The effects of adaptation of New Taxonomy on 11th grade Language and Oral Expression unit on students achievement is examined in this study. There are one experimental and one control groups. Each group has been given a pre and post test ‘achievement test’. In both groups there have been significant differences on the part of the post test scores among the pre and post test scores. As examined by ANCOVA; between the post test scores, those are corrected according to pre test scores; there has been significant difference on the part of experimental group. Some recommendations were made in the light of these findings.

Keywords: New Taxonomy, Creative Drama, ANCOVA.
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This study is aimed to identify the reflection of AOBP and YGS scores to the placement scores in the education programmes requiring personal talent. In the study the rankings of the candidates according to all types of scores and weight of the scores on the placement score are defined. Additionaly, field scores are applied on non-field scores, reversly non-field scores are applied to the field scores and the final score of the candidate is recalculated and the effect of these coefficients to the score and gradings is established. The work group consists of 387 candidates who applied to İnönü University Music Education programme. The data are taken from the IT department of Inönü University and analyzed according to the principles of ÖSYM (2010). The results show that the highest effect is on the YGS score and some candidates with lower YGS scores couldn’t achieved the exam. Additionally, the positive reflections of field coefficients to the placement is determined and candidates graduated form GSSL has been found more successful.

Keywords: Special talent exams, YGS, AOBP, ÖYSP, field coefficients
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The purpose of this study is to exposure the present situation, problems and solution suggestions in school experiences. Five teacher candidates, five school managers, three trainee teacher, three mentor teacher, four instructor, totally 20 participants took part in this study. The data were collected through interviews, and analyzed with qualitative data analysis software Nvivo. Results examined in two main topics as problems and suggestions. Problems examined in two themes too as originating from person and from system. Especially lack of university – school collaboration seems to be underlying cause. Therefore a social media based online environment which aims to throw prospective teachers, mentor teachers and instructors together for collaboration has proposed.

Keywords: Teacher training, student teaching, prospective teacher, school experience, university – school partnership
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This study aims to develop valid and reliable scale in order to measure preservice teachers’ beliefs towards using origami in mathematics education. Origami in Mathematics Education Belief Scale which consists of 27 items with 6 point Likert type was administered to 143 preservice elementary mathematics teachers and obtained data was analyzed with exploratory factor analysis. According to analysis results, one item was deleted and some items were revised. After these revisions, the scale consists of 26 items under two dimensions. First dimension is benefits of origami in mathematics education consisting of 19 items and second dimension is limitations of using origami in mathematics education consisting of 7 items. This last version of the scale was administered to 299 preservice elementary mathematics teachers and obtained data was analyzed via confirmatory factor analysis. According to confirmatory factor analysis, RMSEA was calculated as 0.091, CFI and GFI values were calculated as 0.90.

Keywords: Origami in mathematics education, scale development, beliefs of preservice teachers
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The aim of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of motivation on profession and field choice scale (Mayr 1998). Construct validity of the scale was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out using the data obtained from 216 pre-service teachers attending to Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education. The findings reveal that the scale has four-factor construction in parallel to its original and that its Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients of subscales vary between 0,85 and 0,73. The factor structure of the scale found was tested with a confirmatory factor analysis based on the data obtained from another sample including 371 pre-service teachers. The findings of the analysis confirmed the four-factor structure of the scale. Therefore, the Turkish version of the scale that has four dimensions of intrinsic and extrinsic field choice, and intrinsic and extrinsic profession choice is valid and reliable.

Keywords: Motivation scale, teaching profession, field choice, validity, reliability, pre-service teachers.
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The purpose of the studywas to investigate the effect of learning logs on overcoming students’ misconceptions in Maths classes. In the study, pre-test post-test control group design wasused. Participants of the study consisted of 78 6th grade students in 2009-2010 academic year. Data of the research were collected through a Two-phasedOpen Ended Scale for identifying misconceptions.The scale was developed by the researcher and validity and reliability analyses were carried out accordingly. Later, the scale was implemented as pre-test and post-testto the control and experimental groups. Gathered data were analyzed using Covariance analysis method. Findings of the research have shown that the application of learning logs hasa positive effect on remedying students’ misconceptions. It has also been found out that learning logs have been more effective to reduce female students’ misconceptions when compared to those of male students’.

