International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub <p>International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research is an open access, peer reviewed journal committed to promoting the highest standards of scientific exchange and education. The journal started its publication life in 2014 with e-ISSN 2148-3868. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research is a quarterly journal that is published in English in March, June, September, and December.</p> <p>International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research contains original scientific publications. All published papers, except editorial manuscripts, are subject to a double-blind peer review process. The journal aims to contribute to science by publishing high-quality publications of scientific importance. For this purpose, research articles, reviews, case reports and letters to the editor are published. The International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research (IJCER) is open to all kinds of papers related to educational sciences. In particularly, papers on teaching and teacher education, educational administration, counselling and student services, rural education and small schools, elementary and early childhood education, higher education, adult-career and vocational education, assessment and evaluation are welcome. Papers on science, reading, English and communication education, disabilities and gifted education, mathematics and environmental education, social studies and social science education, and urban education are also considered for publication. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research is an independent, double-blind peer-reviewed, open access and online journal that aims to publish papers in all fields related to educational sciences. Papers should describe original data that have not been previously published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Manuscripts that are deemed suitable for the International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research submission rules and the scope of the journal are sent to at least two reviewer who are experts in their fields for scientific evaluation. The members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research discuss the suitability of the manuscript and then take into account the reviewers comments on each submission. The final decision for all submitted manuscripts rests with the Editor-in-Chief. The publication language of the journal is English. Papers must suitable with grammatical rules. For this reason, after all the evaluation processes are completed, the papers should be proofreading. Proofreading is required for all articles to be published in the journal. A paper without proofreading will not be accepted for publication. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research publishes four issues in a year. The issues will be published in March, June, September, and December. Authors must submit an ethics committee approval document for articles published in IJCER (only for necessary papers). The Editorial Board of the International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research is committed to complying with the criteria of the <a href="https://www.icmje.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Council of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)</a>, <a href="https://www.wame.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)</a> and <a href="https://publicationethics.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)</a>.<br /><strong>Subject Category:</strong><br />• Social Sciences<br /><strong>Science Area:</strong><br />• Education &amp; Educational Research<br /><strong>Keywords:</strong><br />• Adult-Career, and Vocational Education,<br />• Assessment and Evaluation,<br />• Counseling and Student Services,<br />• Disabilities and Gifted Education,<br />• Educational Management,<br />• Elementary and Early Childhood Education,<br />• Higher Education,<br />• Reading, English, and Communication Educational ,<br />• Rural Education and Small Schools,<br />• Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education,<br />• Social Studies and Social Science Education<br />• Teaching and Teacher Education,<br />• Urban Education<br /><strong>Publication Language</strong><br />Full Text Publication Language:<br />• Primary Language: English</p> <p><strong>Content Written in English &amp; Latin Alphabet:</strong><br />• Article Title: English<br />• Author Name: English (in Latin Alphabet)<br />• Author Address: English (in Latin Alphabet)<br />• Keywords: English &amp; English<br />• Bibliography: English (in Latin alphabet)<br /><strong>Full Text: English (in Latin Alphabet)</strong><br /><strong>Publication Period</strong><br />Four issues in the year (March, June, September &amp; December)<br /><strong>Article Submissions</strong><br />Submitted manuscripts must be appropriate to the purpose and scope of the journal. Original, unpublished manuscripts that are not in the evaluation process in another journal and whose content and submission have been approved by each author are accepted for evaluation.<br /><strong>Audience</strong><br />The target audience is members of the profession, teachers, school administrators, experts, researchers, master's and doctoral students as well as students related to this field with all fields of educational sciences. It aims to contribute to the spread of continuous professional development and research culture.