ABSTRACT:Highway route design is a difficult process due to the complex structure of the environment. The topography and the natural geographical objects constitute an obstacle for highway constructions. On the other hand, the cost parameter and protecting the environment are main two issues which planners have to consider. Thus, the priorities of the highway routes should be decided according to the requirements and expectations. At this point, Least Cost Path Algorithm (LCPA) makes it possible to investigate least cost path for highway routes. This cost can be assigned as the cost of the constructions such as avoiding slope and swampy areas or an environmental object such as keeping the forests and not damaging to agricultural lands. When the cost parameter is decided, then LCPA can calculate the least cost path from origin point to destination. In this study, new highway routes are investigated for Konya city with economic, environmentally and hybrid approaches. The cost parameter and related surfaces are generated according to the highway construction requirements and then with LCPA, three different routes are calculated. The result maps are generated and the three approaches are compared for environmental and cost parameters.

No abstract

Abstract. This study aims to explore graduate science education students' views of elementary science teachers' TPACK competencies by employing a Delphi technique. 9 graduate science education students enrolled in a graduate course participated in the study. In the first round, participants were asked to list the competencies of an elementary science teacher with high level of TPACK and a total of 88 competencies were listed. In the second round, all participants investigated these competencies and eliminated the similar ones. In the third round, the number of competencies was narrowed down to 35 and participants rated them on a 7-point Likert type scale. In the fourth round, participants investigated the interquartile range and median values for those competencies, their own previous ratings and rated the competencies again. At the end, a total of 29 competencies were agreed on by all participants. For agreement criteria interquartile range and median values were used.

Present study aims to translate and develop Paranormal Belief Questions (Rice, 2003) measuring students' nonscientific beliefs which threat science education. Original version of these questions was asked in Southern Focus Poll (1998). 17 questions about paranormal beliefs were administered to 114 university students from different departments. After translating and developing Paranormal Belief Questions into Turkish, factor analysis was conducted and paranormal beliefs were limited in two dimensions as classical paranormal beliefs and religious paranormal beliefs as parallel with original form. Déjà vu item that is not consistent with other paranormal beliefs was removed depending on the factor analysis. The results of the current study enable to differentiate scientific beliefs from non-scientific beliefs of students. By this way, science educators can benefit from this scale.

No abstract