Rapid developments in science and technology require students to develop better problem solving s... more Rapid developments in science and technology require students to develop better problem solving skills. The design of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) and use of artificial intelligence in teaching may empower learning environments to dress students with knowledge and skills in many subject areas. Despite criticisms towards ITSs, their potential in adaptability to student needs and assistance to teachers can enrich student learning. This paper outlines components o f ITSs, discusses main criticisms and explains possible roles of teachers within ITS based classes.
Instructional coursewares that employ multiple representations have become commonplace in classro... more Instructional coursewares that employ multiple representations have become commonplace in classrooms. This study presents a computer software, EmekÖlçer, in order to improve seventh grade students' word problem-solving skills through computer based multiple representations including graphics, symbolic, and audio representations. By design, implementation and validation of an ILE, EmekÖlçer, the authors provide evidences that students involved in the study benefited from multi-representational software, EmekÖlçer. Problem Solving Problem solving is intended to imply a process by which the learner combines previously learned elements of knowledge, rules, techniques, skills and concepts to provide a solution to a novel situation. It is generally accepted that mathematics is both product and process: both an organized body of knowledge and a creative activity in which the learner participates. It might, in fact, be claimed that the real purpose of learning rules, techniques and content generally is to enable the learner to do mathematics, indeed to solve problems, though Ausubel (1963) would disagree (Orton, 1987). Thus problem solving can be considered to be the real essence of mathematics. Gagnè (1985) has expressed the view that problem solving is the highest form of learning. Having solved a problem, one has learned. One might only have learned to solve that problem, but it is more likely that one has learned to solve a variety of similar problems and perhaps even a variety of problems possessing some similar characteristics.
Information Technology Based Proceedings of the FIfth International Conference onHigher Education and Training, 2004. ITHET 2004.
Getting to know vendor made complex systems such as Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) an... more Getting to know vendor made complex systems such as Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) and training staITto administer and maintain it h costly and more time ywuming. This study therefore aimed to develop easyto-use LCMS (BU-LCMS) requiring content authors with liltle technology expertise 'and integrate it to an already in-house developed LMS, BU-CETLhlS.. Some facilities of the BU-. LCMS proposed after a consultation with lecturers with experience in developing onlin?.materials are as fallows: Tools to, design, create, deliver content, Instructional design templates,. Assess learning, Bookmark ' the individual's progress, Contain robust security twis,. Enable control of content (eonlent aggregation), Interface to LMSs, Mainlain a secure set of user privileges, permission levels, Manage course content and timing, Manage enrolment and progress of learners, Provide lac es for subject experWleeturers to coach, and Record test scores and pass them to LMSs. This study outlines the development procedure of the LCMS.
There are not sufficient guidelines with reference to designing a multimedia learning environment... more There are not sufficient guidelines with reference to designing a multimedia learning environment for language teaching. This study aimed to examine the effects of the redundant on-screen text, learner control and self-regulatory skills on students' learning simple past tense in an online tutorial that were variably used. English as foreign language learners (n=132) with beginner level of English studying at the preparatory school of English and Vocational School of Justice participated in this quasiexperimental study. All the groups received narrated slides, but additional instructional components in four treatment conditions were changed: Text with student control, text without student control, student control without text, and without text and student control. Each participant was given a prior knowledge test, an academic self-regulation scale, a retention test and a transfer test. Statistical analysis of data designated that redundant on-screen text is not a hinder in language learning context; and that providing novice learners with a learner-controlled system would result in a deterioration in learning. Rather, it is more useful if the learners are guided through a pre-structured and controlled system, which would alleviate the cognitive burden in the novice learners with low experience and prior knowledge in the course material. Further, results for self-regulation are not congruent with each other: In some conditions students with low self-regulation outperformed students with high self-regulation in retention or transfer tests, and in some others vice versa. The study discussed findings and presented some implications.
To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to ... more To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students ’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants ’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers ...
This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context int... more This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the post-test, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players ’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.
To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to ... more To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers’ d...
This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context int... more This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the posttest, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.
Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 2018
This study investigated the effect of various combinations of contextualization and teacher suppo... more This study investigated the effect of various combinations of contextualization and teacher support on achievement and critical thinking. Two specially-designed sets of courseware were used to teach a unit on logic, one based on a single context and one based on multiple contexts. The participants were 151 9 graders in two vocational high schools. Each student was assigned to one of four groups: The first group used the multiplecontext courseware with a teacher tutorial; the second group used the single-context courseware; the third group studied the single context courseware with a teacher tutorial; and the fourth group had a teacher tutorial only. Statistical analysis of two achievement tests on the unit and a critical thinking disposition inventory revealed that, regardless of whether the courseware employed single or multiple contexts, teacher support is beneficial. Findings are discussed in relation to comparable studies reported in the literature. Further research issues are r...
Turkiye’de ilk ve ortaogretimde bilgisayar kullanimi, diger Avrupa ulkelerinde oldugu gibi 1980’l... more Turkiye’de ilk ve ortaogretimde bilgisayar kullanimi, diger Avrupa ulkelerinde oldugu gibi 1980’lerin ilk yillarina dayanmaktadir. Ozellikle 1984 yili, Avrupa ve Amerika’da ulke capinda planlanan egitimde bilgisayardan yararlanma projelerinin onemli bir yili olmustur. Turkiye’de de bu tur calismalara 1987 yilinda projelerle hiz verilmistir. Ancak sadece donanim ve yazilim ihtiyacinin karsilanmasi, teknolojinin okullarda etkin kullanimi ve teknoloji okuryazarliginin artirilmasi icin yeterli olmadigi gerceginden yola cikilarak, ozellikle ogretmen aciginin karsilanmasi icin 1991 yilinda bilgisayar formator ogretmenligi egitimleri MEB tarafindan universitelerin egitim fakulteleri ve bilgisayar muhendisligi bolumlerine verilerek baslatilmistir.
Technological advancements have made it possible to design learning environments which support mu... more Technological advancements have made it possible to design learning environments which support multiple representations, discussions and experimentations. This study designed and developed a web based argumentation environment, Argumantaryum. It provides virtual experimentation with, visually rich multi-representations of contents, video, and simulations upon which students may base their arguments and learn some elementary level science units related to matter. It has also a built-in discussion forum and an instant messaging component both of which contain argumentation sentenceopeners. Following the implementation, the system was tested in real classroom settings under different study schemes for different learning units. Results revealed that when students used the system collaboratively under a teacher’s guidance, students made progress in terms of both scientific discussion skills and knowledge of the learning units accommodated in the platform. Similar results were also obtain...
This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context int... more This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the posttest, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.
This study reports an ongoing research and software development project. The research studies the... more This study reports an ongoing research and software development project. The research studies the manipulatable interfaces of computer proceduralisation of a science subject matter, namely the electromagnetic waves and radioactivity, where eighth graders pose many problems. To overcome children’s difficulties within electromagnetic waves and radioactivity and to prevent misconceptions from developing, an architecture of an interactive procedural environment is proposed. Introduction There is an extensive literature concentrating on students’ conceptions (understandings) of scientific phenomena. This is due to the importance of those conceptions in the learning and teaching processes. Children come into class with alternative understandings and as Osborne and Freyberg (1985) point out they are usually strongly held, even if not well known to teachers, and are often significantly different to the views of scientists. On the other hand, these preconceptions are amazingly tenacious and ...
To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to ... more To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers’ d...
The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 2006
This study designed, implemented and evaluated a learning content management system to facilitate... more This study designed, implemented and evaluated a learning content management system to facilitate creating both standard based and free style learning objects. The system, BULeCoMas, also enabled users to tag learning objects with usage data and tools supported with components accommodated under a Global Activity Center, are Global Task Pool, Experience Repository and Learner Record Repository. This study examined whether the experience in information technology use affect e-learning object authors’; O use of assets, O organization of assets and O embedding of instructional elements into their content authoring. The system, enabling common standards of reusable learning objects, was tested for ease of use with thirty-four novice and experienced preservice teachers. The participants found the system easy to use in general, novice and experienced information technology users were able to develop learning objects similar in size and features. The study suggests some further work for us...
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2020
This study explored the effects of modality, redundancy, and signaling principles in multimedia l... more This study explored the effects of modality, redundancy, and signaling principles in multimedia learning with abstract and concrete representations of an animation on learning in real middle school settings. Based on these principles of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, ten types of treatment conditions were tested with a pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design. Data were collected from a large sample (n=826) sample of children with low prior electricity knowledge. Analyses showed that all treatments helped students to develop knowledge of the topic to some extent. However, while the modality effect holds true for middle school students’ studying electricity units with a multimedia instruction in real school settings, the signaling and redundancy principles do not hold true. The study also investigated interactions among prior science scores, prior knowledge about the topic, and multimedia treatments. Findings were discussed in relation to similar studies reporte...