<br /><strong>Fee Policy</strong><br />The publication of articles in the journal and the execution of article processes are not subject to any fee. No processing or submission fee is charged for articles submitted to the journal or accepted for publication. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research does not accept sponsorship and advertisement in accordance with its publication policies. All expenses of the International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research are covered by the publisher.<br /><strong>Copyright</strong><br />The copyrights of the works published in International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research belong to their authors. Authors consent to the publication of their intellectual work by International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)</a> licence.<br /><strong>Originality of Articles</strong><br />International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research does not accept papers previously published elsewhere.</p> <p>Update: 15.06.2024</p> en-US editor@ijcer.net (Assoc. Prof. Muhammed Zincirli) ijceroffice@gmail.com (Secretary) Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 OJS 3.3.0.13 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 Concurrent Validity of the Central Examination of Secondary Education Institutions: Canonical Correlation Analysis https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/494 <p>The aim of the study is to reveal the concurrent validity of the Central Examination of Secondary Education Institutions (OKMS). For this purpose, the relationship between the OKMS subtest raw scores of the students who took the exam and the 8th grade year-end achievement scores of the courses within the scope of the exam was analyzed by canonical correlation analysis. Grade 8 achievement scores were taken as the independent (predictor) variable and OKMS subtest scores were taken as the dependent (criterion) variable. The study was conducted on 3029 8th grade students who took the OKMS. Only one canonical correlation was found to be significant between the two sets of variables. 8th grade achievement scores were highly positively correlated with OKMS subtest scores. While 8th grade foreign language and science achievement scores had a high predictive power for OKMS subtest raw scores, it was found that the predictive power of the achievement scores of religious culture course in explaining the OKMS subtest raw scores was low. The set of 8th grade scores explained 48.6% of the total variance in the variable set of OKMS subtest raw scores. OKMS subtest variable set explains 60.1% of the total variance in the set of 8th grade scores.</p> Taliha Keleş Copyright (c) 2024 Taliha Keleş https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/494 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Effectiveness of a psychoeducational group intervention to reduce public institution call center employee burnout: A pilot study https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/540 <p>This quasi-experimental study examines the effectiveness of a psychoeducational group intervention program consisting of psychoeducation sessions and group exercises based on psychodrama warm-up activities resulting from the needs of public sector call center agents in the workplace. Forty municipality call center employees from two municipalities (intervention and control groups) completed pre- and post-test measures before and after the intervention program. A follow-up session for the intervention group took place one month after the completion of the intervention sessions. The intervention group showed significant pre-to-post-test short-term effects such as reduced depersonalization, increased mental well-being, psychological resilience, personal accomplishment, group atmosphere, and group cohesion. On the other hand, no significant difference was noted in the control group from pre- to post-test, except for the decrease in the group atmosphere scores. Group atmosphere and group cohesion scores remained significantly increased after one-month follow-up measures compared to the pre-test in the intervention group.</p> Burcu Uysal, Seyhan Özkul, Ayşenur Bayraktar Copyright (c) 2024 Burcu Uysal, Seyhan Özkul, Ayşenur Bayraktar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/540 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 A Study of Accountability of Policymakers and Curriculum Implementers for Curriculum Implementation in Ethiopian Primary Schools https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/563 <p><strong>This study aimed to explore the compact accountability relationship for curriculum implementation in rural public primary schools in the east Wollega zone administration, Ethiopia. An exploratory case study type and a multiple case study research design were employed. The purposeful sampling technique was used. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews and document reviews. The data were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study reveal that the compact accountability relationship between the policymakers and the curriculum implementers was loosely exercised and compromised by main determinants such as weak capacity, poor monitoring progress, and politicization of the policymakers’ roles and responsibilities. This study also affirms that a compact accountability relationship was seriously operational to collect easily achievable reports, which led policymakers to be unsuccessful in communicating their clear duties and responsibilities for the curriculum implementation to hold implementers accountable as stated in the government proclamation. Hence, it can be concluded that accountability stands for responsibilities outside the classroom by missing the actual curriculum implementation. The study recommends that the government should establish an autonomous and independent policymakers’ office that acts as a monitor and holds curriculum implementers accountable by visiting schools, pointing out mistakes, writing reports, and exercising accountability mechanisms.