M.S. Theses
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Item Exploring epistemic cognition in different task contexts(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Köksal, Alp.; Mercan, Fatih.In this study epistemic performance in different task contexts was studied. There were, 2 physics professors, 4 teaching physics undergraduate students and 4 social sciences undergraduate students. Apt-AIR framework was adopted as the analytical framework. Data were collected using think aloud protocol and semi-structured interviews. In data analysis, (a) various examples for cognitive elements of epistemic performance were identified, (b) various behaviours related to metacognitive elements of epistemic performance were encountered and (c) comparisons were made between groups’ epistemic performances. The first task context was related with physics. Physicists have demonstrated a wide range of cognitive and metacognitive elements of epistemic performance. By doing so they have helped us to paint a picture of disciplinary characteristics of physics. All groups have identified experimentation and observations as reliable processes for producing or evaluating a knowledge claim. The theme of the second task context was mandatory covid vaccine. While evaluating knowledge claims and choosing sides, physicists have looked for the data. They have argued there were adequate amount of data during the time the video was shot. Teaching physics students, mostly trusted to their personal experiences and emotions. The frequency of demonstrated metacognitive elements of epistemic performance was lowest among teaching physics students compared to other two groups. The third group, social sciences students have kept well-being of the society at front while engaging with the second issue. The findings of the study tells us epistemic performance is contextual and Apt-AIR framework works as an analytical framework while capturing the cognitive and metacognitive elements of epistemic performance. The results suggest, there is a need to develop pre service teachers’ ability to perform apt epistemic performance.Item Mathematics teachers' self-regulated learning behaviors in an immersive virtual environment(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Dalak, Hazal.; Ader, Engin.Virtual Environments (VEs) are emerging with developing technology, and teachers are necessary to educate themselves to employ technology to raise twenty-first century skills in the new generation. In this manner, Immersive Virtual Environments (IVEs) are the settings that encourage learners to be engaged, independent, and motivated, which are the features of self-regulated learners. The current study aims to investigate mathematics teachers’ self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviors in IVEs during problem-solving since promoting students’ SRL behaviors are possibly encouraged by teachers’ SRL behaviors. By considering the purpose of the study, a case study was conducted with eleven middle school mathematics teachers who were able to practice during the Pandemic by Prisms, an IVE focusing on exponential growth through a game. The video records were taken for the think-aloud data collection process. After the participants experienced the immersive environment, a semi-structured interview was conducted to get reflections on the experience. The transcripts of the records are analyzed by a coding scheme that includes four main phases of SRL behaviors: planning, monitoring, strategy use, and evaluation. The findings demonstrated that while planning has been the least referred SRL behavior, strategy use behavior was the most addressed SRL behavior. This study is significant to see similarities in the existing literature; however, understanding such environments requires further investigation before it is included in educational settings.Item High school students' meanings of cartesian coordinate system(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Güven, Semra.; Karagöz Akar, Gülseren.The aim of this study was to investigate high school students’ reasoning of spatial and quantitative Cartesian coordinate systems, their meanings of a point on a graph, outputs of a function and graphing within spatial and quantitative coordinate systems. The study was conducted at a private high school in Istanbul towards the end of Spring semester in 2021- 22 academic year. Participants consisted of 229 high school students from different grade levels who learned different kinds of functions and graphing in Cartesian coordinate system. The instrument with nine open ended questions was developed by the researcher based on the literature. Data were categorized by coded analysis and descriptively analyzed mainly according to framework for reasoning about graphs in spatial and quantitative Cartesian coordinate system and framework for representing a multiplicative object in the context of graphing. Analysis of the results showed that students had critical difficulty in conceiving axes as frame of reference to represent quantities as horizontal and vertical directed distances from origin in describing location of a point and coordinating quantities. Additionally, results showed that significant number of student students viewed x and y- coordinates and output