PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS’ VIEWS ON THE SUFFICIENCY LEVEL OF MENTOR TEACHERS’ USE OF CONSTRUCTIVIST LEARNING APPROACH
Journal Name:
- Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi
Keywords (Original Language):
| Author Name | University of Author | Faculty of Author |
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Abstract (2. Language):
Teacher is among the most important factors that affects both students’ learning and the quality of learning in a classroom setting. Teacher’s effort to build a student-centered learning environment will help students improve the quality of learning. Creating constructivist learning environment makes it easier for the students to learn better. Constructivist learning approach provides students a more flexible learning environment and states that learner should actively be involved in learning process. In this process, teacher is only the guide and tries to provide students appropriate experiences during their learning. Social interaction and collaboration between teacher-students and student-student is also reinforced in constructivist learning environment.
The aim of this study is to explore sufficiency level of mentor teachers’ use of constructivist learning approach in their classrooms based on prospective teachers’ views. In this context, we aimed to see if prospective teachers’ perceptions of mentor teachers’ sufficiency level on the use of constructivist approach differed related to gender and department variables.
Mixed methods research, which includes both quantitative and qualitative designs, was used in the study. Two different data collection tools were used in the study. For the quantitative part of the study, “Teachers’ Sufficiency Scale in Relation to Constructivist Learning”, developed by Karadağ (2007), was used as the data collection tool. Prior to performing factor analysis, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test (0.67) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity were calculated to examine the correlations among variables to determine their suitability for factor analysis and the results were considered to be significant at 0.01 level. According to factor analysis process, the five-point Likert-style scale included 55 items and four factors named student, planning teaching, conducting teaching, measurement and evaluation. Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of the overall scale was calculated to be 0.79. Cronbach alpha reliability of each factor is as follows; Student (α: 0.77); planning teaching (α: 0.77); teaching organization (α:0.72); measurement and evaluation (α: 0.78). Spearman-Brown correlation coefficient was measured to be 0.77, Guttman split-half value was calculated to be 0.75 and these results proved that the scale was both valid and reliable. The participants were asked to rate their perceptions of mentor teachers’ sufficiency level on the use of constructivist learning approach ranging from very sufficient (5) to very insufficient (1) for the first dimension; and from every time (5) to never (1) for the other three dimensions. Study group included a total of 3009 prospective teachers at Fırat, Adıyaman, İnönü, Kilis 7 Aralık, Gaziantep, Dicle, Erzincan, Cumhuriyet, İbrahim Çeçen, Kafkas, Alpaslan, Hatay, Siirt, Atatürk and Van 100. Yıl Universities in the Spring term of 2009-2010 academic year.
The data were analyzed by running Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 12.0) program. In a prior examination, when the distribution of the data was found to be non-normal, non-parametric statistical technique Mann Whitney U was used for testing the differences in terms of gender variable. When the distribution of the data was found normal, parametric statistical technique one way ANOVA was used for department variable and Independent samples t test for gender variable. Results with p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. An interview form including four semi-structured questions was used to collect qualitative data. In qualitative part of the study, we aimed to explore prospective teachers’ opinions in depth about mentor teachers’ sufficiency levels towards the use of constructive learning approach in their classrooms. Content analysis method was used to analyze the data.
The present study which tried to evaluate prospective teachers’ views on the sufficiency level of mentor teachers’ use of constructivist learning approach proved that teachers had some problems in using the principles of constructivist learning approach in their classrooms. According to the results obtained from the study, statistically significant differences were found among the views of the prospective teachers toward student, planning teaching, conducting teaching, measurement and evaluation sub-scales related to department variable, but no statistically significant differences were observed in terms of gender variable. Science and technology, fine arts and preschool mentor teachers were seen more sufficient than the mentor teachers of other fields. Results of the qualitative data of the current study indicated that mentor teachers claim the reasons preventing them using principles of constructivist learning approach in their classrooms such as lack of time in the classes, habit of using traditional methods, students’ individual differences, crowded classrooms, using ready-made plans, lack of information about constructivism, insufficiency of physical equipment of the schools. They also pointed they were not trained in the direction of constructivist learning approach, that is why they tend to use the rules of behaviorist approach in their classes. In the light of the data obtained within the scope of the study following suggestions are presented; Teachers should be given in-service education about constructivism and constructivist learning environment. Student numbers should be reduced in order to design constructivist learning settings. Teachers should be given the chance and opportunity of using their own learning activities. They should be able to make choices among alternatives to facilitate learning.
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Abstract (Original Language):
Bu araştırmanın amacı öğretmen adaylarının mentor öğretmenlerin yapılandırmacı öğrenme yaklaşımını kullanmadaki yeterlik düzeylerine ilişkin görüşlerini değerlendirmektir. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 2009-2010 öğretim yılı Bahar yarıyılında Fırat, Adıyaman, İnönü, Kilis 7 Aralık, Gaziantep, Dicle, Erzincan, Cumhuriyet, İbrahim Çeçen, Kafkas, Alpaslan, Hatay, Siirt, Atatürk ve Van 100. Yıl Üniversitelerinde öğrenim gören dördüncü sınıf öğrencileri oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada hem nicel hem de nitel veriler toplanmıştır. Çalışmanın nicel bölümünde veri toplama aracı olarak Karadağ (2007) tarafından geliştirilen “Yapılandırmacı Öğrenme İle İlgili Öğretmen Yeterliliği Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Nitel bölümde ise yarı yapılandırılmış dört sorudan oluşan görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Veri toplama araçlarının geçerlik ve güvenirlik hesaplamaları yapılmış (Alpha: 0.79, Spearman-Brown:0.77, Gutmann Split-Half: 0.75) araçlar geçerli ve güvenilir bulunmuştur. Verilerin analizinde aritmetik ortalama, standart sapma, bağımsız örneklem t testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi, ANOVA, Mann Whitney U, LSD testi ile içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Anlamlılık düzeyi için p<0.05 esas alınmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları öğrenciyi tanıma, öğretimi planlama, öğretim sürecini yürütme, ölçme ve değerlendirme alt boyutlarında öğretmen adaylarının görüşlerinin cinsiyet değişkeni açısından değişmediğini, bölüm değişkeni açısından anlamlı biçimde farklılaştığını ortaya koymuştur
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