PUBLICATION INFORMATION
TITLE OF PUBLICATION
TURKISH CHEMISTRY TEACHERS' VIEWS ABOUT AN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTIVE LEARNING APPROACHES IN THEIR LESSONS
NAME OF AUTHOR(S)
Sevilay Karamustafaoglu, Bayram Costu, Alipasa Ayas
NAME OF PUBLISHER
Yıldız University
LANGUAGE OF PUBLICATION
English
PUBLICATION TYPOLOGY
Research
TARGET GROUP OF PUBLICATION
School Directors, Researchers, Teachers
SIZE OF THE PUBLICATION
Over 10 pages
DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS
For several decades, active learning is determined as a better way of teaching in science education. The aim of this study is to determine chemistry teachers’ opinions and perspectives about student centered activities applicable in chemistry teaching and learning in the study context. In this research a case study approach is used. At the first step, semi-structured interviews are carried out with 10 chemistry teachers. At the second step, a questionnaire is developed based on the data obtained from the interviews which are implemented on 50 chemistry teachers in the province Amasya. At the last step, a semi-structured observation chart is used in chemistry lessons to determine how these activities occurred. Following questions are asked: 1. What are the teaching approaches in developing science curriculum materials in Turkey? Do you have necessary information about them? 2. Do you know student-centered learning? In your opinion, how to apply this approach in education? 3. Should active learning be applied in implementing student-centered approach? How to use student-centered activities in active learning? 4. What type of methods and techniques do you use in performing active learning? How to use them? 5. Do you have necessary equipments to provide active learning in you school? 6. Do you believe that your experiences are adequate in order to provide active learning? What are you suggestions for further applications of active learning? By the help of these steps and questions, it is possible to determine the relationship between teachers’ views about active learning techniques and their actual implementation of them. The results have shown, despite of the fact that the teachers are aware of the student-centered chemistry instruction, still they are using traditional teaching methods in classroom. A further fact is that the laboratories are not sufficient enough for a decent chemistry teaching. They lack on physical equipment and chemical substances to perform experiments. The Student Selection Exam(ÖSS) is considered as the main reason why teachers are not using active teaching methods. This exam is annual and serves for the enrollment of students at Higher Education Institutions.
According to the results of the interviews, questionnaires and observations, it is obvious to say that the teachers do not use student-centered methods. The major obstacle for this is the Student Selection Exam which is carried out annually in order to enroll students to Higher Education Institutes. The teachers believe that the more problems the students solve the more successful they will be and get a good score in the exam. In Turkey, the quality of school is evaluated by the number of students who pass the university entrance exam. One should consider that the teachers are willingly to apply active teaching strategies but they are forced to teach traditionally by the Turkish Educational System. Another fact is, the gathered data has shown that the teachers are not capable of implementing active teaching techniques and that they are not fully trained toward them. To sum up, it can be claimed that there is no student-centered teaching in chemistry education at secondary schools in Turkey.
REVIEWER’S COMMENTS ON THE PUBLICATION
This research paper provides a bright insight to the teachers’ opinions about the chemistry education in Turkey and to the teaching approaches in classrooms. Several interviews, questionnaires and observations are carried out with 50 secondary school chemistry teachers. According to the results, it has been shown that neither the laboratories are sufficient enough for experiments which trigger active learning nor the teachers are implementing active teaching approaches in classroom teaching. At this juncture, the teachers are charging the Turkish Educational System and so the Student Selection Exam (ÖSS) as an excuse. Many of the participants are aware of the positive effects of active learning strategies but there are also teachers who have no information about them. Eventually, the active teaching methods are neither sufficient nor decent implemented at chemistry education at all. Besides this, the deficiency of physical equipments in laboratories aggravate the teaching in an actively way.
NAME OF THE REVIEWING ORGANISATION
Kırıkkale University
Comments about this Publication
Your comments are welcome
Date: 2014.03.30
Posted by Petar Rachev (Bulgaria)
Message: The article is an analysis of the studies the opinions and viewpoints of chemistry teachers in Turkey on how to teach the subject at school. The main idea of the study is to have the educators oriented towards the active learning method that has proven its effectiveness.
The key questions that teachers face are:
• main approaches to teaching
• Should we move towards student oriented education
• Methods and techniques for active learning
• Equipment
• Methodological and didactic proposals for the implementation of active learning .
Analysis of the results shows the following:
1. Teachers are aware of the principles of active learning , but rarely use them due to insufficient facilities
2 . Teachers use student oriented methods.
Interactive practices, such as watching a video debates, discussions, group work, games approach - anagrams and crosswords ICT are rarely used.
The problems discussed in this article are completely analogous to the problems of education in Bulgaria. Both Turkish and Bulgarian teachers familiar with the innovative and interactive strategies for improving the quality of education and increase students\' interest to study the subject.
I noticed that the exact criterion for evaluating the quality of teachers\' work is absolutely clear and definite - Student selection Exam, which is held annually – a university admission exam in an approved methodology. In Bulgaria each university has its own criteria for admission of students, so the only remaining indicator of labor input from teachers is the state matriculation exams.
To me the proposed comment is a direct dissection of the educational system in Bulgaria and the teaching of chemistry in particular. The lack of basic infrastructure and providing software for use of ICT in the learning process is a very serious obstacle to the realization of the active learning method to students.
