Research and Projects
KOLT has started to engage in research and project activities to create more impact and disseminate the results of best practices in teaching and learning in higher education. The following research and project activities have been completed and presented so far:
📑SoTL Projects and Publications
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) mainly emphasizes scholarly inquiry into teaching and learning processes and it refers to wide range of research topics, including pedagogical techniques, assessment methods, curriculum design, student engagement, technology integration, and the scholarship of teaching across disciplines. It promotes a culture of evidence-based teaching and continuous improvement in higher education institutions. SoTL aims to bridge the gap between teaching practice and educational research, applying the principles of scholarly inquiry to enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning. It may involve the systematic study, analysis, and dissemination of teaching practices and their impact on student learning outcomes. At Koç University, we put a great value on SoTL works of our faculty members and as KOLT, in line with our mission, put our best effort to support SoTL initiatives as well as to disseminate good practices among all faculty members.
Here you may find some of the eminent scholarly works done by Koç University faculty members in the name of SoTL:
Semerci, R., & Savaş, E. H. (2023). The effects of child health nursing curriculum-integrated therapeutic activities on therapeutic communication skills of nursing students: Non-randomized study. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 73, 221-227. (Received KOLT Teaching Improvement Grant, 2022)
Güner, P., Zeybekoğlu, Z., Karaçay, P., & Eroğlu, K. (2023). Examining the Factors Influencing Turkish Nursing Students’ Motivation: An Explorative Qualitative Study. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 14(4), 696-702.
Bayer, R., Turper, S., & Woods, J. (2022). Teamwork within a Senior Capstone Course: Implementation and Assessment. PS: Political Science & Politics, 55(4), 828–833. doi:10.1017/S1049096522000476 (https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096522000476)
Karaçay, P., Zeybekoğlu, Z., Chizzo, J., & Middlebrooks, A. K. (2021). A Qualitative Exploratory Study of the Effects of Simulation on Nursing Students’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs for Using English for Professional Purposes. Simulation & Gaming, DOI: 10468781211068881
Göktepe, N., Türkmen, E., Zeybekoglu, Z. & Yalçın, B. (2018). Team-based learning in a nursing leadership course: An action research study. Nurse Educator, 43(6): E1-E4 DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000500
Badır A, Zeybekoglu Z, Karaçay P, Göktepe N, Topçu S, Yalçın B, Kebapcı A, Oban G. (2015). Using High-Fidelity Simulation as a Learning Strategy in an Undergraduate Intensive Care Course. Nurse Educator, 40 (2), pp. E1-E6. DOI: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000134
📖KOLT Articles
Using mid-semester course evaluation as a feedback tool for improving learning and teaching in higher education.
This study describes how the mid-semester course evaluation process can be used as a feedback tool for improving the quality of teaching and learning at an institutional level. Through a longitudinal analysis of 341 mid-semester course evaluation reports, positive areas and areas of concern with respect to learning and teaching were identified, and changes in student evaluations over the years were examined meticulously to make an overall evaluation of the quality of learning and teaching at a non-profit Turkish university. This research showed that the value of mid-semester course evaluations can go beyond course-level if we use open-ended questions and are able to gather the reports together to make some comprehensive analysis at university level.
Examining graduate teaching assistants’ conceptions of and readiness for effective teaching in a non-profit Turkish university.
This study aimed to explore graduate teaching assistants’ (GTAs) perceptions of and readiness for effective teaching in higher education before and after attending an effective teaching training programme that was followed by a short term teaching experience. The study sample consisted of 62 GTAs who participated in an effective teaching training programme in a non-profit Turkish university.
Read our research
Use of Team-Based Learning in a Nursing Leadership Course: An Action Research Study
Team-based learning (TBL) is a learner-centered method widely used in health sciences education. The aim of this action research study was to determine the contribution of TBL to the learning experience of students participating in a nursing leadership course. The study was conducted in 2 cycles over 2 semesters, and TBL was embedded in regular class hours. Results suggest that TBL made positive contributions to student learning.
KOLT worked with a group of faculty members from School of Nursing to evaluate simulation program used in Intensive Care Course. The study was published online in March/April 2015 issue of Nurse Educator.
Please click the following link to read the article and watch the video that summarizes the study.
📝Paper/Poster Presentations
Guner, P., Zeybekoglu, Z., Karacay, P. & Eroglu, K. (2018). Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Teorik ve Klinik Derslerdeki Motivasyonlarının İncelenmesi. (Examining Nursing Students’ Motivation in Theoretical and Clinical Courses). Paper presented at Vth International Eurasian Educational Research Congress, Antalya, May 2-5.
Sozer, M., Zeybekoglu, Z. & Cagan, F. (2015). The use of information technologies among Turkish university students. Poster session presented at 9th International Technology, Education and Development (INTED) Conference, Madrid, March 2-4.
