Vocabulary is one of the significant factors determining the success of language teaching, and it is of great importance to improve learners’ vocabulary in language teaching. Therefore, teaching vocabulary has been a crucial issue in the historical process of language teaching, and modern methods and techniques have been developed today. However, due to the dynamic nature of language teaching, research on vocabulary teaching continues and it is seen that studies on the vocabulary of learners has become diversified. In this study, animal, body parts, transportation, clothing, family, time, things and food vocabulary which are considered to be important in the daily life of B2 level learners of Turkish language, and the relationship between these vocabularies and the native language, age, gender and educational background of the learners are discussed. This is a relational research. The sample of the study consisted of 68 participants who have completed B2 level course at Çukurova University TÖMER in 2017-2018 academic year. As a result of the study, a statistically significant difference is found between the numbers of recognition and definition of the participants in terms of vocabulary in the related themes. It has been seen that in terms of age, there is a weak and positive correlation between participants’ vocabulary in the themes of animal, transportation and time; in terms of education, there is a difference between high school and graduate level participants only in the animal theme.

Keywords: Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language, Vocabulary, Teaching Vocabulary

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019051661 [HTML]

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of Sciencestart assisted science education program on childrens’ scientific process skills and trust and tendency in scientific attitude. For this purpose, the study participants consist of 48 children (60-72 months old) who attending a independent preschools’ two class in Konya. In this study, pretest-posttest control group model in the quantitative research designs is selected. Scale of Trusting and Orientation towards the Scientific Attitude has been used as data collection tool which was developed by Mantzicopoulos, Patrick and Samarapungavan (2008) and adapted to Turkish culture by Akman, Veziroğlu, Alabay and Aksoy (2010). Also in this study, Science Process Observation Form has been used as data collection tool, was developed by Howe and Jones (1998) and adapted to Turkish by Akman, Üstün and Güler (2003). Acoording to the findings of the research, trust and tendency in scientific attitude and scientific process skills of the experimental groups’ children has been a significant increase. There were no significant differences between girls and boys children in the experimental and control groups in Trust and Tendency in Scientific Attitude Scale and Science Process Observation Forms’ posttest mean scores.

Keywords: Preschool, Science Education, Science Process Skills, Trust and Tendency in Scientific Attitude

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018037123 [HTML]

Peer bullying is defined as a student/students repetitively expose the other student/students negative effects. Peer bullying affects negatively both the child who is a bully and also the student who is exposed to bullying. For this reason, this topic becomes important to prevent bullying in schools. Before starting with the prevention programs first of all the level of bullying should be identified. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to investigate the secondary school students’ participation in peer bullying status and whether the bullying status varies according to gender and class level and also whether bullying types show differences according to sex. 1740 participants are taken from 5-8 grades students studying 6 different schools from different districts of İzmir. Data are taken with Peer Bullying Scale-Child Form and socio demographic information form. 907 of the sample are girls and 833 of it are boys. According to the obtained results 2.8% of the girls are bully (n=49), 34.9% are victim (n=608) and 27.0% (n=469) are bully-victim and 35.3% are (n=614) are bystanders. Boys and 8th graders are in the bully-victim status more. Girls do bullying verbally (ex. swearing, saying bad things, nicknaming negatively, making fun of the view of others), boys do bullying by spreading rumors (ex. not allowing to the game, not make a pass to them in the games, no talking, not answering them). Results are discussed in consideration of literature.

Keywords: Peer bullying, bullying statutes, types of bullying, middle school

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018042225 [HTML]

The aim of this research is to examine the cognitive-metacognitive strategies, the products of metacognitive processes that were active in pre-service science teachers’ mind who changed or who did not change their conceptual understanding after reading an expository text about heat and temperature. Case study was used in this study. Nine volunteer pre-service science teachers who had a variety of alternative conceptions in terms of both the number and diversity participated in this study. In order to examine their conceptual understandings regarding to heat-temperature in detail, before and after reading the expository texts, semi-structured interviews were conducted for each them as a pre-interview and post-interview. To be able to identify their cognitive and metacognitive strategies and the products of metacognitive processes, they were asked to read aloud and think aloud as they read the texts and semi-structured interviews were conducted after their readings. After the analysis of the data, it was found that they who changed their alternative conceptions to scientific conception after reading used more strategies and the products of metacognitive processes in terms of both number and diversity and the aim of the using strategies and the products of metacognitive processes was mostly to activate their metaconceptual process.

