The effect of cloud-based peer tutoring on teacher candidates' academic success, communication skills and course attitudes

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of programming instruction with cloud-based peer teaching on the pre-service teachers' academic success, communication skills and attitudes towards the course. Quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized together in the research in accordance with mixed-method. In the quantitative dimension of the research, semi-experimental design with pre-final control group is used. In qualitative dimension, the embedded design is used to both verify and support the findings obtained by the quantitative method after the experimental process, and to determine the factors that are effective in the experimental process. The sample consists of students enrolled at Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University, Faculty of Education, Department of CET in the 2017-2018 Academic Year Spring semester. While assigning students to experimental and control groups, one of the two sections of Programming Languages II course is selected as an experimental and the other as a control group. The study group consisted of 69 students, 34 in experimental and 35 in control group. Data are collected with both quantitative and qualitative means. Three measures are used in quantitative part: A success test and an attitude towards programming course scale developed by the researcher, and Communication Skills Scale developed by Korkut Owen and Bugay (2014). An observation form and semi-structured interviews are administered to collect information about the experimental peer groups' levels of application of the cloud-based peer teaching method and verify the peer work. Similarly, a semi-structured interview form is used to gather data about the views of peer groups regarding the cloud-based peer teaching method. For the analysis of quantitative data, a computer package program is used in the statistical analysis of the data from achievement test, "Communication Skills Scale" scores and "Programming Course Attitude Scale" scores which are applied to the experimental and control groups as pre and post-tests. Shapiro-Wilks value is examined to check the normal distribution of the data. Dependent groups t test is used to compare the pretest and posttest scores within the experimental and control groups, and the non-parametric Wilcoxson sign order test is used in cases where the normality assumptions required for the dependent groups t test are not met. Independent groups t test is used to examine the difference between the pre and post test scores of the experimental and control groups. Mann Whitney U test is used when the normality assumptions for the independent groups t test are not met. The data obtained in the qualitative dimension of the research are subjected to descriptive and content analyzes. As a result, it is concluded that the cloud-based peer teaching (CBPT) method is not effective in increasing the academic achievement, communication skills and attitudes of the students in the experimental group comparing the post test scores of control group who has not undergone cloud-based peer teaching. Additionally, in significant differences between participants' pre and post test scores of achievement, communication skills and attitudes. The qualitative data obtained from the research suggested that the process is productive for peer groups by working in communication and collaboration, making the learning process fun by gaining different perspectives, taking responsibility and increasing self-confidence. In addition, the participants stated that they had positive views about the process and increased competencies in terms of professional knowledge, professional skills, attitudes and values. Additionally, majority students have positive opinions about using the method in their future professional lives. The pre-service teachers think that the CBPT method can be used in order to increase the success in high failure, heavily applied and analytical lessons. In line with the obtained results, various suggestions are made regarding the application of the CBPT method.