Edutech Research Current Issue

With the increasing need for language learning in the world, teaching Turkish as a foreign language is becoming more and more important every day. This situation requires a meticulous examination of all academic studies on teaching Turkish as a foreign language. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the studies published between 2018 and 2022 in two important journals that publish articles on teaching Turkish as a foreign language, “International Journal of Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language” and “Hacettepe University Journal of Turkish as a Foreign Language” according to their years, subjects, methods, sample/study group, data collection tools and data analysis techniques. In this descriptive survey model study, data were collected through document analysis, one of the qualitative research techniques, and analyzed by descriptive analysis method. In the study, the data from the last 63 articles published in “International Journal of Turkish Teaching as a Foreign Language” and “Hacettepe University Journal of Turkish as a Foreign Language” between 2018-2022 were analyzed in accordance with the form created. The form prepared by the researchers in the study included the year, subject, method, sample/study group, data collection tools and data analysis techniques. According to the results of the study, it is seen that the studies related to the field gain weight in qualitative method; research design, data collection tool and data analysis technique are shaped in this direction. It was seen that the most studied topics in the articles were foreign language learning process, language, culture and learning concepts, and the data were mostly collected from Turkish learning centers in Turkey. It was determined that the studies in “International Journal of Turkish Teaching as a Foreign Language” and “Hacettepe University Journal of Turkish as a Foreign Language Research” were generally based on document analysis and there was a lack of quantitative, mixed and applied studies. Suggestions were made regarding the findings obtained within the scope of the study.

As an introductory course to the teaching profession, Introduction to Education, having different names in differerent time periods, includes the presentation of the basic concepts, approaches and methods needed for the teaching profession. As such, the course is expected to lead the preservice teacher into a successful career in education and a successful transition to the world of teaching. One of the most frequently used resources by teacher educators for the afoementioned transiton is undoubtedly the textbooks written for these courses. This study aimed at analyzing the content of such textbooks (Introduction to Education, Introduction to Educational Sciences or Introduction to the Teaching Profession) published in Türkiye between 1997 and 2020 to determine how the field of education is conceptualized and how this conceptualization has changed over the years. Designed as descriptive research, the population of this study consisted of all introductory education textbooks published between 1997 and 2020. Using a stratified sampling method, three textbooks published between 1997-2005, six textbooks published between 2006-2018 and three textbooks published between 2018-2020 were selected as the sample. A book analysis form was prepared, and expert opinion was obtained for the form in order to analyze the books in the sample. The form prepared for the analysis basically consists of two parts. In the first part, there are questions to determine the general characteristics of the book such as the number of authors, the number of chapters and the year of publication. In the second part of the form, there are questions to analyze the content of the books, such as the titles of the chapters, the scope of the relevant titles, the concepts of education in the chapters, how and in which areas the definitions of these concepts differ or converge, how education is associated with which disciplines, and the evolution in the way this relationship is established. As a result of the analysis, the study determined that a standardization emerged in introductory books on education, especially towards the 2020s. In addition, the study yielded that education was mostly defined in relation to the behaviorist approach. Based on the findings, the study recommended to increase comprehensiveness and diversity in the books to be written for introductory courses in education and to approach education from different perspectives, considering that it can enrich the theoretical discussions on education.

In this study, the third grade primary school life science textbook was analyzed in the context of cultural heritage education. The main research question is “How is the concept of cultural heritage taught in the third-grade Life Science textbook?” To answer this question, the following sub-questions were explored: (1) What is the general distribution of cultural heritage elements in the third-grade Life Science textbook? (2) What is the distribution of cultural heritage elements in the third-grade life science textbook based on the units? (3) In which forms (textual, visual and activity) are cultural heritage elements included in the third grade life science textbook? The research followed a document analysis design, which is a qualitative research method. The data were collected from the current (2021 dated) Life Sciences textbook published by the Ministry of National Education. The Cultural Heritage Elements Analysis Form by Batmaz and Yurtbakan (2023) was used to identify cultural heritage elements in the textbook. The form consists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Tangible Cultural Heritage sections. The data were analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. The analysis resulted in two themes: intangible and tangible cultural heritage elements. The textbook includes sample visuals to support these themes. The research findings indicate that the Life Sciences textbook predominantly covers intangible cultural heritage elements, including social practices such as national and religious holidays. Furthermore, the study revealed that tangible cultural heritage, particularly historical sites, were frequently referenced. The distribution of cultural heritage elements in the book varied depending on the unit's content. The majority of these elements were conveyed through text, followed by visuals and, to a lesser extent, activities. In the light of the results of the study, several suggestions were made to enrich the textbook in terms of heritage education.

Although migration is as old as the history of the world, it is still an important issue that affects a large part of the world. This study aims to determine the perspective of Turkish children's literature researchers on the issue of migration. The density of the child population among the migrant population and the increase in the number of school-age children, including asylum-seeking children born in Turkey over a period of about ten years, places the issue of migration at the focal point of education in general and children's literature in particular. How do children's literati approach the phenomenon of migration? The answer to this question has been sought in research conducted in the field for the past ten years. After conducting a methodological examination through document analysis of articles obtained from field surveys, perspectives on the phenomenon of migration have been identified. It has been noted that the articles are methodologically similar to each other and also have many deficiencies from a methodological perspective. It is observed that the empathic stance is dominant in the perspective on migration. These studies agree that host communities/children need to understand migrants, feel their difficulties and accept them into their communities. However, very few studies talk about mutual adaptation rather than empathy. These studies emphasized that the process of integration cannot be one-sided, that migrant children should also take responsibility, and that children's books should therefore be written in a more inclusive way.

