While it is obvious that the teachers who play an important role in the socialization process of the students are one of the most important actors in the adaptation of international students, there is a need for a measurement tool that demonstrates how they perceive the foreigners. Following this need, the "attitude towards foreigners scale" was developed to determine the teachers' perspectives on foreigners and validity and reliability studies were conducted. The study group of the research consists of 535 teachers working in Pendik District of Istanbul in the 2018-2019 academic year. In the process that started with 42 nominated items, the number of items was reduced to 29 after receiving expert opinions. Afterward, as a result of the EFA conducted by applying these 29 items to 290 teachers, the 29-item draft scale was put into final form with the application of exploratory factor analysis as a single-factor structure with 18 items and this structure was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. The single-factor scale with 18-items explains 51.863 of the total variance. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the scale was calculated as .962. Even though the scale was formed by taking the opinions of teachers into consideration, it may also be used for different groups.
There are many studies suggesting that the choice of private school is a cultural capital investment of upper -and middle-class families in order to differentiate their children from the lower classes and to increase their social status. In this study, we reveal that families use foreign language-based classes created within secondary schools in the new period in order to meet these needs. The study is based on the data of the field research conducted by using the qualitative research method and semistructured interview technique with 25 parents of students whose children are studying in foreign language-based classes of secondary schools and a total of 25 teachers from different branches working in schools with foreign language-based classes. In the study, it was revealed that middle-class families enroll their children in foreign language-based classes in order to improve their children's social status. This practice leads to the emergence of different stigmas within the school, especially between parents and teachers. Foreign language-based classroom practice causes educational inequalities between students who study in these classes and those who do not. At this point, measures can be taken to prevent economic conditions from being a significant factor in the preference of foreign languagebased classroom practice. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to provide schools with material richness, especially in foreign language learning.
The aim of the research was to explore the effects of enriched workshop training given to pre-school students on students’ creative thinking skills. The research was conducted during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic year. The mixed research design was used in the study. On the quantitative stage of the research, a single-group pre-test-posttest experimental design was applied. In order to identify the effects of the enriched training provided at different workshops, students were administered Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (Figural Form) as a pre-test-post-test. The study group of the research was comprised of 129 students in total including 81 students in the first group and 48 students in the second group, all taking training at the “Curious Junior Education Center” supported by Istanbul Development Agency and implemented by Pendik District National Education Directorate. According to the findings obtained from the quantitative method, a variation was identified in the test averages for student creative thinking skills (fluency, originality, elaboration, abstractness of titles, resistance to premature closure) before and after the training. Post-test averages for students’ creative skills increased. Paired samples t test was performed to determine whether or not the variation- increase- was significant. According to the t test result, enriched workshop training affects students’ total creative thinking skills significantly. In other words, enriched workshop training has developed students’ creative thinking skills positively. In the qualitative method, parents, students and teachers reported their views about the quality and effectiveness of the enriched workshop training. Keywords: creative thinking, enriched training, mixed method, workshop training.
Teachers’ sense of identity plays a central role in understanding their actions as individuals inside and outside the classroom. Therefore, it is important to determine teachers’ understanding of who they are. Thus, teachers’ opinions about their professional self-understanding in the study were aimed to be analysed. Although teacher training practices are gaining importance rapidly, it is seen that studies on how teachers evaluate themselves are not sufficiently included in the literature. For this purpose, the research was carried out using the qualitative research method and phenomenology pattern to consider teachers’ opinions about their professional self-understanding holistically. The research study group consists of 44 teachers working in primary, secondary, and high schools in the Pendik district of Istanbul. Research data were obtained from in-depth interviews with teachers through semi-structured interview forms. The findings obtained were grouped under five themes: “Image, Respect, Job Motivation, Perception of Duty, and Future Views”, considering the relevant literature. The study revealed that professional self-understanding is closely affected by emotions and teachers’ social status. Considering the relationship between social status, acceptance, and individual motivation, it is thought that the negative judgments in society about the teaching profession make individuals reluctant to choose this profession. For this reason, it can be evaluated that studies should be carried out to restore the eroded reputation of the profession in society and that this profession should be provided with much more attractive opportunities economically.
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