of a function as a point on a graph hence carried non-normative meanings for point in terms of multiplicative object. Besides, students’ difficulties with function and function notation were found to be an issue in their reasoning about points. Relatedly, results regarding graphing in Cartesian coordinate system pointed to students’ difficulties in envisioning a graph as an emergent trace of multiplicative object representing changes in two quantities simultaneously. Students either focused on gross variation of the quantities and sketched a memorized graph, sketched a discrete graph, could not envision how the graph behaves between landmark points or sketched two separate graphs considering time as a secondary variable. NOTE Keywords : Cartesian coordinates, Graphical representation, Mathematics education, Mathematics teaching, High schools students, Spatial coordinate system, Quantitative, coordinate system, Multiplicative object.Item An investigation of STEM education researchers’ and middle school teachers’ conceptions of STEM education based on their self efficacy beliefs of STEM education(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Türkyılmaz Sarıgül, Merve.; Akaygün, Sevil.This study was designed to investigate STEM education researchers’ and middle school teachers’ conceptions of STEM education based on their self-efficacy beliefs of STEM education. This study is designed as explanatory case design qualitative method study. The participants of this study were 9 STEM education researchers and 9 middle school teachers who were selected based on their self-efficacy beliefs which measured by Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale for STEM Practices (TSESSP). In order to investigate the conception, qualitative data obtained through semi structure interviews were obtained using The STEM Education Conceptualization Level Determination Interview Protocol (SECLDIP). The interviews of the participants were transcribed verbatim and open coded. Based on the results of the analysis, it was concluded that since middle school teachers implement STEM education in their courses, there are certain commonalities in the conceptualization of STEM education between STEM education researchers and middle school teachers. However, STEM education researchers convey theoretical understanding with examples that illustrate the integrated character of STEM education while middle school teachers have a grasp that STEM education is an interdisciplinary activity, and their understanding is limited to classroom practices rather than theoretical components. In addition, it was concluded that for the aspects of nature and scope of integration and implementation, the answers get more problem based with disciplinary integration as the self- efficacy belief increases.Item Investigating the differential relationship between the big five domains of social and emotional skills and mathematics achievement using OECD's SSES(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Altıner Sert, Mihriban.; Arıkan, Serkan.The goal of the study is to investigate the differential relationship between the social and emotional skills measured by the “big five” skill domains and mathematics achievement for socioeconomic status, gender, and level of SEL evaluation groups. For this purpose, the study used the OECD 2019 Survey data on social-emotional skills from Turkey. The OECD conceptual framework combines and integrates skills from different applied frameworks (Kankaraš & Suarez-Alvarez, 2019). Big five model of social and emotional skills consists of task performance, emotional regulation, engaging with others, collaboration, and open-mindedness (Kankaraš & Suarez-Alvarez, 2019). In the current study, the participants are 9th grade, 10th grade, and 11th grade students in Istanbul, Turkey. The results indicated that 8% of the variance in mathematics achievement ({u1D445}2=0.077) was explained by the social andemotional skills domains, especially with open mindedness, emotional regulation and engaging with other domains. Also, there is a differential relationship between mathematics achievement and social and emotional skills for boys and girls. The relationship between social and emotional skills and mathematics achievement is stronger for girls ({u1D445}2=0.092)than boys ({u1D445}2=0.056). On the other hand, the results showed that while for low level SESstudents this model explains 13% of the variance in mathematics achievement ({u1D445}2=0.130),for medium level SES students, it explains 9% of the variance in mathematics achievement ({u1D445}2=0. 091). Furthermore, for high level SES group, the model explains 6% of the variancein mathematics achievement ({u1D445}2=0. 056). Therefore, it can be stated that there is differentialrelationship between social and emotional skills and mathematics achievement for different levels of SES. Lastly, there is a differential relationship between the five domains SSES model and mathematics achievement for non- evaluated ({u1D445}2= 0.062), informally evaluated({u1D445}2=0. 