions of the categories and codes of the theme “When you first learned about the pandemic” were examined, most of the students stated that they were with their families (f=48). When the frequency distributions of the categories and codes of the theme “Pandemic drawings” were examined, it was seen that the students mostly drew pictures including a mask (f=29). In conclusion, knowing how children perceive the process experienced is important for educators in terms of providing individual, social, and emotional support and taking necessary measures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers, students, and parents have experienced fears and concerns. For this reason, psychological support programs can be prepared for children, teachers, and parents.