Primary School Teachers' Views on Contemporary Assessment Tools  

Hüseyin İŞERİ
Classroom Teacher, Mimar Sinan Primary School, Turkiye, https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8580-806X

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Behsat SAVAŞ
Dokuz Eylül University, Buca Faculty of Education, Department of Primary Education, Turkiye, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3164-9745

Abstract

This study aims to examine primary school teachers’ existing knowledge of contemporary assessment tools, their learning needs, and the gains they achieved following a structured in-service training program. The research used a qualitative case study design. The participants consisted of 43 volunteer primary school teachers working in the Konak district of İzmir, Türkiye. Data were collected through forms based on the KWL technique (What I know, What I want to learn, What I learned) and analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that teachers’ initial knowledge was largely limited to performance- and product-oriented tools such as portfolios and rubrics, while their awareness of diagnostic and process-oriented assessment tools was relatively low. Teachers’ learning needs primarily focused on becoming familiar with new assessment tools, integrating them into classroom practices, and receiving guidance on their practical applicability. Following the training, a significant increase in teachers’ knowledge and awareness of tools such as structured grids, scoring rubrics, word association tests, and diagnostic branched trees was observed. The results suggest that practice-based professional development activities are effective in enhancing teachers’ assessment literacy.

Keywords:  Contemporary assessment tools, primary school teachers, assessment literacy

CITATION:  İşeri, H., & Savas, B. (2026). Primary school teachers' views on contemporary assessment tools. J-EDUCAT: Journal of Educational Studies, 4(1), 558–569. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19893963

 PDF                        
 

Barriers to Teacher Motivation

Öğretmen Motivasyonunun Önündeki Engeller


Sultan TURAN
Öğretmen, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı, Sakarya, Türkiye, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7548-2969

Doç. Dr. Ender KAZAK
Düzce Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Eğitim Bilimleri, Düzce, Türkiye, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5761-6330

Abstract

This research aims to examine in depth the obstacles to teachers' motivation through teachers' experiences. Designed using the phenomenology approach, one of the qualitative research methods, the study was conducted with 12 teachers who have at least ten years of experience and who were working in Sakarya and Istanbul provinces during the 2024-2025 academic year. Data from participants selected using purposive sampling were collected through a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using descriptive analysis techniques. The research findings show that the barriers to motivation fall into three main themes: social, individual, and professional. Economic concerns and negative attitudes of parents were identified as the main obstacles at the social level; low student achievement and professional burnout at the individual level; and administrative pressure, physical inadequacies, and constantly changing curricula at the professional level. To overcome these obstacles, it is recommended to improve financial rights, strengthen social prestige, ensure teacher participation in curriculum processes, and establish social/professional support mechanisms that will strengthen internal school communication. 
    

Keywords:  Motivation, teacher, qualitative research

 CITATION:  Turan, S., & Kazak, E. (2026). Öğretmen Motivasyonunun Önündeki Engeller. J-EDUCAT: Journal of Educational Studies, 4(1), 570–598.   https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19895376

 PDF                                

Student Engagement and Withdrawal in Synchronous Online FSP in Algeria: A Systemic Approach

Dr. Yamina BOUNOUARA
University of Batna 1, Algeria, https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3842-2273

Abstract

This study examines the nature and dynamics of student engagement in synchronous French for Specific Purposes (FSP) at the University of Batna 1 (Algeria), within the context of post-COVID-19 digital transformations. Grounded in a systemic approach, the study draws on the multidimensional engagement theory and the Community of Inquiry framework. It also incorporates the interactionist perspective on language learning and conceptualizes withdrawal as a systemic regulator. The research employs an adapted and validated version of the Live Online Classes Engagement Scale (LOCES) with 144 undergraduate economics students. The results reveal high overall engagement (M = 3.91/5), a finding that is counterintuitive given contextual constraints. The analysis highlights a clear hierarchy of dimensions: instructional engagement (M = 4.25) and behavioral engagement (M = 4.05) constitute a core, while social, emotional, and technological dimensions act as moderators. The withdrawal dimension emerges as an integrated antagonistic regulator, negatively correlated with all positive forms of engagement (r from -.37 to -.57) and loading negatively onto a single latent factor (-.704). Correlations and confirmatory factor analysis suggest that positive forms of engagement mutually reinforce each other, whereas withdrawal signals latent disinvestment. These findings, rooted in the Algerian university context, highlight the systemic nature of engagement and emphasize the importance of active pedagogical practices and institutional vigilance regarding withdrawal signals.

Keywords: Student engagement, withdrawal, synchronous online FSP, Algerian higher education, Live Online Classes Engagement Scale (LOCES).

