Exploring Science Centers' Educational and Organizational Approaches Through the Lens of Science Center Educators: Instructional Design Considerations

Abstract

Science centers are increasingly recognized as pivotal entities within informal education, facilitating learning experiences beyond the confines of traditional classroom environments by offering students immersive and interactive educational opportunities. Consequently, there has been a growing scholarly interest in comprehending and evaluating the pedagogical and organizational methodologies employed within science centers. Analyzing these practices through the lens of instructional design principles is seen as crucial for instructional designers, practitioners, and researchers alike. Therefore, assessing the current educational and institutional practices within science centers in Türkiye holds promise for enhancing their effectiveness. This research, conducted utilizing a basic qualitative research design as a qualitative methodology, involved purposive sampling to select participants, with data sourced from 13 diverse science centers across Türkiye. Semi-structured individual interviews with 20 science center educators provided data, which were then analyzed through thematic coding, providing insights into how pedagogical and institutional practices influence instructional design processes. The study delineates collaboration and instructional design as primary educational themes, while institutional practices are segmented into needs, expectations, challenges encountered, and efforts to address them. Ultimately, this study provides a robust framework for refining pedagogical and institutional practices within Turkish science centers in order to strengthen their pedagogical impact and assist in formulating effective organizational strategies, thereby contributing to future pedagogical endeavors within these centers.

Keywords

• Science center
• informal learning environments
• instructional design
• educational practices

Bilim Merkezlerinin Eğitimsel ve Organizasyonel Yaklaşımlarını Bilim Merkezi Eğitmenlerinin Bakış Açısıyla Keşfetmek: Öğretim Tasarımı Hususları

Abstract

Bilim merkezleri, informal eğitim alanında giderek daha fazla önem kazanmaktadır. Geleneksel sınıf ortamlarının dışında öğrenmeyi teşvik eden bu merkezler, öğrencilere deneyim odaklı ve etkileşimli bir öğrenme ortamı sunmaktadır. Bu nedenle, bilim merkezlerindeki eğitsel ve kurumsal uygulamaların anlaşılması ve değerlendirilmesi, eğitim alanında önemli bir araştırma konusu haline gelmiştir. Bu uygulamaların, öğretim tasarımı ilkeleri ile uyumlu olarak incelenmesi, öğretim tasarımcıları, uygulayıcılar ve araştırmacılar için önemli bir adımdır. Bu bağlamda, Türkiye'deki bilim merkezlerindeki mevcut eğitsel ve kurumsal uygulamaların değerlendirilmesi, bu merkezlerin etkinliğini artırmak için önemli ipuçları sunabilir. Bu çalışma, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden biri olan temel nitel araştırma deseni kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Katılımcılar, amaçlı örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilmiştir ve Türkiye genelindeki 13 farklı bilim merkezinden toplanan veriler üzerinden analiz yapılmıştır. Araştırma, 20 bilim merkezi eğitmeninden yarı yapılandırılmış bireysel görüşmeler yoluyla toplanan verileri içermektedir. Bu veriler, tematik kodlama yöntemi kullanılarak analiz edilmiş ve bulgular, bilim merkezlerindeki eğitsel ve organizasyonel uygulamaların öğretim tasarımı süreçlerini nasıl etkilediğine yönelik bulguları ortaya koymuştur. Bilim merkezlerindeki eğitim uygulamaları, işbirliğini artırma ve öğretimi tasarlama olmak üzere iki ana temayı ortaya koymaktadır. Organizasyonel uygulamalar ise, ihtiyaçlar, beklentiler, karşılaşılan engeller ve çözüm girişimleri olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma, Türkiye'deki bilim merkezlerindeki eğitsel ve organizasyonel uygulamaların iyileştirilmesi için önemli bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Bu çerçeve, bilim merkezlerinin eğitim verimliliğini artırmalarına ve organizasyonel uygulamalarını belirlerken hangi stratejileri kullanabileceklerini belirlemelerine yardımcı olabilir. Bu şekilde, bilim merkezlerinin ileriye dönük eğitim faaliyetlerine katkıda bulunulması amaçlanmaktadır.

Keywords

• Bilim merkezi
• informal öğrenme ortamları
• öğretim tasarımı
• eğitsel uygulamalar

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