</strong></p> Feyera Beyessa, Ambissa Kenea Copyright (c) 2024 Jarse, Ambissa Kenea https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/563 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Metavethics in Higher Education Institutions: Is the Metaverse Second Forbidden Fruit of Humanity? https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/578 <p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p>The metaverse which is considered as the digital big bang of humanity and the next evolution of the internet is anticipated to offer a living environment for civilization 5.0 and beyond in various domains including education. Each novice technology that enters our daily lives generates also fear, anxiety, and problems as well as hope, benefit, and attraction. The purpose of this research is to investigate what ethical problems the metaverse may cause in higher education institutions and how healthy metaverse universities can be created within the framework of ethics. Interpretative phenomenological research design was employed in the study and data was collected from the field experts and lecturers in higher education. The study indicated thirteen VR/AR/XR experts' and lecturers' visions on the metaverse-based ethical issues and practical implications that could be applied within the scope of five thematic nodes comprising metaverse awareness, security and data, safety and wellness, social equality and diversity, and accessibility. It is expected that the study will contribute to the design of a healthy and good metaverse in the future of higher education institutions pursuant to ethical values.</p> Nurten Gündüz, Mehmet Sincar Copyright (c) 2024 Nurten Gündüz, Mehmet SİNCAR https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/578 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Development and Validation of the Online Antisocial Personality Scale (OAPS) Using the DSM-5 Criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/641 <p>Recent studies have consistently demonstrated that antisocial behaviors occur in online environments. Although online antisocial behavior has a long history, it appears to have become more widespread in recent years due to the widespread use of online social networks. Although there are established criteria and instruments assessing antisocial behavior there are few examining such behavior online. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop the Online Antisocial Personality Scale (OAPS). The OAPS was developed using the diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder in DSM-5. The OAPS assesses antisocial behavior in online environments. The present study comprised 447 adolescents (219 girls and 228 boys) from four different samples. The measures used included the Online Antisocial Personality Scale (OAPS), E-Bullyıng Scale (E-BS), and Personality Belief Questionnaire-Short Form (PBQ-STF). The structural validity of OAPS was investigated with Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and criterion validity. When validity and reliability analysis of the OAPS are considered as a whole, it is concluded that the OAPS is a valid and reliable scale that assesses online antisocial personality among adolescents.</p> Mark Griffiths, Hale Savci, Mustafa Savci Copyright (c) 2024 Mark Griffiths, Mustafa Savci, Hale Savci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/641 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 A Collaboration Project on Education for Sustainability: A Qualitative Evaluation of Professional Development Program for Turkish Preschool Teachers https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/607 <p>This article is dedicated to examining a bilateral project established between the Republic of Korea and Türkiye, with the overarching objective of elevating awareness and endowing preschool teachers with the capacity to embed education for sustainability (EfS) within their classroom practices seamlessly. For this purpose, a professional development (PD) program was developed regarding three pillars of sustainability and 7R themes. Fourteen preschool teachers attended the PD program. Three teachers participated in this case study to reveal teachers' transformation regarding sustainability and early childhood education for sustainability. The data were collected through pre-post-follow-up interviews and classroom observations. Thematic content analyses were conducted. According to the results, the PD program enhanced and deepened teachers’ sustainability knowledge. In addition, teachers could transfer the knowledge from the PD program on education for sustainability into their practice not entirely but acceptably, and they have a chance to reconsider their lifestyle habits regarding sustainability in many areas.