Ph.D. Theses
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Item Exploring the role of multimedia glosses and strategy use in second language listening comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning in a mobile environment(Thesis (Ph.D.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2014., 2014.) Çakmak, Fidel.; Erçetin, Naciye Gülcan.This study seeks to investigate the effects of multimedia glosses on second language listening comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning in a mobile environment. The study also explored the strategies used by second language learners as they interacted with listening and multimedia glosses. Based on the multimedia principle of Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer, 2001), three types of gloss conditions were tested (textual-only, pictorial-only, textual-plus-pictorial). Two other conditions with no glosses included; one of these conditions allowed the learners to regulate their listening through an audio control tool as in the gloss conditions, the other did not allow any kind of control to the learner, except starting the audio file and restarting it. A listening application for mobile devices was developed and optimized for mobile phones. 116 participants with a low-level proficiency level in English were randomly assigned to one of these conditions. To assess their L2 listening comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning, immediate free recall and unannounced vocabulary tests were administered. The participants’ interaction with the listening text and glosses was tracked in order to examine the strategies they employed. The findings indicated that access to glosses facilitates recognition and production of vocabulary with the type of gloss having a nonsignificant effect. On the other hand, glosses had no effect on L2 listening comprehension. The results also indicate that when glosses were available, analytical listening strategies were employed more often than global listening strategies. When no glosses were available, students showed an equal tendency for either analytical or global listening. In addition, the participants preferred to use the available glosses simultaneously, i.e. as they interacted with the text. The study concluded that while access to glosses promoted vocabulary recognition irrespective of gloss types, gloss use did not have a significant effect on overall L2 listening comprehension.Item A case study of a Turkish English learner in an EFL setting: investment, imagined community, and identity(Thesis (Ph.D.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2014., 2014.) Ersin, Pınar.; Bayyurt, Yasemin.; Nelson, Gayle,The present study investigates the learner identity construction of one particular learner. More specifically, the study aims to examine the relationship between a learner‟s English language learning and her learner identity. The key participant was a 19-year-old learner, Gamze (pseudonym), enrolled in a one-year intensive English language program at a state university in Istanbul, Turkey. Qualitative data sources for this single case study were interviews with the key participant, interviews with the key participant‟s instructors, the key participant‟s language journal, video recordings of the key participant‟s classes, stimulated recall protocols with the key participant and researcher journal. Thematic analysis was applied to the data in order to categorize emerging themes. The analysis revealed that initially the key participant seemed to invest in English language practice in and outside the classroom to become a member of her imagined community. However, her investment appeared to decrease gradually, throughout the semester. Thus, her decreased investment seemed to be reflected in her shifting learner identity construction. In conclusion, Gamze seemed to improve less and slower in the class because there were multiple reasons that kept her from investing enough, which influenced her learner identity along her language learning journey.Item Second language learning-induced enhancement of executive functions in an instructed language learning context(Thesis (Ph.D.)-Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2020., 2020.) Akıncı, Mehmet.; Erçetin, Naciye Gülcan.This study probes the effects of L2 experience on the enhancement of executive functions (EFs) and the predictive validity of EFs for L2 success from a domain-general perspective in a longitudinal pre-test/post-test design. Participants in the experimental group were 165 Turkish high-school graduates receiving intensive L2 instruction in a university setting for six months (600 class contact hours), and the ones in the control group were 103 freshman students taking undergraduate courses in their first language. Two visual complex span tasks (symmetry and rotation) to measure working memory, antisaccade and flanker tasks to measure inhibition, and one standardized English proficiency task were administered before and after the instruction. Multivariate and univariate repeated measures ANOVA results indicated that both instruction types led to the enhancement of EFs except for flanker performances, yet no group differences were observed. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that complex span task and antisaccade performances had loadings on the same factor, named as executive attention, whereas flanker performance was independent from this dimension. Regression findings demonstrated that, albeit little, flanker but not executive attention could explain L2 success. Prior L2 experience was found to be the best predictor. The study concluded that L2 experience can contribute to the enhancement of EFs, yet executive attention might not play a significant role in L2 success at the end of a six-month intensive L2 instruction.Item Processing wh-dependencies in L2 English : the role of L1 and working memory capacity(Thesis (Ph.D.