This study investigated different modalities of videos in a flipped classroom for English writing... more This study investigated different modalities of videos in a flipped classroom for English writing classes in an intensive English program at a state university in Turkey. This quasi-experimental study was conducted with six experimental groups (n= 109) and one control group (n = 18). The dataset included the participants' scores of an essay pretest and two posttests, namely, recall and essay posttests. The data analysis showed that the experimental group viewing the video lecture which includes simultaneous presentation of animation and on-screen text followed by a narration in a user-paced environment outperformed the control group on the recall posttest. The groups studying the video lecture including animation with simultaneous narration and sequential on-screen text in a whole presentation and in a part-by-part presentation outperformed the control group on the essay writing posttest. In the whole presentation, participants studied all the parts of a video in a system-paced design and answered the related questions whereas participants studied each part of a video and answered the related questions in a part-by-part presentation. The paper provides a discussion and a set of recommendations on how to design flipped classrooms.
The emergence of learning objects for teachers as a focus of educational concentration is relativ... more The emergence of learning objects for teachers as a focus of educational concentration is relatively new and much of the discussion has not been based on the actual development of objects, but different definitions, learning theories, properties and standards or decorative packages of learning objects (LOs). Also, in many teacher education programs, prospective teachers take a computer literacy class separate from content methods classes and rarely engage in producing authentic teaching/learning experiences. This research goes somewhat to address prospective K-12 teachers’ development of learning objects. In this study, a group of prospective K-12 science teachers’ learning objects were examined, evaluated and compared with LOs developed by instructional designers (IDs). A total of forty learning objects were closely investigated and effectiveness of eight of them was tried out with 180 target students in classrooms. Detailed analysis of the LOs demonstrated that while both the pres...
Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 2007
Teachers use variety of media to support students' learning. Though there are many new tools and ... more Teachers use variety of media to support students' learning. Though there are many new tools and settlements in learning technologies and their specifications, there has been a fierce debate over learning objects and their development. This research aimed to examine the effect of preservice teachers' experience in information and communication technology (ICT) use on their learning object development through (1) inspecting type, number and organization of their learning object (LO) components authored in a non-commercial system, (2) evaluating quality of their learning objects using the Learning Object Review Instrument (Nesbitt & Li, 2004), and (3) studying relationship between the components, quality and subject matter of their LOs. Seventysix pre-service teachers were asked to design and develop LOs in a non-commercial learning content development system. Analysis of their learning objects and a usability test data showed that the participants found the system easy to use in general. Novice and experienced information technology users were able to develop learning objects similar in size and features. The analysis showed meaningful correlation between the use of some of the learning object components. There seems to be significant relations between the quality of the LOs measured with the LORI items and some elements of the developed LOs, however, the novice and experienced groups' LOs did differ neither in overall ratings nor at nine individual items of the LORI. The study suggested some further work for developing quality LOs through collaborative learning resource authoring.
Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 2008
Growing interest in learning objects (LOs) as a means of developing learning materials is leading... more Growing interest in learning objects (LOs) as a means of developing learning materials is leading to mainline LO evaluation methodologies using review instruments, such as evaluation rubrics, to suit various practical purposes. Such evaluation tools give evidence about the design and the value of the LOs, and studies performed with actual users can provide data against which these expectations of the effects of LOs on student achievements in practice can be set. This study presents a validation of a learning object review instrument (LORI) with student users (n=507) of twenty-four LOs used in K-12 environments. T he data collected through pre-and post-tests, teachers' and students' usability questionnaires, and the LORI revealed some interactions between those variables. However, the LORI ratings, and the usability assessments did not correlate with the learning gains of students. Some implications of these findings are discussed.
Rapid developments in science and technology require students to develop better problem solving s... more Rapid developments in science and technology require students to develop better problem solving skills. The design of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) and use of artificial intelligence in teaching may empower learning environments to dress students with knowledge and skills in many subject areas. Despite criticisms towards ITSs, their potential in adaptability to student needs and assistance to teachers can enrich student learning. This paper outlines components o f ITSs, discusses main criticisms and explains possible roles of teachers within ITS based classes.
