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Reliability And Validity Of The Turkish Version Of Myastheniagravis-Quality Of Life Questionnaire-15 Item, Ni̇da Fatma Taşcilar, Özge Saraçli, Mehmet Ali̇ Kurçer, Handan Ankarali, Ufuk Emre

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The myasthenia gravis-quality of life questionnaire 15 item (MG-QOL15) is a validated, short, and easy to use disease-specific quality of life (QOL) tool in myasthenia gravis. Other than Turkish, a lot of versions of the MG-QOL15 have been used in different languages in different cultures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to translate and construct a validated and adapted Turkish version of the MG-QOL15 [MG-QOL15(T)]. Materials and methods: After translation, back-translation, and comparison of the 2 English versions of the MG-QOL15, it was tested by 22 monolingual healthy individuals and then 23 patients with clinically stable MG. Afterwards, …

The Power Of Graphic Organizers: Effects On Students’ Word-Learning And Achievement Emotions In Social Studies, İlhan İlter

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of three graphic organizers for teaching vocabulary and the development of the emotions-related to achievement. The study focused on the effects of different types of graphic organizers on word-learning and various emotions in social studies. This study was designed as a quasi-experimental design by utilizing a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group was instructed on vocabulary by using the Concept definition map, a Word-questioning strategy and a Circle thinking map for word-learning, while the control group was taught to use the C(2)QU [(Context (2)- Questioning- Using)] as a …

Exploring Efl Learners’ Perceived Self-Efficacy And Beliefs On English Language Learning, Gülten Genç, Emine Kuluşaklı, Savaş Aydın

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract

Learners’ perceived self-efficacy and beliefs on English language learning are important in education. Taking into consideration the important impact of individual variables on language learning, this study seeks to highlight the relationship between Turkish EFL learners’ beliefs about language learning and their sense of self-efficacy. The participants are 210 Turkish EFL undergraduate students whose major is English. The subjects were questioned about their beliefs and self-efficacy as English language learners. The data gathered were analysed quantitatively. The findings demonstrated that EFL students have medium scores in their English self-efficacy and hold the strong belief that motivation factors have a …

Turkish Pre-Service Teachers’ Reflective Practices In Teaching English To Young Learners, Muzeyyen Nazli Gungor

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The course ‘Teaching English to Young Learners’ is the first stage where pre-service teachers are introduced to a child’s world, developmental characteristics, needs, interests as well as teaching and learning techniques for these learners in English language teaching pre-service teacher education programmes in Turkey. This action research study identifies the gap that pre-service teachers experience between the theoretical considerations and realities of teaching, and the problems they face in this course. It provides the opportunity for monitoring and evaluating themselves in a pre-service teacher education programme in Turkey. Hence, this piece of research aims to promote reflective practice at the …

Autonomy In An Efl Teacher Training Context: Trainee Teacher Perceptions Of Instructor Expectations, Selami Ok

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: Developing a sense of autonomy in teacher trainees can be considered as a goal itself; and to this end, instructors’ expectations that can help them become autonomous need to be identified through the perspectives of teacher trainees rather than accepting directly what is true for instructors. This paper aims to explore the trainee teacher perceptions of instructor expectations leading them to become autonomous in an EFL teacher training context. The participants were 170 senior teacher trainees attending the ELT Department at Pamukkale University, Turkey. A mixed method was employed in the study. Firstly, a five-point Likert questionnaire was designed …

The Use Of The Internet For English Language Teachers’ Professional Development In Arab Countries, Mohammad Madallh Alhabahba, Omer Hassan Ali Mahfoodh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigated the relationship between English language teachers’ motives to use online teaching resources and three types of Internet practices: teachers’ practices in using the Internet to collaborate with others, teachers’ practices for classroom teaching, and the Internet’s contribution to the overall professional development of teachers. Gender was also used to assess differences in the proposed model. In this study, one hundred and seventy-four English language teachers completed an online survey. SmartPLS was used to assess the measurement and the structural models. The results indicated that participation was a significant determinant of both English language teachers’ Internet-related practices at …

Preparing International Pre-Service Teachers For Professional Placement: In-School Induction, Sasikala Nallaya

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on an Australian University’s support program to prepare its first year international pre-service teachers (IPSTs) for professional placement. The aim of the program was to address some of the practicum challenges experienced by the IPSTs. A case study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of the program. Ten international students enrolled in the Master of Teaching program were participants of this investigation. Data was collected through a questionnaire administered post-program and non-participant observation. The findings indicated that the program was beneficial towards inducting IPSTs to the Australian school context and contributed towards their confidence, communicative skills, and …

Adventurous Lives: Teacher Qualities For 21st Century Learning, Julie Faulkner, Gloria Latham

