Faculty Of Education In Turkey Research Articles

Well-being of academics teaching at faculties of education in Türkiye: A qualitative analysis

Higher levels of education and well-being are the indicators of the prosperity of nations and consequently the world. The academics that work at faculties of education are among the building blocks that contribute to the well-being of nations through the teachers they educate. The main purpose of this study is to explore the views of academics teaching at faculties of education on how their well-being is affected by their marital status, administrative duties, and professional seniority. In this qualitative phenomenological study, the data were collected through in-depth interviews. The quota sampling technique was adopted to ensure the diversity of participants and the richness of data. The participants were A total number of 20 academics teaching at 7 different faculties of education in Turkey. The data were analyzed by content analysis and findings are discussed in relation to prior research in the literature. The results of the study suggest that; for marital status, that sharing life and having support in a balanced relationship, being a parent, and motivation provided by the partner increase academics’ well-being while having to spare time to family and the negative social attitude towards single individuals negatively affect it. Regarding the administrative duties, taking responsibilities, being recognized for accomplishments, socialization, feeling of achievement, widening perspective, and reaching vast sources have a positive effect on well-being while the relationships based on self-interest and spending more time to administrative duties than academic studies reduce it. As for the professional seniority, accumulation of experience and knowledge, gaining titles, and widening social networks positively affect academics’ well-being while injustice, not getting tenure, and bureaucratic obstacles have a negative effect.

A q method study on gender (in)equality in faculties of education in turkey: “The glass ceiling is everywhere!”

Gender inequality manifests itself in academia as in every field. Although the number of female academics has increased quantitatively compared to previous years, there is not enough research on the state of gender inequality today. This study, which aims to reveal how the concept of gender equality (GE) is experienced by academics working in faculties of education in Türkiye, is designed as Q methodology. The participants of this study were selected using maximum variation and snowball sampling, and they were consisted of fifteen academicians working in faculties of education. In addition, it was aimed to ensure diversity by paying attention to the fact that some of the participants were working in public universities and some in foundation universities. The data were obtained because of the participants' evaluation of the items in the Q set. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine the participants' views on extreme values. The PQMethod 2.35 statistical program was used to analyze the data in the Q items, and content analysis was used for the data obtained from semi-structured interviews. It was observed that the views of the participants were grouped under two factors; socioeconomic and cultural factors that form the basis of gender inequality (GI) in Türkiye were emphasized, and in this context, social change and legal regulations were suggested as the antidote to GI.

An overview of the history teacher training programs of education faculties in Turkey from the perspective of pedagogical content knowledge

An overview of the history teacher training programs of education faculties in Turkey from the perspective of pedagogical content knowledge

Structural relationship among academic motivation, academic self‐efficacy, problem solving skills, creative thinking skills, and critical thinking skills

AbstractThis study investigates the structural relationship among academic motivation, academic self‐efficacy (ASE), problem solving skills (PSS), creative thinking skills (CRTS), and critical thinking skills (CTS). Structural Equation Model was utilized to compute the relationships between these variables. The sample of the study was comprised of 575 student teachers studying in Faculties of Education in Turkey in the academic year 2021–2022. The findings underline that academic motivation had a significant direct effect on CRTS and self‐efficacy had a significant direct effect on CRTS. In addition, the present study revealed that PSS had a significant direct effect on both creative thinking and CTS as well as revealing that creative thinking had a significant direct effect on CTS. Finally, in the present study, creative thinking significantly partially mediated the relationships between academic motivation, ASE, PSS, and CTS. These findings suggest implications for teacher training within the context of raising qualified teachers because the quality in the learning‐teaching process is positively expected to be influenced by the variables explored in the current study.

