Theses supervised by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Naci Kayaoğlu
13 theses · Karadeniz Technical University
ELT and non-ELT pre-service language teachers' stance on oral corrective feedback provision: A Turkish context
The study examined a purposively selected sample of pre-service ELT and non-ELT teachers' stance on oral corrective feedback (hereafter, OCF) and their actual practices in the classroom during their practicum classes. The objective of the study was explore the extent of student English teachers' use of OCF strategies and whether they would prefer the OCF types that promote interaction between language teachers and their students, and among their students or not. EFL student teachers' stated beliefs and classroom practices of OCF were explored by means of utilizing a survey and qualitative methods using classroom observations and face to face interviews. ELT and non-ELT pre-service EFL teachers studying in their final years at the Departments of English Language and Literature and English Language Teaching at Ataturk University participated in the survey and twenty of them took part in the both classroom observations and the interviews. This study examined EFL pre-service teachers' beliefs of importance of OCF provision, amount of their OCF provision in the classroom, preferences for error types to be treated, preferences for OCF types to treat with, preferences between explicit or implicit OCF types, preference between input providing or output prompter OFF types preferences for the timing in order to treat the erroneous productions, and preferences for the sources of OCF provision in general. This study also investigated whether EFL pre-service teachers beliefs differ regarding their ELT or non-ELT status. The main findings indicate that the participants with both ELT or non-ELT background regard OCF provision to be essential for language progress. As for their practices in the classroom, preservice EFL teachers found errors related to grammar (98%) and vocabulary (82.8%) more important than those regarding pronunciation and semantic. With regard to their preference for OCF type, explicit correction (92.9%) was their most frequently used error OCF technique, which do not promote the interaction between the language teachers and their students, and among the students. However, the analyses detected a discrepancy between their sated beliefs of OCF provision and their actual practices in the classroom. Finally the data revealed that there are significant differences between ELT and non-ELT pre-service EFL teachers regarding their beliefs on most of the belief topics. Keywords: Teacher education, oral corrective feedback, belief, pre-service English teacher, interaction
Challenges and opportunities of online education for EFL teachers during COVID-19 period
This mixed methods study aims to reveal online experiences of EFL teachers who taught at Türkiye' s secondary or high schools during Covid-19 times. Specifically, the study aims to find out challenges and opportunities of online education period for EFL teachers. Besides, the strategies employed to overcome the challenges faced by the EFL teachers are also focused in this study. In the study which qualitative side outweighs quantitative side, data were collected from the participants through semi-structured interview forms and questionnaires. Findings showed that from EFL teachers' perspectives, the biggest challenge was specifically students' lack of motivation. In general sense, findings addressed that the most frequently encountered problems by EFL teachers were the ones regarding technology, the ones regarding students' lack of participation and the ones which stemmed from teachers' inexperience. With respect to opportunities of online education for EFL teachers, flexibility and advantages regarding technology are the primary ones. As a conclusion, findings showed that EFL teachers and students adapted to online education, most of the problems faced in the beginning times of the online education process were solved; however, the problem that each and every student cannot participate in the online classes still could not be solved.
İngilizce öğretmenlerinin yüksek lisans aracılığıyla mesleki gelişimi
This case study was designed to explore the experiences of students enrolled in MA (Master of Arts) in Applied Linguistics program in a state university in Turkey. More specifically, it aimed to investigate its perceived impact on teacher development and the leading motivations of teachers to undertake a master's degree in Applied Linguistics as well as the challenges they faced while studying. Adapting a mixed method approach, the data was obtained both quantitatively and qualitatively. While quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire from 37 participants, semi-structured interview was carried out with 9 interviewees to obtain qualitative data. Findings uncovered that master's degree affected teachers' professional development positively in terms of enhancing various teaching skills. With regard to motivation, even though the most driving reasons were found to be intrinsic ones, the data indicated that some extrinsic factors played a crucial role to motivate the individuals. Finally, participants experienced a few challenges during the education but balancing work and university requirements was found out to be the most difficult issue.
