Oğuzhan Atabek

In addition to the undergraduate programs provided by faculties of education, in Turkey, Pedagogical Formation Education Certificate Programs are also provided by these faculties. Graduates of such programs are positioned as teachers in Turkey, the same as the graduates of faculties of education. Individual differences of teachers are of great importance in terms of closeness and determination toward students. In addition to personality, psychological features are also closely related to their professional competence and success, quality of education in general, and –maybe more importantlythe safety of the students. In this study, it was aimed to provide insight about the individual differences of students who attend pedagogical formation training by investigating the psychological status of those students through the analysis of the relationship between depression, anxiety, stress, coping by humor levels, humor types and their type of personality. It was observed that 40.2% of part...

The paper reports the findings from the quantitative part of an ongoing research study on Turkish preservice teachers who use Facebook (FB). Social network services are increasing in popularity and certain social network services are already being used for educational purposes. Social network services simulate and may even emulate existing social networks on an abstract level and reflect them in the electronic world. The social structures that they rely on are already being studied in regard to the context of learning and education. But the electronic simulations or reflections of existing social structures need further explorations. To investigate the personality, motivation, motives, and attitude factors that influence FB use, 641 preservice teachers who were students of Middle East Technical University (METU) in Turkey were surveyed. Four regression analyses were used to describe the results of the collected data.

... Authors. Oguzhan Atabek, Akdeniz University, Turkey; Ismail Yildiz, Selcuk University, Turkey. Abstract. The study focuses on interpersonal interaction in “CEIT 566 Telecommunication and Educational Applications” which is an online course opened in METU in Turkey. ...

Teknoloji korkusu gibi belirli görüngülere yönelik korkular, bireyin geçmiş öğrenme deneyimlerinden kaynaklanabilmekte ve yine öğrenme deneyimleriyle üstesinden gelinebilmektedir. Bu durum, teknoloji korkusunun hem önlenebilecek hem de –eğer önlenememişse- eğitim yoluyla üstesinden gelinebilecek bir duygu olduğunu göstermektedir. Teknoloji korkusuyla ilgili daha kapsayıcı bir anlayış kazanmak, bu duygunun önlenmesi ve üstesinden gelinmesi için yararlı olabilecek öğrenme deneyimlerinin geliştirilmesi, teknolojik yapıtların teknoloji korkusunu dikkate alarak ve kültürel olarak daha seçilebilir bir biçimde tasarlanabilmesi, bireylerin teknolojiyle olan etkileşimlerinin iyileştirilmesi, teknolojinin kabulü, teknolojinin eğitimle bütünleştirilmesi, çalışanların performansının yükseltilmesi ve iş güvenliği alanlarında topluma katkı sağlayacaktır. Bu katkılar, bireyin hem özel yaşamında hem eğitim yaşamında hem de iş yaşamında daha başarılı, verimli ve dolayısıyla da daha mutlu olmasına yardımcı olacaktır. Öte yandan, teknoloji korkusuyla ilgili olarak bilimsel bilgiye dayanan bir bilinç ve başa çıkma becerileri geliştirmek, bireysel hak ve özgürlüklere yönelik saldırılar karşısında bireylerin daha güçlü olabilmelerine de olanak tanıyacaktır. Teknoloji korkusu ve teknofobi ile ilgili yapılacak araştırmalar sonucunda üretilecek bilimsel bilgi işbu bilinç ve becerilerin geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayacaktır.

This paper reports the findings from the quantitative phase of an explanatory sequential mixed-method PhD study conducted in Turkey and the USA in order to investigate the implementability of social networking services for educational purposes. It was aimed to shed light on the nature of relationship between the use of social networking services and pre-service teachers’ personality, motivation to use Facebook, motives to use Facebook, and attitude towards using Facebook. For scaling motives, motivation, personality, Facebook use, and attitude towards using Facebook, five questionnaires which were developed and used in English were translated into Turkish. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted for extracting the constructs. Multiple linear, ordinal logistic, and binomial logistic regression analyses were conducted for data analysis. It was found that personality is not a major predictor of Facebook use. However, there have been many differences between the two countries’ pre-service teachers in terms of Facebook use.