&nbsp;</p> Rıdvan Elmas, Naciye Öztürk, Deniz Kahriman Pamuk, Hazal Begüm Ünal Çubukçuoğlu, Savaş Pamuk, Yekta Koşan, Tülin Güler Yıldız, Gelengül Haktanır Copyright (c) 2024 Rıdvan Elmas, Naciye Öztürk, Deniz Kahriman Pamuk, Hazal Begüm Ünal Çubukçuoğlu, Savaş Pamuk, Yekta Koşan, Tülin Güler Yıldız, Gelengül Haktanır https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/607 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Teachers’ Strategies to Alleviate Speaking Anxiety and Foster Willingness to Communicate among EFL Secondary School Students https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/608 <p>This research paper delves into the origins of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speaking anxiety in Moroccan secondary school students and offers potential remedies to reduce or prevent its occurrence, with a particular emphasis on encouraging a willingness to speak. The study involved 37 secondary school teachers who completed a questionnaire regarding their strategies to mitigate speaking anxiety and promote communication willingness among Moroccan EFL secondary school students. The data was collected and analyzed using SPSS. The findings reveal that anxiety stems from various factors, including linguistic issues (such as limited vocabulary, grammar challenges, and fluency), personal factors (such as learner personality and motivation), and teacher-related factors (including feedback quality and classroom activities). Moreover, the research suggests that teachers should prioritize strategies like providing positive feedback, offering praise, and incorporating collaborative work or task-based learning to reduce students’ EFL speaking anxiety. Additionally, teacher participants proposed additional strategies focused on a variety of activities and methods to foster a welcoming classroom atmosphere.</p> Insaf Khoudri Copyright (c) 2024 Insaf Khoudri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/608 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Teachers’ Views on Lifelong Learning https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/621 <p>This study adopted a qualitative research design to investigate teachers' views on lifelong learning. The sample consisted of 30 teachers from different branches. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Participants viewed lifelong learning as a process not limited to schools. They also associated it with all kinds of learning activities and personal growth. They believed lifelong learning was necessary for technological advances, social change, and high quality of life. They stated that the goals of lifelong learning were accessing educational opportunities, increasing knowledge and skills, and transforming students into qualified people. They noted that motivation, education systems, and social and cultural changes affected lifelong learning.</p> Sevgi Koç Copyright (c) 2024 Sevgi Koç https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/621 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Determination of Creative Story Writing Skill Levels of Secondary School 7th Grade Students https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/643 <p>In this study, it was aimed to determine the creative story writing skill levels of seventh grade secondary school students. The research is a quantitative research and designed in survey design. The study group of the research consists of a total of 121 seventh grade secondary school students who were determined by convenience sampling technique. The research data were obtained by having the students in the study group write creative story texts and evaluating these texts with a rubric developed by the researcher. The collected data were presented as descriptive statistics (frequency, min. and max. values, arithmetic mean, standard deviation) with the help of statistical software. As a result of the research, it was determined that the scores of the students' creative story writing skills were generally low and medium level. In addition, in terms of sub-dimensions, except for two sub-dimensions (imagination, form), students' mean scores were found to be low and medium level.</p> Ebru Öztürk, Erol Duran Copyright (c) 2024 Ebru Öztürk, Erol Duran https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/643 Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300 Social Studies and Love of Art: Students and Teachers Enlighten the Connections https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/586 <p style="font-weight: 400;">Art and artistic activities that play a significant role in the lives of both children and adults, are an important requirement for all individuals. Cultures develop, expand, and enrich through artistic activities, which are important for the development of visual literacy, especially in social studies. The present study aims to determine the reflection of various artistic branches in social studies course and the student interest and love that art considered to evoke in the context of the social studies course. In the study, qualitative research methods and techniques were used to review relevant documents and to determine the participant views about the role of art in social studies. First, the current Turkish social studies curricula and textbooks were analyzed. Then, an interview form developed by the authors was applied to 80 students attending all grades in a public middle school and 3 teachers employed in these schools in one of the major cities in Turkey. The attributes employed by the teachers and students in the interview form were analyzed with thematic/content analysis. The study findings demonstrated that that the curricula and textbook achievements that allow activities in several art branches were limited. However, despite the limitation, the study findings demonstrated that the students were interested in different art branches and evidenced the support of the social studies to the development of interest and love for certain learning areas.</p> Sule Eguz Copyright (c) 1970 Sule Eguz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://ijcer.net/index.php/pub/article/view/586 Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300