Keywords: Learning logs, concept, misconception
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This research aims to determine the relationship between organizational justice and teachers’ perceptions of organizational commitment in primary and secondary schools. The results obtained from the research are: Teachers’ distributive, procedural and interactional justice perceptions are high. Moreover Teachers’ commitment to school and workgroup is high, and their commitment to educational works and teaching profession is very high. In addition, there is a mid-level meaningful and positive relationship between teachers’ distributive, procedural, interactional justice perception and their commitment to school. Finally, there is a low-level meaningful and positive relationship between teachers’ distributive, procedural, interactional justice perception and their commitment to educational works, teaching profession and workgroup.

Keywords: Organizational justice, organizational commitment, teacher, primary school, secondary school.
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The purpose of this study is to determine the argumentative text writing skills of university students. The research was applied on 363 first grade students who study in three faculties of Mustafa Kemal University. In the study, “Argumentative Text Writing Form’’ and ‘’Argumentative Text Elements Rubric‘’ developed by researchers were used as tool for collecting data. The achievement average of students regarding the argumentative text elements is like this: % 34.0 in data element, % 70.5 in claim element, % 26.5 in counter claim element and % 65.2 in result element. While the average of students’ using the support reason in argumentative texts is 1.31, the average of using the refuting reason is 0.32. The average of using nonfunctional text elements per text is 0.22. In the study, it was determined that the students, who study verbal and equal weight subjects, succeeded more than the students who study life sciences.

Keywords: Argumentative text, text structure, writing skill, university students.
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Biographical works of art appeal to the rich diversity and different age groups. Even though these books are on the shelves of a library, children need guidance to use and read biographical books, because they rarely reach the books, and show lack of experience and knowledge in using the books. In this study, 241 subjects selected among the teacher candidates registered to children’s literature course. The subjects read 113 different books that contain 72 biographical figures. The study is based on the data collected from 241 teacher candidates considering their reading preferences so that generalization of the data may not be possible, but there is a chance of making many comments for the use of biographical books in elementary schools for educational purposes. 42 of the 72 surveyed figures are from Turkish descent and 30 figures are from foreign descent means that the reader can find biographical works on the local as well as foreign life entities. Given their profession and the most prominent features, writer, poet and artist groups, (27 figures) are the mostly presented figures in selected biographical materials for the research, and scientists (15 figures) and statesman (11 figures) are the second and third, respectively.

Keywords: Biographies, children’s literature, teacher education, content analysis
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The aim of this research is to determine the effects of 7E model to ensure misconceptions towards to scientific ideas and the effect of this change on the persistence about simple electrical circuits. The research was carried out on three different groups of the 11th grade students of Mamak Çağrıbey Anatolian High School in Ankara. In the research, to which pre and post-test with control group quasi-experimental design were applied, misconception test which consisting of three-tier questions was used as data collection tools. The lesson has been taught using 7E model based on constructivist approach in experimental group by the researcher, in control-I group, the course has been taught using direct instruction and question-answer method by the researcher and in control-II group the course has been taught using direct instruction and question-answer method by another physics teacher. According to the findings of the study, it is shown that 7E model has a significantly contribution to the to conceptual change and retention.

Keywords: Simple electrical circuits, misconceptions, 7E model
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This study examines Turkish mathematics teachers’ reflections on the implementation of the new elementary mathematics curriculum for grades 6-8 in a pilot school. For this aim, three mathematics teachers during the fall semester of 2007 were regularly observed in their classrooms and then interviewed at the end. The data collected from the interviews and observations revealed that teachers were in favor of the new mathematics curriculum; however, they mentioned a lack of initial training and asked for an ongoing in-service training at the school level. They also claimed some problems encountered in practice: (1) impediments to carry out activities in the class (2) a lack of sufficient knowledge on using alternative assessments, (3) a lack of parental support and involvement, and (4) interferences caused by national norm-referenced tests.