080) and formally evaluated ({u1D445}2=0.091) SEL groups. Overall, the findings suggestthat grouping variables need to be taken into consideration to understand the relationship between the mathematics achievement and emotional skills.Item Students' understanding of the greenhouse effect : a cross-age study(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Özçelik, Ceren.; Adadan, Emine.This study aimed to investigate high school students’ and final- year pre-service teachers’ mental models of the greenhouse effect at different age levels (Grade 9, Grade 11, and the pre- service teachers). This study further investigated the relation between students’ mental models and academic achievements. In this regard, the study identified the components and properties of the mental models of each participant about the greenhouse effect and explored how the main constituents of these models progressed across different grade levels. Secondly, the mental models of the greenhouse effect were examined based on the participants' academic achievement. For this purpose, individual interviews were conducted with high school students: Grade 9 (n=18) aged between 14-16, Grade 11 (n=24) aged between 17-19, and pre-service physics and chemistry teachers (n=19), who were 18-29 years old. This study used qualitative data from semi-structured interviews and sketches to identify the participants' mental models about the greenhouse effect. The constant comparative method was used to analyze student answers to questions about the greenhouse effect. The data was iteratively coded to generate the codes corresponding to students’ mental models about the mechanism of the greenhouse effect. The features of greenhouse effect mechanisms and ten different mental models were identified. The Macro Models without particulate level explanations outnumbered the Micro Models in which the properties of particles are explained across all participant groups. Pre-service teachers have significantly progressed toward a scientific greenhouse effect model compared to the other groups. Alternative conceptions of the students about the greenhouse effect were also identified. Each student’s academic accomplishment based on their grade point average was related to the type of their mental model. No correlation was found between academic achievement and the types of mental models of the Grade 9 students’ mental models. However, there was a moderately significant correlation between the mental models of the Grade 11 students and the pre-service teachers.Item An analysis of 4th grade students' routine and non-routine problem-solving skills using cognitive diagnostic models(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Taştan, Züleyha.; Arıkan, Serkan.Assessment is an important part of education that provides feedbacks to both students on their learning and educators on their instruction. Assessments enhance students’ learning when providing effective and immediate feedback to learners. In this study, Cognitive Diagnostic Assessments (CDAs) are used to give informative and in-depth feedback to teachers and students. CDAs provide cognitive data about students’ strengths and weaknesses in a particular ability. This study investigates routine and non-routine problem-solving attributes of grade 4 students with four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) using CDA. The test used in the study is specifically developed with diagnostic purposes regarding 2021-2022 4th grade mathematics curriculum and analysed with Cognitive Diagnostic Models (CDMs). There are 6 attributes and 20 items in the test. A Q-matrix was constructed to show attribute-item relationship. Before administering the test, a group with 10 students were asked to answer the items and interviewed later to evaluate the timing and clarity of the items. The final form of CDA test was administered to 511 students in 4th grade, from various public and private schools. The responses were analysed by the GDINA package in R. As a result of the analysis, each participant was assigned to an attribute profile showing which skills they have mastered and which they have not. The results showed that 75% of the students have mastered routine problem-solving skills, while 17% of the students have mastered non-routine problem-solving skills. The most frequent attribute profiles in the study group are found as follows: 000010, 010010, 111111, 111110, 000000 and 110010.Item Investigating mathematics teacher educators’ specialised knowledge for teaching geometric transformations(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Balcı, Hüsniye Aybüke.; Karagöz Akar, Gülseren.In this study, three mathematics teacher educators’(MTEs) specialised knowl edge for geometric transformations was explored. In this regard, MTEs’ mathematical knowledge about geometric transformations including the definitions and properties and their’ pedagogical content knowledge regarding the thinking ways of students about geometric transformations, the teaching strategies to develop students’ understandings and to overcome students’ difficulties were examined. Data were collected qualitatively in one-hour long structured interviews. Results showed that all participants defined geometric transformations in two ways: namely, as a motion and as a function. MTEs pointed that motion conception of geometric transformations is seen in school curricula; while, the function understanding is mostly delayed until the university level. MTEs also defined geometric transformations