ABSTRACT EFFECTS OF GRAPHING CALCULATORS ON EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS&amp / #8217 / ACHIEVEMENT IN GRAPHS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS AND CONCEPT OF SLOPE &Ouml / n&uuml / r, Yurdag&uuml / l M.S., Department of Elementary Science and Mathematics Education Supervisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Ayhan K&uuml / rSat ERBAS May 2008, 76 pages The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of graphing calculators on eight grade students&amp / #8217 / achievement in graphing linear equations and concept of slope. Pretest-posttest experimental-control group design was utilized in the study. While the students in experimental group (EG) received instruction about graphs of linear equations and concept of slope with graphing calculators, the students in control group (CG) was taught the same topics without using graphing calculators. There were 27 students (13 girls and 14 boys) in each group. Students in both EG and CG was administered an achievement test (i.e., MAT) consisting of questions related to graphing linear equations and slope concept before and after the instruction. Additionally, the teacher and six students from the EG were interviewed. The data obtained from students&amp / #8217 / post test scores of MAT were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). A statistically significant difference was found between the achievements of students in experimental and control groups. However, gender had no statistically significant effect on students&amp / #8217 / post test scores of MAT. Additionally, students&amp / #8217 / pre-test scores of MAT and their mathematics grades of the second semester of the seventh grade (MGS) were analysed by independent samples t-test. The results showed no statistically significant difference. On the other hand, the analysis of interview data revealed that graphing calculators affected students&amp / #8217 / attitudes towards mathematics in a positive way. Students had no considerable difficulty while using graphing calculators and they found studying with graphing calculators enjoyable. In summary, the results of the study showed that when graphing calculators used at elementary school level, they had positive effects on students&amp / #8217 / achievement and in some respects to their attitude. Consequently, integration of graphing calculators to elementary mathematics curriculum may be beneficial for students and teachers.

The purpose of the present study was to identify the perception of the parents regarding girls&rsquo / education in Sivas and to explore whether their perceptions show significant differences with respect to certain background variables. More specifically, parents&rsquo / perception of benefits of girls&rsquo / education and barriers to girls&rsquo / education were examined. The sample consisted of 241 parents whose daughters attended the public primary schools in Sivas. Data were gathered from the participants via Girls&rsquo / Education Questionnaire (GEQ) developed by the Researcher and subjected to factor and reliability analysis. Statistical program, SPSS, was utilized to carry out the statistical analyses. Responses to open-ended question were qualitatively analyzed. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to analyze the data. Descriptive Statistics were used to analyze the background information of the participants. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was employed to explore whether there were significant differences between parents&rsquo / perceptions of benefits of girls&rsquo / education and barriers to girls&rsquo / education with respect to certain background variables. The results indicated that parents had positive thoughts and beliefs concerning girls&rsquo / education. Their ideas regarding benefits of girls&rsquo / education were positive regardless of their social and educational background. As for the barriers to girls&rsquo / education, the findings pointed out that parents&rsquo / were mostly concerned about financial difficulties and securtiy affairs. In conclusion, the results of this study can contribute to girls&rsquo / education by displaying current status of girls education in a relatively small province in Turkey and develop strategies to better the position of girls in education system.

This study aimed to explore the relationships between elementary students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs, learning approaches, self-regulated learning strategies, and their science achievement. In this investigation, a model of the potential associations among these variables was proposed and tested by using structural equation modeling. It was hypothesized that (a) students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs would directly influence their learning approaches, self-regulated learning strategies, and science achievement, (b) students&rsquo / adopted learning approaches and their use of self-regulated learning strategies would be related with science achievement, and (c) students&rsquo / learning approaches were expected to be related with their use of self-regulated strategies. A total of 1240 seventh graders from 21 public elementary schools throughout the &Ccedil / ankaya district of Ankara completed measures designed to assess students&rsquo / (a) epistemological beliefs (beliefs about the Certainty of Knowledge, Development of Knowledge, Source of Knowing, and Justification for Knowing) (b) adopted learning approaches (either rote or meaningful), (c) use of self-regulated learning strategies, and (d) science achievement. Separate confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the structure of students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs and their adopted learning approaches. While the factor analyses of students&rsquo / responses to the epistemological beliefs questionnaire supported the multidimensional nature of these beliefs, some features distinct from the findings of the Western countries were identified. Socio-cultural influences were proposed to account for the observed differences in the factor structure obtained with the Turkish sample. The results of the structural equation modeling while supporting some of the proposed hypotheses, contradicted with others. Epistemological beliefs emerged as a major contributor to learning approaches and science achievement as expected, whereas those beliefs can not be used as a predictor of self-regulated learning strategies. In addition, students&rsquo / adopted learning approaches were found to be a predictor of their self-regulated learning strategies which in turn influence the science achievement in the model. Contrary to the expectations, learning approaches of the students were not found to be directly related with their science achievement.