Keywords: curriculum reform, elementary school mathematics, in-service teacher
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This article looks at the methodological aspects of a field research, seeking to identify the most preferred channels of communication for disseminating advocacy messages on health and other programmatic areas of UNICEF work in Azerbaijan. Although the research targets different groups, including general audience, girls, young mothers, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons and adults from different settlements, the article focuses mainly on the methodologies applied and shares a few striking findings. In this research we utilized a multi-methodological perspective, combining quantitative & qualitative methods. While quantitative methods enabled us to gather statistically reliable data on the most preferred channels of communication, qualitative techniques allowed us to peer behind the curtain and collect in-depth insights about efficiency of existing channels of communication for accessing information on health. The article demonstrates that such hybrid methodological approach enriches the research design and provides broader base for future communication strategies concerning public health.

Keywords: Azerbaijan, health communication, vulnerable & disadvantaged groups, channels of communication
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Intonation studies for string, wind and percussion instruments have major importance in music education. The intonation problems are directly degraded with efficient effort in practicing. It is worth to note that however, for each student has his/her own method to overcome the difficulties and those are shaped according to their educational ecoles. Here in this work, a new method based on well thought and designed intonation practices has been introduced in order to solve the intonation problems in clarinet education. Also it is shown that, this method has positive influence on improving to get rid of intonation problems and has a definitive contribution to the student for both in time and the quality.

Keywords: Clarinet, clarinet education, intonation
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In this research, it has been examined that whether the self-esteem degree of university students differ according to some variables. Self-Esteem Scale has been used as data collection tool. Data was obtained from 6443 subjects. Result of the analysis made, self-esteem degree has been found high in favor of female students in terms of gender, and in favor of evening program students in terms of education type. In the comparison of age levels, significant differences were found in favor of older students..

Keywords: Self-esteem, self-esteem degree, university students
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Imagination is necessary for creative ideas to emerge. The creative imagination can be developed by suitable education programs especially by drama programs with suitable activities. This article presents findings on whether the effect of drama on the creative imagination of children in different age groups differentiate or not. The experiment group of this research is comprised of 60 children (30 from the age group of 10, 30 from the age group of 13) from a regular primary school and the control group is comprised of 60 children (30 from the age group of 10, 30 from the age group of 13) from another primary school both with the equal socio-economic background in order to avoid children effect each other. The drama program was implemented to the experiment group of both age groups separately as 48 hours in a week. However, this program was not implemented to the control group. The Kujawski Creative Imagination Test was used as the measurement instrument. For analysis of the data, the independent samples t test and paired samples t test were utilized. From the results of the creative imagination test applied before and after the drama, it was shown that a drama program has a positive effect on development of the creative imagination of children. When the effects of drama in different age groups is examined, the prepared drama program is more effective on 10 year old children than 13 year old children.

Keywords: Creative Imagination, Drama, Different Age Groups
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The purpose of the present study is twofold; it finds out Turkish EFL teacher trainees’ opinions and perceptions of their pre-service education, and explores how the trainees will improve themselves and catch up the latest development once they become teachers. Additionally, the participants were asked two open-ended questions which also explores their opinions on the same topic. The emerging themes of these questions were categorized. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. The subjects of the study include 214 EFL teacher trainees. The data was collected through a survey developed by the researchers. The results shows that the trainees are apt to confer with their experienced colleagues, have peer observation, attend teacher training seminars and take a central exam to examine their knowledge of profession and keep them up-to-date. Also, the trainees asserted that they are happy with the length of the teaching practice but not with the content.

