25.11.2024
Science is a subject we use consciously or unconsciously in every aspect of our daily lives. Due to certain physics topics, it's often perceived as a difficult quantitative subject. However, simplifying the subject concretely with examples from everyday life is the first step in dispelling this prejudice. For example, after explaining that a 5 Pascal pressure applied to a liquid in a closed container is transmitted equally to every point, and therefore the pressure increases are the same at those points, the teacher could say, "I will give everyone 5 points each as a motivational boost after a test with a low class average." This would make the children think, "Actually, this question wasn't that difficult; I can do it again if it's asked." This would boost the child's self-confidence and dispel their preconceived notions about science. It's important to remember that one of the most crucial factors in unlocking success is building a person's self-confidence – believing they can do it and demonstrating it to them. We should not only provide children with opportunities to unleash their potential but also offer them motivating guidance along the way.
Professor Dr. Aziz Sancar, born in Mardin to a family of eight children and completing his primary education there, not only represents our country with his work abroad but also won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work mapping "how cells repair damaged DNA and protect genetic information," becoming a beacon of hope for Turkish youth, showing them that they can succeed despite insurmountable difficulties if they so desire.
Involving children in the learning process is, to some extent, in the hands of us teachers. Yes, children will have an innate desire to learn, but we can also engage those who lack it by drawing on their interests—for example, their favorite team, sport, music, or band—making them feel valued and appreciated. In this way, we will not only nurture a child but also cultivate a citizen who can make their family proud and serve their country in various capacities in the future. Of course, it would not be right to expect every child to become a doctor or engineer. By guiding them towards areas they are interested in, such as culture, art, or sports, and by having them represent their country in these fields, they will be worthy of this Republic founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Ultimately, it should not be forgotten that every student's cognitive structure is different. We can contribute to their development by directing different intelligences towards different fields and providing the right guidance.
One of the most important factors influencing participation in science classes is individuals' self-regulation (Yetişir and Ceylan, 2015). By ensuring individuals' active participation in science classes and developing their questioning and expression skills, interest in science can be increased, and their self-regulation can be improved (Sarıduman, Bektaş, and Hamalosmanoğlu, 2018). Individuals who can fully implement self-regulation can increase their success by realizing their own goals (İsrael, 2007).
Learning orientation can be defined as the value of the learning process for effective progress, involving an individual's ability to access information, internalize the content they encounter, develop that content until they reach excellence and mastery of the subjects (Wood and Bandura, 1989; Zimmerman, 2002).
In terms of success, orientation and self-regulation have an impact, as does individuals' self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the ability of individuals to organize and carry out activities that will enable them to reach a certain level (Bandura and Cervone, 1986). As self-efficacy increases in an individual, the effort and patience shown increase, leading to increased success (Israel, 2007).
Keywords: Prejudice, self-confidence, motivate, interests, care, value, self-regulation, self-efficacy, orientation
References:
Bandura, A. and Cervone, D. (1986). Differential engagement of self-reactive influences in cognitive motivation. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 38(1), 92-113.
Israel, E. (2007). Self-regulation training, science achievement and self-efficacy (Doctoral dissertation, DEU Institute of Educational Sciences).
Sarıduman, İ., Bektaş, O. and Hamalosmanoğlu, M. (2018). The perspectives of 6th grade students taking lessons from different science teachers towards science. Elementary Education Online, 17(3).
Yetişir, M. İ. and Ceylan, E. (2015). The adaptation of students’ adaptive learning engagement in science scale into Turkish. Elementary Education Online, 14(2), 657-670.
Wood, R. and Bandura, A. (1989). Impact of conceptions of ability on self-regulatory mechanisms and complex decision making. Journal of personality and social psychology, 56(3), 407.