Instructional coursewares that employ multiple representations have become commonplace in classro... more Instructional coursewares that employ multiple representations have become commonplace in classrooms. This study presents a computer software, EmekÖlçer, in order to improve seventh grade students' word problem-solving skills through computer based multiple representations including graphics, symbolic, and audio representations. By design, implementation and validation of an ILE, EmekÖlçer, the authors provide evidences that students involved in the study benefited from multi-representational software, EmekÖlçer. Problem Solving Problem solving is intended to imply a process by which the learner combines previously learned elements of knowledge, rules, techniques, skills and concepts to provide a solution to a novel situation. It is generally accepted that mathematics is both product and process: both an organized body of knowledge and a creative activity in which the learner participates. It might, in fact, be claimed that the real purpose of learning rules, techniques and content generally is to enable the learner to do mathematics, indeed to solve problems, though Ausubel (1963) would disagree (Orton, 1987). Thus problem solving can be considered to be the real essence of mathematics. Gagnè (1985) has expressed the view that problem solving is the highest form of learning. Having solved a problem, one has learned. One might only have learned to solve that problem, but it is more likely that one has learned to solve a variety of similar problems and perhaps even a variety of problems possessing some similar characteristics.
Information Technology Based Proceedings of the FIfth International Conference onHigher Education and Training, 2004. ITHET 2004.
Getting to know vendor made complex systems such as Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) an... more Getting to know vendor made complex systems such as Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) and training staITto administer and maintain it h costly and more time ywuming. This study therefore aimed to develop easyto-use LCMS (BU-LCMS) requiring content authors with liltle technology expertise 'and integrate it to an already in-house developed LMS, BU-CETLhlS.. Some facilities of the BU-. LCMS proposed after a consultation with lecturers with experience in developing onlin?.materials are as fallows: Tools to, design, create, deliver content, Instructional design templates,. Assess learning, Bookmark ' the individual's progress, Contain robust security twis,. Enable control of content (eonlent aggregation), Interface to LMSs, Mainlain a secure set of user privileges, permission levels, Manage course content and timing, Manage enrolment and progress of learners, Provide lac es for subject experWleeturers to coach, and Record test scores and pass them to LMSs. This study outlines the development procedure of the LCMS.
There are not sufficient guidelines with reference to designing a multimedia learning environment... more There are not sufficient guidelines with reference to designing a multimedia learning environment for language teaching. This study aimed to examine the effects of the redundant on-screen text, learner control and self-regulatory skills on students' learning simple past tense in an online tutorial that were variably used. English as foreign language learners (n=132) with beginner level of English studying at the preparatory school of English and Vocational School of Justice participated in this quasiexperimental study. All the groups received narrated slides, but additional instructional components in four treatment conditions were changed: Text with student control, text without student control, student control without text, and without text and student control. Each participant was given a prior knowledge test, an academic self-regulation scale, a retention test and a transfer test. Statistical analysis of data designated that redundant on-screen text is not a hinder in language learning context; and that providing novice learners with a learner-controlled system would result in a deterioration in learning. Rather, it is more useful if the learners are guided through a pre-structured and controlled system, which would alleviate the cognitive burden in the novice learners with low experience and prior knowledge in the course material. Further, results for self-regulation are not congruent with each other: In some conditions students with low self-regulation outperformed students with high self-regulation in retention or transfer tests, and in some others vice versa. The study discussed findings and presented some implications.
To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to ... more To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students ’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants ’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers ...
This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context int... more This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the post-test, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players ’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.
To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to ... more To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers’ d...
This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context int... more This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the posttest, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.
Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 2018
This study investigated the effect of various combinations of contextualization and teacher suppo... more This study investigated the effect of various combinations of contextualization and teacher support on achievement and critical thinking. Two specially-designed sets of courseware were used to teach a unit on logic, one based on a single context and one based on multiple contexts. The participants were 151 9 graders in two vocational high schools. Each student was assigned to one of four groups: The first group used the multiplecontext courseware with a teacher tutorial; the second group used the single-context courseware; the third group studied the single context courseware with a teacher tutorial; and the fourth group had a teacher tutorial only. Statistical analysis of two achievement tests on the unit and a critical thinking disposition inventory revealed that, regardless of whether the courseware employed single or multiple contexts, teacher support is beneficial. Findings are discussed in relation to comparable studies reported in the literature. Further research issues are r...