Keywords: English teacher trainees, teaching as a profession.
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Studies on students’ conceptions and reasoning in geometric optics have revealed that students have scientifically incorrect knowledge or lack of understanding in basic optical phenomena. For this reason, as well as the identification of these conceptions or reasoning, the factors or sources that may cause the construction of them should be determined. In the literature, textbooks are considered as one of the main sources of students’ unscientific or lacking conceptions. In introductory optics, students may not recognize the role of the observer’s eye in the formation and the observation of an image. In this study, nine commonly used physics textbooks around the world and the physics textbook advised by Ministry of National Education in Turkey analyzed in terms of the use of observer’s eye and critiqued as a potential source of students’ unscientific or lack of conception in optics. Document analysis method is used in order to analyze the ten textbooks. It is found that the role of the observer’s eye is ignored or not specifically emphasized in the image formation or observation process in the textbooks. It is suggested that textbooks should be reviewed by experts and the role of observers’ eye should be considered especially at the introductory optics for students’ better understanding of the optical phenomena.

Keywords: Physics education, physics textbook, geometric optics, observer’s eye
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In the new millennium, the value of innovation increases in global scale and innovation is regarded as the key to development and a pivotal element of making a difference. With the significant increase in the number of technological innovations in recent years, resulting in shorter times for adoption of innovations, individual innovativeness became a necessity, thus giving responsibility to educators generally. This research was conducted with the intent of the detection of perceived barriers to innovativeness by pre-service teachers as technology leaders. The research was conducted with 777 fourth-grade students studying in the Computer Education and Instructional Technologies (CEIT) departments of 26 public universities in Turkey. As a result of the research, it was found out that pre-service teachers see institutional factors as the greatest barrier to innovativeness and regard the process of learning in educational institutions as more of a barrier than technological infrastructure and corporation culture.

Keywords: Innovativeness, barriers, adopter groups, higher education
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This study has been conducted in fourteen 4th graders’ classrooms in Turkish curriculum laboratory elementary schools in seven cities of Turkey during the academic year 2006-2007 in order to find out young language learners’ attitudes towards English and English lessons in Turkish elementary schools. To determine young language learners’ attitudes towards English language inside and outside the classroom, two questionnaires have been developed. The findings of the study have revealed that the pupils seem to have developed positive attitudes towards English language skills and sub skills, materials, the course book, and activities. It has been found out that the attitudes of the pupils change significantly according to language skills and learning environment. There is not a significant difference in the attitudes of pupils towards English according to gender.

Keywords: Young language learners, language attitude, language skills, second language acquisition, EFL
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This study investigated the influence of gender on English learners' production of communication strategies while interacting with native speakers of English. Ten Turkish EFL students were paired with 10 native speakers of English, producing a total of 20 (10-minute long) conversations. Data collection procedures consisted of a background questionnaire, observation, a post-session questionnaire and an interview. A modified version of Faerch and Kasper's (1983) framework of communication strategies was used in data analysis to identify communication strategies employed by Turkish EFL students when conversing with native speakers of English. The findings revealed that the gender of the native speaker of English, rather than the gender of the students had an important impact on the Turkish EFL students' communication strategy use. Furthermore, more similarities rather than differences between male and female Turkish EFL students in the communication strategies used was seen when the interlocutor was not taken into consideration.

Keywords: Gender, Communication Strategies, English Language Teaching
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We asked students in a German class (as a second foreign language) at GER 202 level, of Izmir University of Economics, School of Foreign Languages, to answer questions about their class in order to obtain more reliable student feedback in a particular GER 202 CE1 (Computer Engineering, section one) class, where the students showed a lack of motivation and relatively low average grades in the mid-term exam among the classes the researcher was teaching. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the teaching method which is singularly important to improving the quality of instruction. We also sought to determine whether there were any changes needed in the curriculum or in the teaching strategy of the German Program. We employed qualitative research methodology in two stages. In the first stage, we distributed blank notecards to students and asked them to write a positive observation about the class on one side, and a negative observation on the reverse. In the second stage, we asked other students whether they agreed or disagreed with the opinions obtained in the first stage of the research. The responses revealed that students’ criticisms centered mostly on homework and oral competence. We found, therefore, that there is a need to increase students’ awareness about the benefits of homework assigned for mastery learning, and provide encouragement and motivation for them to be more active in spoken interaction and spoken production in class.

