Factors affecting Turkish students＇ achievement in mathematics

Following past researches, student background, learning strategies, self-related cognitions in mathematics and school climate variables were important for achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify a number of factors that represent the relationship among sets of interrelated variables using principal component factor analysis and examine the contribution of each factor to the explanation of the variance in the students＇ mathematics score using multiple regression analysis. The sample was prepared from students who participated in Programme for International Student Assessment （PISA） in Turkey. These data consisted of 3765 15 year-old Turkish students in 158 schools. The results showed that four factors under study totally accounted for approximately 34 percent of the variance in mathematics achievement. All of the factors had statistically significant effects on the achievement. The findings are very important for Turkish education system because the fact that changing school climate and improving the learning strategies are much easier to achieve than changing background factors affecting students＇ performance.     

The effect of information mapping strategy on mathematics conceptual knowledge of junior high school students

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of information mapping strategy on mathematics conceptual knowledge of junior high school students in Rokan Hulu Riau, Indonesia. The study also examined the relationship between mathematics conceptual knowledge and mathematics achievement. Using a quasi-experimental method, the study was carried out on 132 students from one junior high school in Rokan Hulu Riau, Indonesia. It was completed in 6 weeks. Instruments used in this study were mathematics conceptual knowledge test and mathematics achievement test. The results of this study indicated that there were significant differences in mathematics conceptual knowledge between the information mapping strategy group and the traditional group. It was concluded that using information mapping strategy may impact students＇ conceptual knowledge. There was a relationships between mathematics conceptual knowledge and mathematics achievement.     

Diversity in education using blended learning in Sarawak

One of the objectives of Malaysia Ministry of Education is to provide educational opportunities for all Malaysians. Are education opportunities given fairly to all Malaysians who come from two big regions and divided by the South China Sea？ The web infancy era, where the World Wide Web （WWW） is blooming fast, has changed the new millennium teaching and learning process tremendously. Although the online learning can reach to students regardless of their location and backgrounds, human contact is still very important in traditional face-to-face learning. Blended learning course comprising online learning and traditional face-to-face learning components is an effective teaching and learning method, where it combines the best from both worlds. Blended learning courses only started a few years ago in Malaysia higher learning institutions to give everybody equal opportunities to study. The key acceptance of blended learning approach and continuing improvement is students＇ satisfaction. This study focused on students＇ satisfaction related to the nine components of blended learning （course content, technical, flexibility, community learning, motivation, sharing, feedback, complementary learning and personalized learning） from two locations： urban and rural areas. The study employed a mixed method consisting of a survey questionnaire distributed first to collect the quantitative data and followed by the interview to refine and explain the data. The population of the study consisted of students who enrolled in the Mathematics Blended Learning Course in Sarawak state in semester July-November, 2007. Census was used in the study. The survey instrument was developed and validated using Rasch model. The semi-structured questionnaire was used in qualitative data collection. The quantitative data was analyzed by using SPSS v 14.0 whilst the qualitative data was coded by using NVivo software. Results from the quantitative data showed that students were satisfied in all nine components regardless of the location. The grand mean of all components also indicated that respondents were satisfied with blended learning course. This result was supported by the qualitative data.     

Using Extraction Experiment as a Tool for Teaching Scientific Process Skills

Laboratory work educates students about the ＂processes of science＂. But it is suggested that students＇ learning level is low because of limited application of science processes in their laboratory work. Extraction experiment was chosen as the topic since it allows students to apply many of their basic chemistry knowledge, and it can be readily to gain understanding of scientific proceses required for an investigation. This study has been carried out with 40 students who are in the first year of Science Teaching Division at Trakya University, Faculty of Education. These students were divided into two groups of the experimental group and the control group, each group containing 20 students. The students of the experimental group were given knowledge about basic scientific process skills, and a procedure in detail to follow was given. But the students of the control group was given a standard procedure. The students of both groups were asked about what and why they did while they were performing the laboratory investigation. We observed that the experimental group students used the basic process skills, understood the extraction experiment, and realized what and why they did from this activity better than the control group students. The control group students did not know why they did laboratory work and they tended to focus on completing the task rather than learning from it. We considered that the experience would be helpful for students to improve scientific process skills if the students successfully acquired procedural understanding. Students＂ scientific processskills will develop as long as they use the skills.     

