The effect of portfolios on students' learning: student teachers' views

This study reports on student teachers' views of portfolios as a learning tool when they are combined with a weekly test conducted at the end of each lesson to help student teachers self‐evaluate. Student teachers' written reflections during the process provided data for the study. Analysis of the data showed that a majority of student teachers initially felt that compiling a portfolio would be time‐consuming and an extra burden added to their already busy schedule. However, later on they all found that the process was a useful learning experience. Moreover, the portfolio process – especially combining self‐reflection with weekly tests – encouraged students to study regularly, increased retention and made learning more enjoyable. Suggestions for the successful portfolio implementation include the following: guiding students both at the beginning of and during the process, providing continuous and prompt feedback during the process and making self‐reflection – especially guided by reflection prompts – an essential part of the process.     

Effect of Two-tier Diagnostic Tests on Promoting Learners’ Conceptual Understanding of Variables in Conducting Scientific Experiments

Taking a test generally improves the retention of the material tested. This is a phenomenon commonly referred to as testing effect. The present research investigated whether two-tier diagnostic tests promoted student teachers’ conceptual understanding of variables in conducting scientific experiments, which is a scientific process skill. In this study, 97 preservice science teachers were divided into three groups. All three groups took a physics laboratory course during the fall term in which they learned about variables in the course. Each group was engaged in a different learning activity after the physics laboratory course: taking a two-tier diagnostic test, taking a multiple choice test, or studying a lecture summary. The narratives of the participants before and after the learning activities were transcribed into a format of flow maps to assess their conceptual understanding of variables. The results revealed that the two-tier diagnostic test is an effective tool in promoting conceptual understanding of complex concepts about variables in conducting scientific experiments.     

Flipping the experimentation process: influences on science process skills

Educational technology research and development - This paper reports on a study aiming at examining the development of science process skills through the implementation of experiments in a science...     

Seeing self as others see you: variability in self‐efficacy ratings in student teaching

The main objective of this study was to compare pre‐service English teachers' self‐efficacy beliefs with the instructors' views of the teaching competence of these pre‐service teachers. Thirty‐nine student teachers (13 males and 26 females) and five female instructors participated in the study. For data collection, student teacher and instructor versions of the same scale were used. The results of the research indicated that the student teachers' self‐efficacy judgments were higher than the instructors' judgments for the student teachers' teaching competence. Interviews with the instructors indicated that enactive experiences and verbal persuasion seem to be important factors which affect the personal efficacy beliefs of the prospective teachers in the current study.     

The impact of using mobile-supported learning management systems in teaching web design on the academic success of students and their opinions on the course

This research aimed to examine the impact of using mobile-supported learning management systems (LMS) in teaching web design on the academic success of students and their opinion on the course; and it was conducted on 70 volunteer students (35 experimental, 35 control) enrolled at Giresun University, Technical Sciences Vocational School, Computer Technologies Department, Program of Computer Programming in Spring 2015–2016. After the eight weeks long implementation of Mobile Moodle, which is a mobile-supported LMS, as a supplement to traditional learning methods; t-test was used in order to determine whether the methodology mentioned had a significant impact on the academic success of web design teaching. As a result of the t-test implemented; it was seen that there was a significant level of difference in favor of the experimental group; between the academic success of students in the experimental group where mobile-supported LMS is used and the academic success of the students in the control group where traditional learning methodologies are used. Also, it has been determined that using Mobile LMS has increased the students’ interest.     

Modelling online community constructs through interaction data: A learning analytics based Approach

Education and Information Technologies - This study aims to use LMS log data to suggest a way to understand CoI constructs. Students’ interactions in Moodle components were weighted for...     

Psychological need satisfaction and academic stress in college students: mediator role of grit and academic self-efficacy

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Students, who are trying to complete academic activities in an educational environment, are objected to academic stress. Research results indicated...