Keywords: Student-centered teaching and learning, qualitative research, homework, mastery learning.
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This study investigates comparison of three different evaluation types based on the data of the compositions which have been going to be rated and evaluated in three different types (overall impression, rubric and Thurstone’s method of paired comparison). Firstly, “The Rubric For Writing Composition” was constructed which was going to be used as a tool for evaluating writing skill. It is observed that, one factor explatory solution which is done to group of behavior criteria of rating scale constructed as rubric is accurate for both scale and its three components. Additionally, Cronbach alpha coefficients calculated for major and minor criteria of all composition is observed to be high. The relationship among rates of compositions which are evaluated with the rubric by the same judges found positive and significant. It is observed that there is no change in rank order of compositions for three different evaluation types. For determining rating reliability, G coefficients were calculated for overall impression and rubric evaluation and these coefficients are found as high.

Keywords: Rating scales, rubric, paired comparison method.
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The aim of this study is to analyze the perception of preservice teachers regarding the concept of erosion using a phenomenographic method. In the study, an open-ended questionnaire form consisting of three questions was used as data collection tool and it was applied to 159 preservice teachers. The responses of the preservice teachers to the questions in the questionnaire were evaluated and according to this evaluation it was determined that their perception of erosion was separated into 5 categories and they had 13 different solutions for preventing the erosion. When the opinions of the preservice teachers regarding the prevention of erosion were examined, it was determined that the elementary preservice teachers had ‘12’, social sciences preservice teacher had ‘8’, and science preservice teacher had ‘2’ solutions. In defining the concept of erosion and in suggestions for solutions for preventing the erosion, it was determined that the preservice teachers’ having different opinions was appropriate to the aim of the phenomenographic study

Keywords: Erosion, geography education, phenomenography, perception of erosion, preservice teacher
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This study was designed to test the validity and reliability of the Web-based Learning Environment Instrument (WEBLEI). Developed by Chang and Fisher (2003), the WEBLEI is a four-factor scale that measures the access, interaction, response and results. The multidimensional construct assesses student perceptions of four core aspects of the Web-based learning environment. The psychometric properties of the Turkish form of the WEBLEI were examined using a sample of 772 post-secondary students from Turkey. A series of CFA were performed to test four models to compare differing conceptualizations of the underlying structure of the WEBLEI to examine whether the WEBLEI comprises four sub-constructs, proposed by Chang and Fisher (2003). Results indicated that the psychometric properties of correlated four-factor model were a satisfactory fit data. Present findings evidence that the WEBLEI is valid and reliable measure of Turkish students’ perceived web-based learning environments traits.

Keywords: Web-based education, scale validation, confirmatory factor analysis, psychosocial learning environment.
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The research was conducted using mixed methods: Qualitative and quantitative. The research was carried on in 2010- 2011 and 2011-2012 education years. The purpose of the study is to determine the views of teachers and parents about mobbing behaviours towards parents reflected by teachers. In the qualitative research stage the schools and teachers were determined according to maximum variation sampling method but parents were chosen by criterion sampling. Two semi-structured interview forms with parallel questions were used. The data were analyzed by content analysis. In the quantitative research stage the sample consisted of 381 teachers and 384 parents chosen from the schools in the central provinces of Antalya using sample size tables and random sampling. Quantitative data were collected by two questionnaires based on the items constructed through qualitative stage. The data were analysed using SPSS package programme. As a result it can be asserted that mobbing behaviours, their causes and consequences, were determined qualitatively and only mobbing behaviours were confirmed quantitatively.

Keywords: mobbing, mobbing in educational organizations, parent-school- relations.
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The purpose of this study is to investigate preservice elementary teachers’ assessment beliefs. To achieve that, a Likert-type scale developed by Genc (2005) was applied to 264 preservice elementary teachers. The scale including four subdimensions (formative, summative, traditional and alternative assessment) consists of a total of 34 items. The data were analyzed using both parametric (t-test) and non-parametric (Kruskal Wallis and Mann Whitney-U tests) statistical tests. Assessment beliefs of the preservice elementary teachers were investigated with respect to the following variables: gender, GPA (grade point average) and type of the secondary school graduated. As opposed to school type variable, the analysis of the data produced a statistically significant result on gender and GPA variables. The results revealed that preservice elementary teachers received the highest score on formative assessment subdimension and the lowest score on alternative assessment subdimension.