After the Second World War, Turks migrated from Turkey to various European countries, especially Germany, Austria and France, as guest workers. The mass migration in the 1960s was initially undertaken with the aim of eventually returning to Turkey. In the following years, Turks did not return to Turkey and gained permanent status in the countries they migrated to. At the end of a process spanning sixty years, the Turkish presence abroad has reached remarkable economic, political, social and demographic dimensions. The issue of ensuring and maintaining the relations of the new generations, who inevitably participate in the education and training life of their country of origin, with the homeland and the values of the homeland has always remained topical. Within this framework, the Turkish Language and Turkish Culture Course Curriculum has been initiated since the early 1970s. The Turkish Language and Turkish Culture Course Curriculum is aimed at the children of Turks living abroad to maintain their ties with Turkish and the homeland and to construct and maintain their identities on the based on the values and culture of the homeland. The link between maintaining ties with the homeland and identity construction and diaspora and diasporic identity, a relatively new concept in the academic world, is a constitutive element of diaspora debates. The fact that diasporic identity is constantly under construction in the experience of tension and negotiation between homeland values and host country values brings to the agenda the relationship between the Turkish Language and Turkish Culture Course Curriculum and the diasporic identity construction process. The study examines a range of conceptual approaches to the concept of diaspora, and then assesses the relationship of diasporic identity to the mother tongue, homeland and culture. Finally, the contribution of Turkish and Turkish culture to the formation of diasporic identity is investigated in the context of the curriculum for the Turkish Language and Turkish Culture Course. The teaching of the mother tongue and Turkish culture in the diaspora, as a set of symbolic and real activities, contributes to the consolidation of the diaspora community and the construction and maintenance of diasporic identity.

Artificial intelligence is a tool used in various areas, which is inevitable and indispensable everyday by entering our lives with technologies. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between preschool teacher candidates’ attitudes towards AI and AI Literacy. This study was designed with mixed research method. The population of the study consists of preschool teacher candidates who are undergraduate students in the field of preschool teacher training. The sample of this study consisted of 235 volunteer pre-service preschool teachers and simple random sampling method was used in the selection of this sample. In this study, the ‘General Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence Scale’ developed by Schuman and Rodway (2020) and adapted into Turkish by Kaya et al. (2022) and the ‘Artificial Intelligence Literacy Scale’ developed by Wang et al. (2023) and adapted into Turkish by Polatgil and Güler (2023) were used as data collection tools to determine the attitudes of pre-service preschool teachers towards artificial intelligence. In addition to the scales, semi-structured interview technique, was also used in the study. In the research process, 235 pre-service teachers participated in the scales, and semi-structured interview questions were applied to 9 teacher candidates who volunteered to participate in the interview. The quantitative data obtained was analysed with SPSS 29.0 and the qualitative data was analysed using Maxqda programme. As a result of the analyses of the study, the differences between the levels of attitudes towards AI and AI literacy according to different variables in terms of gender, age and grade level were examined and these findings were analysed according to the interview questions. According to the results, it was revealed that the use of artificial intelligence tools is shaped according to the needs.

The advent of mobile technology in education has radically transformed language learning practices, exemplified by the emergence of mobile-assisted language learning. This study provides a content analysis of doctoral research on mobile-assisted language learning conducted in Türkiye, featuring the diverse instructional settings, participant groups, research paradigms, data collection instruments, thematic focuses, and key findings. It was revealed that MALL offers a range of benefits for foreign language learning, including improved vocabulary learning, listening and speaking skills. The analyses also showed that participants expressed favorable attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of MALL tools. Moreover, a number of dissertations highlighted the role of mobile-assisted professional development courses in equipping L2 practitioners with the necessary skills and support to integrate mobile technologies into their instructional practices effectively. In conclusion, by examining the doctoral dissertations, this study provides some insights into the current state of MALL research in Türkiye, identifying thematic and methodological trends. The advent of mobile technology in education has radically transformed language learning practices, exemplified by the emergence of mobile-assisted language learning. This study provides a content analysis of doctoral research on mobile-assisted language learning conducted in Türkiye, featuring the diverse instructional settings, participant groups, research paradigms, data collection instruments, thematic focuses, and key findings. It was revealed that MALL offers a range of benefits for foreign language learning, including improved vocabulary learning, listening and speaking skills. The analyses also showed that participants expressed favorable attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of MALL tools. Moreover, a number of dissertations highlighted the role of mobile-assisted professional development courses in equipping L2 practitioners with the necessary skills and support to integrate mobile technologies into their instructional practices effectively. In conclusion, by examining the doctoral dissertations, this study provides some insights into the current state of MALL research in Türkiye, identifying thematic and methodological trends.