by using APOS theory in which they consid ered motion understanding at the action level, and function understanding both at the process level and the object level. Results further pointed to what MTEs consider as important in terms of the difficulties learners might possibly have and what strategies might be useful to overcome them. Particularly, results indicated that MTEs consider learners’ need to get used to studying with different functions in different spaces as well as their understanding of plane, R2 , as important to conceptualize the domain and the range of geometric transformations as the whole plane. In addition, Results further showed that MTEs consider that reflection is the easiest transformation for the learners and rotation is the hardest one. Thus, they recommend that it might be a good strategy to start teaching transformations with reflection.Item The inclusion of the nature of science in Turkish science curriculum(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Kurt, Gözde.; Kaya, Ebru.The Reconceptualized Family Resemblance Approach to Nature of Science (RFN) is a comprehensive approach that consists of the cognitive-epistemic and social institutional systems of science (Erduran & Dagher, 2014a; Kaya & Erduran, 2016a). The purpose of the study is to examine the inclusion of the Nature of Science (NOS) in the Turkish science curriculum from the RFN perspective. Another purpose of the study is to investigate science teachers‟ views of the RFN and science curriculum. The Turkish science curriculum that was implemented in 2018 by the National Ministry of Education and used in the levels of primary school and middle school is the main data source of the study. The science curriculum was analyzed by content analysis. Furthermore, the participants of the study are 10 science teachers that were selected by purposive sampling. The semi- structured interview protocol and the RFN Questionnaire that was developed by Kaya et al. (2019) were applied to the science teachers. The data that comes from the interviews and the questionnaire were analyzed by thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, respectively. The findings of the study showed that the Turkish science curriculum refers more to the cognitive-epistemic system of science than the social institutional system of science. The category of scientific practices has the highest code frequency, while the category of political power structures has the least code frequency in the science curriculum. Science teachers‟ RFN understanding levels were found moderate and high according to the RFN Questionnaire. However, in the interviews, it was realized that participants exhibit naïve views and limited knowledge about some RFN categories. The science teachers suggested that NOS should be integrated to the science curriculum more and sources about NOS should be increased. This study has implications for the inclusion of the RFN in the science curriculum and the integration of the RFN in the teacher- training.Item Preservice mathematics teachers’ promotion of self-regulated (PSRL) in time : a mixed-method study(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Cihangir, Meryem.; Ader, Engin.These two-phased mixed method quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate preservice mathematics teachers’ promotion of self-regulated learning (PSRL) with respect to time through participation in a self-regulated learning (SRL) Enriched Seminar Course. Preservice teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs for promotion of self-regulation (SE-PSRL) over time was also investigated. 44 senior preservice mathematics teachers at a university in Istanbul participated for the first phase of the study. They were divided into two sections for a practice teaching seminar course before the onset of the research, constituting the experimental (intervention) and control (no intervention) groups. The SRL Enriched Seminar Course was implemented with the intervention group for one academic term. The participants in the control group were enrolled in the seminar course without a particular focus on SRL. Participants were administered two different scales that measured their SE-PSRL and PSRL at four different time points, associated with their teaching experiences at their practice teaching schools. Qualitative data were also gathered through semi-structured interviews. Mixed design ANOVA was used to analyze the differences between SE-PSRL and PSRL scores of the groups with respect to time. The second phase of the study was conducted to investigate inservice mathematics teachers’ (PSRL) as a follow up study. Thirty inservice teachers who participated the first phase of the study was selected for the follow-up study and participants were administered SRLIT scale that measured their PSRL at once. Preliminary results of the study indicated that while participants’ SE-PSRL scores differed statistically, PSRL scores did not differ statistically according to time and group. Interview data point towards various reasons for such unanticipated findings. NOTE Keywords : Self-Regulated Learning, Promotion of Self-Regulated Learning, Teacher Training.Item Exploring preservice science teachers’ progression on designing simulation-enhanced inquiry-based lesson