Keywords: Assessment, assessment beliefs, preservice elementary teachers
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Childhood obesity and related health problems are affecting millions of children worldwide. Recent studies indicate that food/beverage TV commercials are one of the contributing factors of rising obesity rates. In the States, where the obesity rate is high, there has been a public outcry for more stringent rules regulating food related TV ads. This study investigates breakfast cereal ads which were derived from more than 1600 hours of television programming. Cereal ads were selected for this investigation particularly because they have to include an image of healthy, balanced breakfast. The results of analysis shows that these so-called healthy images of breakfast have little or no impact in terms of preventing childhood obesity since these images portray a very calorie-rich breakfast. One of the aims of this study to point out the great responsibility of the early childhood teachers in terms of assisting parents' and children's understanding of the commercial intent.

Keywords: childhood obesity, food advertisements, media literacy
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Konya, Kayseri and Sivas are the most important cities in Anatolian Seljuks period with respect to political, social, and culture. Numerous military, religious, and civil buildings were constructed in such centers as Konya, Kayseri, Sivas, Erzurum, Kırşehir, Amasya, and Tokat. The madrasas that have Education-Instruction and Health Institutions in the civil architecture are the most striking monumental samples of the settlement centers. The madrasas that are the educational institutions at tertiary level were constructed by sultans, viziers, and statesmen of the era. The fact that the number and the variety of madrasas in the cities indicate the accumulation of knowledge and the level of education. The hospitals designed the same way as madrasas are either next to medicine madrasas or take over the two duties (education-hospital) together. The education in madrasas varies in religious and positive science perspectives. All of the madrasas were financed by endowed charities in Islamic world and in Anatolia in the middle age. Within this concept, it is similar to funded universities nowadays. The inscriptions and endowments of madrasas reflect the status and the environment of the buildings, education type, qualities of students and educators.

Keywords: Anatolia, Seljuks, Education, Madrasas, Hospital
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This study aimed to explore views towards homosexual athletes among 298 male and 173 female sport sciences in Turkey. Students’ views were assessed in relation to their gender using a Homophobia in Sports Scale. The results showed that male and female students’ views towards gay male athletes were significantly different, but that attitudes towards lesbian athletes were not. Also, no difference was found between male and female students’ overall views on the level of acceptance of homosexual athletes in various sports. Male and female students’ level of acceptance toward homosexual athletes was lowest for wrestling, boxing, weight lifting, and football; students’ level of acceptance was highest in figure skating, gymnastics, and golf. Similarly, no difference was found between male and female students’ use of positive and negative labels to describe a popular homosexual athlete.

Keywords: homosexuality, gay athlete, lesbian athlete, homophobia
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In 1997-1998, as a result of the efforts aimed at the reconstruction of the Faculties of Education, practical courses such as School Experience I-II and Teaching Practice were included in teacher training programs. In this context, a book entitled Faculty-School Cooperation was prepared in collaboration with The Council of Higher Education (COHE) and The World Bank and began to be used as a resource. However, during the application of the School Experience training course, as the students were lack of the necessary procedural and professional knowledge and equipment to enable them to observe, they encountered some problems and this training course was taken out from the teacher training programs. Thus, beginning from the 2007-2008 academic year, School Experience course was introduced in the 4th year 1st semester and Teaching Practice course in the 4th year 2nd semester. So, the necessity of the reorganization of the activities and explanations designed for School Experience I and II occurred. For these reasons, in this study, we prepared observation forms to improve the efficiency of School Experience training course which has been practiced in the 4th year 1st semester beginning from the 2007-2008 academic year and to help the prospective teachers to observe their activities more systematically during the application.