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

What kinds of teachers are needed for 21^st century learners? While there is recognition that curriculum content, classroom practices and learning environments must alter, there is less attention focussed on the teachers’ dispositions for negotiating uncertainty. In this paper, the authors turn their attention to the importance of teachers’ lives and mindsets to meet current, emerging and future challenges. Using a narrative inquiry approach, they elicit and examine three of these essential qualities: adventure, resilience and creative problem-solving. These characteristics emerge from interviewing a small group of beginning and experienced teachers who were questioning normative practices and exploring possibilities …

Supporting Teachers To Develop Substantive Discourse In Primary Science Classrooms, Prudence M. Smith, Mark W. Hackling

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Students’ thinking and learning in inquiry-based science is contingent on them being able to participate in substantive conversations so they explore their ideas and develop reasons and explanations for the outcomes of their investigations.

While teachers understand the importance of talk for student learning, they are often unaware of the impact of their discourse practice on the quality of classroom talk. To develop substantive classroom discourse, first teachers need to understand what substantive talk looks and sounds like, and then they need to develop their capacity to use questioning and discourse moves to achieve such talk. Science poses additional challenges …

Feedback On Second Language Pronunciation: A Case Study Of Eap Teachers’ Beliefs And Practices, Amanda Baker, Michael Burri

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In the modern English language classroom,

Abstract: In the modern English language classroom, teachers are often faced with the challenging task of supporting students to achieve comprehensible pronunciation, but many teachers limit or neglect giving students feedback on their pronunciation for a variety of reasons. This paper examines the case of five experienced English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instructors who strive to provide feedback on specific features of pronunciation that negatively affect students’ comprehensibility. Results derived from semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews reveal that the teachers use similar approaches to select and provide feedback on problematic features …

Cross-Cultural Communication In Teacher Education, Aijing Jin, Maxine Cooper, Barry Golding

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper presents a case study of the experiences and reflections of four fourth year pre-service teachers from Federation University Australia who completed their three-week teaching placement in Anshan, Liaoning Province, China, in April 2014. The study also explores the perspectives and opinions of both the Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese students towards the Australian pre-service teachers. The research confirms the mutual benefits of cross-cultural teacher education professional experiences for pre-service teachers, Chinese mentor teachers and Chinese students. The teaching experiences revealed major differences in educational concepts and teaching strategies and approaches between the two systems because of the different …

Mindfulness-Based Approaches For Young People With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Their Caregivers: Do These Approaches Hold Benefits For Teachers?, Rebekah Keenan-Mount, Nicole J. Albrecht, Lea Waters

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Parents and teachers who care for and educate young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face unique challenges associated with their roles. In this review we investigated the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress and increasing positive behaviours in young people with ASD and their caregivers: parents and teachers. Nine studies on the topic were located, showing that the research base in this field is in the infancy stage. Each study illuminated the transformational change caregivers and young people experience after practicing mindfulness training (MT). The results also highlighted the interdependent relationship between the caregivers’ level of mindfulness and …

Dangerous Practices: The Practicum Experiences Of Non-Indigenous Pre-Service Teachers In Remote Communities, Glenn Auld, Julie Dyer, Claire Charles

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper seeks to explore the risks of providing pre-service teachers with professional experiences in remote communities. In particular this paper focuses on the risks associated with this kind of professional experience. Twelve pre-service teachers were interviewed while on a three-week practicum around Katherine and in Maningrida in the Northern Territory during 2012. The dangers outlined in this paper relate to the way their experiences continued to be mediated by stereotypes and perpetuating colonial practices. The pre-service teachers’ limited understandings of Indigenous knowledges and languages are discussed before exploring the vexed issue of reverse culture shock that some of the …

Unpacking The Clinical And Participatory Dimensions Of The Trump Math-Teacher-Residency-Program, Dalia Imanuel-Noy, Tili Wagner

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract: The research presents a Residency Math teacher education program that has been developed in Israel in search of transforming initial teacher preparation on the Clinical-Participatory continuum. It is a 'multi-phase' mixed-method research aiming to present the clinical and participatory dimensions of the TMR: the way in which they are reflected in the curriculum planning program, how Student Teachers (STs) in the program perceive the program's clinical and participatory dimensions and the nature of the challenges that arise in the program. Tools include: Documents of the programs; observations of the practical school experiences; A closed clinical social-interactive Questionnaire and a …

The Washback Of The Toefl Ibt In Vietnam, Melissa Barnes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Washback, or the influence of testing on teaching and learning, has received considerable attention in language testing research over the past twenty years. It is widely argued that testing, particularly high-stakes testing, exerts a powerful influence, whether intended or unintended, positive or negative, on both teachers and learners. This article investigates the washback effects of a high-stakes English language proficiency test, the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT), in Vietnam. Vietnam, a developing country whose educational philosophies differ from those underpinning the TOEFL iBT, provided a unique context to explore the test's washback. In the …

