Volume 4 Issue 1-2 (2015)
1

The Adaptation, Validation, Reliability Process of the Turkish Version Orientations to Happiness Scale

pp. 7-15  |  Published Online: December 2015  |  DOI: 10.12973/unibulletin.412.1

Hakan Saricam, Ayse Canatan

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to adapt the Scale of Happiness Orientations, which was developed by Peterson, Park, and Seligman (2005), into Turkish and examine the psychometric properties of the scale. The participants of the research consist of 489 students. The psychometric properties of the scale was examined with test methods; linguistic equivalence, descriptive factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, criterion-related validity, internal consistency, and test-retest. For criterion-related validity (concurrent validity), the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire-Short Form is used. Articles resulting from the descriptive factor analysis for structural validity of scale were summed into three factors (life of meaning, life of pleasure, life of engagement) in accordance with the original form. Confirmatory factor analysis conducted yielded the value of three-factor fit indexes of 18 items: (χ2/df=1.94, RMSEA= .059, CFI= .96, GFI= .95, IFI= .95, NFI= .96, RFI= .95 and SRMR= .044). Factor load of the scale ranges from .36 to .59. During criterion-validity analysis, between Scale of Happiness Orientations and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, positive strong relations were seen at the level of p<.01 significance level. Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient was .88 for the life of meaning sub-scale, .84 for the life of pleasure sub-scale, and .81 for the life of engagement sub-scale. In addition, a corrected items total correlation ranges from .39 to .61. According to these results, it can be said that the scale is a valid and reliable assessment instrument for positive psychology, educational psychology, and other fields.

Keywords: happiness, happiness orientations, validation, reliability

2

Interaction of Student Motivation with Contextual Approach and 5e Learning Cycle in Physics

pp. 16-22  |  Published Online: December 2015  |  DOI: 10.12973/unibulletin.412.2

Haki Pesman

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to investigate in what way students’ motivation in physics prior to the treatments of experimental study influences the effects on contextual approach and 5E learning cycle on their achievement. The data comes from a factorial-design-research from which the effects of context-based approach and 5E learning cycle on 11th grade students’ achievement in simple electric circuits in a physics class are explored. The Jouhnson-Neyman technique was used for testing the hypothesis of the study. The results are quite interesting. Students with high motivation in physics (above 2.81 out of 5.00) were observed to benefit more from the non-contextual physics instruction, while the students with low motivation in physics (below 1.85 out of 5.00) were observed to benefit more from the contextual physics instruction. Between these boundary values, effects of contextual and non-contextual physics instruction seem not to be different. For the interaction of motivation with 5E learning cycle, no significant interaction could be detected. That is to say, all the students with different levels of motivation in physics benefitted similarly from the 5E learning cycle. 

Keywords: motivation, contextual approach, student achievement, learning cycle, physics

3

Second Language Acquisition of Syntactic Movement in English by Turkish Adult Learners

pp. 23-36  |  Published Online: December 2015  |  DOI: 10.12973/unibulletin.412.3

Reyhan Agcam, Mustafa Coban, Zeynep Karadeniz Cisdik

Abstract

There has been much discussion on the involvement of Universal Grammar (UG) in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) process. Despite growing research in the field, few precise answers to the problem have been suggested so far. Hence, recent L2 studies within the generative framework have shifted from investigating this issue to determining whether or not interlanguage grammars exhibit natural language characteristics (Can, Kilimci & Altunkol, 2007). The present study aimed to investigate L2 acquisition of syntactic movement in English noun clauses by Turkish adult learners. Accordingly, L1 involvement in SLA was sought through examining the upper intermediate Turkish learners’ knowledge about the movement in question. The study addressed the questions of whether or not Turkish adult ESL learners have problems, stemming from L1 interference, with the construction of the syntactic movement in English noun clauses, and whether or not there is any order of acquisition between the noun clauses in subject position and object position along with various wh-words. The study reported related findings, and concluded with a few pedagogical implications for practice, and a couple of suggestions for further directions.

Keywords: second language acquisition, universal grammar, syntactic movement, noun clause

4

The Role of Reading Skills on Reading Comprehension Ability of Turkish EFL Students

pp. 37-51  |  Published Online: December 2015  |  DOI: 10.12973/unibulletin.412.4

Ebru Kaya

Abstract

Reading is a part of our daily lives. It is performed both for pleasure and information. Reading skills are important for the individuals since they foster comprehension in reading. If the students do not have knowledge of reading skills, they cannot be expected to be successful readers. Thus, they cannot achieve the level of comprehension required to pass exams in their own departments. For this reason, reading skills should be taught in universities for the students to be able to cope with comprehension problems. This case study aims to find out whether or not reading skills has a role on the reading comprehension ability of Turkish EFL students. This study is both a qualitative and a quantitative study which lasted for a duration of 14 weeks. Two groups were selected (experimental and control) among prep classes at Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University. Both groups were administered a pre-test and questionnaire at the beginning of the study to find out if they were aware of reading skills. In addition, 10 students were chosen randomly for interview. During the study, reading skills were infused into the curriculum through designing lesson plans in accordance with the language content and topics for level C students, as determined by the Common European Language Framework. The lessons required the students to use reading skills before, during, and post reading. At the end of the study, the same questionnaire was re-administered. The students were given the post-test and then interviewed. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The obtained data revealed that the students enhanced their comprehension ability provided that they were taught to use reading skills.

Keywords: reading skills, reading comprehension, Turkish EFL students

5

Assigning Course Supervision to School Principals from Educational Supervisors: Effects on Teachers

pp. 52-63  |  Published Online: December 2015  |  DOI: 10.12973/unibulletin.412.5

Tuncay Yavuz Ozdemir

Abstract

The inspectional structure of the National Education System in Turkey changed with a regulation which came into forced in 2015, which passed school principals the responsibility for teachers’ course control. The primary purpose of this study is to reveal teacher opinions on the new implementation which emerged from the change in the supervisory system. The study group consists of branch teachers for this study under the qualitative research method. Results indicate that supervision conducted by both supervisors and principals is not perfect. However, when considered generally, teachers find the supervision carried out by the principals to be positive. The results emphasize that there should be a standard for the supervisions conducted by principals and ethical codes should be set for objective/unbiased teacher supervision. It was also observed that course supervision competences of school principals are not at the desired levels; thus, school principals should be trained on supervision. 

Keywords: teacher supervision, principal, teacher opinions

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