Keywords: School Experience, observation forms, efficiency.
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In this study was examined the importance of Critical Thinking in education of students, which are studying to be a teacher of English and German as foreign language, and their attitude to Critical Thinking. To describe the momentary situation the descriptive capture model was used as a method and as a data ascertainment „California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory” was used. All together have taken part 302 candidates for a teaching post for English and German voluntarily as test persons in this study and for the analysis of the data were used frequencies, percentages, average means, standard deviation and two-way ANOVA. The study shows that the candidates for a teaching post for foreign language own with on an average middle to rather low trend towards the Critical Thinking. Besides could be indicated with the help of this study that there are no significant differences between Critical Thinking and gender and department and between Critical Thinking and academic success. As a result of this study is to be emphasized that for critical thinking students critically thinking teachers are a compelling condition and creative, constructive and practical progressions are decisive.

Keywords: critical thinking, foreign language teacher candidates, gender, academic success
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Benefiting from a corpus based design, this paper attempts to compare acknowledgments across three academic disciplines written by Turkish and Iranian authors in terms of the formulaic language employed. Studies into the academic register have commonly chosen the research article (RA) and its various sections as their object of investigation. Despite the multitude of studies carried out on RAs, there are still many aspects of this register which merit closer analysis. One relatively understudied section of the RA is the acknowledgments. The findings reveal a difference in the rate of multiword expressions used by the two groups of writers. It was found that Iranian authors were inclined to overuse a certain set of formulaic expressions; whereas, Turkish authors generally avoided using these expressions in their texts. Possible explanations for this observed difference are discussed in detail in the paper.

Keywords: Lexical bundle, acknowledgments, corpus linguistics.
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Objective of this study is to introduce an Artificial Intelligence based software system, which was designed and developed in order to improve teaching quality in computer programming courses given at universities. In this sense, the related software has been used for C Programming – 1 courses given at Computer Programming programs, during the 2011-2012 Fall Term. In order to show effectiveness of the developed software system, a general evaluation study has been performed. In this sense, an experimental evaluation study has been applied on a total of 120 students forming experiment and control groups and student feedbacks for the experienced process and the used software system have also been considered via a typical survey material. Obtained results show that the system ensures a successful approach on teaching computer programming generally and C programming specifically.

Keywords: computer programming, artificial intelligence, computer education, knowledge-based systems
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This study examined the use of educational technology at tertiary level at one of the newly established (i.e. 2007) universities in the eastern part of Turkey in the spring of 2012. The study examined the tertiary teaching staffs’ (a) personal and computer related characteristics, (b) their computer self-efficacy perceptions, (c) their computer-using level in certain software, (d) their frequency of computer use for teaching, administrative and communication objectives, and (e) their use of educational technology preferences for preparation and teaching purposes. In this study, all teaching staffs were given the questionnaires to complete. 194 participants (n= 194) completed and returned them. The study was mostly quantitative and partly qualitative. The quantitative results were analysed with SPSS (i.e. mean, Std. Deviation, frequency, percentage, ANOVA). The qualitative data was analysed with examining the participants’ responses gathered from the open-ended questions and focussing on the shared themes among the responses. The results reveal that the participants have high computer self-efficacy perceptions, their level in certain programs is good, and they often use computers for a wide range of purposes. There are also statistical differences between (a) their computer self-efficacy perceptions, (b) frequency of computer use for certain purposes, and (c) computer level in certain programs in terms of different independent variables.

Keywords: educational technology, information and communication technology (ICT), tertiary level, teaching staff, computer self-efficacy perceptions
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This study examined the mediation effects of positive and negative affectivity on the relationship between optimism/pessimism and satisfaction with life among university students. Participants were 95 female and 151 male undergraduate students (N = 246). Participants ranged in age from 18 to 26 with a mean of 21.09 (SD = 2.34). Participants completed Life Orientation Scale (LOT), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and Life Satisfaction Scale. Results of correlational analyses demonstrated that the association between optimism and pessimism was -.40. Optimism was significantly associated with PA (r = .40), NA (r = -.26), and satisfaction with life (r = .36). Similarly, pessimism was significantly correlated with PA (r = -.26), NA (r = .39), and satisfaction with life (r = -.30). Finally, optimism had statistically significant direct and indirect links (by means of positive affectivity) with satisfaction with life, whereas pessimism only had statistically significant direct link with life satisfaction.

