Courses given by the Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Educ.


Course Code Course Name METU Credit Contact (h/w) Lab (h/w) ECTS
SSME305 TEACHING AND LEARNING MATHEMATICS IN A STEM CONTEXT 3 2.00 2.00 8.0

Course Content

Theaching and learning of mathematics in an interdisciplinary context , the role of mathematics in STEM education, applications of mathematics to real-world problems, mathematical problem solving through teamwork, designing a prototype for the solution of a problem from an engineering perspective, making assumptions, developing possible solutions and making decision for best promising solution, understanding mathematical structure conceptually and interpreting the solution.

SSME402 TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTED MATH.TEACHING 3 2.00 2.00 6.0

Course Content

The potential and the place of technology in particular information technology and cognitive tools, in teaching and learning mathematics. The impacts of calculator and computers on curriculum and new standards for the professional development of mathematics teachers. Use of such technologies in teaching/learning algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, statistics, probability and problem solving.

SSME404 LAB.EXPER.IN PHYS./CHEM.BIOL.TEACHING 3 2.00 2.00 6.0

Course Content

Laboratory experiments in SSME. Improvement of skills in setting up experiments in Physics, Chemistry, Biology for Secondary Schools. Theory of the experiments, data gathering and evaluation. Interpretation of possible unexpected results daily life applications of scientific principles relevant to experiments. Design new experiments in accordance with the national curriculum. The impacts of calculators and computers on curriculum and new standards for the professional development of Physics, Chemistry and Biology teachers.

SSME424 INTRO.TO STATISTICS.FOR TEACHERS 3 2.00 2.00 6.0

Course Content

Nature of statistical methods, elementary distribution and sampling theory, estimation and testing hypothesis, linear regression and analysis of variance. Use of computer packages in the statistical analysis of data in education.

SSME440 TECHNING OF GEOMETRY CONCEPTS 3 3.00 0.00 6.0

Course Content

The role of geometry in Turkish school mathematics curricula. Psychological development of geometrical concepts. Methods of teaching geometry with special emphasis on active learning.

SSME444 HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS CURRICULUM REVIEW II 3 2.00 2.00 6.0

Course Content

Analysis of all topics in Turkish 11th and 12th grade physics curricula in detail; review of the physics concepts emphasizing the common misconceptions and learning difficulties related to these concepts in the literature; the strategies in order to handle the misconceptions; examination of ÖSS and ÖYS questions and measuring tools to assess the misconceptions, achievement, skills and attitude; familiarizing students to the corresponding Turkish of the physics concepts in English

SSME445 HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY CURRICULUM REVIEW 3 3.00 0.00 6.0

Course Content

Reviewing the topics in high school chemistry curriculum in detail; exploring common misconceptions related to chemistry concepts reported in the literature; discussing assessment techniques to identify misconceptions; discussing conceptual change strategies on how to eliminate the misconceptions; examining the questions in University Entrance Examination considering the misconceptions; introducing Turkish terms for the corresponding chemistry concepts.

SSME455 MATHEMATICAL MODELING FOR TEACHERS 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Models and modeling approach on mathematics problem solving, learning, and teaching; application of mathematics to model real-world problem situations of different branches of mathematics. Training teachers in modeling process: understanding the real-world problem situations, making assumptions, formulating mathematical problem, solving the mathematical problem, interpreting the solution, verifying the model, reporting, explaining, and making predictions based on the model. Implications of modeling in the classrooms, training prospective teachers for teaching and learning mathematics with modeling in the classrooms.

SSME456 HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION 3 2.00 2.00 6.0

Course Content

Planning, development, and managing hands-on mathematics activities relevant to secondary school mathematics curriculum. Effective use of technological tools to analyze mathematical phenomena; application of teaching methods and assessment tools in mathematics education considering cognitive, affective and psychomotor aspects of human learning. Connections between real-world and mathematics realm.

SSME485 RESEARCH METH.FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS 3 3.00 0.00 6.0

Course Content

Research skills and related competences involved in planning conducting and reporting of applied research studies of the type needed for prospective teachers.

SSME486 PROBLEM SOLVING IN MATHEMATICS 3 3.00 0.00 6.0

Course Content

Theories of mathematical problem solving; pedagogical techniques for school mathematics problem solving; curriculum organization to incorporate problem solving in school mathematics programs; extensive experience and practice in solving mathematical problems.

SSME500 M.S.THESIS 0 0.00 0.00 50.0

Course Content

Program of research leading to M.S. degree, arranged between student and a faculty member. Students register for this course in every semester starting from beginning of their second or third semesters while the research program or write-up of thesis is in progress.

SSME503 EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Inferential statistics, including sampling, test for significance, ANOVA techniques and regression analysis.

SSME514 SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN SECOND.EDUC.II 3 1.00 4.00 4.0

Course Content

Observation and practices carried out by student teachers under the close supervision of a cooperating school teacher in preparation for teaching practice course; planning and asking a series of questions in teaching, explanations and regulations for classroom teaching, management of a lesson and control of classroom, study of a student from various dimensions, evaluation of student work, lesson planning, use of textbooks, group work, organization of classroom environment, designing and using worksheets, micro-teaching practice in an actual classroom environment.

SSME520 RESEARCH METHODS IN EDUCATION 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Basic research designs constructed for hypothesis testing, their relevancies, their weaknesses .

SSME536 COMPUTER ASSISTED INS.IN SCI.AND MATH 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Application of computers into teaching-learning process in science and mathematics by school and home units.

SSME539 LAB.PROJECT IN SCI.& MATH.EDUCATION 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Individual and group science and mathematics projects organized by way of process units are put into practice in the laboratory.