A New Pattern to Research the Learning:From Phenomenography and Constructivism Perspective——The Case of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts

This essay is trying to explore how the arts students experience the teaching and learning context in the English class of the col lege from the phenomenography perspective.The qualitative research methodology of phenomenography has traditionally required a man ual sorting and analysis of interview data.To study the teaching and learning context,the qualitative research method will be applied,and the data collection will base on the face-to-face interview.There are 8 sophomores were interviewed after they had one year study in col lege.The research findings reveal that most student in interview gradually get used to college English class,but never think about changing their learning approach even they study one year in a totally different teaching and learning environment.     

Hong Kong students＇ approaches to learning： Cross-cultural comparisons

Anecdotal evidence abounds in Hong Kong to the effect that students entering tertiary education are predisposed to a ＂rote＂ learning approach. With the internalisation of higher education in many countries, there is still insufficient understanding of how Chinese students approach their learning. Except few studies were conducted locally, there have been no systematic studies undertaken and there is a tendency to rely on anecdotal statements about Hong Kong students＇ approaches to learning. This study was designed to see if Hong Kong Chinese students who enrolled into a 3-year undergraduate programme in occupational therapy predisposed to a surface or deep approach to learning react differently when moving progressively from one stage to the next stage in their curriculum. The study adopted a longitudinal design method and measured students＇ changes in their approaches to learning using the Biggs＇ Study Process Questionnaire （SPQ）. The internal consistency reliability estimates for SPQ scales for samples of Hong Kong, Australia and UK were compared. The results of this study indicated that Hong Kong Chinese students demonstrated a higher mean for the deep approach learning and a lower mean for the surface approach, similar to other Hong Kong studies conducted in other tertiary institutions in Hong Kong and Australia.     

The Effect on Enhancing Students＇ Inquiry Abilities via Step-by-Step Open-ended Inquiry Teaching Design

The purpose of this study is to promote more open-ended inquiry activities in junior high school science lessons in the current educational system with fixed textbooks. Researchers adapted existing curriculum-based experimental activities for more open-ended inquiry ones. In addition, the whole class was provided with more opportunities to explore complete activities in limited teaching time. This study used Hazel＇s proposals of levels of inquiry. The method was to carry out the current 8th grade experiments through the step-by-step teaching material modification （from levels of inquiry 0 to 2b） and to combine the experimental teaching method with the 5E （engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate） learning cycle. After a quasi-experimental study, we compared the traditional teaching method with the step-by-step open-ended inquiry teaching one on 8th graders＇ basic and integrated science process skills and academic achievements. The study result showed that the academic achievement in the experimental group, based on the same instructional time, was not worse than that in the control group. No significant difference was found on the total scores of the basic science process skills between the two groups, but a significant difference was found on the ＂predicting＂ dimension. There was a significant difference on the total scores of the integrated science process skills between the two groups. Significant differences were found on ＂interpreting data＂ as well as ＂experiment designing＂ dimensions. Hence, the study indicated that it could enhance students＇ inquiry ability through step-by-step openly inquiry levels to change the existing curricula, which served as a reference of educational reform.     

The Effect of Culture Integrated Language Courses on Foreign Language Education

When examined carefully, it is seen that there is not an available and detailed cttrriculum designed for the aim of foreign language teaching with integrated cultural items of the target language in the programs of the schools under authority of the Ministry of Education and Turkish higher education institutions. In recent years, the specialists have an agreement on the issue that foreign language instruction should be carried out by the means of target language＇s history, literature, geography and also its social characteristics. The idiom ＂it＇s raining cats and dogs＂ can be misinterpreted by a Turkish student without the knowledge of this idiom＇s story in English history as ＂Cats and dogs are pouring down from the sky＂. An important French architectural building ＂Saint Mary Cathedral, Notre Dame de Paris＂ can be misunderstood as ＂Our Parisian Woman＂ by a student who is unfamiliar with French culture. Both examples show that encountered foreign words and phrases can be misunderstood and mostly these words are perceived and interpreted according to learners＇ own cultural figures. The aims of this study are to show the significance of culture-based foreign language courses and to make a contribution to the literature by regarding the views of researchers beheving that culture and language are inseparable concepts. In this context, Erzincan University French Language Teaching Department students＇ opinions on the relation between culture and language learning were received with the application of qualitative structured written response method. Then, document analysis of written comments was evaluated. Consequently, the analysis on the participants＇ written comments showed that a culture integrated foreign language course can make positive contributions to students＇ learning, language learning process and learning environment.     