Keywords: optimism, pessimism, positive affectivity, negative affectivity, satisfaction with life, LOT, PANAS
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In this study, the effects of model based science education on students’ ideas about scientific knowledge are examined. The study lasted almost 6 weeks where 7th graders of a primary school in one of the central towns of İzmir metropole participated in with experimental and control groups. While the experimental group received model based science education, the control group received science education in concordant with the textbook of science and technology curriculum. Both groups were given questionnaire of scientific knowledge and five students from each group were interviewed. Finally, it was seen that there is not a significant difference quantitatively between the groups regarding scientific knowledge. However, it was seen that the experimental group improved qualitatively the understanding of scientific knowledge.

Keywords: model based education, science education, scientific knowledge
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The aim of the present paper is to assess the effect of the jigsaw and conventional cluster techniques on achievement and attitude in Turkish written expression in primary school. The sampling of this study is composed of 61 8th grade students studying in two different classes of a primary school in Turkey in 2009-2010. One of the classes has been randomly selected as a control group (N=31) in which the conventional cluster technique is used, while the other is the experimental group (N=30) in which the jigsaw technique is used. The data related to the students' attitudes toward written expression have been collected using an Attitude Scale for Written Expression (ASWE) as a pre-test and a post-test, while their academic achievement in written expression has been evaluated by using the Achievement Test of Written Expression (ATWE), and the results have been analyzed. As a result of the statistical analysis, a significant difference has been determined between control and experimental groups, in terms of attitude, academic achievement and retention in favor of the jigsaw technique.

Keywords: Turkish teaching, cooperative learning, written expression, jigsaw technique, cluster technique.
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This study aims to assess the content and the methods are used in secondary education history teaching curriculum and text books, on Dardanelles Campaign which is one of the most significant incidents of recent history, using a critical approach. History education is a significant element in order to raise historical consciousness. Being one of the issues determining a nation’s destiny, Dardanelles Campaign has to be assessed delicately. On the other hand the education of this issue has to be designated with new information and aspects when transmitting it to new generations. Dardanelles Campaign carries a dramatic meaning in the history of the Turks and the world, thus 10th grade and 11th grade curriculums and text books that are examining this issue are assessed. Considering those data, in this descriptive and critical study new suggestions are offered.

Keywords: Gallipoli campaign, history education, history cours books
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The aim of the study is to examine the drawing features of 4 to 6 year-old children attending preschool from sub, medium and high socio-economic levels in terms of age, sex and socio-economic levels. The sample consists of 600 free drawings of 66 children who drew freely for 15 weeks from 4-6 age groups in Aydın. The results of the study showed that smoothing, completing, height hierarchy, transparency, realism, repetition and symmetry, proportion, humour and proper drawing features were examined in terms of their sex, it was seen that there was no statistically significant difference. In addition there was no statistically significant difference in smoothing, completing, height hierarchy, transparency, proportion and humour features in terms of the children’s age. However, there was statistically significant difference in realism, proper drawing, repetition and symmetry features. While no statistically significant difference was seen in smoothing, completing, transparency and humour features in terms of the children’s socio-economic levels, statistically significant difference was seen in height hierarchy, realism, repetition and symmetry, proportion and proper drawing features.

Keywords: Children, preschool education, drawing, drawing features
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the visualization in mathematical generalization process and its importance. To do this, we searched which visualizations were used by the participants in appropriate situations, how they set forth these and what kind of visual images they had. We employed case study technique as a quantitative research method on five participants that were pre-service mathematics teachers. The results showed that the visualization was widely employed by the participants, but in different styles and different visual images were presented in the process. Visualizations had an important place on the relations between concepts, had observable effects on the development of the processes. In the light of the results, some suggestions were given about visualization and visual images to make clear this process for mathematics learning and future academic researches.

Keywords: Generalization, visualization, visual image, mathematics education.
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