Globalization and its challenges for developing countries: the case of Turkish higher education

This paper examines the challenges faced by the Turkish higher education system and exposes the inequities and realities educators in a developing nation must struggle with as they try to find a prestigious spot in the knowledge-production industry. After a brief overview of the literature that illustrates how globalization penetrated into each stage of development of Turkey’s modern institutions of higher education, the paper presents a discussion, based on national and international statistics, of the challenges these institutions face as a result of globalization, namely increasing demands for higher education; faculty shortages; the internationalization of higher education; research and knowledge production; and the process of financing higher education.     

Unidimensional Interpretations for Multidimensional Test Items

This article considers potential problems that can arise in estimating a unidimensional item response theory (IRT) model when some test items are multidimensional (i.e., show a complex factorial structure). More specifically, this study examines (1) the consequences of model misfit on IRT item parameter estimates due to unintended minor item‐level multidimensionality, and (2) whether a Projection IRT model can provide a useful remedy. A real‐data example is used to illustrate the problem and also is used as a base model for a simulation study. The results suggest that ignoring item‐level multidimensionality might lead to inflated item discrimination parameter estimates when the proportion of multidimensional test items to unidimensional test items is as low as 1:5. The Projection IRT model appears to be a useful tool for updating unidimensional item parameter estimates of multidimensional test items for a purified unidimensional interpretation.     

Challenges for schools in communities with internal migration flows: evidence from Turkey

Turkey is a country that has experienced and continues to experience a dramatic degree of both rural-to-urban and inter-regional internal migration. Migrants tend to settle in gecekondu areas in either established inner-city neighborhoods or in newer squatter settlements built on undeveloped land bordering rural areas on the urban periphery. Schools in these areas are invariably impacted by this extensive and unplanned internal migration. This study aimed to examine the challenges facing schools located in migrant communities in Turkey. The findings show that such schools are likely to be resource-poor, overcrowded urban facilities that face challenges related to poor school quality, low academic achievement of students, intercultural issues related to the diverse student population and a lack of parental awareness regarding education and child development. Students were also reported to suffer from malnutrition and a lack of adequate physiological and emotional support. Furthermore, teachers attributed the physiological, psycho-social and academic shortcomings of children mainly to their poor language skills, the low socio-economic status of families and household poverty.     

Using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis to Test Measurement Invariance in Raters: A Clinical Skills Examination Application

Psychometric models based on structural equation modeling framework are commonly used in many multiple-choice test settings to assess measurement invariance of test items across examinee subpopulations. The premise of the current article is that they may also be useful in the context of performance assessment tests to test measurement invariance of raters. The modeling approach and how it can be used for performance tests with less than optimal rater designs are illustrated using a data set from a performance test designed to measure medical students’ patient management skills. The results suggest that group-specific rater statistics can help spot differences in rater performance that might be due to rater bias, identify specific weaknesses and strengths of individual raters, and enhance decisions related to future task development, rater training, and test scoring processes.     

Effects of a sexual health education programme on school psychological counsellor candidates’ sexism tendencies in Turkey

This study examined the effects of a sexual health curriculum developed for school psychological counsellors in Turkey on the sexual health knowledge of the participating candidates, their beliefs in sexual myths and their tendencies towards ambivalent sexism and sexism in romantic relationships. The study adopted a semi-experimental design. Study participants included an experimental group of 59 students from a programme of guidance and psychological counselling in Ege University’s Faculty of Education and a comparison group of 33 students from the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Letters. Findings suggested that the sexual health education curriculum increased knowledge of sexuality, decreased beliefs in sexual myths, and decreased ambivalent sexism and sexism in romantic relationships among the candidates.     

Relating Unidimensional IRT Parameters to a Multidimensional Response Space: A Review of Two Alternative Projection IRT Models for Scoring Subscales

A practical concern for many existing tests is that subscore test lengths are too short to provide reliable and meaningful measurement. A possible method of improving the subscale reliability and validity would be to make use of collateral information provided by items from other subscales of the same test. To this end, the purpose of this article is to compare two different formulations of an alternative Item Response Theory (IRT) model developed to parameterize unidimensional projections of multidimensional test items: Analytical and Empirical formulations. Two real data applications are provided to illustrate how the projection IRT model can be used in practice, as well as to further examine how ability estimates from the projection IRT model compare to external examinee measures. The results suggest that collateral information extracted by a projection IRT model can be used to improve reliability and validity of subscale scores, which in turn can be used to provide diagnostic information about strength and weaknesses of examinees helping stakeholders to link instruction or curriculum to assessment results.     

Psychometric Equivalence of Ratings for Repeat Examinees on a Performance Assessment for Physician Licensure

Although a few studies report sizable score gains for examinees who repeat performance‐based assessments, research has not yet addressed the reliability and validity of inferences based on ratings of repeat examinees on such tests. This study analyzed scores for 8,457 single‐take examinees and 4,030 repeat examinees who completed a 6‐hour clinical skills assessment required for physician licensure. Each examinee was rated in four skill domains: data gathering, communication‐interpersonal skills, spoken English proficiency, and documentation proficiency. Conditional standard errors of measurement computed for single‐take and multiple‐take examinees indicated that ratings were of comparable precision for the two groups within each of the four skill domains; however, conditional errors were larger for low‐scoring examinees regardless of retest status. In addition, on their first attempt multiple‐take examinees exhibited less score consistency across the skill domains but on their second attempt their scores became more consistent. Further, the median correlation between scores on the four clinical skill domains and three external measures was .15 for multiple‐take examinees on their first attempt but increased to .27 for their second attempt, a value, which was comparable to the median correlation of .26 for single‐take examinees. The findings support the validity of inferences based on scores from the second attempt.     

The role of extracurricular activities in active citizenship education

There have been multiple trends of building democratic citizens through formal education, and in the European context the trials have been dramatically increased with the Europeanization process since the 1980s. In line with this trend, an in-depth qualitative case study was carried out in a private primary school in Turkey to shed light on the role of school-based extra-curricular activities as a contemporary trend in building active citizenship values and competencies in students. Qualitative data were collected through multiple data collection tools as observation field notes, interviews, and document analysis to achieve triangulation and trustworthiness. Much of the findings were compatible with EURYDICE Report (2005) on citizenship education, and yielded six themes, called the six blossoms of extra-curricular activities in citizenship education: namely, active citizenship perception; social accountability; intercultural awareness; awareness of democracy and human rights; thinking and research skills; and interaction and interpersonal skills.     

Comparing teachers’ views on morality and moral education, a comparative study in Turkey and the United States

In this study, the researchers examined how K-8 teachers approach morality, moral education, and the moral development of children in Turkey and in the United States. Both countries have diverse cultures and long histories with secular education systems. Surveys were sent to teachers in nine cities in both countries. Results suggest that Turkish teachers emphasized societal values and global values, which have implications for the sustainability of the Turkish nation-state. American teachers emphasized moral action and morality in context (cultural relativity) rather than global values. Our findings emphasize the importance of inter-cultural awareness and tolerance.