Keywords: Conceptual understanding, expository text, cognitive and metacognitive strategies, pre-service-science teachers, heat-temperature

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019050024 [HTML]

Like other organizations, schools have specific characteristics which form the school climate. School climate is closely related to positive education outcomes. To illustrate, schools with open climate may increase parent involvement in the school. According to Bio-ecological theory which is the theoretical framework of the current study, children are influenced by interaction among school, family and community. This interaction leads to both learning and psychological, social, and emotional development of children. The aim of this study is to explore whether education level of parent and grade of student make a difference on perceptions of school climate and parent involvement. The design of the study is causal comparative research. The participants of the study were primary and middle school parents in Ankara. Data gathered from 1325 parents were analyzed in two-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The results of the analyses showed that parent perception of school climate and parent involvement differed by education level of the parents and grade level of their children. Parents who have elementary degree and have a child in primary school perceive that they are more involved in schooling.

Keywords: school climate, healthy school, parent involvement, school-family partnership, parent-teacher

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018040670 [HTML]

This study aims at investigating the effects of two different test-taking strategies on reading achievement, dwell time, fixation counts and number of regressions on area of interests (AOIs) of the multiple choice reading comprehension questions with different type and difficulty levels. In this true experimental study, 31 subjects are randomly assigned into two groups. While subjects in stem first strategy (S-FS) group read the question stem first, subjects in paragraph first strategy group (P-FS) read paragraph first. Results of this study show that dwell time, fixation counts, and number of regressions on question stem AOIs in the S-FS group are significantly higher than the P-FS group. As a result, contrary to the common recommendations in practice, reading the question stem first provides no advantage in terms of reading achievement and dwell time as expected. Moreover, the S-FS significantly increases dwell time, fixation counts, and number of regressions on question stem AOIs.

Keywords: reading comprehension, eye tracking, reading strategies, stem first strategy, paragraph first strategy

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019051160 [HTML]

The purpose of this study was to examine whether psychological well-being level of research assistants working at Hacettepe University was significantly predicted by their gender, type of employment (cadre), levels of mobbing, institutional cynicism and institutional commitment. Participants of the study were 293 research assistants (180 females- 61.4%; 113 males- 38.6%) working at various academic units of Hacettepe University, Ankara. The Psychological Well Being Scale was used to measure research assistants’ levels of psychological well-being; the Negative Behavior Scale was utilized to assess their perceived levels of mobbing; the Organizational Cynicism Scale was used to measure their levels of organizational cynicism and a Personal Information Form developed by the researcher was used to collect data on some demographic variables of the participating research assistants. Regarding analyses of the data, t test for Independent Samples was utilized to test whether the mean differences between research assistants’ levels of psychological wellbeing and their gender and type of employment (cadre). In addition, multiple linear regression analysis was used to test whether psychological wellbeing levels of research assistants working at Hacettepe University was significantly predicted by their gender, type of employment (cadre), levels of mobbing, institutional cynicism and intuitional commitment. Results of the study showed that levels of mobbing, organizational commitment and organizational cynicism significantly predicted psychological well-being of research staff. Findings, limitations and implications for future research, policy makers/university administration and college mental health professionals were discussed.

Keywords: Psychological well-being, organizational cynicism, organizational commitment, mobbing, research assistant

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018045370 [HTML]

In this research, it is aimed to reveal the relationships among, secondary school teachers’ perceptions of organizational politics, organizational dependence and organizational citizenship behaviours. 2972 teachers teaching in Malatya’s central districts (Battalgazi and Yeşilyurt) during 2017-2018 academic year constitute the universe of the research. 856 of whom were defined through stratified sampling method as the sample of the research. In this relational screening model based research, a model was suggested by researchers for the relationship between variables and this model was tested by SEM analyse. At the end of the research; its understood that the perceptions of organizational politics of secondary school teachers’ predict their “organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behaviours significantly in a negative way”, predict “organizational commitment’ and organizational citizenship behaviours significantly in a positive way” and have a partial procuration role between organizational commitment perceptions of organizational politics associated with organizational citizenship behaviour. Besides, it is comfirmed that the research explains nearly the %59 of the variance of secondary school teachers’ perception of organizational politics perception and organizational commitment on organizational citizenship behaviours.