for asynchronous learning environments(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Özergun, Ilgım.; Akaygün, Sevil.The aim of this study was to explore preservice science teachers’ progression on designing simulation-enhanced inquiry-based lesson for asynchronous learning environments. A module entitled Simulation-enhanced Inquiry-based Asynchronous Environ ment, (SIMINA) was developed and implemented to explore progression through lesson plans, teaching video recordings, feedbacks, and reflections. In this phenomenographic study, the data were collected from ten preservice science teachers through pre- and post-interviews, lesson plans, teaching video recordings, feedbacks, reflections, and the researcher’s field notes. Preservice science teachers’ descriptions of lesson plan, 5E instructional model, inquiry-based science education, simulations, and asynchronous learning environments identified by the emerged categories; purpose, tool (resource), process, learning and assessment, aspect, communication, technical, and learning en vironment. Besides, in the post-descriptions, simulations and inquiry-based science education were found to be integrated more into asynchronous learning environments. The analysis of progression revealed that while the most progression observed in asyn chronous learning environments, the least progression was observed in inquiry-based science education. According to the preservice science teachers, instructor’s feedbacks were more e↵ective in progressing lesson compared to peer feedbacks. Further, the na ture and frequency of high-level of reflective thinking indicators increased continuously. Overall, this study has implications for the simulation-enhanced inquiry-based lessons for asynchronous learning environments through feedbacks and reflections.Item The investigation of informal reasoning in proximal and distal contexts of socio-scientific issues(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Özdemir, Özlem.; Güven, Devrim.The purpose of this study is to investigate pre-service science teachers (PSTs) informal reasoning, the factors considered by PSTs and the utilization of the nature of science (NOS) understanding in two contexts of socio-scientific issues (SSI): proximal (Use of Processed Foods in Turkey) and distal (Production and Use of Golden Rice in Vietnam). Nineteen PSTs were selected purposefully. They participated in this multi case study and were individually asked to respond to the same interview questions about two SSI scenarios prepared to be paralleled to each other in terms of general theme, balanced evidence, and structure. Data was analyzed deductively by using three patterns (rationalistic, emotive, and intuitive) established by the (Zeidler & Sadler, 2005) to determine informal reasoning. Also, factors considered by PSTs in resolving the issues were categorized into five: health, economic, moral and ethical, personal, and environmental considerations. The utilization of four aspects of NOS understanding: risk analysis in science, social embeddedness of science, tentative and subjective nature of scientific knowledge were examined and specified as naive, mixed, and informed. Findings indicated that PSTs displayed more rationalistic thinking (logic-based) in resolving the issue in distal context of SSI while displaying more emotive (care -based) thinking in proximal one. Also, in distal context, PSTs used concerns written in the text while they used personal experiences in the proximal one. PSTs utilized more informed belief about four aspects of NOS understanding in distal context than in proximal one.This findings are discussed to have implications for preparing effective SSI cases to be used in classroom instruction.Item Investigating preservice teachers' content knowledge on multiplication and division(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Karyağdı, Banu.; Karagöz Akar, Gülseren.The aim of the current study was to investigate preservice teachers’ content knowledge on multiplication and division. The study was conducted in five universities in Turkey, during the Spring semester of 2021-2022 academic year. A total of 111 senior university students from middle school mathematics, middle school science, secondary school mathematics, chemistry, and physics education programs participated in the study. The instrument including fifteen items developed by the researcher was used as a data collection source. Before the items on the instrument were developed, three indicators of understanding of multiplication and division multiplicatively were determined in light of the literature. Data were analyzed descriptively to examine preservice teachers’ performances on each item. Results regarding understanding of a quantity revealed that preservice teachers experienced difficulties in specifying the quantities and determining the referents of the quantities, especially of the intensive quantities in multiplication and division problems. Also, results related figural representation indicated that preservice teachers were not able to multiplicatively explain the pictorial figures they drew in equal groups problem situations especially. Similarly, results regarding understanding of multiplicative problem situations showed that although preservice teachers