Edebiyatın dil öğrenimi üzerindeki rolü üzerine bir çalışma: Ortaokul seviyesinde İngilizce öğrenen öğrencilerin kısa hikâyelerin dil öğretimine dâhil edilmesi üzerine tecrübeleri
The use of literary texts for language learning has been a controversial issue among the linguists. Although employing literary pieces like short stories, poems or novels as additional language learning tools are claimed to be beneficial for the language learning process; there aren't sufficient studies on the issue. Thus, this study aims to present an example of integrating short stories in English language classes. The participants of the survey are secondary school students of a state school (n: 8). The data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and teacher-researcher observations. Accordingly, the results were analysed in a qualitative nature. The study concluded that both the participants and the EFL teacher found the integration of short stories as an additional tool effective in promoting learners' motivation and participation in the language classes.
İngilizce dil öğretiminde web 2.0 araçlarının kullanımı: Bir etwinning bakış açısı
This study examined how an eTwinning project, a type of telecollaboration, affected the foreign language anxiety and intercultural awareness levels of EFL students in Türkiye. Additionally, it was intended to investigate the students' and teachers' perspec tives on the integration of certain Web 2.0 tools associated with eTwinning projects into English lessons. The study involved 10 seventh graders as well as providing data from 6 Greek nineth grade students. Besides, two teachers from Greece and Spain parti cipated in the study. A mixed method case study approach was used to address the research questions. Both forms of qualitative and quantitative data were gathered. Pretests and posts tests were employed before and after the eTwinning project implementation. The quantitative data were collected through the Foreign Languag e Anxiety Scale adopted by Aydın et al. (2016) and Intercultural Awareness Scale Caless (2020). The former was used to measure the learners' foreign language learning anxiety level before and after the eTwinning project. The latter was utilized to measure the learners' intercultural awareness level before and after the eTwinning project. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS (version 25). The study's qualitative data, which included formative assesment papers, semi-structured student interviews, and teacher interviews and observation. According to the findings, the eTwinning project's execution did not significantly impact the students' overall foreign language anxiety and intercultural awareness scores. However, when analyzed separately, the results yielded significant difference in terms of certain items. Moreover, a reduction in students' anxiety level and an increase in their intercultural awareness was reported by the participants. Overall, the project is favored by the participants in terms of improving their English language skills, employing ICT tools, enhancing their ICC and dealing with anxiety. However, there were certain difficulties and limitation, which were discussed in the findings. Lastly, several recommendations for teachers, institutions, and curriculum makers were made in light of the findings about the impact of the eTwinning initiative on the students' language learning process.
Exploring the entrepreneurial levels of efl teachers whowork for public schools affiliated by the Ministry of National Education
In the increasingly competitive environment of the 21st century, it is possible for societies to develop further by raising generations with an entrepreneurial spirit. Social transformations cannot be limited to individuals, but can be achieved by spreading the entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to the masses. The fastest and most efficient way to educate the masses is through educational institutions and especially educators. Entrepreneurship is a field of research that has been going on for centuries and on which numerous academic studies have been conducted. However, one of the most important sub-branches of entrepreneurship that differs from the economic dimension is social entrepreneurship, which has aroused curiosity in academic circles for the last fifteen years. Teachers, whom societies rely on in increasing social entrepreneurship, are among the most important factors that support the increase in the welfare of societies by creating added value such as social contribution, being hardworking and productive. This study aims to examine (a) the entrepreneurship levels of English teachers working in public schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education, (b) the factors that support and hinder the entrepreneurial spirit of teachers, and (c) the influence of bureaucracy adopted in public schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education on teachers' entrepreneurial tendencies. The study adopts a mixed method research design. Quantitative data on the entrepreneurship levels of English Teachers were measured with a questionnaire consisting of 27 questions, 26 of which are 5-point Likert-type and 1 of them are multiple-choice. Quantitative data were collected through a semi-structured interview form given to a total of 7 English teachers working in public schools in different provinces of Turkey. According to the quantitative data obtained as a result of the research, four sub-dimensions emerged. These were social entrepreneurship, bureaucracy perception, professional renewal and innovativeness. Data analysis revealed that the entrepreneurship levels of English teachers working in public schools displayed significant differences in terms of the level of education given and whether or not receiving entrepreneurship education in the bureaucracy perception sub-dimension; age in the professional renewal sub-dimension, and gender, level of education, professional experience and the latest education level achieved in the innovativeness sub-dimension. On the other hand, no significant difference was found among the participants in terms of social entrepreneurship. According to the data obtained as a result of semi-structured interviews, when innovative practices are appreciated and supported by the administration, entrepreneurial tendencies of teachers increase; However, it has been determined that the pressure created by the central exams and the negative reactions from the stakeholders are among the factors that prevent teachers from adopting entrepreneurial practices. The findings of the study also revealed the need to produce clearer policies on pedagogical entrepreneurship and to put more emphasis on the importance of entrepreneurship in teacher training schools as well as in-service teacher training seminars.