Sozer, M., Zeybekoglu, Z. & Alayli, A. (2014). The effects of training program on graduate teaching assistants’ self-efficacy beliefs for teaching. Poster session presented at International Conference on Educational Development (ICED) Conference, Stockholm, June 16-18.
🗣️Invited Talks and Panels
Sözer, M (2021). Etkili Uzaktan Eğitim için Öğretim Üyeleri ve Öğrencilere Verilen Destek. Talk given at Yükseköğretim Mesleki Gelişim Ağı (YÖMEGA). April 11, 2021.
Sözer, M (2021). Uzaktan Eğitimi Desteklemek. Panel at COVID-19 Dönemi Deneyimlerinin Işığında Yükseköğretimde Yeni Normal, Maltepe Üniversitesi, February, 22-23.
Zeybekoğlu, Z. (2016). Hemşirelik Eğitiminde Öğrenen Odaklı Yaklaşımlar. Talk given at Sağlık Sisteminin Güçlendirilmesi: Öğrencilikten Profesyonelliğe Sempozyumu, Marmara Üniversitesi, May 18.
Sozer, M. (2015). Use of new teaching methods and educational technologies to enhance higher education. Panel at 17th Academic Informatics Conference, Eskişehir, March 5.
Esen, E. (2015). English and the internationalization of the classroom. Panel at the Forum on Education Abroad, New Orleans, March 25-27.
Cagan, F. (2015). Koc University’s vision to bring a better education experience to life with Blackboard managed hosted learn implementation. Presentation at Innovate and Educate, Teaching and Learning Conference, Liverpool, April 16-18.
✏️ Projects and Working Groups
ERASMUS+ PBL4COLLABTT/PBL4TEA:PBL framework for Digital Collaborative Teacher Training, 2023
Programme: Erasmus+ – Call: 2022 – Round: Round 1 – Action type: Cooperation partnerships in higher education (KA220-HED)
PBL framework for Digital Collaborative Teacher Training (PBL4COLLABTT)” project, in which Koç University Learning and Teaching Office (KOLT) is a partner, was awarded the support of the Portuguese National Agency within the scope of Erasmus+ KA 220 Cooperation Partnerships. The project will be carried out in partnership with 5 different universities from 4 countries: Universidade de Minho and Universidade Católica Portuguesa from Portugal; Vilnius University from Lithuania; Munster Technological University from Ireland and Koç University from Turkey.
Learn More
EUA Thematic Working Group on Curriculum and Assessment, 2021
Koç University Office of Learning and Teaching (KOLT) joined EUA’s new thematic peer group on Curriculum and Assessment with other 9 universities from different parts of Europe.
Training Health Researchers by Experience-Sharing, Harnessing Online Development (THRESHOLD), 2020-21
Koc University Office of Learning and Teaching joined as a partner to THRESHOLD Project led by Koc University School of Nursing and the Nottingham University.
EUA Thematic Working Group on Evidence-Based Approaches to Learning and Teaching, 2019
On July 1-2, Koç University Office of Learning and Teaching (KOLT) hosted a working group meeting on learning and teaching sponsored by the European University Association (EUA). Koç University is one of 36 universities in 21 countries selected for participation in the EUA’s 2019 Thematic Peer Groups (TPGs). These working groups provide a forum for educators and administrators from universities across Europe to exchange expertise, and to discuss lessons learnt in the process of implementing best practices in learning and teaching at their respective institutions. Each TPG focuses on one of four themes: evidence-based approaches to teaching, the internationalization of learning and teaching, student assessment, and curriculum design.
The Challenges of the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space in the International University
KOLT took over an ongoing European Union Erasmus project which was previously coordinated by an ELC instructor at Koc University level. Entitled “The Challenges of the Multilingual and Multicultural Learning Space in the International University”, the project aims to identify the quality criteria that should characterize teaching and learning in multilingual and multicultural learning spaces and to develop recommendations for Higher Education institutions in their implementation. KOLT Coordinator attended the partner meeting which was held in Lisbon in November 2015. http://intluni.eu/
👩🏫Workshops
Zeybekoglu, Z. (2021). Creating Engaging and Interactive Online Course Design and Delivery. Online Workshops for Faculty Members at Riga Stradins University, Nov. 11, 2020; December 17, 2020; January 6, 2021.
Zeybekoglu, Z. (2020). Three-Day Learning and Teaching Workshop Series for Faculty Members at Riga Stradins University, Riga, January 14-16.
Thérèse Zang (EUA), Martina Skulteti (University of Hamburg), Zuhal Zeybekoglu (Koç University).
Quality assurance processes and learning & teaching strategies: how to use the ten European principles for the enhancement of L&T in QA contexts.
Workshop, 13th European Quality Assurance Forum Vienna, 15-17 November, 2018.
Arkun, E. (2016). Preparing TAs for the Classroom: Transition from Student to Instructor. 41st Annual Conference of The Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education. Louisville, Kentucky. November 11.
Click here for more information, presentation file and worksheets.