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An Exploration of the Effect of High-Stakes Examinations on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Post-Primary Education in Turkey and Ireland. Tugba Aysel ( NUIM) Co-Supervisor: Ann O`Shea ( NUIM) Co-Supervisor: Sinead Breen (St. Patrick`s College, DCU).
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An Exploration of the Effect of High-Stakes Examinations on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Post-Primary Education in Turkey and Ireland Tugba Aysel (NUIM) Co-Supervisor: Ann O`Shea (NUIM) Co-Supervisor: Sinead Breen (St. Patrick`s College, DCU)
Motivation for study • Both Ireland and Turkey have high-stakes examinations at the end of second level schooling that determine entry to third level education. • This project aims to explore the effect of such examinations on the teaching & learning of mathematics at second level in both countries
Situation in Ireland • Lyons, Lynch, Close, Sheerin & Boland (2003- Inside Classrooms) and Hourigan & O`Donoghue (2007) have expressed that the teaching and learning of mathematics in Irish post-primary schools: is focused on examination results, there is pressure on teachers and students, there is an emphasis on procedural skills.
Situation in Turkey • There is a less evidence of the effect of examinations • In PISA 2006 Turkish students performed less well than Irish students but their attitudes to mathematics were better.
Aim of my study • Investigate students` attitudes to mathematics and to learning mathematics. • Investigate the effects of exams on teachers and students. • Compare two countries.
Overview • Introduction to Turkish Education System • Comparison with Irish system • Preliminary results
TURKISH EDUCATION SYSTEM • Types of Post-Primary Schools • Science School • Anatolian High School • Private School • Ordinary School • Vocational School
Types of Irish Post-Primary Schools • Secondary Single Sex Girls Fee Paying • Secondary Single Sex Girls not-Fee Paying, not Deis • Secondary Single Sex Boys not-Fee Paying, Deis • Secondary Single Sex Boys Fee Paying • Secondary Coed Fee Paying • Secondary Coed not-Fee Paying, not Deis • Vocational/Community College not-Fee Paying, not Deis • Vocational/Community College not-Fee Paying, Deis • Comprehensive/Community School not-Fee Paying, not Deis • Comprehensive/Community School not-Fee Paying, Deis
The difference between Irish and Turkish post-primary schools • Turkey classifies secondary schools into 5 different levels • Ireland classifies students into 3 different levels (Foundation&Ordinary&Higher)
There are 4 groups in a post-primaryschool • Science group • Turkish-Maths group • Social group • Language group
Syllabus in Maths • In both countries the syllabus is very similar. For example; algebra, trigonometry, calculus, geometry.
EXAMS IN TURKEY AND IRELAND • Leaving Certificate Partial Credit Questions • OSYS (Student Selection Settlement Exam) Multiple Choice Questions
Turkish Exam System • All the papers were taken in one day in 3 and half hours. • This year (June), there will be four papers in 4 days.(Maths, Science, Social-Turkish and Language papers) • There were 60 multiple choice maths questions but there will be 85 multiple choice maths questions this year.
Few examples of the exam questions from both countries • OSYS-2009 A)e B)e-1 C)e-2 D)2e-1 E)2e-3 • Leaving Certificate-Higher Level-2009
A Contextual Question from OSYM-2009 • A shepherd`s sheep give birth either to 2 or 3 lambs. 75% of the delivery with 2 lambs and 50% of the delivery with 3 lambs are alive. If 28 sheep gave birth, how many lambs are alive? A) 35 B) 36 C) 39 D) 42 E)45
My Study 10 schools in Turkey 2 schools from each type 661 students and 21 teachers 13 schools in Ireland 1 school from each type at least 666 students and 29 teachers
Questionnaires • Teachers` Questionnaire 32 open-ended questions • Teacher Interviews • Students` Questionnaire 60 likert-type questions
The topics in student questionnaire; • Learning goals, • Performance goals, • Confidence • Anxiety • Pressure • Usefulness • Good teaching • Maths learning • Study methods
Some examples of teacher`s questionnaire • 7- What teaching methods do you use?Describe a typical class? • 8- Do you have complete freedom in your choice of teaching methods? Yes No Please comment • 9- What do you think of the exam system? What are its positive aspects? What are its negative aspects? • 10- Do you think the exam system influences the way that you teach? Yes No Is the influence positive or negative?
Goal Orientation • We will focus on learning and performance goals. • Students who display performance goals wish to receive positive feedback on their abilities from themselves or others, and to avoid demonstrating a lack of ability. • Students with learning goals however, wish to increase their competence and acquire new understanding.
The Measures • The validity and reliability of the instrument was determined using Rasch Analysis • We will look at the Performance Goal and Learning Goal measures.
Results • We will look at Learning Goal and Performance Goal Scales for Turkish&Irish data • Analysis is ongoing
Learning Goal Questions • Lgoal_1: I work at maths because I want to learn as much as possible • Lgoal_2: I work at maths because it is important for me that I understood the ideas • Lgoal_3: I work at maths because I like figuring things out. • Lgoal_4: I work at maths because I like learning new things. • Lgoal_5: I work at maths because I like finding new ways of doing things.
Performance Goal Questions • Prfgoal_1: I work at maths because it is important to me that I do well on the Leaving Cert maths exam • Prfgoal_2: I work at maths because it is important for me to get as many CAO Points as I can • Prfgoal_3: I work at maths because it is important for me that the teacher thinks I do a good job • Prfgoal_4: I work at maths because it is important for me to do better than the other students • Prfgoal_5: I work at maths because I don`t want people to think that I am stupid
Reliability • Person reliability index: indicates how robust the person ordering is. • Item reliability index:all the items on a scale measure the same trait.
Reliability Measures • Item reliability of Learning scale is .99 Item reliability of Performance scale is 1.00 • Person reliability of Learning scale is .78 Person reliability of Performance scale is .51
T-test for comparing the countries on learning and performance scales • On Learning Goal scale, there is no significant difference between means of both countries (95% CI is between (-.07765, .31609) • On Performance Goal scale, there is significant difference between means of both countries (95% CI is between (-.363589, -.15259) Irish students have higher measures of performance goal.
Future Work • Construct measures for Irish&Turkish students in each of our 9 scales • Transcribe the teacher interviews data • Compare the Teachers views on maths education in Ireland and Turkey