Teknolojinin hem insanın atalarının hem de insanın kendisinin tarihi üzerindeki etkileri göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, teknoloji sözünün anlamının tarihsel gelişimini ve bu tarihsel süreçte teknolojinin insanla olan ilişkisini incelemek teknolojiyle ilgili daha derin bir içgörü kazanılabilmesine yardımcı olacaktır.

The purpose of the research, which was the second phase of a two-phase study, was to reveal experienced educators’ suggestions for solutions to the challenges to technology integration. Participants were 117 experienced educators as experts in their fields, selected and invited by Turkish Ministry of Education from among ministerial, provincial, and school level managers and experienced teachers to participate in a workshop on “goals and priorities of national education” (N = 117). Initially, suggestions of experienced educators on the solutions to barriers of technology integration were elicited from the participants of the sub-commission titled “Increasing the prevalence of the use of technological tools in education”. Solution suggestions were developed into a questionnaire, which then was used to survey the workshop attendees. Data were analysed by principal axis factoring with direct oblimin rotation, Mann-Whitney-U and Kruskal-Wallis-H tests, as well as Spearman’s ρ correlation coefficient. Analyses revealed that, solution suggestions fall into three categories: Train, Allow Time, and Supply. In order to overcome barriers to technology integration, experienced educators suggested (a) improving the quality of inservice and preservice training, (b) allowing teachers more time by simplifying and reducing the number of courses in the instructional programs, and (c) supplying teachers with technology incentives, quality educational content, technical assistance, and information technology solutions. Analyses revealed that Train, Allow Time, or Supply did not differ according to sex, academic degree, or job position of the participants. However, older managers have been found to have slightly weaker beliefs in developing technology competencies through education.

Purpose:  The present study aims to develop a valid and reliable scale that measures attitude towards using technology in music education and to investigate pre-school and primary school pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards using technology in music education concerning their demographic variables and musical experiences.

Research Methods: A total of 640 students studying in pre-school and primary education departments at a public university in Turkey participated in this research (N=640). Data were collected using a questionnaire for collecting the demographic information and the musical background of the respondents in addition to Attitude towards Using Technology in Music Education Scale, which was developed by the researchers in this study.

Findings: Analyses resulted in an 8-item Attitude towards Using Technology in Music Education Scale with a Cronbach’s α of 0.931. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a statistically significant model fit to the data with six indices indicating a good fit and three indicating a substantial fit. Attitude towards using technology in music education did not show any significant difference concerning gender and musical background. However, primary school pre-service teachers had a more positive attitude than those of pre-school pre-service teachers. Finally, age correlated with the attitude towards using technology in music education.

Implications for Research and Practice: Attitude towards Using Technology in Music Education Scale is a valid and reliable research instrument. Having more experience in using technology or perceiving that the future profession and instructional program at the universities necessitate the use of technology improves attitude towards using technology. Positive attitudes of pre-service teachers, who feel themselves inadequate about using their voice and instruments, and have inadequate musical experience, maybe due to their belief that they will be able to compensate for these deficiencies in music with the opportunities offered by technology.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a Digital Writing Scale that measures the perspectives of individuals on digital writing. A total of 615 preservice teachers studying in the faculty of education at a state university in Turkey participated in the study (n = 615). The data were collected in two phases for exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Three hundred pre-service teachers participated in the first phase and 315 in the second phase of the study. In the analyses of the data obtained in the first phase, the exploratory factor analysis employed principal axis factoring technique with direct oblimin rotation and a two-factor model, both of which consists of 7 items, was obtained. The Cronbach’s α coefficients were 0.851 for digital translating factor and 0.852 for digital reviewing factor. In the second phase, confirmatory factor analysis with maximum likelihood estimation demonstrated a statistically significant model fit to the data with five indices indicating a good fit and one indicating a substantial fit. The study, which endorsed the Hayes and Flower model and cognitive process theory of writing, resulted in a valid and reliable Digital Writing Scale. Digital Writing Scale is the first Turkish scale that measures the perspectives of individuals on digital writing. Factor scores did not differ according to sex or department of the respondents.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between alternative certification preservice teachers' levels of depression, stress, educational technology anxiety, self-efficacy for educational technology, and attitude towards using technology in education to provide insight into the interplay between intrinsic factors affecting technology integration. Participants were 451 preservice teachers enrolled in the alternative certification program at a public university in the southwestern part of Turkey (N=451). Data were collected using the Educational Technology Standards Self-Efficacy Scale, Attitude towards Using Technology in Education Scale, Educational Technology Anxiety Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Beck's Depression Inventory. In addition to descriptive techniques, Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that preservice teachers suffer from stress, depression, and anxiety, even more so than other undergraduate students. Age did not correlate with any of the parameters. Stress and depression did not differ according to gender; however, females were more anxious about using educational technology. Additionally, findings indicated bidirectional and cyclical relationships between emotional states, self-efficacy, and attitude. Finally, using educational technology for instructional purposes and for secondary purposes such as classroom management were associated with different sets of self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes. Findings of the research were discussed and suggestions were made.