Examining Prospective Teachers’ Metacognitive Learning Strategies and Self-Regulated Online Learning Levels During Covid-19 Pandemic

By Covid-19 pandemic online or distance learning came to foreground to resolve the educational crisis. Student-centred practices were recommended by educators to weather the storm. That’s why including self-regulated learning (SRL) and metacognitive learning strategies (MLS) to the online learning are considered necessary. Thus, this study aimed at investigating the use of self-regulated online learning (SROL) and MLS levels of students, the relationship between them, how the use of MLS predicts Turkish prospective teachers’ online SRL capacity through the time of emergency remote education, and contributing to the new educational paradigm after the pandemic. The study was designed as a correlational survey model including 567 prospective teachers at Fırat University Faculty of Education in Turkey. The data were collected by MLS determining scale and SROL questionnaire for prospective teachers. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and simple linear regression. The results revealed that the participants have high levels of SROL and use MLS frequently. While SROL and MLS levels of participants do not differ in terms of gender; they differ with regard to participants’ departments, class levels and time of self-study. Lastly the use of MLS was a positive predictor of SROL.

Investigating preservice teachers’ perspectives on out-of-school learning

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate preservice teachers’ (PSTs) perspectives on out-of-school learning (OOSL). A total of 100 PSTs studying at a faculty of education in Turkey voluntarily participated in the main research. The study was conducted as a descriptive qualitative inquiry, with study data generated from two online surveys plus an interview. The findings revealed that the PSTs expressed mostly positive effects of OOSL. The PSTs mentioned additional OOSL environments such as beaches. As stakeholders, a student’s family, teachers, the school, official guides, and learners were mentioned as having active roles in the OOSL process. The expectation of an OOSL environment having been professionally designed was perceived the most by the PSTs. Most of the PSTs favored using OOSL during the pandemic period. Based on the study’s results, teacher education programs operating outside of the classroom teaching environment can be organized according to the PST perspective.

A Case Study on University Dropout: Perspectives from Education Faculty Students and Academicians

This case study investigated the reasons for students dropping out of a university and the experiences associated with the dropout process of individuals who dropped out of the faculty of education in Turkey. We collected data from 10 individuals who dropped out and 8 academic staff members who worked in the same faculty of a state university in the Aegean region in Turkey between 2008 and 2018 using the criterion sampling technique. We collected data using semi-structured interview forms and conducted content analysis. The results revealed that pre-admission factors (I), which are the factors of guidance, personality, system, family, career, and city play decisive roles in the admission process of individuals. These factors can shape their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation before the faculty admission process. After admission, the university processes factors (II) such as psychological condition, academic condition, social condition, organizational situation, appointment factors, military service, family situation, and financial situation are determinant factors on individuals’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in their university experience. After the dropout decision, individuals either drop out of the system or change department/university. Findings point out that the reasons for and process of the dropout are interdependent and divergent. Recommendations for future investigations and practices are presented based on our findings.

Future Anxiety of French as a Foreign Language Trainee Teachers in Turkey

The lack of tenured positions for French as a Foreign Language (FFL) teachers in the public sector in Turkey is a recurrent problem. The aims of this research are therefore to determine if this situation affects the level of anxiety due to non-tenure of FFL trainee teachers, to establish the possible causes of this anxiety and to understand if they are confronted with feelings of incertitude and / or doubt towards their future. Another aim of this research is to investigate the impact of non-tenure on the academic motivation of FFL trainee teachers. The research was conducted following a mixed explanatory method in two consecutive stages starting with the collection of quantitative data through the anxiety scale due to the non-tenure of trainee teachers and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). The sample for the quantitative phase involved 428 FFL trainee teachers from 6 Faculties of Education in Turkey. Semi-directed interview forms were used for the collection of qualitative data from 18 FFL trainee teachers from 2 universities involved in the quantitative phase. The research was conducted during the academic year 2019-2020.The findings of our research focus on the problems that FFL trainee teachers may encounter due to the lack of job positions for teachers in the public sector. It allowed a reflection on solutions that could be envisaged in higher education and at the Ministry of Education in Turkey (MEB).

Determination of safe social networking use levels of teacher candidates

Social networks are platforms that have entered our lives together with the development of web 2.0 technologies, with millions and even billions of users. In response to many positive aspects, the safe use of social networks, including some threats and risks, is an important issue for the individual, institutional and national safety. This study is to investigate the level of safe social network usage of teacher candidates and to demonstrate whether the status of using secure safe networking varies according to demographic variables. The study group consisted of teacher candidates from a state university, Faculty of Education in Turkey. The survey model was used in this study. According to the findings obtained from the analyses, half of the teachers' candidates use social network around 1-3 hours average per day. The aim of using social networks is to communicate and chat with their friends at the very beginning. The behavior of the teachers who participate in the study is the use of safe social networking behaviors at a high level.