were able to construct multiplication or division problems, they were not able to provide multiplicative explanations requiring for related problems. Results also suggested that preservice teachers were not successful at explaining multiplicative relationship between the quantities in the problems. It was also concluded that they were inclined to make explanations in a procedural way.Item Describing secondary school mentor teachers' mentoring conceptions and motivations in preservice teacher education(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2022., 2022) Şahin, Arife.; Aslan-Tutak, Fatma.The main purpose of this study is to describe secondary school (5th – 12th grade) mentor teachers’ mentoring conceptions and motivations. It is also aimed to examine relationship between mentoring conceptions and motivations. Lastly, the study aims to examine whether mentor teachers’ mentoring conceptions and motivations are differen tiated in terms of their subject areas, years of mentoring experience, school levels, and school types. The sample of the study was comprised of 141 secondary school mentor teachers in Istanbul. The data were collected by using the Mentoring Conception Scale (MCS), and the Mentoring Motivation Scale (MMS). Within the scope of this study, the MCS and the MMS were translated Dutch to Turkish and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed. The results of the study showed that mentor teachers tended to give high scores for each conception and motivation factors. While mentor teachers reported stronger agreement with a developmental mentoring conception than an in strumental mentoring conception, they reported almost equal agreement on personal learning and generative outcome motives. It was found that all of the relationships between mentoring conception and motivation factors were statistically significant and positive. The results also showed that mentor teachers’ conception and motivation factors were differentiated in terms of subject areas but not years of mentoring expe rience, and school types. Mentor teachers whose subject areas are in Language and Social Science group tended to give high scores for each conception and motivation factor than Science and Mathematics groups.Item Exploring manifestation of critical thinking skills and dispositions on argument and counter argument development about a socioscientific issue(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2021., 2021.) Büçkün, Buğçe.; Güven, Devrim.The main purpose of this study is to investigate how divergent critical thinking skills and dispositions of middle school students reflect themselves on argument development and counter argument development about a socioscientific issue which is determined as plastics use. This study utilized the instrumental multi case approach within qualitative research methodology. A total of 19 seventh grade students from a private school in Istanbul participated in this study during the 2020-2021 education year. The Cornell Critical Thinking Test (CCTT) was used to measure critical thinking skills, and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) was applied to determine critical thinking dispositions of the participants. In order to form homogeneous divergent multiple cases, sub sample of 6 students were selected: 3 students as having high level of critical thinking skills and dispositions (Group 1), and 3 students as having low level of critical thinking skills and dispositions (Group 2). One-on-one interviews were held with the students in both groups, and they developed arguments by reading the plastic usage text prepared by the researcher and filling out the form consisting of open-ended questions. In the same interviews, the text containing the argument against the student's claim about the use of plastics from the argument texts previously prepared by the researcher was presented to the student. Similarly, the form prepared to develop counter-arguments and containing open-ended questions was filled in by the students. In both processes, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the students to enable them to verbally explain the developed argument and counter-argument. During the data analysis process, the written and oral arguments of the students were transferred to the digital platform and the developed arguments and counter arguments were coded as data, warrant, backing and rebuttal in the Toulmin Argumentation Model. These sub-dimensions determined in the arguments and counter arguments were scored based on the rubric prepared by the researcher and they were analyzed analytically. The results showed that there is no major differences between the groups in terms of developing argument and counter-argument. According to the results obtained from analytic analysis showed that there are differences between the groups in terms of changing the claims or showing this tendency, using data from different sources, using the backing sub-dimension in the arguments related to claim, and evaluating alternative material instead of plastics.Item Students' perceptions of knowing and loving mathematics as reflected from their drawings(Thesis (M.S.)-Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2006., 2006.) Ünal, Emine.; Baykal, Ali.The aim of this study is to clarify the images that the primary school students have of knowing/not knowing and loving/not loving mathematics as reflected from their drawings. Draw-A-Man Test-DAM (Goodenough, 1926) and Draw-A-Scientist Test- DAST (Chambers, 1983) gave birth to “Draw-A-Student who knows/not know/loves/not loves Mathematics Test-DASMT” which then used in order to measure students’ perceptions of knowing/not knowing and loving/not loving mathematics. The sample of the study consists of 72 female and 97 male students (N=169) of Orbay Primary School from different grade levels. Results indicated that there are 60 images drawn by the students to reflect their perceptions of knowing/not knowing and loving/not loving mathematics. Baykal’s (1978) “system view of instructional process” was utilized to describe and explain these images. Based on the system view, some of the images were described as an indicator of major components of the instructional system which are “objectives”, “social settings”, “physical settings”, “instructional media”, “instructional procedure”, and “teacher”. The images with high frequencies and not described with system view, were explained as the finer discriminations which were the images “smiles”, “sadness”, and “question mark” in this study. Lastly, the discriminations between the cognitive aspects of mathematics (knowing and not knowing) and affective aspects of mathematics (loving and not loving); and between positive standings of mathematics (knowing and loving) and negative standings of mathematics (not knowing and not loving) were examined. In conclusion, the results indicated that the students do not have a system view in reflecting knowing, not knowing, loving, and not loving mathematics, in fact, they individualized it.Item Exploring critical mathematics awareness of undergraduate voluntaries teaching mathematics(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2021., 2021.) İnan, Hatice Gamze.; Aslan-Tutak, Fatma.The purpose of this explorative case study was to explore the preservice mathematics teachers', who were teaching mathematics voluntarily to the students from low-income families, critical mathematics education (CME) awareness. Through this purpose, the focus group interview and case-based semi-structured individual interviews with the three participants, who were the cases, were conducted. The data were coded, and subthemes and themes emerged. As a result of the data analysis process, the participants' CME awareness, which may be the first step of the action praxis of Freire, were found as limited based on the components of CME awareness: (i) philosophical beliefs on the nature of mathematics, (ii) awareness of social justices, and (iii) views of teaching and learning mathematics. The three participants' CME awareness was discussed based on these three components. The two components, philosophical beliefs on the nature of mathematics and social justice awareness, were considered according to two different models, which categorize both in a hierarchical order from the lowest to the higher levels. Each case of all three was placed in the each of categories of those two models, and a covert relationship between the components of philosophical beliefs on the nature of mathematics and social justice awareness was found. Moreover, it was discussed that neither teaching voluntarily nor having classroom time with the socioeconomically disadvantaged students influence the participants' CME awareness. Similarly, the progress in the teacher education program and the learning pedagogy courses do not have an impact on CME awareness. It could be stated that preservice mathematics teachers should be supported both theoretically and practically to have CME awareness and to apply it in their classrooms.Item The relationship between students' understanding of nature of science and their metacognitive awareness(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2021., 2021.) Gören, Dilara.; Kaya, Ebru.The Reconceptualized Family Resemblance Approach to Nature of Science (RFN) have been the holistic account in the nature of science education (Erduran & Dagher, 2014; Kaya & Erduran, 2016). The nature of science (NOS) can be closely related with students' cognitive/metacognitive process and skills which contribute their NOS learning (Peters-Burton & Burton, 2020). The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between middle school students' RFN understanding and their metacognitive awareness with quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Furthermore, examining students' RFN perceptions and metacognitive awareness were also another focus of the study. In total 701 students (180 5th, 167 6th, 170 7th and 184 8th grade) were attended to the study. The data sources were a 37 item "RFN Student Questionnaire" (Cilekrenkli, 2019), RFN interviews, "The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Children" (Karakelle & Saraç, 2007) and metacognitive awareness interviews. As a result of the quantitative data analysis, Pearson r correlation showed that there was a significant positive relationship between middle school students' RFN understanding and their metacognitive awareness, and this relationship was evident among each grade level (5th,6th,7th and 8th) students separately. The