A Sample Science Education Activity in Multicultural Environment

In this study, a sample activity developed in the workshops called ＂Science education in multicultural environment＂ of the program ＂Integrative teaching in multicultural environment＂ was presented. Workshops about varied subjects were carried out by participants representing four countries and participants developed teaching materials by getting benefit from elements special to their cultures in the ones related to science teaching. Two students from Belgium, one student from Denmark, one student from Latvia and five students from Turkey participated in the study and three Turkish academicians conducted the workshops. The outcomes of the study were evaluated by presenting them to all participants. The workshops were designed to help students learn instructional strategies and draw upon their prior learning experiences in order to apply effective multicultural education teaching activities. Emphasis is also placed on understanding the varied backgrounds and needs of students.     

A Survey on Current English Learning Condition of Senior Vocational School Students

The study aimed to investigate the relationship of students’ English proficiency level and participation condition.70 students from National Senior Commercial & Industrial Vocational School participated in this study. The analysis method was one-way ANOVA, that is, one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that strategy and emotion participation influenced students’ English proficiency level largely. In the end, the results were discussed and some pedagogical implications and suggestions for further study were also presented.     

Investigation of Students＇ ICT Skills in Terms of Different Variables in a Technical and Vocational High School for Girls

This study aims to measure girls＇ technical and vocational high school students＇ information and communication technology （ICT） skills and to investigate these in terms of different variables. The singular and relational survey model was used in this study. The sample composed of 119 technical and vocational high school students. The data were collected through a paper-based survey composed of two parts. In the first part of the survey, there are 15 items about personal information and demographic information about the participating students. In the second part, there is a scale about ICT skills. The data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences （SPSS） Version 21.0 by means of percent, frequency, mean, mode, median, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskall-Wallis test. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the technical and vocational high school students＇ ICT skills with respect to gender, class level, experience in the use of computers, frequency of using the Internet, working style, learning style, and motivation style. As for the ＂number of aim using the Internet＂ variable, a significant difference in the ICT skills scale was observed.     

The effective teaching of comparing Orff music method with traditional music approach for music reading and melodic patterns singing for 3rd grade elementary students in Taiwan

The Orff music method has been internationally practiced and recognized as one of the leading music methods in the past fifty years. The success of this approach is that this method encourages all students participating in the designed music activities in the music class to interact with the teacher and other classmates using the Orff approach rather than the traditional one-way music learning approach in the traditional music classroom in Asia. While the children are situated within an environment where music activities and bodily movements are stimulated, the children＇s aesthetic music knowledge can be influenced significantly （Carlson, 1990）. In this study, there were a total number of 180 3rd graders from three elementary schools in Taiwan who participated in this research. The control group which consisted of three classes with a total number of 90 students was the class using the traditional music method taught by a regular classroom teacher, while the experimental group, which consisted of another three classes with a total number of 90 students, was the class taught using the Orff music method by the researcher. The study was controlled in the sense that the six music classes were ascertained to be of equal ability in their understanding of music before the experimental factor was applied. As well, there were no significant differences in age or mental capacity, while the difference in genders was only minimal. The results of this research revealed that not only did the students who had the Orff music method training perform better than the traditional music method on both melodic patterns dictation and music reading tests, but the Orff training also helped the experimental students to have a solid understanding of rhythmic structures and basic music knowledge.     