A study on Faculty Job Satisfaction and Intention to leave- Case of Turkey

The aim of this study is to discuss the work satisfaction in higher education faculties in Turkey. With this purpose in mind, a survey entitled "A Study of Academic Mobility" was applied. The survey consists of several independent variables such as organizational commitment, demographic information, role ambiguity, income satisfaction, work stress measures, motivation and other variables. Among these variables, the effects of gender and type of university on the intention to leave jobs were especially focused on. The results were compared using the Chi square test and graphical analysis. This study focused on work satisfaction and intention to leave within the context of gender and type of university being worked at. On this study, what we found out is that, for academicians, the factors that has a key importance on their intentions to quit their jobs are also the very same factors that are related to satisfaction or dissatisfaction in regard to the organization. There is a significant relationship between work satisfaction and intention of quitting. We have seen that no matter what gender they are, academicians who work for government tend to leave their jobs more than private sector workers. On the other hand regardless of the type of institutions, there are dıfferent factors become prominent for different genders as far as quitting their jobs.

Effect of student teachers’ teaching beliefs and attitudes towards teaching on motivation to teach: mediating role of self-efficacy

ABSTRACT The present research aimed to examine the relationships between student teachers’ teaching beliefs, self-efficacy and motivation to teach, adopting the correlation research model. The sample consisted of student teachers (n = 447), studying at three faculties of education in Turkey. The measurement scales used in the research were ‘teacher beliefs’, ‘self-efficacy’, ‘attitude towards teaching’, and ‘motivation to teach’. According to the findings, all variables were seen to be correlated positively. In order to test the hypotheses of the research, SEM was performed; thus, the indices revealed that the model fitted the data well. Also, it was found that teaching beliefs and attitude towards teaching significantly predicted motivation to teach. Lastly, the self-efficacy was seen to have a mediating role in the interplay between teaching beliefs, attitude towards teaching and motivation to teach.

Integration of Python into Science Teacher Education, Developing Computational Problem Solving and Using Information and Communication Technologies Competencies of Pre-service Science Teachers

This study reports the findings of a program that aims to develop pre-service science teachers’ computational problem-solving skills and views on using information and communications technology in science education. To this end, pre-service science teachers were trained on computational thinking, computational problem solving, designing an algorithm, and Python coding, and then they were asked to solve problem situations determined within the science education program using the computational problem-solving process. The study was conducted in a faculty of education in Turkey and carried out conducted in an elective course in the spring semester of the 2019 - 2020 academic year (in an online platform due to the Covid-19 Pandemic). 38 pre-service science teachers were included in the study. In this process, pre-service science teachers’ conceptual development levels regarding computational thinking and their views regarding the use of ICT in schools were collected quantitatively. The development of computational problem-solving skills of pre-service science teachers was scored by a rubric developed in this study. According to the analyzes, pre-service science teachers increased knowledge of computational thinking (t = -5,969, p = .000), enhanced views regarding the use of ICT in schools (t = -2,436, p = .020), and developed computational problem-solving skills (χ2(2) = 9.000, p = 0,011). These findings have the potential to provide evidence on how computational problem-solving skills can be integrated into science teacher education programs.

Öğretmen Adaylarının Depresyon Düzeyleri, Öğretme Motivasyonları ve Mesleğe Karşı Tutumlarının İncelenmesi

The research aims to examine the pre-service teachers’ depression levels, teaching motivation and attitudes towards the teaching profession. The research was carried out according to the survey model. The sample of the study was carried out with of 235 pre-service teachers in Education Faculties in Turkey. In the research, Burns Depression Scale, Teaching Motivation Scale, and Attitude Scale towards Teaching Profession were used as the measurements. In addition, a personal information form prepared by the researchers was used to collect some demographic information of pre-service teachers participating in the research. When the findings of the study were examined, it was determined that the pre-service teacher did not show a significant difference in their depression levels, teaching motivations, and attitudes towards the teaching profession according to their gender, place of residence, and socio-economic level. In addition, while there was no significant relationship between depression level and teaching motivation and attitude towards the teaching profession, a positive correlation was found between teaching motivation and the attitude towards the teaching profession. The results show that it is important for pre-service teachers to have a high level of attitude towards the teaching profession to increase their teaching motivation.

