The present article attempts to reinterpret the findings of most recent studies investigating effect of using games for teaching purposes. A methodological approach combining a meta-analysis of quantitative data with qualitative ones was adopted in order to present the broadest picture of the current research on educational use of games. To this end, we conducted a meta-analysis of 180 effect size comparisons out of 154 empirical studies on the effect of both digital and non-digital games on academic achievement conducted during the period from 2004 to 2019 in order to determine the overall effect size of using games for teaching various subjects. The overall sample size of the studies included a total number of 12800 participants. Some moderator analyses were also carried out to determine the exact efficiency of educational games in terms of student levels, durations of implementation of game activities, school subjects in which games were used, class sizes, kinds of games and achievement tests used. The findings suggest that educational games have a positive effect on academic achievement and this effect is at a medium level (g = 0.695). The highest effect sizes were observed in foreign language courses (g = 0.87), small (less than 50) class sizes (g = 0.87), and in non-digital games (g = 0.90). Moreover, we conducted a meta-thematic analysis based on document analysis of qualitative studies in order to further consolidate the findings of the meta-analysis. The meta-thematic dimension of our study reveals cognitive contributions as well as drawbacks of game-based teaching, and provides suggestions for conducting educational games in a better way.

Background: Flipped classroom, which is inversion of conventional classroom procedures in simple terms, currently stands out as a popular teaching strategy for many Science courses. Purpose: In this article, we tried to make a reinterpretation of the findings of recent empirical studies conducted on the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach in science education. Design and Methods: To determine the overall effect size of the flipped classroom implementations in Science courses, a meta-analysis of 30 studies with such moderator variables as education levels, durations of implementations, various subjects areas of science and class sizes was carried out. To consolidate the academic achievement theme dwelled on in the meta-analysis part, a meta-thematic analysis based on document analysis of qualitative studies was conducted to expound in detail general characteristics of the approach, its effect on academic dimension, its contribution to the affective domain and classroom environment. Results: The findings reveal that the flipped classroom implementations have a positive medium effect (g = 0.727) on academic achievement in Science classes. Physics and Chemistry classes have the highest effect size values while Biology has the lowest effect size; the flipped classroom practices proved best in small size classes and at Primary School level with the highest effect sizes. Conclusions: The findings of both analyses provide insights into applicability of the approach in teaching of Science and its sub-branches. The drawbacks of the approach are also discussed with some suggestions for implication.

While there has been an upsurge in transition to online learning taking place mostly in higher education, many countries around the world have had to leave their brick-and-mortar schools all of a sudden and necessarily turn to fully-online education since the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19). Such global emergency cases reacquaint us with the fact that education cannot be taken for granted, making the findings of the current research literature inevitable and ready for immediate use for future policy-making regarding online education. Thus, we planned to conduct the present research synthesis including more recent empirical studies of both a quantitative and qualitative character. We took a multi-complementary approach including a meta-analysis together with a meta-thematic analysis of the effectiveness of online education. In order to further complement and consolidate the results of these two reviews of previous studies, we conducted a mixed-methods research (a pre-experimental study and a qualitative study) designed specifically to understand the responses from the abrupt transition period of online education. This kind of research approach is believed to make more contributions to the relevant literature as it may provide a more in-depth perusal of the impacts of online learning on and its effectiveness in student achievement.

The aim of this study is to determine the efficiency of Augmented Reality Applications (ARAs) in the learning environment. In this regard, both quantitative (meta analytic) and qualitative (thematic) dimensions are used in the study. In terms of meta-analysis, the data of 12 studies from different databases of national and international arenas in which the effect size of ARAs on academic success was determined were analyzed through CMA and MetaWin programs. Data on thematic dimension were obtained from the teacher candidates at Kilis 7 Aralık University, Faculty of Muallim Rıfat, Department of Science Teaching chosen by a maximum variation sampling method through a semi-structured interview form. The views from the interview were resolved in accordance with the content analysis method and the action research design through Maxqda 11 program. Meta-analytic results showed that the effect of ARAs on academic success was found to be as ES= +0.360 which is a small level. On the other hand, thematic assessment shows that ARAs has a positive effect on social, cognitive and emotional improvement and it makes the learning environment more realistic. In line with the relating results, well-designed ARAs can be proposed to be used in a more common and systematic way in order to create fruitful environments that increase academic success.

This research aimed to examine the effect of a problem-based learning approach in comparison to traditional learning approaches. In this context, the question “What is the effect size of problem-based learning on students' attitudes?” was tried to be answered. Among 190 studies made in national and international field between the years 2006 to 2013, 19 theses and 6 articles, in which pre-test and post-test experimental design was applied, were examined in this meta-analysis according to inclusion criteria. As a result of analytic evaluation, the effect size value of the problem-based learning on attitudes in relation to a random effects model was measured to be 0.7195. Thus, it can be said that this value had a medium effect size according to the classification levels of Thalheimer and Cook. It was concluded from these results that problem-based learning approaches were more effective when compared to traditional teaching techniques. Key words: Problem-based learning, effectiveness, meta-analysis, effect size, traditional teaching.

The aim of this study is to investigate how the use of augmented reality (AR) applications in educational environments affects students’ achievement levels. The study was carried out through two dimensions; a quantitative and a qualitative aspect. The study was conducted with 7th-grade students in a public secondary school in Turkey as part of a science course. For this purpose, AR applications and activities were implemented that were suitable for the topic of Astronomy. The quasi-experimental model and one of the quantitative research methods were used for the study. As data collection instruments an achievement test and an interview form were made use of. AR activities were used for teaching in the experimental group, while the traditional method for the control group. The quantitative results of the study showed that there was a significant difference in the achievement level of learners in favor of the experimental group. The interviews with the students revealed that the AR applications used in the course were interesting, that they increased interest, desire, and motivation in class, and that they facilitated learning. However, students indicated that the cost of the AR materials was high, that they had difficulty in obtaining the materials, and that they sometimes had technical problems. Another limitation was expressed as that the excess the number of students makes it more difficult to take the advantage of AR activities. Students suggested that lowering the cost of AR materials and using them in other lessons can be more effective in learning environment.