SSME540 TEST CONSTRUCTION IN SCI.AND MATH.EDUCA 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Construction of diagnostic and achievement tests and other measuring tools in testing cognitive development.

SSME550 TECHNOLOGY IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Development of a learning package with educational software, printed materials, instruction for teachers including the philosophy and background of the concepts.

SSME552 SEMINAR 0 0.00 0.00 10.0

Course Content

Investigation and group discussion of research topics relevant to major issues of maths/science education; oral and written presentation of a review of available literature on a certain topic.

SSME600 PH.D. THESIS 0 0.00 0.00 130.0

Course Content

Program of research leading to Ph.D. degree, arranged between student and a faculty member. Students register for this course in all semesters starting from the beginning of their second or third semesters while the research program or write-up of thesis is in progress.

SSME618 PSYCHOLOGY OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Discussions of researches in mathematics education: Basic issues for research in mathematics education; Mathematical idea analysis; Research on mathematics teacher development; Understanding of various topics in mathematics; Classroom research; Cultural aspects of the teaching and learning; Theories in mathematics education.

SSME621 CRIT.& ANAL.OF RES.IN SCI./ MATH.EDUC. 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Emphasis on conceptualizing advanced educational research problems, analyzing data and interpreting data, and developing the methodology for dissertation proposals. Investigating and critically analyzing relevant research in science and mathematics education.

SSME649 HIST.DEV.OF BASIC CONCEPTS OF SCIENCE 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

The development of basic concepts and principles dominant to physics, chemistry and biology. Historical development reference to science education.

SSME650 COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN SCIENCE&MATH. EDUC. 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Behavioral patterns consisting of critical thinking, in reference to Piagets patterns of cognitive development. Science and mathematics education curricula in universities.

SSME652 THEORIES OF LEARNING AS APPLIED TO SCIENCE&MATH. EDUC. 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Basic learning theories interacted with basic curriculum. Instructional patterns in Science and Mathematics Education.

SSME654 THEORIES OF INS.IN SCIENCE AND MATH.EDU 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Study of past and present theories of instruction. Synthesizing a broad range of existing and emerging perspectives in understanding individual, interactional and contextual phenomena of instruction in science and mathematics.

SSME655 AFFECTIVE VARIABLES IN SCIENCE&MATH. EDUC. 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Theories of the affective variables including motivation, attitude, anxiety, self-concepts about the subject itself, beliefs about nature, teaching and learning of mathematics/science, self-regulation; investigation of research studies on affective variables in mathematics /scienceeducation; evaluation techniques of these variables; modelling of affective variables.

SSME670 APP.OF ITEM RES.THE.MOD.IN ACH.AND ATT. 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Statistical concepts for test theory, classical test theory scaling techniques, process of test construction. Item Response Theory (IRT), application of IRT to solve problems in achievement and attitude testing, model data fit analysis in IRT, package programs used in scaling, such as BILOG RASCAL, ASCAL, MULTILO6

SSME701 WRITING QUALITATIVE&QUANTITATIVE RES. IN EDUC. 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

A framework, a process, and compositional approaches for designing a qualitative or quantitative research study in education. Deciding on a paradigm; Writing an introduction; Stating a purpose for the study; Identifying research questions and hypotheses; Stating the significance of the study; Advancing methods and procedures for data analysis.

SSME703 ADVANCED DATA ANALYSIS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

For course details, see https://catalog2.metu.edu.tr.
SSME704 TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SCHOOL ALGEBRA 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

For course details, see https://catalog2.metu.edu.tr.
SSME705 ADVANCED STUDY OF PROBLEM SOLVING IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Theories of problem solving; strategies or solving; evaluation of problem solving ability; relationship between problem solving ability and affective variables; relationship between problem solving and cognitive style; meta-cognitive behavior during the problem solving; relationship between problem solving and mathematical modeling; extensive experience and practice in solving problems and evaluation of problem solving performances.

SSME709 ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TEACHER EDUCATION 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Investigations and analyzing current issues in mathematics and science teacher education. Reviewing and conceptualizing critical issues related to preparation and professional development of prospective and inservice mathematics and science teachers. Meaning and implications of complex relationship among beliefs, knowledge and attitudes in teacher education.

SSME711 READING FROM PHYSICS EDUCATION LITERATURE 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Reading from the physics education research literature; main trends and issues of physics education research; factors affecting students´ achievement in physics; how to improve students´ achievement in physics based on experiences of the physics teachers and physics education researchers; students´ learning difficulties and misconceptions in different physics topics.

SSME712 THEMES IN PHYSICS EDUCATION RESEARCH 3 3.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

Discussing themes in the physics education research literature; main trends and issues of physics education research; functions of laboratories and micro-based laboratories in learning physics, integration of scientific literacy into physics content, use of models and modeling in learning physics, students` learning difficulties and misconceptions in different physics topics.

SSME720 PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE TEACHING 3 0.00 0.00 8.0

Course Content

The course introduces and examines contemporary issues in philosophy of science in science teaching context. The course presents the difference between science and pseudo-science, discusses the change in scientific theories, and the nature of science in education context. The course focuses on the role of philosophy, especially the philosophy of natural sciences, on how we teach and perceive science. This course, basically, aims to provide fundamental knowledge and information regarding philosophy and nature of science to students at graduate level. It also aims to create an environment where students criticize and reflect on philosophical issues in science teaching.

SSME799 ORIENTATION GRADUATE SEMINARS 0 0.00 2.00 10.0

Course Content

For course details, see https://catalog2.metu.edu.tr.