qualitative data also showed and supported that the students who were metacognitively aware had higher RFN perception and similarly, students with low metacognitive awareness had low RFN perception. Moreover, there were differences between different grade level students' RFN understanding and perception according to the quantitative and qualitative results. Most students were limited in viewing science as epistemic-cognitive–social system holistically and making relationship between categories of science. In metacognitive awareness, while some students were using metacognitive strategies and skills more consciously, low level students were limited in these skills. The study opens up new research focus for experimental and causal comparative studies in terms of inclusion of metacognitive awareness RFN teaching.Item Effects of guided and semi-guided investigations on sixth grade students' conceptualization levels(Thesis (M.S.)-Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2006., 2006.) Günay, Aylin.; Yontar, Ayşenur.The present study attempts to understand the effect of two different types of investigation techniques on sixth graders’ conceptualization levels related to the concepts of physical and chemical changes. The study was carried out with the six graders in a public primary school located in an economically disadvantaged district of Istanbul. There were totally 156 sixth graders in the school. 80 students were selected as the sample of the study and two homogeneous groups (n=40) were formed by matching subjects with their science grades and science attitude scores. However, 27 of the students in the first subgroup and 23 of the students in the second subgroup have completed the treatments. Science Attitude Scale (SAS) (Togrol, 2000) was used in order to determine students’ attitudes towards science. Science Concept Scale - Physical and Chemical Changes (SCS-PCC) is the second instrument developed by the researcher in order to measure students’ conceptualization levels related to the selected science conceptsphysical and chemical changes. There were two groups treated with guided investigations, and two groups treated with semi-guided investigations. During guided investigations, the procedure of the tasks were given to the students explicitly by the teacher, while in semi-guided investigations students find out the procedures by themselves and continue their investigations according to their own procedures. Results indicate that both types of investigations cause positive developments on six graders’ conceptualization levels. In addition, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted in order to examine whether there is a difference between the conceptualization levels of students who were treated with different investigation techniques. Although the result of this analysis did not indicate significant difference between the effects of these laboratory investigations on students’ conceptualizations, it is found out that the number of incorrect answers or answers which include alternative conceptions for the students who were treated with guided investigations are more that the ones who were treated with semiguided investigations. On the other hand, the number of completely correct answers for the students who were treated with semi-guided investigations are more than the ones who were treated with semi-guided investigations.Item An examination of elementary and lower secondary level Japanese and Turkish mathematics curricula through quantitative and (co)variational reasoning in terms of the treatment of functional relationships(Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2021., 2021.) Turan, Nurdan.; Karagöz Akar, Gülseren.This study investigated the similarities and differences between Japanese and Turkish curriculum materials, i.e. the course of study, teachers’ guides, and textbooks, in terms of quantitative and covariational reasoning depicted in the concepts of functional relationships, i.e. linear functions, proportions, rate, and ratio. The analysis was focused on the overall structures of textbooks and the learning opportunities of functional relationships in regard to quantitative and covariational reasoning in the curriculum materials. The tasks, problem situations, questions asked of students, and the use of representations were examined as potential learning opportunities. The finding showed that Japanese textbooks allocated more pages to introduce functional relationships than Turkish textbooks regardless of grade level. Findings also displayed that Japanese curriculum has a spiral nature in terms of covariational reasoning, ratio conception, and task variables. In particular, it has a clear focus on supporting learners’ quantitative reasoning and covariational reasoning which seems to gradually raise up to continuous covariation. Whereas Turkish curriculum seems to support students to reach up to coordination of values level of covariational reasoning. Moreover, in terms of ratio and proportion, the Japanese curriculum starts with supporting students’ additive strategies on tasks and gradually introduces multiplicative strategies; whereas Turkish curriculum materials do not cover all multiplicative strategies and do not seem to have spiral nature in terms of ratio conception.