A content analysis of dissertations in the field of educational technology: the case of Turkey

Abstract

The present study aimed at conducting content analysis on dissertations carried out so far in the field of Educational Technology in Turkey. A total of 137 dissertations were examined to determine the key words, academic discipline, research areas, theoretical frameworks, research designs and models, statistical analyses, data collection tools, participants, instructional design models, variables/research focus and related institutions. When the research results were examined, it was found in relation to the dissertations that the most frequent method was "mixed method"; that the most frequent data collection tools were "interview", "questionnaire" and "scale"; that the participants were generally "university students"; that the dependent variables were "attitude" and "achievement"; that the most frequent data analysis method was "parametric analysis"; and that the field of "education and training" was the one most frequently investigated. Among the most frequent key words was Online Learning, which was followed by Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Teacher Training and Special Education. In this respect, the present study, which examined dissertations, is thought to be important since it tried to reveal the current state of educational technologies in Turkey and to determine the related research trends.