A Study on Teaching Gases to Prospective Primary Science Teachers Through Problem-Based Learning

The aim of this study was to compare the achievement of prospective primary science teachers in a problem-based curriculum with those in a conventional primary science teacher preparation program with regard to success in learning about gases and developing positive attitudes towards chemistry. The subjects of the study were 101 first year undergraduate students, who were in two different classes and who were taught by the same lecturer. One of the classes was randomly selected as the intervention group in which problem-based learning (PBL) was used, and the other as the control in which conventional teaching methods were used. The data were obtained through use of the gases diagnostic test (GDT), the chemistry attitude scale (CAS), and scales specific to students’ evaluation of PBL such as the peer evaluation scale (PES), self evaluation scale (SES), tutor’s performance evaluation scale (TPES) and students’ evaluation of PBL scale (SEPBLS). Data were analysed using SPSS 10.0 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). In order to find out the effect of the intervention (PBL) on students’ learning of gases, independent sample t-tests and ANCOVA (analysis of co-variance) were used. The results obtained from the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of students’ GDT total mean scores and, their attitude towards chemistry, as well as PBL has a significant effect on the development of students’ skills such as self-directed learning, cooperative learning and critical thinking.     

Gender variance and educational psychology: implications for practice

The area of gender variance appears to be more visible in both the media and everyday life. Within educational psychology literature gender variance remains underrepresented. The positioning of educational psychologists working across the three levels of child and family, school or establishment and education authority/council, means that they are well placed to support knowledge, understanding and practice in this area. The literature highlights the importance of the terminology around gender variance, the differing representations of gender variance and the potential impact upon young people. Three practice examples demonstrate potential roles for educational psychologists and together with the literature highlight possible implications for educational psychology practice.     

Fletcher,J D & Tobias,Sigmund ed (2011) Computer games and instruction IAP (Charlotte,NC & Eurospan,London) isbn 978‐1‐61735‐408‐3 552 pp $45.99 (boards $85.99) http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Computer‐Games‐and‐Instruction

This excellent book provides strong, solid, and significant information and background for the educational practitioners who intend to use computer games in their instruction and educational researchers who want to develop a research agenda with computer games. If you are planning to use computer games for learning, instruction, or educational research, I advise you to use your own copy of this book as a valuable resource. Yavuz Samur     

Teachers' perceptions regarding school principals' coaching skills

The purpose of this study was to find out teachers' perceptions about school principals' coaching skills. The study was carried out within qualitative research methods. The study group included 76 teachers in Elazig and 73 teachers in Kahramanmara? provinces of Turkey. All the data were processed using Nvivo 9 software. The results indicate that teachers' perceptions about their principals' coaching skills do not differ according to the age, marital status, sex and education status variables. The teachers think that their principals are successful at some coaching skills such as being experienced and knowledgeable, being an effective listener and setting achievable targets. Principals fail to show empathy, communicate effectively, praise, give feedback, motivate and have effective inquiry coaching skills. According to teachers' opinions, being a role model, showing empathy, praising, effectively communicating and motivating are important coaching skills that they would show if they were to sit in the principal chair.     

Psychological Flexibility,Coronavirus Anxiety,Humor and Social Media Addiction During COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey

Psychological flexibility is associated with psychological health and affected by various factors. The aim of the present study is to examine the role of coronavirus anxiety, humor and social media addiction on psychological flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Variables were measured with online self-report surveys and data were gathered from December 2020 to January 2021 in Turkey. The sample consisted of 376 people (295 female, M?=?29.88, SD?=?11.05). The relationships between the variables were tested with path analysis using structural equation modelling (SEM). According to results, the constructed model showed that COVID-19 anxiety significantly and directly increased social media addiction (β?=?.17, p?<?.01), decreased coping humor (β?=?-.11, p?<?.05) and decreased psychological flexibility indirectly through social media addictions (β?=?-.08, p?<?.01). Humor coping significantly and directly increased psychological flexibility (β?=?.25, p?<?.01), and social media addiction significantly and directly decreased psychological flexibility (β?=?-.31, p?<?.01). Findings indicated that psychological flexibility is influenced by coronavirus anxiety, social media addiction and humor coping.  Supporting humor coping and reducing anxiety and problematic social media use would be helpful to enhance psychological flexibility of individuals during the pandemic.

     

Understanding the Induction of a Science Teacher: The Interaction of Identity and Context

The demanding first years of teaching are a time when many teachers leave the teaching profession or discard the reform-minded practice emphasized in teacher preparation. If we are to lessen teacher attrition and more effectively support teachers during their development, a better understanding of what occurs during their induction into the profession is needed. The question that drove this research was what factors influence how a beginning science teacher negotiates entry into teaching? Specifically, we sought to understand how a beginning science teacher’s identities interact with the teaching context; how this interaction shapes his use of reform-minded teaching practice; and how the negotiation of identity, context, and practice influence a novice teacher’s employment decisions. The study involved 2 years of data collection; data included classroom and school observations, questionnaires, interviews, and teaching artifacts (such as lesson plans and assessments). The results demonstrate how conflicts in identities, institutional expectations, and personal dispositions of this novice influenced his transition in becoming a member of his school community. Implications of these interactions for teacher preparation and support are provided.     

Social Competence and Temperament in Children with Chronic Orthopaedic Disability

The aim of the study was to investigate social competence in children with orthopaedic disability and its concurrent relations to child’s temperament, health condition, and maternal warmth. Participants were 68 Turkish children (mean = 5.94 years) with chronic orthopaedic disability and their mothers coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Mother ratings were used to measure social competence, temperament, general health condition, and parental warmth. The attending physician rated the severity of orthopaedic disability. Attentional focusing, emotional reactivity, and child’s sex significantly predicted social competence. Age at first operation was slightly negatively associated with reactivity. The findings revealed the importance of emotional and attentional regulation for social functioning in children with orthopaedic disability, and pointed to the susceptibility of reactivity to environmental conditions. The study suggested that social functioning of youth with orthopaedic disability might benefit from temperament-based intervention and prevention programmes.     

Kinematic and EMG activities during front and back squat variations in maximum loads

The aim of this study was to compare the musculature activity and kinematics of knee and hip joints during front and back squat with maximal loading. Two-dimensional kinematical data were collected and electromyographic activities of vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, gluteus maximus and erector spinae were measured while participants (n = 12, 21.2 ± 1.9 years old) were completing front and back squat exercises with maximum loading. Paired sample t-test was used for comparisons between two techniques. Results showed that the electromyographic activity of vastus medialis was found to be greater in the front squat compared to the back squat during the ascending phase (P < 0.05, d = 0.62; 95% CI, ?15.0/?4.17) and the whole manoeuvre (P < 0.05, d = 0.41; 95% CI, ?12.8/?0.43), while semitendinosus (P < 0.05, d = ?0.79; 95% CI, 0.62/20.59) electromyographic activity was greater in the back squat during the ascending phase. Compared to the front squat version, back squat exhibited significantly greater trunk lean, with no differences occurring in the knee joint kinematics throughout the movement. Results may suggest that the front squat may be preferred to the back squat for knee extensor development and for preventing possible lumbar injuries during maximum loading.