Türk EFL ve ELT Üniversitesi öğretim elemanlarının intihale yönelik algısı, tutumunu ve farkındalıklarını yüksek lisans ve doktor öğrencilerin gözünden belirlemek
The act of student plagiarism is a growing and concerning issue within the universities. Although the blame is mainly attributed to the students, it might be inadvertently aroused by the university instructors. In this regard, the aim of the present study is to determine Turkish EFL and ELT University Instructors' perception, attitude, and awareness toward plagiarism through the lens of master and doctoral students. Additionally, it intended to identify whether Turkish EFL and ELT University Instructors are able to provide their student with clear and consistent messages about plagiarism. By adapting a mixed method approach, the data was collected both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative data was obtained through a questionnaire from 114 participants. In particular, the qualitative data, was gather through semi-structured interviews, in which 7 interviewees took part. The findings demonstrated that Turkish EFL and ELT University Instructors' have high perception of plagiarism. However, they did not have a high level of perception to sham paraphrasing and secondary citation. Moreover, it was revealed that Turkish EFL and ELT University Instructors' have a negative toward plagiarism. In particular, these university instructors did not possess a strong negative attitude to self-plagiarism and other plagiarism. Also, Turkish EFL and ELT University Instructors were found to have appropriate awareness level of plagiarism. In addition, it was found out that these university instructors transmitted their MA and PhD students with clear and consistent messages about plagiarism. Nevertheless, it become clear that the students were exposed to these message mainly at the beginning of the courses.
Etkili dil öğretmenlerinin niteliklerine odaklanan hizmet içi İngilizce öğretmenlerinin öz değerlendirmeleri üzerine karşılaştırmalı bir çalışma: ELT ve ELT mezunu olmayanlar
There has been an ongoing debate in Türkiye about which department graduates are more effective English language teachers; however, there remains a paucity of evidence on the characteristics of effective English language teachers graduated from varied departments in the country. With this in mind, the aim of the current cross-sectional descriptive survey study, conducted in a comparative manner, is to investigate how in-service English language teachers evaluate themselves in terms of characteristics of effective English language teachers with a focus on their educational background, i.e. whether they graduated from English Language Teaching (ELT) or Non-ELT (Non-ELT) departments. This nationwide comparative study adopts a mixed methods approach, a combination of quantitative and qualitative research traditions. In the quantitative part of the study, the participants included 1441 in-service English language teachers working at different levels of public schools across Türkiye. English teachers evaluated themselves in terms of personal characteristics, English language proficiency, pedagogical content knowledge and skills, socio-affective knowledge and skills, cultural knowledge and skills, and professional development, which are considered to be effective English language teacher characteristics, through a comprehensive questionnaire including a total of 312 items under 8 sections. In the qualitative part of the study, follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with 80 in-service English teachers. Quantitative data analysis was carried out using SPSS 25.0 with descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Chi-square test. Qualitative data analysis was carried out through content analysis of the transcriptions comprising 73516 words gathered from interviews with 80 English teachers using NVivo. The findings revealed that ELT graduates were relatively more qualified in terms of pedagogical content knowledge while Non-ELT graduates, except for graduates from other departments whose medium of instruction was English, were better at English language proficiency. Although there was a difference between the two groups of teachers in terms of theoretical knowledge at the time of graduation, it was found that effective language teaching appeared to depend heavily on teachers' personal characteristics and socio-affective knowledge and skills, considering the practice of teaching for teachers in both groups. It was also revealed that English teachers, regardless of which departments they graduated from, have different problems that need to be solved so as to be effective English language teachers. Lastly, the qualitative data suggested that the continuity of professional development was found to be a vital aspect of effective English language teaching and being an effective English language teacher.