Keywords: Perception of organizational politics, political behaviour, organizational citizenship behaviour, organizational commitment, teacher

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018044109 [HTML]

Human Rights, Democracy and Civics Curriculum for 4th graders was began to be implemented in 2015-2016 academic year. This study aims to evaluate this curriculum regarding the universality of human rights concept; the appropriateness of the curriculum with its educational goals, content, instructional material and methods in terms of students’ cognitive level and finally teacher competencies to teach this course. In this study, a qualitative intrinsic case study method was utilized. The data was collected through document analysis; eight-hours of classroom observation, and semi-structured interviews with seven elementary school teachers and six “experts”. Eisner’s Educational Connoisseurship and Criticism Model was used as an evaluation framework. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the data and to illuminate specific details about the case under investigation. Results showed that the attainments and content were consistent with the universality of human rights perspective; also, instruction and assessment methods were consistent with the philosophy (constructivism) of the curriculum. However, the course material, as regards to its aims, content and philosophy; and the practices applied inside the classroom were highly inconsistent with the goals of the curriculum.

Keywords: Human rights and civics education, curriculum evaluation, Eisner’s connoisseurship and criticism model

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019051813 [HTML]

Working; it may prevent the physical, mental, social-emotional development of children and adolescents from going their way. Working adolescents have a low self-perception and, besides not being able to continue to study, they may face a variety of problems, often unfavorable to their age and development, unlike their peers who continue to study. Adolescents, especially those with inadequate solutions to problems, can behave or become obsessed with bullying behaviors in environments where they live or in influence. Purpose of the study; Continuing to work in vocational training centers is to examine the effects of various factors on bullying behaviors of adolescents and adolescents who do not continue to study. In the study, bullying behaviors of adolescents were developed using Koç (2006) developed "Personality Attitude Scale" and Personal Information Form developed by researcher to obtain socio-demographic information about adolescents. When studies of working teenagers on peer violence are examined; It is seen that the peer bullying differentiates the state of being beaten at home and attaching importance to family thoughts. It is seen that age did not differ according to birth order and mother's working status. When peer bullying behaviors of the adolescents continuing to the study are examined; Differences were observed according to the age, birth order and mothers 'movement of peer bullying behaviors, according to the state of being beaten at home and the importance of the family to the children' s thoughts. The findings obtained from the research are discussed with the current sources.

Keywords: Peer Bullying, Adolescent, Parents, Child Labor, Vocational Training, bullying.

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018043535 [HTML]

This research presents findings of a brief intervention study designed to promote academic self-efficacy and academic motivation among early adolescent students recruited from a low to middle socio-economic status school in Turkey. The intervention consisted of social-cognitive strategies adapted from self-efficacy literature, including self-evaluation and verbalization, modeling, imaginal experience, effort feedback, social persuasion, and coping strategies. The effectiveness of the intervention was tested using a pretest-posttest control design among 157 students. While girls did not benefit from the intervention, boys in the intervention group, but not in the control group, displayed increases in most of the positive outcomes over time. Practical implications highlighting the need to consider the role of gender and socio-cultural differences in the implementation of motivational strategies among early adolescents are discussed.

