Papers by Muhammed Özgür Yaşar
Anatolian Journal of Education
In March 2020, the covid-19 pandemic outbreak forced universities in Turkey to move their educati... more In March 2020, the covid-19 pandemic outbreak forced universities in Turkey to move their educational activities onto online platforms. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) thereupon have gained urgent attention from higher education institutions thanks to their capacity to make educational opportunities accessible to the masses. Similarly, an area of increasing importance recently has been the concept of self-directed learning (SDL) for online learners. The purpose of this study is to find out student teachers' readiness for MOOCs and their learner autonomy development in a MOOC learning environment based on the theoretical models of SDL. Thus, to expand the capacity for teacher professional autonomy, the present research has focused more on autonomy in distance learning. The study is likely to offer valuable insights into the views of teacher educators on being in a better position to assess the concept of learner autonomy in MOOCs for post-covid educational practices.
Anatolian Journal of Education, 2023
In March 2020, the covid-19 pandemic outbreak forced universities in Turkey to move their educati... more In March 2020, the covid-19 pandemic outbreak forced universities in Turkey to move their educational activities onto online platforms. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) thereupon have gained urgent attention from higher education institutions thanks to their capacity to make educational opportunities accessible to the masses. Similarly, an area of increasing importance recently has been the concept of self-directed learning (SDL) for online learners. The purpose of this study is to find out student teachers' readiness for MOOCs and their learner autonomy development in a MOOC learning environment based on the theoretical models of SDL. Thus, to expand the capacity for teacher professional autonomy, the present research has focused more on autonomy in distance learning. The study is likely to offer valuable insights into the views of teacher educators on being in a better position to assess the concept of learner autonomy in MOOCs for post-covid educational practices.
English as a Foreign Language International Journal, Nov 7, 2022
Her research interests include teacher research, culture in language education, pre-and in-servic... more Her research interests include teacher research, culture in language education, pre-and in-service teacher education and critical thinking in education. She has authored numerous articles in indexed journals and book chapters and conducted teacher professional development seminars. He may be reached via
Emergency Remote Teaching and the Effects of Online Debate on L2 Speaking Anxiety: Pre-service English Language Teachers’ Perspectives, 2022
Language learners around the world have had to switch to an online remote teaching mode almost ov... more Language learners around the world have had to switch to an online remote teaching mode almost overnight due to the unprecedented COVID-19 global pandemic. Hence, they may experience higher levels of L2 speaking anxiety in their language learning process related to their use of new technologies in online learning environments. This research study provides language educators with some practical suggestions to help their EFL learners reduce their L2 speaking anxiety levels by analyzing the challenges of emergency remote teaching and investigating the effect of online debate on pre-service English language teachers’ L2 speaking anxiety. The study pursued a mixed-method research design. Two sources of data collection were used to explore the participants’ L2 speaking anxiety levels and their perceptions of online debating, including a quantitative review of students’ speaking anxiety levels before and after the online debate sessions, and an open-response questionnaire. The research population included 33 EFL freshmen students (15 males and 18 females), between the ages of 18 and 21, in the ELT department at a state university in Turkey. Based on the quantitative and qualitative findings, some pedagogical implications are proposed in the end.
The Potential and Prospect for a MOOC-based Flipped Classroom Model in Turkish Higher Education in relation to Professional Teacher Development, 2021
The flipped classroom (FC) model and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have in recent years att... more The flipped classroom (FC) model and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have in recent years attracted great interest for teaching in higher education institutions. They have also been the subject of considerable attention in the literature. However, a critical review of the existing literature reveals the need for different approaches and initiatives regarding FC and MOOCs. Therefore, the present study aimed to find out the effect of a MOOC-based FC model on pre-service English language teachers' academic achievement. It also attempted to explore the perceptions of pre-service English language teachers based on their MOOC and FC experiences. The results showed that there was no significant statistical difference between the experimental group and the control group in terms of their academic performance. However, the study lays out a model with conceptual and methodological tools and provides educators with a conceptual framework built around new combinations of classroom teaching and self-paced/online studies. Therefore, as a complement to traditional face-to-face instruction, the MOOC-based FC model could be considered useful for the training of future teachers.
Participatory Educational Research
By replacing part of a traditionally delivered course with a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), t... more By replacing part of a traditionally delivered course with a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), this study aimed to investigate the effect of a MOOC on the academic achievement of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners regarding their English communication skills, and the study also aimed to explore EFL learners’ perceptions on integrating a MOOC into their traditionally delivered course. The participants were 31 freshmen students enrolled in a compulsory course at a public university in Turkey. A mixed research method was employed. Data were collected through a quantitative review of achieved test results and written interviews, benefitting from both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. The results revealed that the use of MOOC significantly improved EFL learners’ English communication skills. Moreover, the following six major themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: fun, surprise, challenge, simplicity, universality, and interactivity. T he effective...
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Papers by Muhammed Özgür Yaşar