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

1. Science School

2. Anatolian High School

3. Private School

4. Ordinary School

5. Vocational School

Types of Irish Post-Primary Schools1. Secondary Single Sex Girls Fee Paying

2. Secondary Single Sex Girls not-Fee Paying, not Deis

3. Secondary Single Sex Boys not-Fee Paying, Deis

4. Secondary Single Sex Boys Fee Paying

5. Secondary Coed Fee Paying

6. Secondary Coed not-Fee Paying, not Deis

7. Vocational/Community College not-Fee Paying, not Deis

8. Vocational/Community College not-Fee Paying, Deis

9. Comprehensive/Community School not-Fee Paying, not Deis

10. 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

dxex x 1

0

)1(

4

4

sin3sin xdxx

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 Turkey2 schools from each type

661 students and 21 teachers

13 schools in Ireland1 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;1. Learning goals,2. Performance goals,3. Confidence4. Anxiety5. Pressure6. Usefulness7. Good teaching8. Maths learning9. 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.

Boxplot for Learning Goal

Boxplot for 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

THANK YOU