The purpose of this study was to develop a Turkish version of the Design Self-Efficacy Scale (Beeftink, van Eerde, Rutte, & Bertrand, 2012) and to explore its psychometric properties. Design Self-Efficacy Scale may be used for measuring preservice and inservice teachers’ design self-efficacy and for producing knowledge which may be useful for explaining teachers’ design expertise. Participants were 510 preservice teachers enrolled in a public university in Turkey (N=510). Out of 510 preservice teachers, 269 (52.75%) participated in the first study for the exploratory factor analysis and 241 (47.25%) participated in the second study for the confirmatory factor analysis. Of all the participants, 377 (73.9%) were female and 133 (26.1%) were male. Design Self-Efficacy Scale which is an 8-item Likert-type English questionnaire was translated into Turkish by the researcher. A total of eight researchers who were expert in English language education, educational measurement and evaluation, Turkish education, elementary education, and educational technology fields participated in the back-translation and expert review processes. The experts were employed in the faculty of education of the university that the study took place. Exploratory factor analysis resulted with a single-factor model similar with the original scale. Cronbach’s α coefficients was 0.877. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a statistically significant model fit to the data. Results validated the factor structure of the adapted scale: χ2/df=2.401, RMSEA=0.074, GFI=0.963, AGFI=0.922, RMR=0.023, SRMR=0.03, NFI=0.96, NNFI=0.976, CFI=0.976. All fit indices except RMSEA and AGFI were calculated to be in the best evaluation range. The present study suggested that Turkish adaptation of the Design Self-Efficacy Scale possesses adequate psychometric properties. Findings revealed that design self-efficacy did not correlate with the age of the participants and did not differ according to sex, department, or grade level of the participants.

The purpose of the research was to investigate the relationships between alternative certification candidates’ attitudes towards using technology in education and their use of social networking services (SNSs). Participants were 156 pre-service teachers enrolled in the alternative certification program at a public university in Turkey (N = 156). The research was designed as a correlational study. Data were collected by Attitude towards Using Technology in Education Scale in addition to demographics form including questions about SNS usage. Data were analysed by Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient. Alternative certification candidates had strong attitudes towards improving themselves in using technology in education. However, their attitudes towards using educational technology in instructional processes and classroom management were weaker. Alternative certification candidates were observed to be close to low-risk class of problematic social media use indicating negative emotional states. The results indicated that instructional programs that participants engaged in during their undergraduate studies seem to have an influence on developing familiarity with and competence in technology.

This study examines the relationship between personal differences and use of Facebook by pre-service teachers and compares the results from Turkey and the U.S. In addition to the “big five” personality traits, attitude, motivation, and specific motives are also examined among personal differences. The sample consisted of 762 pre-service teachers who use Facebook. Regression analyses conducted on the data collected from the two countries revealed, firstly, that personal differences are associated with Facebook use. Secondly, however, the associations differed remarkably between the two countries. Even individuals with the same personal characteristics used Facebook differently between the countries. On the other hand, in both countries a strong privacy concern and a perceived ‘unrealness’ emerged as negative factors. Individuals who consider social networking services as a place to pass time are avid users in both countries, as well. Furthermore, agreeableness and friendship related to Facebook use were not factors in either country.