Institutionalization Mechanisms at the Universities: Case Study of the Turkish Universities

The aim of this study is to explain the institutionalization mechanisms of a focal institution of higher education and two spawning institutions. In this context, views of faculty members on institutional similarity of universities have been presented. Case study was employed in the research. This research design is also a comparative design as focal institution and spawning institutions were compared in terms of institutionalization in the research. The participants of this research is comprised of 27 faculty members who have been working in focal institution called X University Faculty of Education, and spawning institutions called Y University Faculty of Education and Z University Faculty of Education in Turkey. Focal and spawning institutions differ from other faculties within their universities due to the fact that their goal is to train individual with typical faculty of education culture. Faculties are under the pressure adhering to policies and standards established by the Council of Higher Education such as establishing which courses will be given and restructuring of departments. Spawning faculties are allowed to consult with X University when they are facing uncertainties. In the case of uncertainty, unethical behaviors that the spawning institutions copy or take as a model from the focal institutions need to be prevented.

Investigating STEM Awareness of University Teacher Educators

The aim of this study is to determine the STEM awareness of academics working in education faculties and their STEM academic works affected by this awareness. The research was conducted according to a sequential explanatory design, which is one of the mixed research methods. In the quantitative part of the study, a relational type of screening model was used and in the qualitative part, a case study design was preferred. The sampling of the quantitative part was composed of 239 academics working in education faculties in Turkey within the scope of the appropriate sampling method, which was non-random. As a result of the analysis, a semi-structured interview form was prepared within the scope of 4 themes and the qualitative part was started. As a result of the research, it was determined that academics in education faculties had high mean scores for STEM awareness, and that there was no significant difference in terms of gender, professional area and department, but there was a significant difference in terms of age and title variables. In addition, the situations in which interviewed academics, whose awareness scores were high and low, were affected by STEM awareness were revealed and discussed.

Öğretmen Adaylarının Plastik Sanatlara Yönelik Tutumlarını Etkileyen Faktörler: Türkiye’deki Bir Eğitim Fakültesi Örneği

This research aims to determine the factors affecting the attitudes of prospective teachers, who study at the 3rd and 4th grades of a Faculty of Education in Turkey, towards plastic arts. Population of the research consists of prospective teachers who study at the 3rd and 4th grades of a Faculty of Education in Turkey. Total 646 prospective teachers constitute the sample group of the research. Personal information form and attitude scale were used to collect data. SPSS Package Programme was used for quantitative analyses. Frequency (f), percentage (%), standard deviation (S), t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for analyzing the data obtained from personal information form and attitude scale. According to the results of the research, it was determined that the factors affecting the attitudes of prospective teachers towards plastic arts were whether they read newspapers, whether they like any field of art, whether they read books related to art as well as their genders. It was also found out that prospective teachers were interested in plastic arts. In line with these results, it is suggested that plastic arts education and related activities are widely included in university education.

Investigation of the Relationship between Pre-service Music Teachers’ Attitudes towards Teaching Profession and their Self-efficacy Beliefs

This study aimed to examine the attitudes of pre-service music teachers towards teaching profession and their teaching self-efficacy beliefs. The attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service music teachers towards teaching profession were compared based on the variables of gender and academic achievement. The research sample consists of 262 pre-service music teachers studying in the faculties of education in Turkey. Personal information form, attitude scale towards teaching profession and teacher self-efficacy beliefs scale were used in the research. The findings showed that the pre-service teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs towards teaching profession are high. In addition, pre-service teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs towards teaching profession differ according to their gender and level of academic achievement. A significant relation was found between pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and attitudes towards teaching profession.