This research examined the critical thinking (CT) skills and conceptions of prospective teachers studying at Foreign Language Education Department at Middle East Technical University. In this way, the study intended to contribute to the field of curriculum and instruction by pointing to the currents status while constituting a basis for further actions in teacher education in terms CT. In this research, data analysis was carried out through both quantitative and qualitative analysis. A survey, including Student Information Form, and Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal- Form YM Turkish version were utilized for data gathering. Data were collected from 103 prospective teachers in the junior and senior level during the Spring Semester of 2007- 2008 Academic Year. Results demonstrated that the critical thinking (CT) levels of prospective teachers assessed by WGCTA are in medium level. In addition, WGCTA-YM cannot be predicted from reported regular reading activity, CGPA, and gender. Besides, results showed that, prospective teachers make rudiment or vague statements about critical thinking activities and do not point to a common instructional activity. In terms of critical thinking definitions, prospective teachers mostly perceive CT as a cognitive skill. Furthermore, there is a common sense view of CT rather than an understanding based on literature. The results revealed that prospective teachers are short of the essential CT skills and the CT comprehension to be able to raise individuals with CT ability. Therefore, curriculum renovation movements, projects, and research studies to improve critical thinking skills in teacher education should be developed and implemented.

In this study, four aspects of learner autonomy within the context of CALL were investigated so as to find out whether CALL environments contribute to the development of learner autonomy. Two groups of students, in total 48 preparatory school students, at intermediate level in the Department of Foreign Languages at a private university in Ankara were chosen to take part in the study. First&rsquo / the students&rsquo / language learning strategy use was explored. Then, only one group of students was given a five-week language learning strategy training through CALL. During the training, their motivation levels, willingness to take responsibility for learning and involvement in out-of-class studies were scrutinized. In order to reach the aforementioned goals, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected by the help of questionnaires, semi-structured face-to-face interviews, observations, e-learning diaries kept by the strategy training group and a five-week language learning strategy training through CALL. In order to reach the aim of the study, the data were collected in the form of pre-test and post-test for the language learning strategies of the learners from both groups to be analyzed and evaluated. Besides, both groups were observed by the instructors in order to address motivation, taking responsibility for learning and engaging in out-of-class study. However, only the students in one group were given a five-week language learning strategy training through CALL, and they were interviewed before and after the training and they kept e-learning diaries. The findings indicated that the five-week language learning strategy training helped the students in the strategy training group to improve their use of language learning strategies as well as increasing their motivation, encouraging them to take responsibility for their learning and engage in out-of-class activities. However, when compared to the students in the strategy training group, the students who did not get the five-week language learning strategy training through CALL did not show many uses of language learning strategies, high motivation levels, willingness to take responsibility and engage in out-of-class activities. Since the main aim of this study was to foster learner autonomy by the help of CALL, this study attempted to suggest ways to help learners to use language learning strategies, increase their motivation, take responsibility for learning and engage in out-of-class. Keywords: CALL, learner autonomy, learning strategies, motivation, taking responsibility, out-of-class study, language learning

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of learners in the blended course relative to the use of Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. Additionally through the motivational requirements specified by Keller&rsquo / s ARCS motivational design model, students&rsquo / motivations were analyzed. Thus the study was designed to determine student motivation in a blended environment in relation to Keller&rsquo / s ARCS motivational design model. For these research aims, a traditional course was redesigned with the support of online applications by taking Good Practice Principles as the framework. A triangulation mixed method approach was utilized as the primary design of the study by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study. The study participants included 47 preservice teachers in an undergraduate teacher education program of Computer Education and Instructional Technology Department in the Middle East Technical University who took the course (School Experience I) in blended design mode in 2005-2006 spring semester. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through three different surveys, student interviews, and forum transcripts. The data were analyzed concurrently according to both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. The analyses of qualitative and quantitative data showed that students&rsquo / perceptions in the blended course and perceptions in relation to each good teaching principles were mostly positive. Results reveal that students perceive six of the principles including student faculty contact, cooperation, time on task, diversity and ways of learning, feedback, and active learning helpful to their learning. Additionally, the students think that the other one principle which is expectations needs to be improved. In addition, high motivation scores were gathered in the blended course. Results show that attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction subscores revealed significantly higher levels of motivation among students.