Turkiye’de ilk ve ortaogretimde bilgisayar kullanimi, diger Avrupa ulkelerinde oldugu gibi 1980’l... more Turkiye’de ilk ve ortaogretimde bilgisayar kullanimi, diger Avrupa ulkelerinde oldugu gibi 1980’lerin ilk yillarina dayanmaktadir. Ozellikle 1984 yili, Avrupa ve Amerika’da ulke capinda planlanan egitimde bilgisayardan yararlanma projelerinin onemli bir yili olmustur. Turkiye’de de bu tur calismalara 1987 yilinda projelerle hiz verilmistir. Ancak sadece donanim ve yazilim ihtiyacinin karsilanmasi, teknolojinin okullarda etkin kullanimi ve teknoloji okuryazarliginin artirilmasi icin yeterli olmadigi gerceginden yola cikilarak, ozellikle ogretmen aciginin karsilanmasi icin 1991 yilinda bilgisayar formator ogretmenligi egitimleri MEB tarafindan universitelerin egitim fakulteleri ve bilgisayar muhendisligi bolumlerine verilerek baslatilmistir.
Technological advancements have made it possible to design learning environments which support mu... more Technological advancements have made it possible to design learning environments which support multiple representations, discussions and experimentations. This study designed and developed a web based argumentation environment, Argumantaryum. It provides virtual experimentation with, visually rich multi-representations of contents, video, and simulations upon which students may base their arguments and learn some elementary level science units related to matter. It has also a built-in discussion forum and an instant messaging component both of which contain argumentation sentenceopeners. Following the implementation, the system was tested in real classroom settings under different study schemes for different learning units. Results revealed that when students used the system collaboratively under a teacher’s guidance, students made progress in terms of both scientific discussion skills and knowledge of the learning units accommodated in the platform. Similar results were also obtain...
This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context int... more This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the posttest, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.
This study reports an ongoing research and software development project. The research studies the... more This study reports an ongoing research and software development project. The research studies the manipulatable interfaces of computer proceduralisation of a science subject matter, namely the electromagnetic waves and radioactivity, where eighth graders pose many problems. To overcome children’s difficulties within electromagnetic waves and radioactivity and to prevent misconceptions from developing, an architecture of an interactive procedural environment is proposed. Introduction There is an extensive literature concentrating on students’ conceptions (understandings) of scientific phenomena. This is due to the importance of those conceptions in the learning and teaching processes. Children come into class with alternative understandings and as Osborne and Freyberg (1985) point out they are usually strongly held, even if not well known to teachers, and are often significantly different to the views of scientists. On the other hand, these preconceptions are amazingly tenacious and ...
To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to ... more To help learners with varying learning needs and preferences requires instructional designers to follow both prescribed methodologies and creative approaches. It also requires considering variety of viewpoints without being influenced by individual preferences. To encourage and teach reflection in instructional design education, this research experimentally studied the effects of reflective action instructional design (RAID), a learning object review instrument (LORI), classroom and online discussions, and learning style on senior instructional design students’ design and development of learning objects (LOs). In this regard, the study examined: (1) the participants’ reflections through RAID questions in making design decisions, (2) the role of the LORI in improving LO design and (3) interactions between the participants’ learning styles and quality of their designed LOs for K-12 learning units. The effect of interaction and evaluation tools on prospective instructional designers’ d...
The Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 2006
This study designed, implemented and evaluated a learning content management system to facilitate... more This study designed, implemented and evaluated a learning content management system to facilitate creating both standard based and free style learning objects. The system, BULeCoMas, also enabled users to tag learning objects with usage data and tools supported with components accommodated under a Global Activity Center, are Global Task Pool, Experience Repository and Learner Record Repository. This study examined whether the experience in information technology use affect e-learning object authors’; O use of assets, O organization of assets and O embedding of instructional elements into their content authoring. The system, enabling common standards of reusable learning objects, was tested for ease of use with thirty-four novice and experienced preservice teachers. The participants found the system easy to use in general, novice and experienced information technology users were able to develop learning objects similar in size and features. The study suggests some further work for us...