Navigating The Challenges Of Becoming A Culturally Responsive Teacher: Supportive Networking May Be The Key, Nina L. Nilsson Ph.D., Ailing Kong Ph.D., Shantel Hubert

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Research shows graduates of teacher education programs do not always transfer, or apply, the best practices they learn to instructional practice due to factors related to course features, the student, and workplace environment (e.g., Brown & Bentley, 2004; de Jong et al., 2010). This study examined the challenges a secondary-level English teacher in the United States encountered when she attempted to implement culturally responsive teaching practices she learned from a graduate course to her class with ELLs. Findings indicate she faced strategy- and language-related challenges due to student culture and school environment factors (“external challenges”), as well as her own …

The Gifted Dimension Of The Australian Professional Standards For Teachers: Implications For Professional Learning., Lesley Henderson, Jane Jarvis

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2016, v.8.2) acknowledges that gifted and talented students are diverse and require educational provisions that meet their special needs. However, without professional learning in gifted education, teachers are ill-equipped to understand, identify and provide for gifted students. This paper reviews the literature in the field to argue for consideration of a ‘gifted dimension’ as an elaboration of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011). As all teachers will teach gifted and talented children, it is important to define the elements of quality teaching that are inclusive of high ability students in the Australian context and …

Influences On Preservice Writing Instruction During The Secondary English As An Additional Language Practicum In Australia, Minh Hue Nguyen, Jill Brown

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Informed by a sociocultural perspective on second language teacher education, the present qualitative study investigates three preservice teachers’ (PSTs) writing instruction during the English as an Additional Language (EAL) practicum in Australian secondary schools in relation to the multidimensional context of the practicum and the PSTs’ personal backgrounds. Sources of data included individual interviews with the PSTs and their school mentors, lesson plans and recordings, teaching materials, the PSTs’ self-reflections, and analysis of the schools’ EAL programs. Data analysis revealed that the main factors shaping PSTs’ writing instruction included the EAL programs at the schools, school teachers and the mentors …

The Bridges And Barriers Model Of Support For High-Functioning Students With Asd In Mainstream Schools, Wendy Holcombe, Margaret Plunkett

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

National statistics indicate the ongoing challenge of catering for the unique needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within the context of inclusive education. Higher rates of difficulty and poorer outcomes are experienced by this cohort when compared to both the general population and others within the disability sector. The perspectives of educators from a variety of roles were examined to identify factors impacting upon the educational experience of high-functioning students with ASD to determine how they could be supported more effectively. Findings indicate despite extensive educational experience and considerable knowledge of ASD, many educators lack an understanding of …

Designing A Reflective Teacher Education Course And Its Contribution To Elt Teachers’ Reflectivity, Leila Tajik, Kazem Pakzad

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Researchers in the present study planned a reflective teacher education course and documented the contribution of such a course to improving teachers’ reflectivity. Five English teachers took part in the reflective teacher education course designed by the researchers. To record how the course could help improve reflective teaching, researchers asked participants to take part in stimulated recall prior to and after the course and to write reflective journals. Thematic analysis of the stimulated recall interviews and journals showed improvements in teachers’ reflective teaching as a result of attending the reflective course.

The Elephant In The (Class)Room: Parental Perceptions Of Lgbtq-Inclusivity In K-12 Educational Contexts, Jacqueline Ullman, Tania Ferfolja

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

While little is known about parental beliefs and desires regarding LGBTQ-inclusive education, assumptions about these appear to justify teachers’, curriculum writers’ and policy makers’ silences regarding sexuality and gender diversity in the K-12 classroom. Thus, in order to better inform educators’ practices, this paper presents an analysis of interview data from focus groups with parents from across the Australian state of New South Wales. Findings highlight parents’ desires for LGBTQ-inclusivity, not only as a protective factor for sexuality and gender diverse students, but also to engender social cohesion and prepare all students for adult life in the modern social landscape. …

Mentoring Beginning Teachers And Goal Setting, Peter Hudson, Sue Hudson

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Australia has delineated a new direction for teacher education by embedding mentoring programs for teachers who support early-careers teachers as a system approach. This case study investigated how mentors after involvement in a mentoring professional learning program focused on goal setting with beginning teachers in their schools. Data were analysed from six mentors’ interviews using semi-structured questions and archival documents associated with the mentoring program. Findings revealed that negotiated goal setting facilitates potentially successful teaching practices that align to career stage standards. Other findings associated with goal setting are reported around: (1) mentor-mentee relationships, (2) roles, skills and responsibilities, (3) …

