Aslıhan Kuyumcu Vardar

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether university students need to develop their intercultural communication skills. In this respect, the study covers the needs analysis phase of a program development process. Recognizing culture as a fundamental component of language education, the research addresses the growing need for students to navigate diverse cultural contexts effectively. A mixed-method design was employed to identity the actual needs of the students through both qualitative and quantitative tools. Data were collected from preparatory class students, lecturers, and Erasmus coordinators through surveys and interviews during 2020-2021 academic year. Quantitative data were analysed using frequency analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha in SPSS. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Results from the needs analysis revealed a clear requirement for cultural competence training. The study recommends adapting the program for secondary education and foreign learners of Turkish, examining long-term professional impacts, and investigating cultural challenges in programs like Erasmus. Future research could focus on building a problem pool and testing interventions for intercultural misunderstandings.

This study aims to investigate the effect of gamification on fifth-grade students’ academic achievements and attitudes towards mathematics course. For this purpose, the teaching process of the “fractions” as a subject of the mathematics course is equipped with gamification elements. The quasi-experimental design is preferred as the research design. Achievement test and attitude scale were used as data collection instruments. The participants of the study consisted of fifth-grade students (n = 46). The Pyramidal Design Model was preferred as the gamification design model in this study. Elements of this model were adapted to the class level of participants in this research. As a result of the study, a remarkable statistical difference was observed in the achievement test in favor of the experimental group. However, no major difference was observed in the attitude scale results. This study contains suggestions for the educational use of gamification based on research findings.

In 21st century, developing communication and technology usage has increased people's interest and need for English and made English a common language in many fields such as science, culture, art, and economy. In this context, important changes have been made in English curricula in Turkey like many countries. In this study, the curricula between the years 1973-2017 were examined and discussed within the framework of similarities and differences. The study is conducted by qualitative research method. The curricula were examined based on the original and official document by using document analysis. When the findings were examined, it was understood that from 1973 to 2017, students became responsible for their own learning, teachers were transformed into guides and the learning-teaching environment was tried to be created in more technological structures. It has been observed that in the curricula of 2014 and beyond, the concepts of information and communication technologies, culture and values were dominant. During the assessment process, it was observed that classical assessment methods gave way to alternative assessment methods. According to the results, since development is a holistic process, more emotional and psychomotor objectives could be included in new curricula. Student motivation can increase positively with themes that appeal to students' interests more. New technologies should be introduced into teaching-learning process.

This study was performed to determine the grammar acquisitions level of 6th grade students according to different variables and to evaluate students' attitudes towards the Turkish course. The population of the study was 6th grade students studying in a district in the Western Black Sea region in the 2015-2016 academic year (N=237). The sample of the study was determined as 230 students. The collection of data employed “Personal Information Form", "The Grammar Achievement Test" and" Turkish Course Attitude Scale”. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean and, standard deviation, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test and correlation analysis. In the study, it was determined that grammar acquisitions level of students was 65.6%. The mean of the grammar achievement test score was 28.89 ± 9.07 (min: 9, max: 44) Students, who gender girls, who high number of books to be read a monthly, who have a study room in home, whose mother’ education of levels, who participated in training courses had higher frequencies of accessibility levels to acquisitions of grammar. There was not statistically significant between students’ accessibility levels to acquisitions of grammar and father' levels of education and economic status. Additionally, it was determined that a positive correlation between the accessibility levels to grammar acquisitions of the students and the Turkish course attitudes. According to this research result, there is effect of various variables on the accessibility levels to acquisitions of grammar of 6 th grade students. In this context, it is recommended to encourage student-centered education that will positively affect the personal development and attitudes towards the course, as well as improving the socio-economic conditions of the students.