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2010., 2010.) Çele, Filiz.; Gürel, Ayşe.This study investigates online processing of long-distance wh-dependencies in English by a group of Turkish- and Spanish-speakers of second language (L2) English in comparison to a group of native English speakers to explore whether end-state L2 speakers achieve native-like processing in the domain of wh-extractions. The study also examines the role of first language (L1) and working memory capacity (WMC) in on-line processing of whdependencies. To this end, speakers of L1 Turkish as well as speakers of L1 Spanish have been included in the study. Turkish is a wh-in-situ language. Nevertheless, it allows overt wh-movement via scrambling. Therefore, it provides an interesting testing case to verify the influence of scrambling in correctly accepting grammatical wh-extractions and rejecting ungrammatical wh-extractions with island violations. In this vein, the study focuses on the question of whether or not L1 Turkish speakers will be as accurate and as fast as L1 speakers of Spanish, a language with overt wh-movement in processing longdistance wh-extractions. Additional questions investigated in this study are (1) whether there is a subjectobject asymmetry in wh-extractions from finite and nonfinite clauses, and (2) whether there is a relationship between the WMC and sentence processing performance in the L2. An online grammaticality judgment task (OGJT) involved both grammatical whextractions from finite and nonfinite clauses and ungrammatical wh-extractions with island violations and this task was presented in two conditions, namely, the full-sentence condition and the self-paced word-by-word reading in the moving window condition. Both response accuracy and response latency (i.e. reading time) were measured in these conditions. To determine the WMC, all participants were tested on two online working memory (WM) tasks in English: 1) automated reading span (ARSAN) task, and automated operation span (AOSAPN) task. Spanish and Turkish participants also took the ARSPAN task in their respective L1. The accuracy results from the two conditions revealed that Turkish and Spanish speakers were as accurate as native English speakers in correctly accepting grammatical wh-extractions and rejecting ungrammatical wh-extractions with island violations, except for subject extraction from nonfinite clauses, and wh-extractions with that-trace violations. L2 learners were also similar to native speakers in reading patterns. Furthermore, there was no difference between Turkish and Spanish groups in comprehension accuracy and reading time for grammatical and ungrammatical whdependencies in L2 English. This suggests that L2 speakers whose L1 allows overt whmovement (i.e. Spanish speakers of English) do not outperform L2 speakers with a whin- situ L1 (i.e. Turkish speakers of English). The presence of overt wh-movement in scrambled sentences in the L1 (as in the case of Turkish) might be playing a role in accurate processing of wh-extractions in the L2. The results may also suggest that in the end-state L2, speakers achieve native-like processing irrespective of the syntactic properties of their L1.Item Exploring the interplay between a non-native English language teacher’s pedagogical beliefs, classroom practices and her students’ learning experiences regarding L2 grammar(Thesis (Ph.D.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences, 2012., 2012.) Serdar, Hande.; Akcan, Sumru.The aim of this study is to explore the interplay between a non-native English language teacher’s pedagogical beliefs, classroom practices and her students’ learning experiences regarding L2 grammar using a case study design. For the purpose of the study, a qualitative research was carried out. The study utilized purposeful sampling. Among the purposeful sampling types, convenience sampling was employed. The study was conducted in a preparatory classroom of a private university’s Department of Foreign Languages in Istanbul, Turkey. The tools that were used for data collection were background interviews, semi-structured interviews, classroom observation, stimulated recalls, teacher reflective notes, student academic diaries, written tasks, document collection and supplementary data collection. The analysis of the data indicated that there is a dynamic relationship between the non-native English language teacher’s pedagogical beliefs, her classroom practices and her students’ learning experiences regarding L2 grammar. The participating teacher’s own foreign language learning experience, teacher education she had received at the university and her teaching experiences, were to be seen constitutive of her pedagogical beliefs regarding L2 grammar. On the one hand, the participating teacher exhibited, to a great extent, congruence between her stated beliefs and her observed classroom practices regarding L2 grammar and on the other hand, some of her stated beliefs of were not evident in her observed classroom practices regarding L2 grammar. Analysis revealed that some of the participating teacher’s perceptions about the students’ expectations, and some external factors were overriding her beliefs and causing incongruence between her stated beliefs and observed classroom practices. These external factors were revealed as the element of time and the backwash effect of the exams. The participating students’ L2 grammar learning seemed to be mediated by some common elements. Participating students highlighted that some affective and some instructional factors mediated their L2 grammar learning. The findings of this study underlined that identification of the interplay between a non-native English language teacher’s pedagogical beliefs, classroom practices and her students’ L2 learning experiences enables gaining deeper insights into L2 grammar teaching and learning.Item The role of portfolios in EFL student teachers' professional development: a case study(Thesis (Ph.D.)-Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2006., 2006.) Koçoğlu, Zeynep Banu.; Akyel, Ayşe.; Erçetin, Naciye Gülcan.The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of portfolio preparation on the professional development of student teachers in terms of reflective thinking, technology competency and attitude towards technology use in education. Five senior students from Boğaziçi University, Faculty of Education, Department of Foreign Language Education participated in this study. Multiple sets of data for thisstudy came from: (a) questionnaires, (b) interviews, and (c) artifacts from pen/paper and electronic portfolios. Collection of data was completed in two consecutive semesters, Fall 2002 and Spring 2003. To answer the 1stmain research question that focused on the impact of preparing portfolios on EFL student teachers̕ professional development, the perspectives of student teachers and their portfolio artifacts were analyzed. In order to find the participants̕ perspectives about portfolios, a contentanalysis of the interview transcripts was conducted by using Miles and Huberman̕s model (1994) to identify conceptual themes. In order to investigate reflective thinking, portfolio artifacts were analyzed by using Hattonand Smith̕s (1995) framework of types of reflection to determine how the participants used different types ofreflection to describe and justify their behaviors. To answer the 2nd main research question, that is whether use of technology in preparing portfolios affects student teachers̕ professional development, both pre-and posttechnology competency level and technology attitude questionnaires were tabulated and analyzed statistically. The