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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science
Learning and Teaching, Volume 4, Issue 2, Article 5 (Dec., 2003) Murat GÖKDERE, Mehmet KÜÇÜK and Salih ÇEPNİ Gifted science education in Turkey: Gifted teachers' selection, perspectives and needs
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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science
Learning and Teaching, Volume 4, Issue 2, Article 5 (Dec., 2003) Murat GÖKDERE, Mehmet KÜÇÜK and Salih ÇEPNİ Gifted science education in Turkey: Gifted teachers' selection, perspectives and needs
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Method
In this study, a case study approach was used as it was necessary to examine a few aspects of gifted teacher education in some depth, yet within a limited time scale (Bell, 1989; Cohen & Manion, 1989). Limitations of the study are discussed next. Just fourteen gifted science teachers working at three SAC's were studied. Data was gathered through a profile questionnaire and semi-structured interviews using nine questions in order to determine what gifted science teachers' ideas are about gifted students' education as well as their learning and teaching approaches, what teaching methods are used, what problems are faced and what the expectations are about support from teacher educators. Firstly, the profile questionnaire was applied to the sample and then interviews were done with each of the gifted science teachers by one researcher of the study. A profile in the form of a table was constructed from data gathered through a brief questionnaire. This covered details on: subjects' type of degree, graduation levels, teaching experience, type of programme, and whether or not there was a research component in each subject's degree programme. Interviews were lasted for 20-30 minutes and recorded on time. Responses to each question were analyzed for common features, which were then summed to form a proportional percentage. In the analyses of questions one and four, the frequency of explained teaching methods were calculated based not on the number of gifted science teachers but based on all the given answers to these questions. For example, a gifted science teacher could give more than one answers to these questions. This kind of qualitative data analysis method was also used in some studies by Gökdere and Küçük (2003) and Küçük (2002). Anonymity of the subjects was protected through the use of code letters.
Copyright (C) 2003 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 4, Issue 2, Article 5 (Dec., 2003). All Rights Reserved.
