Determining the effectiveness of the feedback teaching package developed for social studies teacher candidates

Feedback is the message provided to eliminate the difference between the targeted learning and the current learning during the education process. It is one of the elements that enable students to learn from the evaluations received, show them how to learn, improve their learning, and directly affect the success of the educational process. It is seen as an indispensable part of formative assessment, especially in educational systems adopting the progressive education approach. Considering the importance of feedback in education, the purpose of this Ph.D. thesis is to determine the effectiveness of the Feedback Teaching Package (FTP) prepared for social studies teacher candidates. The first stage of the research, which is carried out based on the multi-stage design, one of the mixed research method designs, consists of needs analysis studies. Within the scope of the needs analysis, the opinions of 14 faculty members working in the Department of Social Studies Education, 24 social studies teacher candidates, and 14 social studies teachers working in official institutions were consulted. For needs analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted in line with the qualitative research method. The data obtained was analyzed using the content analysis technique. The analysis results revealed a need for feedback training for social studies teacher candidates in the teacher training process. In the second stage of the research, FTP was developed by following the program development steps. To determine the effectiveness of this teaching package, quantitative data collection tools, the Feedback Teaching Package Academic Achievement Test (FTPAAT), and the Feedback Teaching Package Self-Efficacy Form (FTPSEF) were developed. In addition, at this stage, the Feedback Teaching Package Awareness Form (FTPAF) was used before and after the application to determine the affective awareness of the prospective teachers in the experiment group. The experimental process of the research was completed in line with the quasi-experimental model with pre-test and post-test measurements and a control group (2x2). The experiment process was carried out with a total of 26 social studies teacher candidates, 13 in the experimental group and 13 in the control group, studying in the 3rd grade at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University, Faculty of Education, Department of Social Studies Education. Jamovi 2.3 software was used to analyze the quantitative data obtained from FTPAAT and FTPSEF. The SPSS 22.0 package program was also used in the analyses, for calculating the z score or creating some graphs. Taking into account the normality distribution of the data, the analysis of FTPAAT test scores was carried out using ANCOVA test. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group, and the Independent Groups t-test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test scores of the control group. The Mann-Whitney U-Test was used to compare the FTPSEF post-test scores of the experimental and control groups. The content analysis technique was used in the analysis of the FTPF. While researcher reports were used as a data collection tool to evaluate the implementation process, diaries were collected from the experimental group teacher candidates after each lesson, and the Feedback Teaching Package Evaluation Form (FTPEF) was applied at the end of the implementation process. Researcher reports and diaries were analyzed using the descriptive analysis technique and the FTPA content analysis technique. As a result of the research, it was determined that faculty members, teachers, and teacher candidates believed that the use of feedback in social studies was important and that feedback training should be given in undergraduate education. In addition, as a result of the needs analysis studies, it was determined that the participants did not have sufficient knowledge about feedback and were insufficient to give effective feedback in social studies education. In the implementation dimension of the research, it was determined that FTP greatly increased the academic success and self-efficacy of the experimental group teacher candidates and had a positive effect on their affective awareness of feedback. As a result of the research, it was determined that FTP has content that will provide an advantage to the professional lives of teacher candidates and that the learning-teaching and measurement and evaluation activities of the teaching package increase permanence, are interesting, and help to ensure active participation.