CITATION:  Bounouara, Y. (2026). Student engagement and withdrawal in synchronous online FSP in Algeria: A systemic approach. J-EDUCAT: Journal of Educational Studies, 4,(1), 599–623.   https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19898620

 PDF                        

The Effect of Kite-Making Activities on Students' Achievement in Length Measurement, Geometry, Symmetry, and Fractions

Yeşim YAVUZ
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi, https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3544-2119

Hatice Kübra KIBIR
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi,https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7507-4325

Prof. Dr. Kenan DEMİR 
Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi,https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1111 2097

Abstract

In this study, third-grade primary school students made kites of different shapes and characteristics using recycled materials. The research examined the effect of these kite-making activities on students' achievement in length measurement, geometry, symmetry, and fractions. The study was designed and implemented using a pre-test and post-test experimental design with a control group. An achievement test, developed by the researchers based on mathematical learning outcomes and expert opinions, was used before and after the study. Qualitative data was also obtained from the opinions of primary school students, their classroom teacher, and two prospective teachers who participated as observers. Interview forms consisting of open-ended questions, again based on expert opinions, were used to gather the opinions of all stakeholders involved in the study. Activity plans, consisting of preparation, process, and evaluation phases, were developed based on expert opinions, and the implementation process lasted 16 lesson hours. Non-parametric statistics were used to compare the quantitative data obtained from the pre- and post-administration of the achievement test. Qualitative data obtained through interviews were analyzed word by word using content analysis. The study concluded that the experimental group, which attempted to achieve learning outcomes through kite-making activities, and the control group, which received instruction through teacher explanation and textbook-based teaching, showed better results in the post-test. A comparison between the groups revealed that the activities in the experimental group significantly increased student achievement compared to the control group. Analysis of the qualitative data indicated that the activities in the experimental group positively contributed to students' learning and, in particular, their emotions.

Keywords: Geometric shapes, symmetry, length measurement, fraction, activity-based learning, kite-making activities

CITATION: Yavuz, Y., Kıbır, H. K., & Demir, K. (2026). Uçurtma yapma etkinliklerinin öğrencilerin uzunluk ölçme, geometri, simetri ve kesir başarılarına etkisi. J-EDUCAT: Journal of Educational Studies, 4(1), 624–644.   https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19924736  

Published: 01.05.2026

 PDF                        

Article - 6   (Research Paper)                                                    (ENG)

Errors in Transitions Between Algebraic and Other Representations: A Qualitative Study of 7th and 8th Grade Students

Assist. Prof. Dr. Mehtap TAŞTEPE
Sinop University, Education Faculty,  Sinop, Türkiye, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4535-3606

Edanur DOĞRUÖZ
Undergraduate Student, Sinop University, Education Faculty, Sinop, Türkiye, https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9779-0754

Şule ÖZTÜRK
Undergraduate Student, Sinop University, Education Faculty, Sinop, Türkiye,  https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5357-2583

Abstract

Mathematical understanding is closely related to how concepts are represented and how learners coordinate different forms of representation. Within this context, multiple representations constitute a central component of mathematics learning by enabling students to construct and communicate meaning. This study aims to examine 7th and 8th grade students' ability to transition between multiple representations (e.g., graphical, tabular, and verbal forms), focusing specifically on the errors made in transitions from algebraic representations to other forms and vice versa. This study was designed as a qualitative case study. The study group consisted of middle school students, and data were collected through open-ended tasks requiring students to translate between different representations. The analysis was guided by a multiple representation framework based on Lesh (1979) and Janvier (1987), and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that students experienced the greatest difficulty in transitions from graphical to algebraic representations. Many students failed to interpret key graphical features such as slope and intercept and translate them into algebraic expressions. While transitions between tabular and algebraic representations showed similar error patterns across grade levels, differences emerged in algebraic–graphical and algebraic–verbal transitions. The most common error was performing numerical calculations without constructing algebraic expressions. In many cases, students focused on computing specific values rather than generalizing symbolically. Overall, the results highlight significant difficulties in representational transitions and emphasize the need for instructional practices that explicitly support representational fluency and conceptual understanding.

Keywords:  Multiple representations, representation translation, algebraic representation, errors, middle school

 CITATION: Taştepe, M., Doğruöz, E., & Öztürk, Ş. (2026). Errors in transitions between algebraic and other representations: A qualitative study of 7th and 8th grade students. J-EDUCAT: Journal of Educational Studies, 4(1), 645–675. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19926807

 PDF                       

ALL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL BELONGS TO THE AUTHORS. 

DERGİDE YAYIMLANAN YAZILARIN TÜM SORUMLULUĞU YAZARLARINA AİTTİR.  

Canonical URL

 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/