Keywords: academic self-efficacy, motivation, intervention, school, early adolescence

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2018040665 [HTML]

Within this research it is aimed to reveal the predictive and explanatory relationships among the middle school students’ social studies–focused epistemological beliefs, learning approaches, academic risk taking behaviors and their course success on the suggested model. 494 students chosen from the public middle schools in Yunusemre district of the city of Manisa in 2017-2018 academic year through simple random sampling constitute the sampling of the research in which the multi-factor complex predictive correlational pattern has been used. While determining the students’ epistemological beliefs “Middle School Students’ Epistemological Belief Inventory”; determining the learning approaches “Social Studies Learning Conceptions Scale”, determining the academic risk taking behaviors “Social Studies-Oriented Academic Risk Taking Scale’’ and while determining the social studies course success written exam marks were used. The structural equation modeling was used to test the suggested model. The findings have indicated that middle school students’ social studies-focused epistemological beliefs meaningfully predict the learning approaches, academic risk taking behaviors and their academic success. Social studies learning approaches have meaningfully predicted their academic risk taking behaviors. Learning approaches and academic risk taking behaviors have meaningfully but partially predicted social studies academic success. The results of the research shows that the relevant variables have a direct and indirect influence on social studies course success. Keywords: social studies, middle school students, epistemological beliefs, learning approaches, academic risk taking, structural equation modeling, predictor correlation model

Keywords: social studies, middle school students, epistemological beliefs, learning approaches, academic risk taking, structural equation modeling, predictor correlation model

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019049985 [HTML]

It is a well-accepted opinion that many learning outcomes of Physical Education courses connected with physical literacy concept, emphasizing life-long health. In this study, an adaptation of Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI) developed to investigate physical literacy level of Physical Education Teachers (Sum et al., 2016) to Turkish language and culture and evaluation of validity and reliability and associated futures are aimed. 218 Physical Education selected by convenience sampling method participated in the research. Confirmatory (CFA) and Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) have been used for analyzing the structural validity of the scales. According to CFA results, the original structure of PPLI, has 3 factors and 9 items was not confirmed, but after the EFA and CFA a new structure consisted 3 factors and 9 items are good and acceptable. It is observed that the fit indexes of the model are higher than reference values. It was determined that the structure consisted of three factors was capable of explaining determined variance by 69.04%. The Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient was estimated at .81. The result of the research reveals that 3-factor and 9-item PPLI is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate physical literacy level of Turkish Physical Education Teachers.

Keywords: physical literacy, physical education, teacher, reliability, validity

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019049146 [HTML]

The purpose of this study is to develop a Vocabulary Depth Test (VDT), which assesses the depth trait of the semantic knowledge and to analyze the vocabulary depth performance of the typically developing children aged between 4 and 6. It is based on a cross-sectional design. In the designation of the study group, stratified sampling included in random sampling is used at the first stage and 3 schools from lower, medium and higher socio-economic level are designated. The study group contains in total 201 children who attend public or private pre-school education institutions in İzmir. The VDT contains 24 question words in syntagmatic relations, meronymy and paradigmatic relations in total presented in 3 sections with 8 questions in each and all the illustrated question words in VDT, corresponding to one correct answer included in four alternatives in total, are presented verbally. The results obtained show that there is a developmental order from the words with syntagmatic relations to words with paradigmatic relations. When the VDT performances of children at different socio-economic levels are considered, there is a significant difference in the average of the children from lower socio-economic level when compared to those from medium or higher socio-economic level.

Keywords: semantics, semantic knowledge, depth of vocabulary

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019049974 [HTML]

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of two different scales (Self-Efficacy Scale about the Method Sections of the Research Papers – SESMSR and The Research Anxiety Scale – TRAS) applied on paper - pencil tests and web. For this purpose, SESMSR and TRAS are applied to 391 undergraduate students in a five - point Likert type scale form and a 10 cm metric form in a paper - pencil environment and then on a web page prepared within the context of the research. The two-factor structure of SESMSR, which is developed to use for graduate students appeared exactly the same except the fact that one item is included in the other factor at the undergraduate level; and it is seen that TRAS, which is known of consisting with one factor, maintained this structure and that the reliability of scales calculated over different data sets is high. For both scales, it was determined that the extracted variance and reliability coefficients obtained with the use of Likert type scale applied as paper - pencil test were lower than the metric scale and the web based applications. It is seen that the metric scale which is labeled on both ends can be used instead of the Likert-type scale and the ideal category number in Likert-type scales is seven.

Keywords: metric scale, likert scale, research, self-efficacy, anxiety

DOI : 10.16986/HUJE.2019050088 [HTML]