The primary purposes of present study were 1) investigation of epistemological beliefs held by preservice teachers, 2)investigation of relationship between pre-service teachers&rsquo / environmental literacy and their epistemologicalbeliefs,3)investigation of predictors of pre-service teachers&rsquo / intentions to act environmental behavior. Secondary purpose of the study was to investigate effect of gender, academic major, and grade level on environmental literacy of pre-service teachers. This study was carried out during the spring semester of2008. Sample of this study constituted 560 pre-service teachers from a public university in Ankara. In this study data was obtained from the administration of Turkish versions of Schommers&rsquo / Epistemological Belief Questionnaire and Environmental Literacy Questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using factor analysis, correlational analysis, multiple regression analysis, and multivariate analysis of variances (MANOVA). We found five epistemological belief factors which indicated that pre-service teachers held multidimensional epistemological beliefs.Epistemological belief components, innate ability and quick learning, were significantly related with behavior component of environmental literacy. Innate ability, quick learning dimensions of epistemological beliefs and environmental attitude, concern were investigated to be the predictors of behavior. mean scores of pre-service teachers&rsquo / .Moreover,results of this study revealed that gender / academic major and grade level have effect on environmental literacy of pre-serviceteachers.

The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of origami-based instruction on fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students&rsquo / spatial ability in mathematics. More specifically, how origami-based instruction affected students&rsquo / spatial visualization and spatial orientation ability was examined. In addition, elementary students&rsquo / self-reported perceptions related to origami-based instruction was investigated. In other words, students&rsquo / attitude towards origami-based instruction, their views about the benefits of origami-based instruction and its connection to mathematics, and the difficulties that students encountered while making origami as well as by whom they overcame these difficulties were investigated. The data was collected from 38 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in a private school in Eryaman neighborhood in Ankara. The participants were given a Spatial Ability Test (SAT) as pretest and posttest in order to assess the effect of origami-based instruction on their spatial ability in terms of spatial visualization and spatial orientation. In addition, the participants were asked to write reflection papers related to origami-based instruction in order to examine their perceptions. The results indicated that there was a significant positive effect of origami-based instruction on elementary students&rsquo / both spatial visualization and spatial orientation ability. Moreover, the findings showed that students had positive attitude toward origami-based instruction where they wanted to continue origami-based instruction. Students also thought that origami-based instruction was beneficial for them especially in geometry topics in mathematics, and they have common views that origami-based instruction was directly related with mathematics. Furthermore, results revealed that students were generally encountered with folding and assembling difficulties, and they overcame these difficulties by themselves, by the help of the teacher, and by the help of their friends.

The current study, initially aimed to explore the problem solving skills of the sixth grade students within the four-process problem solving framework including the processes of understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back and evaluating. Secondly, it aimed to investigate the relationships between student and teacher related characteristics and problem solving skills of the students. In the study, a model was proposed based on the related literature and this proposed model was tested by using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) technique. A total of 2562 sixth grade students from 37 public elementary schools in the eight central districts of Ankara completed a problem solving skills test developed by the researcher and a student questionnaire. At the same time, mathematics teachers of the students participated in the study completed a teacher questionnaire. The results indicated that in general the sixth grade students displayed low performance in the overall problem solving skills test. Moreover, the students performed best in the process of understanding problem whereas they showed the worst performance in the process of looking back and evaluating. The results of the hierarchical linear modeling technique indicated that the student characteristics significantly and positively related to the problem solving skills of the sixth grade students were socioeconomic status, mathematics self concept, extrinsic motivation, use of control strategies, preference for competitive learning situation, and teacher support, on the other hand student level characteristics significantly and negatively related to the problem solving skills of the sixth grade students were mathematics anxiety, giving homework, activities related with homework, and different types of homework. Furthermore, the teacher level characteristics significantly related to the problem solving skills of the sixth grade students were only teacher gender and perceptions about limitations aroused from students. The characteristic of perceptions about limitations aroused from students was negatively related to problem solving skills of the students on the other hand teacher gender was found to be related to problem solving skills of the students in favor of female teachers. It was also found that there was no teacher level characteristic influencing the relationship that was between student level characteristics and the problem solving skills of the students.

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of successful primary schools in the province of Izmir. In this study, qualitative research technique is employed through the perspective of multiple case studies. It was conducted in 9 distinguishingly effective primary public schools located in various districts of Izmir. The participants of the investigation were school administrators and teachers of the investigated schools. Reviewing the relevant literature of the field, a model of school effectiveness characteristics (consisting of five factors) was exploited in order for conceptualizing the research. This frame of effectiveness characteristics were identified as achievement &ndash / oriented policy, orderly and secure climate, strong educational leadership, maintaining parental support and thorough monitoring of pupil progress. Throughout the study, multiple case study method was adopted, and semi-structured interview technique was employed as the main data collection instrument. Content analysis technique was utilized to unfurl the data gathered through the interviews. The results of the research revealed that achievement orientation, strong educational leadership, school climate, monitoring students&rsquo / progress, parental support, and supportive physical environment are among the identified characteristics for school effectiveness.