This study aimed at investigating the attitudes of English language teachers in Turkey toward computer technology and the extent to which they use technology in language instruction. The data were collected from a sample of English teachers working at public schools all throughout Turkey. In order to ensure triangulation and complementarity, mixed methods research was used combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A questionnaire and semi-structured, face-to-face interview were used in order to collect the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics as well as content analysis were conducted so as to analyze the data. The results of the data analysis yielded positive findings regarding English teachers

This study aimed to investigate adaptation challenges of novice teachers in induction period, to analyze the variables influencing their adaptation, and to assess pre-service and in-service training in terms of preparing them for induction into teaching. Through a questionnaire, the data were collected from 465 novice teachers teaching in randomly selected 8 provinces of Turkey. The general results revealed that novice teachers had job-related concerns a little more often than the social concerns. The four most frequent adaptation challenges appeared as (1) workload, (2) social status and identity, (3) supervisor, and (4) classroom management challenges. Novice Teachers&rsquo / adaptation challenges differed in relation to age, subject area, university, faculty, practice teaching, existence of a mentor teacher in pre-service years, school type, grade level, amount of in-service training, and love of teaching profession. More than half of the participants perceived their pre-service and in-service training insufficient.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the professional growth of the preservice and inservice Basic Education computer teachers. To understand their professional growth in terms of perception of teaching and competencies about pedagogic and subject matter knowledge, questionnaires were administered to 1,568 preservice teachers and 104 inservice teachers in Turkey. In order to seek answers to this broad purpose, mixed research method including both quantitative and qualitative traditions was used in this study. The researcher employed the questionnaires as the primary data collection tool but since questionnaires were limited in the representation of the whole picture, this study was complemented by interviews, observations and document analysis, which were the qualitative data collection tools. To that end, 33 preservice computer teachers and 12 inservice teachers were interviewed. Besides these, 8 preservice and 4 inservice classroom observations were conducted. Additionally, their lesson plans were analyzed throughout the data collection process. Regarding data collecting procedure, the data collection and analysis procedure includes two phases / the first one is the quantitative phase, in which the research questions focus on basic education computer teachers&amp / #8217 / perceptions about teaching, their pedagogical and subject matter competencies and their views about technology integration into schools. In order to answer the research questions, the researchers developed new questionnaires and adapted from existing instruments by utilizing the literature review and taking expert opinions. After this phase, pilot studies were conducted in order to ensure reliability and validity of the questionnaires. In the second part, which is the qualitative phase, the research questions were addressed for in-depth understanding of preservice and inservice computer teachers&amp / #8217 / perceptions toward teaching, their competencies and their opinions about technology integrations. For this purpose, interviews and observation schedules were prepared under the guidance of experts and with the support of the related literature. Results revealed that preservice and inservice teachers&amp / #8217 / perceptions of teaching were generally positive about computer education. Moreover, their competencies increased throughout years. However, results indicated some negative points in their perceptions and competencies. Pertaining to the measured variables, there significant differences were found among preservice teachers based on their year in the program. Interviews and observations that were conducted to gain in-depth understanding of teachers&amp / #8217 / progress in their professional growth supported the survey results. This study elicited important results for preservice and inservice computer teachers and teacher educators to understand the whole picture of the Basic Education computer teaching. Results of this study, particularly those related to the problems they encounter in the profession, could provide new directions for the Ministry of National Education, the Higher Education Council, and universities.

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes on what the prospective elementary mathematics teachers noticed as they watched video cases and discussed online. More specially, I wanted to answer the question &ldquo / To what extent the elementary prospective mathematics teachers&rsquo / noticing with respect to reform-minded teaching changes during their video case-based teacher education, in terms of teacher and student roles?&rdquo / With this question in mind, I asked senior prospective mathematics teachers at METU to watch six video cases depicting real elementary mathematics classrooms, and then discuss these cases in an online forum. The research was conducted during the 2008-2009 fall semester. Participants were asked to write reflection papers after watching a video each week. The online discussions took place in Metu Online-Net ClassR online forum, and each discussion was about a long week. The research study was qualitative in nature. Specifically, it was a case study research. Prospective teachers&rsquo / reflection papers on the videos, the online discussions, and interviews with the selected 15 focus participants at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the study were the data sources. The data were analyzed through the qualitative data analysis techniques. The findings suggested that prospective teachers&rsquo / noticing skills with respect to the teacher and student roles in reform-minded teaching and learning were developed throughout the online video-case based discussions.