Despite significant amount of investment, there seems to be obstacles to technology integration in education. In order to shed light on the nature of perceived obstacles to technology integration, opinions of 117 professionals, who were selected by Turkish Ministry of National Education as experts in their respective fields, about the obstacles to integration of technology into education were investigated. After categorizing the perceived obstacles by factor analysis, associations of those categories with personal and professional differences were further investigated for better contextualizing the findings. Correlations were analyzed by Pearson's product moment coefficient and point-biserial coefficient. The results revealed that it's not the hardware itself that constitute obstacles to technology integration. Insufficiency of in-service and pre-service training, content support, and incentive system emerged as major perceived obstacles to technology integration. Inadequacy of physical and technological infrastructure was also found to be an important obstacle to successful integration. Novelty of the technologies compared to older ones were not found to be an obstacle to technology integration. Moreover, participants stressed the lack of education in teacher training institutions about current technologies that Ministry of National Education officially requires teachers to use as part of their jobs to be another important obstacle. There were no correlations between sex, age, level of education, job position, year of experience in other careers, and any of the categories of perceived obstacles. However, there was a strong negative correlation between year of experience in teaching and * Dr., Akdeniz Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi,

A cross-cultural explanatory sequential mixed method design was utilized to investigate the implementability of social networking services for educational purposes. It was aimed to shed light on the nature of relationship between the use of social networking services and pre-service teachers’ personality, motivation to use
Facebook, motives to use Facebook, and attitude towards using Facebook. In addition to that, it was aimed to understand the perceived usefulness and feasibility of Social networking services as educational tools and the feelings of the future teachers about
the “appropriateness” of Facebook as an educational implementation. In the quantitative phase of the research, which was carried out in both Turkey and then the United States of America, a correlational study was utilized. For scaling motives,
motivation, personality, Facebook use, and attitude towards using Facebook, five questionnaires which were developed and used in English were translated into Turkish. Multiple linear, ordinal logistic, and binomial logistic regression analyses were conducted for quantitative data analysis. In the qualitative phase, Turkish pre-service teachers were interviewed and a constant comparative analysis was conducted on the transcripts. It was found that personality is not a major predictor of Facebook
use. Pre-service teachers have a positive perception of the use of Facebook for educational purposes in both countries. However, there have been many differences between the two countries’ pre-service teachers in terms of Facebook use and motives. It was demonstrated that pre-service teachers associate Facebook mostly with relationship, communication, and learning and they see Facebook as educationally implementable.

The study focuses on interpersonal interaction in “CEIT 566 Telecommunication and Educational Applications” which is an online course opened in METU in Turkey. A content analysis research was conducted on online discussion forum logs of the course. The use of personal pronouns and names as addressing pronouns were statistically measured as they are asserted to be strong indicators of interpersonal interactivity in the literature. Gender difference in the selection of personal pronouns was also considered.

Bu çalışmanın amacı, müzik öğretmeni adaylarının günlük Internet ve sosyal ağ servisleri kullanımları ve çalgı çalışma süreleri ile Internet bağımlılığı ve çalgı performansları arasındaki ilişkileri belirlemektir. Araştırma, Burdur kentinde bulunan Eğitim Fakültesi’nin müzik öğretmenliği programında okuyan 137 öğretmen adayının katılımıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir (N=137). Veriler, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen kişisel bilgi formu ve Young (1998b) tarafından geliştirilen Young Internet Bağımlılığı Testi Kısa Formu’ndan (YIBT-KF) oluşan anket kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Katılımcıların çalgı başarı puanları ile günlük çalışma süreleri, günlük Internet, sosyal ağ servisleri kullanım süreleri ve sorunlu Internet kullanım düzeyleri arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır (p> 0.05). Katılımcıların Internet bağımlılığı düzeyleri ile günlük çalgı çalışma süresi arasında da anlamlı bir ilişki bulunamamıştır. Katılımcıların Internet bağımlılığı ile günlük Internet kullanım süresi ve sosyal ağ servisleri kullanım süreleri arasında ise düşük düzeyde pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki hesaplanmıştır (p <0.05).