A New Step-Size Searching Algorithm Based On Fuzzy Logic And Neural Networks For Lms Adaptive Beamforming Systems, Walter Orozco-Tupacyupanqui, Mariko Nakano-Miyatake, Hector Perez Meana

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

In this paper, a novel algorithm based on fuzzy logic and neural networks is proposed to find an approximation of the optimal step size $\mu $ for least-mean-squares (LMS) adaptive beamforming systems. A new error ensemble learning (EEL) curve is generated based on the final prediction value of the ensemble-average learning curve of the LMS adaptive algorithm. This information is classified and fed into a back propagation neural network, which automatically generates membership functions for a fuzzy inference system. An estimate of the optimal step size is obtained using a group of linguistic rules and the corresponding defuzzification method. Computer …

A New Compression Algorithm For Fast Text Search, Aydin Carus, Altan Mesut

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

We propose a new compression algorithm that compresses plain texts by using a dictionary-based model and a compressed string-matching approach that can be used with the compressed texts produced by this algorithm. The compression algorithm (CAFTS) can reduce the size of the texts to approximately 41% of their original sizes. The presented compressed string matching approach (SoCAFTS), which can be used with any of the known pattern matching algorithms, is compared with a powerful compressed string matching algorithm (ETDC) and a compressed string-matching tool (Lzgrep). Although the search speed of ETDC is very good in short patterns, it can only …

Applying Metaheuristic Optimization Methods To Design Novel Adaptive Pi-Type Fuzzy Logic Controllers For Load-Frequency Control In A Large-Scale Power Grid, Thimaiphuong Dao, Yaonan Wang, Ngockhoat Nguyen

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Due to the complexity and diversity of large-scale power systems in practice, designing load-frequency control (LFC) strategies against load variations faces big challenges to ensure the stability and economy of the network. The focus of this paper is to design a novel adaptive PI-type fuzzy logic (FL)-based LFC architecture for solving the LFC problem in such an interconnected electric power grid. Applying 2 biologically inspired optimization methods, namely particle swarm optimization method and a genetic algorithm, the membership functions and rule base of a basic PI-type FL model were parameterized and optimized simultaneously and successfully. An online self-tuning method was …

Fast Measurement Of Headlamps By Means Of A Developed Fuzzy Luxmeter Based On A Fuzzy Mapping Algorithm, Mustafa Şi̇nasi̇ Ayas, İsmai̇l Hakki Altaş, Turhan Alçeli̇k

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

headlamps in the dark is inferable from the results of studies. Various regulations are available in order to arrange the required illuminance values at certain positions on the road. The designed and produced headlamps have to satisfy the requirements of these regulations. Manual measurement tools, such as the luxmeter (which are based on point-by-point measurements), have traditionally been used. This traditional way has been considered inefficient in terms of awkward setup procedures, complexity, the continuous intervention of human operators, and costs. In this study, in order to overcome these problems, a new approach for measuring the illuminance values is proposed. …

An Investigation Of Intelligent Controllers Based On Fuzzy Logic And Artificial Neural Network For Power System Frequency Maintenance, Ngockhoat Nguyen, Qi Huang, Thi-Mai-Phuong Dao

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

No abstract provided.

Authentication Of Uncertain Data Based On K-Means Clustering, Levent Ünver, Taflan İmre Gündem

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

No abstract provided.

Wind Farm Based On Dfig Entirely Interfaced With 14-Node Distribution Network: Power Control And Voltage Regulation, Babouri Rabah, Aouchenni Ounissa, Aouzellag Djamal, Ghedamsi Kaci

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

power quality problems due to the fluctuating nature of the wind and the increasing complexity of the power system. This paper describes a novel approach to voltage and power control of a radial electrical distribution network, using a wind farm. The wind farm consists of seven 75 kW induction generators (DFIG) supplying two AC/DC converters. The feed structure of the DFIG allows operating the system conversion in a wide range of speed variations. That is why it is a recommended solution, due to its capacity to increase the generator power to twice its nominal power; consequently, the system's size and …

Scalable Sentiment Analytics, Aslan Baki̇rov, Kevser Nur Çoğalmiş, Ahmet Bulut

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Spark has become a widely popular analytics framework that provides an implementation of the equally popular MapReduce programming model. Hadoop is an Apache foundation framework that can be used for processing large datasets on a cluster of computers using the MapReduce programming model. Mahout is an Apache foundation project developed for building scalable machine learning libraries, which includes built-in machine learning classifiers. In this paper, we show how to build a simple text classifier on Spark, Apache Hadoop, and Apache Mahout for extracting out sentiments from a text collection containing millions of text documents. Using a collection of 7 million …