Browsing by Author "Cakmakci G."

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A five-level design for evaluating professional development programs: Teaching and learning about nature of science
(2019-01-01) Kartal E.E.; Dogan N.; Irez S.; Cakmakci G.; Yalaki Y.
The aim of this study is to evaluate a continuing professional development (CPD) program designed to improve teachers’ professional competences about the nature of science (NOS) by using a new evaluation perspective. The researchers followed a year long CPD about NOS with the voluntary attendance of 18 middle school science teachers and their students. In a collaborative and reflective environment, teachers were introduced to various NOS aspects and ways to use explicit instruction and formative assessment in their NOS teaching. In addition, teachers received teaching activities and materials to be implemented in their classrooms for one year. The data were collected and evaluated based on the “five level (learning, beliefs, transfer, results, and reaction) evaluation model”. The findings demonstrate that the CPD program about NOS effectively improved teachers’ views about NOS, beliefs about teaching and learning the NOS, classroom practices about NOS and also their students’ views about NOS. This study is the first to use formative assessment and discourse analysis in a professional development program for in-service teacher education, and also first to evaluate teachers’ views, beliefs, practices and their students’ views about NOS all together. The findings are thought to motivate researchers to consider multiple level evaluations of future professional development programs.
Improving science teachers’ nature of science views through an innovative continuing professional development program
(2018-12-01) Erdas Kartal E.; Cobern W.W.; Dogan N.; Irez S.; Cakmakci G.; Yalaki Y.
Background: This study describes how teachers’ nature of science (NOS) views changed throughout an innovative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program that provided sustained support throughout the process in a collaborative and reflective environment and activities that are consistent with the current curriculum and NOS tenets integrated within. Eighteen in-service science teachers enrolled in a yearlong nature of science, Continuing Professional Development (NOS-CPD) program. Data were collected by pre/post-interviews using the Views of Nature of Science-Form C (VNOS-C) questionnaire, and a post-interview using an open-ended questionnaire developed by researchers to uncover teacher reactions to the NOS-CPD program. Results: The results indicated that the NOS-CPD program improved the teachers’ NOS views more effectively than previously reported short-term teacher development programs, and thus, the findings should be useful for future studies in support of the professional development of teachers. Conclusions: The article concludes with practical advice for implementing NOS-focused, in-service teacher development programs.
Language in Science and Technology Education
(2023-01-01) Sardag M.; Kaya G.; Cakmakci G.
Students should be granted opportunities to practice the language of science. This chapter presents a holistic understanding of language in science and technology education by discussing different frameworks in the field. The chapter emphasizes the role of language in learning and knowledge construction processes. In particular, it focuses on the nature of talk in science classrooms and how different interactions between teachers and students contribute to students’ learning. The chapter also highlights classroom practices for how language is used in science and technology activities. Several studies suggest that dialogic conversations and discussions should be encouraged in the classroom. This suggestion leads us to consider teachers’ classroom interactional competence and the role of language in assessment.