student teachers stated that the portfolio allowed them to be reflective and to make connections betweentheory and practice, which helped them think about theirstrengths and weaknesses in becoming a teacher. The student teachers also felt that during the preparation of portfolios they were able to identify ways to improve their teaching practice. Based on the findings, the datasupported Hatton and Smith̕s view of teachers̕ reflective thinking as a hierarchical developmental sequence. The results, overall, showed that the process ofpreparing a portfolio provided a useful approach to enhancing professional development, with a few negative comments regarding the time, positive comments regarding the support and collaboration from the peers, its contribution to their professional development in terms of reflective thinking and self-confidence. In addition, preparing electronic portfolios by using different technological applications also enhanced professional development of student teachers in terms of facilitating technological competence and increasing attitudes positively toward computer use in education.Item Construct validation of the reading subskills of the Boğaziçi University English Proficiency Test(Thesis (Ph.D.)-Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2004., 2004.) Ünaldı, Aylin.; Alptekin, Cem.The purpose of this study is to present construct validity evidence for the reading module of the Boğaziçi University English Language Proficiency Test (the BUEPT). Following the suggestions of Messick's (1989a) validity framework, the study provides evidence for content, substantive, structural, generalisability and external aspects of construct validity of the BUEPT reading module. Initially, a theoretically sound and practically applicable reading framework (Urquhart and Weir, 1998) that would ensure content relevance and representativeness was chosen and test specifications were developed based on that framework. The tests were piloted and the analysis of score distributions and item performance through classical test theory helped improve the technical quality of the tests minimising the construct irrelevant test variance. Expert judgement was taken using an analysis scheme based on Bachman et al.(1995) and verbal protocols of the test takers were analysed in order to investigate whether or not each item reflects the content defined by each dimension of the reading construct as defined in the framework. The factor structures of the tests were analysed using the Principal Component Analysis and the BUEPT reading module was compared to the IELTS reading test both in terms of content congruence and the correlation between them. The findings from these investigations provided substantial support for the validity of the score interpretations based on the BUEPT reading test. The study generally supports the soundness and applicability of the Urquhart and Weir's (1998) framework.Item The relationship between collaboration and professional development : Possible effects of EFL student teacher/supervising teacher dialogue on the beliefs and instructional practices of the EFL supervising teachers(Thesis (Ph.D.)-Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Social Sciences, 2001., 2001.) Atay, Derin.; Akyel, Ayşe.This study investigates whether a collaborative dialogue in addition to knowledge-transmission training between EFL student teachers and supervising teachers would contribute to the professional development of EFL teachers as opposed to only knowledge-transmission training. To answer this major research question the following subquestions were dealt with: 1. What is the nature of the collaborative dialogue between the supervising teachers and the student teachers? 2. Will there be a difference between the instructional practices of the teachers who took only a knowledge-transmission type of training and those who were additionally engaged in a collaborative dialogue based on an assistance-support form of sustained interaction with student teachers? 3. Will there be a difference between the public and private school teachers in terms of benefits in teachers' instructional practices and the nature of teacher and student talk after they have engaged in a collaborative dialogue in addition to a knowledge-transmission type of training, if so how? 4. What are the supervising teachers' and student teachers' attitudes toward participation in a collaborative dialogue as opposed to a knowledge-transmission type of training? Forty English language teachers (twenty from private and twenty from public schools) and twenty student teachers from the Department of Foreign Language Teaching of Marmara University formed the target population of the study. Twenty of the English teachers were assigned to the experimental and the other twenty to the control group. Control group teachers were given a knowledge-transmission type of training about classroom skills, whereas experimental group teachers were additionally engaged in a collaborative dialogue based on an assistance-support form of sustained interaction with student teachers (combined treatment). Quantitative data results obtained from classroom observations indicated that experimental group teachers in both the private and public schools showed statistically significant improvement in most of the teaching practices in comparison to control group teachers in both settings. Moreover, the treatment changed the nature of the talk of the experimental group teachers at a significant level and this change affected student participation in class in a positive way. In relation to teacher talk, Significant changes were seen in all aspects except in teachers' repetition skills. Regarding the nature of student talk, again the majority of the interactive practices showed significant change as a result of the treatment. In addition, the results also indicated that the public and private school experimental group teachers which statistically differed from each other in favor of the private school teachers in several teaching practices and in several aspects of teacher and student talk at the beginning of the study, equally benefited from the combined treatment. Qualitative data results obtained from the semi-structured interviews with supervising teachers and journals kept by student teachers indicated that the student teachers and supervising teachers followed the preconference, observation and postconference cycle based on feedback and reflection. Moreover, they all agreed on the mutual benefits of the process to the professional development of the participants. Hence, the results of the study indicated that supervising teacher/student teacher dialogue based on support and assistance can be utilized as an effective INSET program in both private and public schools.