Considering the current demands of our global world, there is a need for educating students equipped with diverse and complex qualities. In order to educate well-equipped students and sustain quality education, teachers and teacher educators have to be keeping themselves up-to-date and develop themselves professionally. The primary aim of this study is to explore English instructors&rsquo / understanding of professional development through the use of phenomenological research methodology. The data sources were instructors and administrators working at Faculty Academic English Program at Bilkent University. The data collection method was semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. The findings of the study indicated that participants see professional development as a means of individual development, as a means of institutional development and as a source of developing community and environment. The study also revealed that the instructors preferred informal modes of professional development activities to formal ones. Participants of the study overall reflected their agreement on the positive contribution of course design on their professional development, autonomy and self-growth.

The educational community is increasingly concerned about the limitations of traditional teacher education programs to support teachers&rsquo / professional development. Beside the theoretical knowledge, the importance of the experience cannot be debated. The main problem of the teacher education institutions is that they fail to close the gap between the theoretical principles taught in the faculties of education and the experiences of teachers in the classrooms. Microteaching is the most popular method to prepare the PSTs for real-world teaching profession. However, literature showed that there are some barriers that PSTs face during the microteaching process, including limited and unreflective peer-feedback (Huang, 2001). In order to facilitate PSTs&rsquo / peer-interaction and reflective thinking during their microteaching process, a web-based video analysis environment was designed. In addition, in teacher education observation has a critical place. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of question prompts embedded within this environment on PSTs&rsquo / reflective thinking and self-efficacy levels. For this purpose, a true experimental study was designed and applied. 55 pre-service teachers were enrolled in this study. First finding of this study is that the use of question prompts embedded in a web-based video analysis system have a positive significant effect on pre-service teachers&#039 / reflective thinking level. Second finding of this study is that the use of question prompts embedded in a web-based video analysis system did not have a significant effect on pre-service teachers&#039 / self-efficacy. However, there was a significant linear trend indication for all types of self-efficacy factors for both control and experimental group over the time. For both groups this linear trend showed that self-efficacy scores of instructional strategies, classroom management, and student engagement developed over the time.

The purpose of this research study is to identify teachers&rsquo / perceptions on the effectiveness of their teacher education programs in supporting their professional practices. The data to the study were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 17 in-service teachers working in public early childhood institutions in Ankara. The data were analyzed through the emerging codes and themes shaped by the research questions. The results indicated that the 1998 program the study intended to investigate was found to be relatively satisfying in terms of developing professional teach ing competencies. The major weakness was reported to be theory-oriented structure which did not allow for ample practice opportunities both in the courses and in the field experiences. Moreover, due to the infancy ages of the field, the contents of courses offered were perceived to be in line with the essentials of primary and elementary level which contradicts the necessities of early childhood teaching. The findings were further discussed and interpreted.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1987.

This study aims to explore the perceived benefits of three-way observation on the focal areas of objectives of the activities, error-correction techniques, and group-work in an upper-intermediate class in Bilkent University School of English Language. The data was collected through five classroom observations, six post-observation reflection sheets, five focus-group interviews with the students, and five post-observation interviews with the observer. A total of 15 upper-intermediate level students, one teacher, and one observer v were involved in the study. The data was analyzed qualitatively and with the use of descriptive statistics. The findings reveal that the perceptions of the students, teacher, and observer on the focal areas show variability in terms of quantity and quality. It was also discovered that student feedback reveals more detailed information about each focal area and that each perception has its own value and should be taken into consideration by the teacher, observer and students. In this study, the researcher formed a two-step three-way observation model. According to this model, the teacher transfers the information gathered from student interviews to the observer. Based on this information, the observer presents suggestions to the teacher by creating solutions to an existing problem, developing ideas related to classroom activities or increasing the effectiveness of teaching and learning processes in a class.

This study explores the in-service teachers` expectations from an educational portal which is being developed by the Ministry of National Education. This is a descriptive survey study that examined the factors which contribute to teachers` expectations from an educational portal. Data were obtained 130 teachers (37 primary and 90 secondary school teachers) in Eskisehir province. Sampling was convenience thus the findings of this study could only be generalized to teachers who work at the central province of Eskisehir. According to the results of data analysis portal expectations of teachers were so high, attitudes towards computers were positive. However, teachers Internet literacy levels were low. There was a positive relation between teachers` attitudes towards computers portal expectations.