Publikationen

• Tiede, J., Cakmak, E., Grafe, S., & Hobbs, R. (2024). Learning Loss Among Students in Turkey: Aftermath of the February 2023 Earthquakes. https://eera-ecer.de/ecer-programmes/conference/28/contribution/55743
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  In a world highly influenced by digital media, media literacy education is becoming an increasingly important issue (author; author). It is relevant not only for children and youths (author), but also for researchers and teachers who are responsible for the media literacy education of their students (Meehan et al., 2015; author). Consequently, pre-service teachers must acquire the necessary competencies, skills and abilities to implement media literacy education in their practice (Meehan et al., 2015). However, there are rather no binding regulations to integrate media literacy into initial teacher education (ITE) (European Commission, 2022). Research studies about media literacy education in ITE most often focus the national level (e.g. Klaß, 2020; Christ, 2004; Meehan et al., 2015; author) because different countries have their own media education systems, approaches, curricula, and instructional practices (author). There are only few studies about media literacy education in ITE which take explicitly a comparative point of view (e.g. author). Against this background, the purpose of this study is to identify practices in Initial Teacher Education in Germany, Turkey, and the USA for advancing necessary competencies, skills and abilities of student teachers to implement media literacy education in their practice from a comparative perspective. Accordingly, the following research question will be answered: What are common characteristics and differences between practices of advancing student teachers competencies, skills and abilities to implement media literacy education in their practice in initial teacher education in Germany, Turkey, and the USA? Building on previous research of comparing media literacy education and media-related competencies in initial teacher education in Germany and the USA (author; author), Turkey is included as a third country in this comparative research on media literacy education in ITE. Turkey was chosen because it offers different contrastive perspectives for media literacy education in ITE (Karakaşoǧlu & Tonbul, 2015). There are different terminologies, theories, models, frameworks and curricula for competencies, skills and abilities regarding media literacy of student teachers in ITE in Germany, the US and Turkey (e.g. Tulodziecki, 2012; Weinert, 2001; NAMLE, 2007; author). From a methodological viewpoint, it is necessary to establish a tertium comparationis as a common denominator for the comparison (cf. Hilker, 1962; Suter et al., 2019). We will present the results of a literature review and an expert interview study that take this perspective into account.

• Förster, K., Grafe, S., Hicks, T., Cakmak, E., Hahn, J., & Hobbs, R. (2023). Designing a Transnational Professional Development Program for Educators as a Virtual Community of Practice. Proceedings of AERA Annual Meeting, 1-11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3102/2012169
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  The global pandemic created new opportunities for the professionalization of educators. In this exploratory case study, we report on a transnational professional development program, focused in Germany and the United States (yet welcoming educators around the world) as a virtual Community of Practice. Using a design-based research process, the program aimed to create opportunities for dialogue about media literacy education and contemporary propaganda. Using mixed methods data collected through surveys and observations, research results show that participants were motivated primarily by the perceived value and usefulness of the program. Many participants were able to collaborate effectively with a peer, developing an original project focused on media literacy education in their own teaching contexts.

• Cakmak, E., & Tuzel, S. (2015). Debates about the Future of Media Literacy in Turkey. The Journal of Media Literacy Education, 7(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.23860/jmle-7-3-1
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  Media literacy has been widely debated in Turkey since the early 2000s and has been in the curriculum of the secondary schools as an optional subject for nearly a decade. During this time period, about four million students have received media literacy education. The multidisciplinary structure of media literacy has contributed to the interest of many researchers from varying fields. These researchers, who have different viewpoints, acceptations and expectations, have formed certain groups in a short time period and have started to defend their particular media literacy approaches and practices. This study examines the basic debates and issues that have emerged in Turkey’s short but active movement to educate in the area of media literacy. Issues include the question of which teachers (trained in education or communication) should teach the media literacy classes, the role of the government media regulatory agency in media literacy, and the debates on protective and empowerment approaches. In addition, the debates on educational censorship, textbooks, and media literacy have been integrated in the educational system under which models have been focused. Because of the focus on asking who is responsible for media literacy in Turkey, there has been less attention to issues of pedagogy, instructional strategies and curriculum resources. The blame is not completely on the government ministries as academic in-fighting also fuels debates about the future of media literacy in Turkey. Such territorial debates about the locus of media literacy may limit the growth of the field.

• Cakmak, E. (2013). The Effect of the Two Different Instruction Approaches of Media Literacy on Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes towards the Internet and Perceptions of Computer Self-efficacy. Anthropologist, 16(3), 531-538. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09720073.2013.11891379
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  Media literacy is generally defined as the ability to access media texts, analyse and evaluate those texts and create one’s own media. In this research, the effects of participating or not participating in a media literacy instruction (MLI) and two different approaches of media literacy instruction on the attitudes of teacher candidates towards the internet and self-efficacy perception related to computers were investigated. A total of 158 teacher candidates studying in the department of elementary education participated in this study. This research was conducted by using quasi-experimental design with a post-test only control group. The results indicated that the attitudes scores of the group, who participated in media literacy instruction, towards Internet were higher than who did not. Secondly the research has revealed that the perception of the self-efficacy oriented to computer does not differentiate between teacher candidates who participated in MLI or who did not. Moreover participants receiving education in line with media analyzing approach were observed to differentiate both with respect to attitude and self-efficacy perceptions from those who do not receive media literacy instructions.
• Cakmak, E. (2013). The Effect of Teaching Argumentative Writing on Teacher Candidates’ Argumentative Writing Skills. Journal of Theory and Practice in Education, 9(4), 379-389. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/63384
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  Argumentative writing is described as a sort of writing by which the writer suggests his opinions on a particular topic and proposes necessary data for argument. The writer gives reasons to refute counter arguments and reach a conclusion. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of teaching argumentative writing on teacher candidates' argumentative writing skills. The study was designed regarding single group pretest-posttest model and is a weak experimental study. The participant group consists of 63 undergraduate students who study at Abant Izzet Baysal University, Faculty of Education. For the study, participants were provided a 6 week argumentative writing education. Data were collected with argumentative writing rubric developed by the researcher. As a result of the study, it was found out that teaching of argumentative writing has positively influenced teacher candidates' argumentative writing skills. Following the argumentative writing education, it was seen that participants got higher scores in both argumentative writing basic and secondary elements. This was found as statistically significant.

• Cakmak, E., & Arif, A. (2008). Examining Elementary School Students’ Hypertextual Reading Processes. Journal of Education, 34, 63-74. http://www.efdergi.hacettepe.edu.tr/shw_artcl-515.html
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  Hypertext is digitized, linear or nonlinear interactive texts, where readers have the options of chosing their own reading paths. As the Ministry of National Education put emphasis on introducing internet technologies into classrooms, especially with the information technology classroom project, elemantary school students will be exposed to more and more hypertext enviroments, which offer media- rich reading enviroments. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the fifth and sixth graders’ hypertextual reading process. A total of 45 fifth and sixth grade elementary school students participated in this study. A pre-test, post- test quasi experimental research design was applied. Data were collected through three instrurements, which are hypertext dissorientation scale, remembrance test, and reading-time logs. The results indicated that students percieved themselves as undecided about their dissorientation and no significant gender differences were observed. Secondly, the more time they spend on hypertext reading, the more they remembered and the less they felt dissoriented. Moreover, no gender difference was observed in their reading times.