Eğitim Fakültelerindeki Çocuk Edebiyatı Dersinin Öğretmen Adaylarının Görüşlerine Göre Değerlendirilmesi

Bu çalışmanın amacı öğretmen adaylarının çocuk edebiyatı dersine ilişkin görüşlerini saptamaktır. Bu amaçla ülkemizdeki eğitim fakültelerinde (yedi coğrafi bölgeden toplam 14 üniversite) öğrenim gören ve çocuk edebiyatı dersini almış olan 1431 öğretmen adayının bu derse ilişkin görüşleri alınmıştır. Veriler; araştırmacının geliştirdiği, dörtlü Likert tipi maddelerden ve açık uçlu sorulardan oluşan sormacayla toplanmıştır. Sormacanın Likert tipi maddeleriyle toplanan verilerin sıklık değerleri belirlenmiş, açık uçlu soruların yanıtlardan elde edilen verilere ise betimsel kodlama işlemi uygulanmıştır. Betimsel kodlama sonucunda “çocuk edebiyatı dersine ilişkin değiştirilmek istenenler”, “çocuk edebiyatı dersine ilişkin öneriler” ve “çocuk edebiyatı dersi kapsamında nitelikli bulunan çocuk edebiyatı yapıtları” temalarına ulaşılmıştır. Bu bağlamda öğretmen adayları, çocuk edebiyatı dersinin içeriğine ilişkin eleştirilerini; eğitim durumlarına dönük beklentilerini ve mevcut durumdan memnuniyetsizliklerini dile getirmişlerdir. Öğretmen adaylarının görüşlerine göre temel sorunlar arasında güncel çocuk edebiyatı yapıtlarını yeterince tanımamaları da bulunmaktadır. Bunun yanında ders saatlerinin yetersizliği, derste kullanılan öğretim yöntem ve tekniklerinden kaynaklanan sorunlar, öğretmen adaylarının nitelikli kitapları tanımadaki yetersizliği elde edilen sonuçlar arasında yer almaktadır.

Prediction of Entrepreneurship of Pre-service Teachers based on Cognitive Flexibility and Self-Efficacy Belief

The aim of this study is to determine whether or not pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy belief and cognitive flexibility predict their entrepreneurship. Study group of this research consists of a total of 374 pre-service teachers, 265 females (71%) and 109 males (29%), who are undergraduate students in various education departments from an university’s faculty of education in Turkey during 2017-2018 school year and participated in this study voluntarily. During the data collection process, Entrepreneurship Scale (ES) for measuring pre-service teachers’ entrepreneurship, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) for measuring cognitive flexibility and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) for measuring the self-efficacy belief were used. In the research multiple regression analysis, which is a relational screening model, was used. According to the obtained data, cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy belief variables predict entrepreneurship in a meaningful way (R=.708, R2 =.502, p=.00). Also cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy belief variables combined explain approximately 50% of total variance in entrepreneurship of pre-service teachers. Therefore it can be said that supporting entrepreneurial intentions of teacher candidates in education faculties might be realized by situations aimed at increasing their cognitive flexibilities and general self-efficacy belief regarding this subject. Because it is believed that by supporting these aforesaid intentions, teacher candidates might be helped to participate in important educational activities and projects that require entrepreneurship in their professional lives.

The Impact of a Research Methods Course on Teacher Candidates’ Epistemological Beliefs

The epistemological beliefs of teachers impact both their in-class practices and the perceptions and beliefs of the students whose learning is the responsibility of teachers. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and discuss the impact of a course entitled “research methods” which is taught in education faculties in Turkey, on the epistemological beliefs of teacher candidates. The study adopted the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. Forty-three teacher candidates participated in the study. The data for the study were collected through the “Scientific Epistemological Beliefs Scale (SEBs)”, a semi-structured interview form, and another form that included the written opinions of teacher candidates. The findings revealed that the research methods taught to teacher candidates do not have a statistically significant impact on their epistemological beliefs. But the analysis of the semi-structured interviews with teacher candidates and their written comments revealed that the teacher candidates explained the nature of knowledge, its sources, and the way scientists work through the traditional understanding of science.