The effects of constructivist learning environment on prospective mathematics teachers＇ opinions

To explore the effects of constructivist learning environment on prospective teachers＇ opinions about ＂＇mathematics, department of mathematics, discrete mathematics, countable and uncountable infinity＂ taught under the subject of Cantorian Set Theory in discrete mathematics class, 60 first-year students in the Division of Mathematics Education at the Department of Science and Mathematics in Buca Education Faculty at Dokuz Eylul University were divided into two homogenous groups. In order to do this segmentation, Minimum Requirements Identification Test was developed and used by the researchers. This test includes concepts like ＂＇set＂, ＂correlation＂ and ＂function＂, which are required to understand Cantorian Set Theory. While the control group was taught by traditional methods, a teaching method based on a constructivist approach was applied to the experimental group. Data were gathered by an open-ended questionnaire administered to total 40 students, 20 from the each group. Collected data were evaluated through content analysis. In the end, despite the minor differences, no statistically significant difference was found between the opinions of control and experimental groups about mathematics （χ^2calculation=2.578, SD=3, p〉0.05）, department of mathematics （χ^2calculation=3.185, SD=3, p〉0.05） and discrete mathematics （χ^2calculation=4.935, SD=3, p〉0.05） after the instruction. However, opinions about Cantorian Set Theory were significantly differentiated between experimental and control groups after the instruction （χ^2 calculation= 13.486, SD=2, p〈0.05）.     

Assessing graduate attributes for employability in the context of lifelong learning： The holistic approach

To promote economic and personal growth, higher education students＇ employability, ensuring their preparedness for the workforce, is emphasized. From the employer＇s perspective, judging whether a graduate is employable depends upon whether the graduate exhibits the attributes which employers value. Yet, with the growing emphasis on lifelong learning, it is important for higher education to re-consider and reframe the development and assessment of attributes of graduates in the context of lifelong learning. In this paper, these attributes will be explored in that context, and the issue of how assessment helps the development of graduate attributes is to be considered. Student engagement is proposed in this paper as the holistic, useful approach for the development of employability and lifelong learning. The holistic approach reflects the fact that what is required in a workforce is not the acquisition of knowledge, skills and dispositions per se, but the capability to make an engagement through which knowledge, skills and dispositions are connected as a whole. The lack of emphasis on students＇ engagement could lead to mistakenly selecting as important for the focus of assessment simply the acquisition of skills, knowledge or dispositions, rather than the holistic connection of these to their application in the workforce.     

Influence of learning techniques on information processing

The present study establishes the fact that effective information processing is dependent on the learning techniques one adopts. A sample of 100 students in the age group from 13 to 17 including boys and girls were chosen. They were divided into two groups of control and experimental. To the experimental group, certain specific learning techniques were taught for a period of six months. The same group was tested taking blood samples to study the neuro transmitter serotonin levelshenme before and after adopting learning techniques. Results of the study proved that there is significant relationship between learning techniques and the information processing ability of an individual.     

Technology Usage for Education： Comparative Analysis Between Open and Distance Learning and Regular Students

Education is the backbone for the development of society. With the advent of technology, it is becoming necessary and being used for the advancement of society. Technology is being used for education as being used in other important fields of life. Usage of technology for education can play a big part in bringing improvement in education For this purpose, this research aims to explore the usage and effects of technology for education. While using the survey method, a questionnaire was constructed for data collection. The sample of the study consists of graduate and postgraduate students from both ODL and regular universities and the sample size would be of 300 respondents （150 from each type of university） who were selected by using simple random sampling. The present study concluded that technology is widely used by both regular and ODL students. This study further concluded that ODL students are more dependent on technology as compared to regular students.     

Learning to Program in KPL Through Guided Collaboration

A quasi-experiment was conducted at an elementary school to investigate if guided collaboration would facilitate programming learning of 6 graders. Sixty-six students of two intact classes learned to program in KPL （kid＇s programming language） for 18 weeks during the experiment. One class was randomly assigned to the control group （i.e., free-collaboration） and the other to the experimental group （i.e., guided-collaboration）. Students in both groups formed heterogeneous teams of 3 persons. The guided-collaboration teams in experimental group were provided with a worksheet for every programming task. The worksheet contained a set of task-specific guiding questions to guide students through the problem-solving process in a systematic and disciplined manner. An analysis of test scores showed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in the achievement tests, suggesting that the guiding questions were useful in enhancing students＇ comprehension of programming concepts and developing their programming skills. A comparison of the amount of time spent at each problem-solving step showed that the experimental group spent significantly more time than the control group at the analysis/design/coding step as well as the reflection step. Conversely, the control group spent considerably more time at the debugging step. With the help of the guiding questions, students in the experimental group were also more able to conduct meaningful discussions.