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2020
This study explored the effects of modality, redundancy, and signaling principles in multimedia l... more This study explored the effects of modality, redundancy, and signaling principles in multimedia learning with abstract and concrete representations of an animation on learning in real middle school settings. Based on these principles of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, ten types of treatment conditions were tested with a pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design. Data were collected from a large sample (n=826) sample of children with low prior electricity knowledge. Analyses showed that all treatments helped students to develop knowledge of the topic to some extent. However, while the modality effect holds true for middle school students’ studying electricity units with a multimedia instruction in real school settings, the signaling and redundancy principles do not hold true. The study also investigated interactions among prior science scores, prior knowledge about the topic, and multimedia treatments. Findings were discussed in relation to similar studies reporte...
This study investigated different modalities of videos in a flipped classroom for English writing... more This study investigated different modalities of videos in a flipped classroom for English writing classes in an intensive English program at a state university in Turkey. This quasi-experimental study was conducted with six experimental groups (n= 109) and one control group (n = 18). The dataset included the participants' scores of an essay pretest and two posttests, namely, recall and essay posttests. The data analysis showed that the experimental group viewing the video lecture which includes simultaneous presentation of animation and on-screen text followed by a narration in a user-paced environment outperformed the control group on the recall posttest. The groups studying the video lecture including animation with simultaneous narration and sequential on-screen text in a whole presentation and in a part-by-part presentation outperformed the control group on the essay writing posttest. In the whole presentation, participants studied all the parts of a video in a system-paced design and answered the related questions whereas participants studied each part of a video and answered the related questions in a part-by-part presentation. The paper provides a discussion and a set of recommendations on how to design flipped classrooms.
The emergence of learning objects for teachers as a focus of educational concentration is relativ... more The emergence of learning objects for teachers as a focus of educational concentration is relatively new and much of the discussion has not been based on the actual development of objects, but different definitions, learning theories, properties and standards or decorative packages of learning objects (LOs). Also, in many teacher education programs, prospective teachers take a computer literacy class separate from content methods classes and rarely engage in producing authentic teaching/learning experiences. This research goes somewhat to address prospective K-12 teachers’ development of learning objects. In this study, a group of prospective K-12 science teachers’ learning objects were examined, evaluated and compared with LOs developed by instructional designers (IDs). A total of forty learning objects were closely investigated and effectiveness of eight of them was tried out with 180 target students in classrooms. Detailed analysis of the LOs demonstrated that while both the pres...
Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 2007
Teachers use variety of media to support students' learning. Though there are many new tools and ... more Teachers use variety of media to support students' learning. Though there are many new tools and settlements in learning technologies and their specifications, there has been a fierce debate over learning objects and their development. This research aimed to examine the effect of preservice teachers' experience in information and communication technology (ICT) use on their learning object development through (1) inspecting type, number and organization of their learning object (LO) components authored in a non-commercial system, (2) evaluating quality of their learning objects using the Learning Object Review Instrument (Nesbitt & Li, 2004), and (3) studying relationship between the components, quality and subject matter of their LOs. Seventysix pre-service teachers were asked to design and develop LOs in a non-commercial learning content development system. Analysis of their learning objects and a usability test data showed that the participants found the system easy to use in general. Novice and experienced information technology users were able to develop learning objects similar in size and features. The analysis showed meaningful correlation between the use of some of the learning object components. There seems to be significant relations between the quality of the LOs measured with the LORI items and some elements of the developed LOs, however, the novice and experienced groups' LOs did differ neither in overall ratings nor at nine individual items of the LORI. The study suggested some further work for developing quality LOs through collaborative learning resource authoring.
Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, 2008
Growing interest in learning objects (LOs) as a means of developing learning materials is leading... more Growing interest in learning objects (LOs) as a means of developing learning materials is leading to mainline LO evaluation methodologies using review instruments, such as evaluation rubrics, to suit various practical purposes. Such evaluation tools give evidence about the design and the value of the LOs, and studies performed with actual users can provide data against which these expectations of the effects of LOs on student achievements in practice can be set. This study presents a validation of a learning object review instrument (LORI) with student users (n=507) of twenty-four LOs used in K-12 environments. T he data collected through pre-and post-tests, teachers' and students' usability questionnaires, and the LORI revealed some interactions between those variables. However, the LORI ratings, and the usability assessments did not correlate with the learning gains of students. Some implications of these findings are discussed.
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Papers by Yavuz Akpinar