You are cordially invited to the online research seminar organized by the Department of Educational Sciences.
Speakers: Prof. Dr. Alipaşa Ayas, Dr. Armağan Ateşkan, & Dr. Ilker Kalender
Title: Enhancing Teachers’ Digital Skills in Türkiye: Insights from an EU-funded “Digital Ecosystem for Teacher Training” Project
Date: Friday, 03 May
Time: 16:30-17:20
Location: Online /Zoom meeting
This is an online seminar. To obtain event details please send a message to department.
Abstract:
Bilkent University Faculty of Education is working to enhance teachers’ digital skills in Türkiye. The IPA-3 “Digital Ecosystem for Teacher Training” project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNICEF and Bilkent University Faculty of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education. The total budget of the project is €3.75 million. The project will run until 2026 and develop an online teacher training platform offering 120 hours of interactive modules to build digital skills. The project is designed to equip teachers with the capacity to enhance children’s digital skills, allowing students to reach their full potential. Thus far, we have conducted a needs analysis survey for teachers, defined and are developing online teacher training modules, offered workshops and constructed a measurement and evaluation framework. This presentation will introduce the project’s purpose, rationale, and framework. Participants will learn the results of the needs analysis, which provided important insights for developing several components of the project, the Digital Competency Framework for Teachers, and the structure of online teacher training modules. The presentation will conclude with an explanation of the measurement and evaluation framework.
About the speakers:
Dr. Ilker Kalender completed his Ph.D. on the applicability of Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) procedures for university admission exams in Türkiye. He joined Bilkent University in 2008. He worked at the Measurement, Selection and Placement Centre, conducting research projects involving developing computerized adaptive versions of language tests. He has also served on textbook examination committees for the Ministry of National Education. His research interests focus on computerized adaptive testing procedures, large-scale data analysis, and student evaluations of teaching. Recently, he worked on the development of the new K12 curriculum project as a measurement and evaluation specialist.
Dr. Armağan Ateşkan started her master’s degree in biology teaching with a scholarship offered by Bilkent University in 2000 and graduated in 2002. Due to her special interest in technology, she completed her Ph.D. in Computer Education and Instructional Technology at Middle East Technical University. Between 2002 and 2004, she taught at Bilkent University Graduate School of Education and worked as a biology teacher at Bilkent High School. She continued to work as an instructor at Bilkent University between 2004 and 2009 and worked as a part-time educational technologist at an American international school in Belgium between 2009 and 2012. In 2012, she returned to Bilkent University, Department of Educational Sciences. She is still working as a faculty member in the same department. In the Summer of 2023, she was appointed as the coordinator of Bilkent University Teaching and Learning Center (BTLSC). She has contributed to many national and international publications, conferences, trainings and projects. Her research interests include international education, teacher education, education for sustainability, environmental education, ICT in education, and computational thinking.
Prof. Dr. Alipaşa Ayas received his undergraduate degree from Karadeniz Technical University, and his graduate degrees in Education (Curriculum and Instruction-science education) from University of New Brunswick, Canada; MSc in Chemistry from Karadeniz Technical University, Türkiye; and his Ph.D. in Education (Curriculum and Instruction-science education) from Southampton University, U.K.
Dr. Ayas has taken administrative roles at KTÜ, which included a 6-year deanship at the Faculty of Education. He moved to Bilkent University in 2010. He has undertaken administrative roles as the Dean of Faculty of Education and Director of the Graduate School of Education as well. He has been involved in several research projects including the National Education Development Project, Support to Basic Education Project (Effectiveness of Public Education Centers), MEBGEB (To Develop Capacity of National Ministry of Education) Projects, Develop Teachers’ Capacity for Formative Assessment and Developing Digital Ecosystem for Teachers. He has published over 45 international and approximately 50 national journal articles and presented more than 100 papers in various conferences.