Cooperative Learning in Turkey: A Content Analysis of Theses

Abstract

This study is a content analysis of theses concerning cooperative learning prepared in Turkey between the years 1993 and 2014. A total of 220 theses which were accessible online (open access) at the site of Council of Higher Education (CoHE) were analyzed. The publishing classification form used in this study was prepared analyzing similar forms in the literature. Each thesis was subjected to content analyses using this form and the data were stored in electronic media. The data were analyzed and are presented in graphics, frequency and percentage tables, and in a descriptive manner. Results show that theses on the topic of cooperative learning increased in large numbers with the adoption of the 2005 constructivist learning curriculum. Results also show that most often quantitative methods were used, the effect of the method on academic success was studied, and percentage and frequency tables in particular were used as the data analysis technique.

Investigating EFL Coursebook Research in Turkey: Trends in Graduate Theses of the 2001-2013 Period

“…The quantification of qualitative data was achieved in the following way: (i) qualitative themes were counted, (ii) these counts were recorded in an Excel spreadsheet, and (iii) quantitative data from their occurrences were descriptively analysed for frequencies and percentages, which in doing so allows comparisons between data sets in mixed methods research (Creswell, 2009(Creswell, , 2012Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2008). As in the case of similar studies by Göktaş et al (2012b), Dirlikli et al (2016) and Özmen et al (2016), the qualitative data from the graduate theses were thus classified by using content analysis, and the categories emerging from the content analysis were analysed with descriptive statistics in the present research. Since it was aimed to identify research trends and gaps in EFL coursebook research in Turkey, graduate theses from the online national thesis archive were assumed to provide "informationrich" cases in order to "develop a detailed understanding" of the problem situation; more precisely, purposeful sampling -a nonrandom method of selecting caseswas applied in this study (Creswell, 2009(Creswell, , 2012(Creswell, , p. 2016Denzin & Lincoln, 2005;Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2006;Patton, 1990, p. 169).…”

“…When similar content analyses of graduate theses in Turkey were examined, it was observed that: (i) they focused on examining graduate theses in non-ELT fields, like curriculum and instruction, Turkish language, mathematics, biology, geography, computer, science, social science and primary education; (ii) while only a few studies worked on specific areas of interest like children's literature, educational technology, history of education, cooperative learning, problem-based learning, multiple intelligences, values education, and reading instruction, and (iii) none of these content analyses in mainstream education was concerned with coursebook evaluations (Akpınar, Dönder, & Karahan, 2013;Balcı, 2012;Baş & Beyhan, 2012;Bıkmaz, Aksoy, & Tatar, 2013;Biber, Ersoy, & Biber, 2014;Çalık, Ünal, Coştu, & Karataş, 2008;Çetin, 2015;Demir & Ekici, 2015;Dirlikli, Aydın, & Akgün, 2016;Elbir & Bağcı, 2013;Göktaş et al, 2012b, Gömleksiz & Bozpolat, 2013Karadağ, 2009Karadağ, , 2014Kaya, 2013;Küçükoğlu & Ozan, 2013;Oruç & Ulusoy, 2008;Polat, 2013;Saban, 2009;Şahin, Kana, & Varışoğlu, 2013;Şahin, Yıldız, & Duman, 2011;Topsakal, Çalık, & Çavuş, 2012;Tosun & Yaşar, 2015;Uygun, 2012;Yaşar & Papatğa, 2015;Yenilmez & Sölpük, 2014).…”

Fen Bilimleri Dersinin Öğretiminde Grup Araştırması Yönteminin Farklı Zamanlarda Uygulanmasının Etkililiğinin İncelenmesi

“…Solomon Four-group Experimental Design eliminates these problems, allows for deeper comparisons and assures studies' internal and external validity. The relevant literature also shows that the methods in the cooperative learning model as well as the implementations that use Solomon Four-group Experimental Design are administered to the same sample only once (Andrews, Tressler, & Mintzes, 2008;Dirlikli, Aydın, & Akgün, 2016;.…”

A Review of Flipped Classroom and Cooperative Learning Method Within the Context of Vygotsky Theory

“…The cooperative learning method, which was defined as utilization of small groups for educational purposes (Johnson et al, 2007), is a teaching method developed for over 40 years, and the effects of which on various areas such as student success, attitude, and motivational levels are proven by research (Johnson et al, 2000;Hattie, 2009;Kyndt et al, 2013;Kocabaş et al, 2015;Dirlikli et al, 2016;Erbil and Kocabaş, 2018). Cooperative learning is a learning approach in which students work in small, independent groups for common educational goals, and their work is evaluated both individually and as a group.…”