International Online Journal of Education and Teaching

EVALUATING WHAT MATTERS: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON PEER EVALUATION IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING

Shin-Il Han — 2025-01-01

This study investigates the criteria college students prioritize in peer evaluation within cooperative learning environments, aiming to establish a student-centered evaluation framework to enhance team effectiveness and learning outcomes. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, one of the qualitative research methods, 25 students from an education-related course at a Korean university were sampled for this study with creating and weighting peer evaluation criteria based on their experiences in team-based problem-solving tasks. From their criteria responded, seven primary categories emerged, including task preparation and completion, problem-solving skills, diligence and attendance, responsibility in role performance, communication, proactiveness and contribution, and creativity and originality. Findings indicate that responsibility and trust are fundamental to effective collaborative learning. This study contributes to understanding peer assessment’s role in fostering teamwork, with recommendations for integrating responsibility-driven evaluation criteria in colleges and universities.

I HAVE A LETTER TO MY MATH TEACHERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY WITH GIFTED STUDENTS

Çiğdem Çalışkan Toraman — 2025-01-01

This research aimed to explore the experiences and phenomenological aspects of gifted students' participation in mathematics classes at a science and arts center (a gifted education center in Turkey). This phenomenological study involved 47 students aged 8-15. Data were collected through letters written by the students to their mathematics teachers and analyzed using phenomenological and inductive content analysis. The findings revealed the overarching theme: "My Mathematical Course". Under this theme, students' perceptions of mathematics as a space of freedom/place of self-discovery and, conversely, as a source of boredom were identified. Furthermore, the students expressed expectations and desires regarding the mathematics class, the science and arts center, the system, and their teachers. The findings are discussed within the broader context of the literature.

EVALUATION OF THE PRE-SCHOOL CURRICULUM ACCORDING TO THE OPINIONS OF TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

Sinem Öztürk — 2025-01-01

This research aims to evaluate the 2013 Preschool Curriculum by teachers, parents, students, and school administrators. In this study, a mixed research model was used, in which qualitative and quantitative research methods were considered together. The study group of the research are preschool teachers, parents, students and school administrators. The data obtained from teachers, parents, and school administrators was obtained using a semi-structured interview form, and the data obtained from students was obtained using the "Primary School Readiness Scale". The data obtained from the interviews were completed in thirty-three days by audio recording face-to-face or via Zoom application. The data obtained from the scale was administered to the students by their teachers within a week. Content and descriptive analysis techniques were used in the analysis of qualitative data, and descriptive analysis techniques were used to analyse quantitative data. Looking at the results of the research, according to the teachers, the curriculum was found to be sufficient in terms of achievements but insufficient in terms of 21st-century skills. According to the results of the parents, they stated that they had no idea about the achievements in the curriculum and that they wanted activities such as mathematics and intelligence games. According to the results of school administrators, while the curriculum was found sufficient in terms of primary school preparation and achievements, it was found inadequate in terms of values education, 21st-century skills, and adaptation to primary school. According to the results obtained from the Primary School Readiness Scale, the 2013 Preschool Curriculum is a curriculum aimed at "preparing the child for primary school".

DECISIONS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE NATIONAL EDUCATION COUNCILS

Melek Ozkayacan — 2025-01-01

National Education Councils are the most important educational meetings in our country, which give direction to the National Education System and the education system in Turkey with the agenda items and decisions taken regarding the education system and educational policies. Due to the importance of these meetings, it has been tried to examine how and in which subject contents the decisions taken in the National Education Councils regarding higher education were handled. All written policies, documents and strategies of the twenty National Education Councils held between 1939-2021 were taken as the main source in order to determine the importance given to higher education in the National Education Councils, which are the highest advisory body of our education system, to evaluate the extent to which higher education education was included in which councils and to determine the decisions taken regarding higher education. In the study, since primary sources related to all content were accessed and it was deemed appropriate to include all Council meetings in the study, written (printed and digital) documents related to the National Education Councils were scanned and examined without selecting any sample in the data search, and the data were evaluated by descriptive analysis and content analysis.

Keywords: National Education Councils, Higher Education, Council Decisions, Education

THE ROLE OF HOPE IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CAREER TRANSITIONS

Murat Konuk — 2025-01-01

This article offers a theoretical, empirical, and practice-oriented examination of the central role that “hope” plays in university students’ post-graduation career transitions. It first addresses the concept of career, the nature of career transitions, and the uncertainty, anxiety, and stress factors that arise during this process. The article highlights the key needs of students as they form their professional identities, develop competencies, set future goals, and access support resources. Subsequently, the text situates hope within career development theories—particularly Career Construction Theory and Social Cognitive Career Theory—and outlines the theoretical foundations of hope through the lens of positive psychology. Snyder’s Hope Theory is used to define hope in terms of goal-directed thinking, pathways thinking, and agency thinking. Emphasis is placed on how hope enhances students’ psychological well-being, transforms uncertainty into a challenge, and fosters flexibility and resilience. From a cultural perspective, the article explores economic, familial, and societal factors influencing Turkish university students’ levels of hope. It also addresses the measurement and evaluation of hope, proposes hope-based interventions, and offers recommendations for career counseling practices. Ultimately, hope emerges as a fundamental psychological resource that enables students to approach the future more constructively, adaptively, and resolutely.

Keywords: Career transitions, hope, university students.