eTwinning projesinin yabancı dil olarak İngilizcede öğrenci özerkliği, motivasyon ve kültürler arası farkındalık üzerindeki etkileri
This study examined the effects of eTwinning projects on student autonomy, motivation and intercultural awareness through an eTwinning project, which is a remote collaboration application. The study specifically examined the advantages of the eTwinning project, identified challenges encountered throughout its implementation, and assessed the impact of utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on motivation within the context of eTwinning. Data was collected from a total of 10 students and one teacher who participated in the project. Data were collected through student project diaries and interviews. Student diaries were kept regarding project sections such as Bitmoji and Padlet, Snapwords, Wordwall, Kahoot, Singing and Reading Books. Expert opinion was taken for both teacher and student interview questions. Student and teacher interview questions consist of 26 questions, including autonomy, motivation, intercultural awareness and general questions. Qualitative analysis was applied. According to the findings, the eTwinning project increased student autonomy, motivation and intercultural awareness. In addition, it has been seen that the eTwinning project motivates foreign language students. During the project, problems such as internet connection problems, power outages, problems in sharing tasks among friends, and having to remake the design because they did not like it were experienced. The project improved students' language skills, increased their curiosity about different cultures, motivation and self-confidence. In addition, it enabled students to socialize with foreign friends and learn new things about different cultures. In addition, it increased students' vocabulary and interest in foreign languages. By increasing cooperation, students can overcome their responsibilities. It has caused them to come and have fun while learning. The use of information communication technologies has increased motivation for eTwinning. However, there are some limitations in the research. Finally, based on the effects of the eTwinning project on students, various suggestions have been made to teachers, institutions, curriculum creators and researchers. Keywords: English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Telecollaboration, Autonomy, Motivation, Intercultural awareness
İngı̇lı̇zce sınıflarında mı̇zah temelli pedagojı̇k eğı̇tı̇mı̇n etkı̇lerı̇: Yükseköğretı̇m öğrencı̇lerı̇nı̇n tutumları
The development of methods, strategies, and practices for learning foreign languages has made it possible to investigate a range of variables influencing language acquisition. This development represents significant findings in reducing the affective filter and creating an enjoyable learning atmosphere for students. Studies indicate that this kind of educational setting helps learners concentrate on learning the language, assimilate knowledge more efficiently, and succeed more in the process of acquiring the language. Literature points to the potential benefits of humor in putting learners at ease and helping them learn information more effectively. However, in this context, the number of empirical studies carried out especially in the field of language teaching is quite limited. In particular, there has been negligible scholarly research on the role of humor in the context of teaching and learning English as a foreign language (EFL). In other words, since the studies on humor are based on theory, not practical applications, there was a need to create a humor-integrated teaching tool in this research. This master's thesis represents one of the rare studies that investigates a systematic application of humor-integrated teaching in EFL classrooms from an empirical perspective. In particular, it examines in detail university-level students' attitudes and concerns about the role of humor in EFL teaching and the underlying reasons for humorous practices. The study was designed as a mixed-methods research design that utilizes both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. A sample 36 English preparatory program students participated in this study. The data for this research were obtained through questionnaires and open-ended questions. The findings of this study show that university-level English language students generally have a positive view of the roles of humor in teaching EFL and are in general agreement on this issue. Participants in the study believe that humor can make positive contributions to the affective and cognitive development of students and that it can have a positive impact on teacher-student relations in this context. The results of this research confirm the potential of humor in teaching EFL, while also providing empirical evidence for recommendations on how to use humor effectively in teaching EFL. The insights obtained highlight the importance of incorporating humor into the teacher education curriculum and supporting the effective integration of humor in EFL classrooms.
