International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies

Predictors of the Argumentative Writing Based on Multiple Texts: Individual and Process Variables

Hasan Kurnaz — 2025-04-14

This study aims to determine individual and process differences that influence argumentative writing with multiple texts. The participants of this study, which used a predictive correlational design, were 101 high school graduates and undergraduate students from two provinces in southeastern Turkey who voluntarily participated in the study. The data were obtained from argumentative essays written by the participants after reading source texts, as well as from a topic interest scale. The participants read five different source texts with different claims related to climate change and global warming, and then they wrote argumentative essays evaluating the claims in these texts. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression were used to analyze the data. Generally, findings indicated that students were not sufficiently successful in argumentative writing with multiple texts; both demographic characteristics and certain individual variables affected composition length. Topic interest, composition length, source content citation, and addition frequency variables accounted for approximately 41% of the variance in text-based argumentative writing. The findings of the study highlight the variables that are effective in text-based argumentative writing tasks and discuss them within the framework of the multiple-text literature.

Psychological Intervention Studies on The Adaptation of International Students: A Systematic Review

Esra Altın-Gök — 2025-04-14

Although there are empirical studies on the adaptation of fresh students in the country towards new life and conditions when they start university degrees and psychological processes following immigration, little is known about the adaptation problems of international students going abroad for university education. Similarly, scientific studies on psychological interventions on the adaptation of this group to new conditions and their effects on students’ wellbeing are also a matter of curiosity. Accordingly, the current study aimed to review the literature systematically to examine the current status of psychological intervention programs for the psychological adjustment of these international students. 9 articles were involved. The involvement criteria of the study were containing an intervention, addressing adaptation, and the presence of international students in the sample. When the studies that meet certain criteria of this study are evaluated, firstly, it is seen that a) these studies include international students generally in the first year of education, b) they are studied using a control group to see the intervention effect, c) most of the participants are women, and d) the interventions focus on providing information (e.g., foreign culture, traditions, intercultural experience, social resources, university resources and procedures), encouraging to establish relationships, providing training on various subjects (e.g., assertiveness), and developing some skills (e.g., coping, resilience, and communication) for an average of 5 sessions. Moreover, factors such as social adjustment, psychological adjustment, student experiences, interactivity, and academic achievement have been studied in common. As a result, it was considered that many of the psychological interventions implemented were effective and functional and that their dissemination and development could be beneficial.

Pre-service Teachers’ Views of Kindness

Sevgi Koç — 2025-04-14

Philosophers have reflected on good and evil for centuries. They have pondered the nature of kindness, questioning its definition, its goodness, and the criteria by which it is deemed good. Kindness is defined as help given without expecting anything in return. It is believed that every art, inquiry, action, and choice aims for some good. It is important for pre-service teachers to recognize the significance of the concept of goodness for the development and progress of society before becoming teachers. At the same time, it is essential for them to demonstrate conscious awareness as an indicator of moral development. This paper investigated preservice teachers’ views of kindness. This study adopted phenomenology, which is a qualitative research design. The sample consisted of 30 preservice teachers. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Participants regarded kindness as positive acts done without expecting anything in return. They believed that we needed kindness for a happier and better world. They stated that educators should be role models who implement various activities to raise their students’ awareness of kindness. They associated kindness with empathy, tolerance, affection, respect, benevolence, compassion, and responsibility. They believed that kindness brought with it social cohesion, prosperity, and solidarity.

Development of Classroom Management Scale: Validity and Reliability Study

Esin Metlilo — 2025-04-14

The aim of this study is to develop a scale with high validity and reliability to determine teachers' classroom management approaches. For this purpose, the study was structured according to the survey design, one of the quantitative research designs. The sample of the study consists of teachers working in public schools affiliated to the Ministry of Education in Türkiye and Kosovo in the 2021-2022 academic year (Türkiye 183, Kosovo 177). The convenience sampling method was used to determine the sample. In the scale development process, firstly, an item pool was created and draftscale was developed. Expert opinion was obtained on the form, content, comprehensibility and question structure of the draft scale. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted to determine the construct validity of the scale. As a result of the analyses, it was found that the scale consisted of four sub-dimensions and 19 items. The sub-dimensions were named as reactive, preventive, developmental and holistic. The reliability and validity analyses showed that the “Classroom Management Approaches Scale” is a reliable and valid scale.

Adaptation of the Teacher Homework Reasons Scale into Turkish and Development of the Teacher Homework Feedback Frequency Scale

Süleyman Avci — 2025-04-14

This research aims to adapt the Teachers Homework Reasons scale into Turkish and develop the Teachers Homework Feedback Frequency scale. The study involved 475 primary, secondary, and high school teachers from northeastern Turkey, with an average age of 41.25 years and an equal gender distribution. The sample was divided into two sub-groups: one underwent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the other confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Concurrent validity analyses were conducted on all teachers. To assess concurrent validity, correlations were examined between the scales and the Teacher Perception of Homework Quality and Feedback on Homework Scale. Additionally, responses to the homework frequency and feedback frequency questions were analyzed. The scales used in the study were found to be valid on the dimensions of homework quality, feedback on homework, homework frequency and feedback frequency . The EFA and CFA analyses demonstrated that the Teachers Homework Reasons scale retained a similar structure to the original, confirming the success of the language and cultural adaptation (χ²/df=2.495, CFI=.962, GFI=.910, TLI=.949, RMSEA=.079). The Teachers Homework Feedback Frequency scale showed a unidimensional structure as expected (X²/df=2.471, CFI=.964, GFI=.935, TLI=.951, RMSEA= .079) and the internal reliability values were high (.878). These high internal reliability values prove that the items in the scale are homogeneously distributed and reliable. This study provides a vital resource for understanding teachers' homework-related practices in Turkey and using this information to shape educational policies. Furthermore, the results can be used to better understand the effects of cultural differences on these practices by providing comparable data with international literature.

Measuring Test Anxiety Using Physiological Markers: A Comparative Study of Multiple-Choice and Open-Ended Tests

Meltem Acar Güvendir — 2025-04-23

Different types of test items influence students' test anxiety, and physiological measures such as heart rate provide a means of measuring this anxiety. This study aimed to explore the connection between test anxiety and examination item formats. It centered on 20 junior university students in Western Türkiye. The research monitored students' heart rate changes during assessments, encompassing both multiple-choice and open-ended formats. Using a relational survey model, the study focused on statistically significant differences in mean rank scores for students' state and trait-based test anxiety, assessed through the Friedman test. Additionally, it examined heart rate variance, a physiological stress indicator, shedding light on heart rate fluctuations experienced by students during and outside exams. Participants exhibited higher levels of trait test anxiety. Moreover, heart rate changes during multiple-choice items exceeded those during open-ended items. These findings imply that multiple-choice items may trigger elevated anxiety in students, whereas open-ended items may elicit less anxiety, encouraging flexible thinking skills utilization.