Yabancı dil olarak İngilizce öğrenen Türk öğrenciler ile yabancı öğrencilerin çevrimiçi konuşma aktivitelerinin etkisinin incelenmesi
This study attempts to investigate the impact of incorporating online speaking activities in ELF (English as a lingua franca) communities into language education on student motivation, linguistic proficiency, and speaking performance. Fourteen EFL students from a Secondary School in Ardeşen, Rize constitute the study's sample. Qualitative and quantitative research traditions are combined in this mixed-methods case study. It used a quasi-experimental research design in which participants engaged in online extracurricular speaking activities with 158 overseas EFL students from 14 countries from Asia, Africa, Europe, and America continents. Surveys, questionnaires, journals, follow-up interviews and observation by teachers were used to gather the data, assuring triangulation and consistent data. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate the qualitative data from the interviews, and SPSS (version 22) was used to analyze the quantitative data from the survey and questionnaire. The findings of student reflections reveal that a number of themes were prevalent, such as English as a lingua franca, intercultural communication, and overcoming language anxiety as well as significant correlations among motivation regarding English and language proficiency. Regarding the cultural aspect of this extracurricular online speaking exercise using English as a lingua franca, the findings indicate that Turkish students' interactions with EFL peers from various cultural backgrounds raised their cross-cultural awareness. Keywords: English as Lingua Franca, Intercultural Awareness, EFL, Online Speaking Activities
Türkiye'deki yabancı dil olarak İngilizce öğretmenlerinin (EFL) oyunlaştırmayı kullanma tutumları ve davranışsal niyetlerinin incelenmesi
The process of learning a foreign language is often perceived as challenging, and students need to be highly motivated to succeed. Today, technology plays an important role in every aspect of life, including education, and the use of digital tools has become widespread in language teaching. In this context, the use of gamification tools (e.g. Kahoot, WordWall, Quizlet etc.) has the potential to increase students' interest in the course. Since teachers are one of the most important actors in the process, it is crucial to examine their views on these tools and langauge teaching process. Although there have been many studies on gamification regarding students, the limited number of studies focusing on the teacher perspective has made this study necessary. In this regard, this mixed-methods study aimed to examine the attitudes of Turkish English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers towards using gamification tools and their behavioral intentions. Within the scope of the research, a questionnaire was administered to 112 English teachers from different regions of Türkiye, followed by semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers. The findings show that, despite mentioning certain barriers, teachers have positive attitudes toward gamification and want to use these tools more frequently in the future. The study not only supports the existing literature but also offers important insights into classroom dynamics, teacher-student relationships, and the role of the teacher, revealing that technology is not an end in itself in language teaching but rather a tool that supports the process.
İngilizceyi yabancı dil olarak öğreten öğretmenlerin yapay zekâya (YZ) yönelik algıları ve hazır bulunuşluk düzeyleri
Within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, artificial intelligence (AI) has been recognized as a promising tool for reshaping traditional language instruction. Thus, this study aimed to assess in-service EFL teachers' readiness to integrate AI into language teaching within the framework of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model. In addition, the study examined teachers' perceptions of AI through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), focusing on perceived benefits and drawbacks in educational contexts. It also explored the relationship between teachers' digital tool familiarity and their TPACK-based readiness, as well as the connection between readiness levels, perceptions of AI, and demographic factors such as age, gender, educational background, teaching experience, teaching level, and employment status. Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study collected quantitative data from 90 in-service teachers using a five-point Likert-scale survey developed by the researcher, titled "Perceptions and Readiness Level of EFL Teachers Towards Artificial Intelligence." Qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers. Convenience sampling was employed for both phases. The findings revealed that: (1) teachers reported moderately high overall readiness, with Technological Content Knowledge yielding the highest mean score, suggesting confidence in linking technology with content knowledge in instructional practice; (2) AI readiness positively correlated with digital tool familiarity, indicating that technologically proficient teachers feel more prepared to integrate AI; (3) a positive relationship was found between AI readiness and perceived usefulness, while a moderate positive association also emerged between readiness and perceived risks, suggesting that greater readiness is linked to higher awareness of AI's potential challenges; (4) no statistically significant differences were found across demographic variables, however, descriptive statistics indicated that younger, novice, female, primary-level private school teachers and ELL graduates perceived themselves as more ready; and (5) both quantitative and qualitative results showed that teachers perceive AI as highly useful for reducing workload, enhancing lesson planning, material preparation, grading, and idea generation. Teachers also highlighted AI's potential to increase motivation, engagement, autonomy, and language skill development, as well as its capacity for personalized instruction. However, concerns were raised regarding overreliance, reduced critical thinking and creativity, ethical challenges such as academic integrity and data privacy, and infrastructural shortcomings that hinder integration and reduce perceived ease of use.