The Department of English Language Teaching at Giresun University organized an event titled “The Importance of Culture in Language Learning and Intercultural Interaction and Communication” on December 18, 2023.

In addition, on December 25, 2023, the Department of English Language Teaching held an event titled “GRU ELT Mentorship”, which aimed to enable upper-year students to provide academic mentorship to lower-year students.

Within the scope of the General Culture elective courses Turkish Art History and Traditional Turkish Handicrafts, a technical trip was organized to Giresun Museum and Bulancak Sarayburnu Mosque on Monday, December 25, 2023.

The trip was organized under the supervision of Lecturer Ayşegül Yılmaz and aimed to help students concretize course content and gain knowledge about the cultural values of Giresun.

A conference titled “Career Opportunities in the Field of Guidance and Psychological Counseling” was held for first- and second-year students of the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Program on Friday, December 22, 2023, at the Faculty Conference Hall.

The conference was delivered by the Vice Dean and Head of the Department of Educational Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bünyamin Çetinkaya

In order to contribute to the professional development of Turkish language teachers working in the province, a seminar titled “Question Preparation Techniques in Turkish Language Education” was held on Friday, December 15, 2023, at the meeting hall of Hamdi Bozbağ Anatolian High School.

The seminar was delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müzeyyen Altunbay, a faculty member of the Department of Turkish Language Education, and was attended by 40 Turkish language teachers working in the central district.

The 7th Introduction Meeting of the EURYDICE (European Education Information Network) Türkiye Unit, organized by the Strategy Development Directorate of the Ministry of National Education, was held in Giresun between December 5–7, 2023.

The meeting took place at Yeşil Giresun Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School Practice Hotel and was attended by department heads and EURYDICE officials from the Ministry of National Education, as well as representatives from the Presidency of Strategy and Budget, the National Agency, the Council of Higher Education, and deans, vice deans, and academics from 28 different universities across Türkiye.

Prof. Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Aksu, Vice Dean of the Faculty, participated in the meeting on behalf of our University.

The seminar titled “Grammar Instruction in Turkish Language Courses”, organized by the Giresun Provincial Directorate of National Education, was held on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at Giresun Girls’ Anatolian Imam Hatip High School at 9:00 a.m.

Lecturer Şenol Sancak, a faculty member of the Department of Turkish and Social Sciences Education, participated in the event as a speaker.

The General Culture Elective Courses Coordination Unit of the Faculty held a meeting on December 4, 2023, under the chairmanship of Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Aksu, in order to determine the General Culture elective courses to be offered in the spring semester of the 2023–2024 academic year.

During the meeting, decisions were made regarding the courses planned to be offered in the upcoming spring semester.

Students of the Barrier-Free Life Student Community, supervised by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil İbrahim Çakır from the Department of Special Education, visited Bulancak Hayat Şebnem Special Education and Rehabilitation Center within the scope of December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The event was organized with the aim of building an inclusive life guided by love, solidarity, and empathy.

On the occasion of World Children’s Rights Day (November 20), a group painting exhibition consisting of child-themed artworks was organized through the collaboration of Giresun University Children’s Rights Research and Application Center and the Visual Arts Education Community.

The exhibition featured works created by undergraduate and graduate students of the Department of Fine Arts Education, faculty members, and visual arts teachers from Giresun.

Within the scope of the course Inclusive Education, Dr. Lecturer Melike Günbey and Dr. Lecturer Eray Kara hosted Sandra Tsoenemawu Sikanku, a faculty member from the University of British Columbia (Canada).

During the class held on November 7, 2023, Sikanku introduced types of barriers that may be encountered by students with visual impairments and shared information on alternative teaching methods, differentiated learning environments, and assessment practices.

The Academic General Assembly Meeting for the 2023–2024 academic year was held on October 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in the Black Sea Conference Hall, under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Güven Özdem.

The meeting was attended by academic staff from all departments, during which academic evaluations were conducted and faculty members’ questions, opinions, and requests were received.

The English Language Teaching Program of the Department of Foreign Language Education organized an orientation program for first-year students on Monday, October 9, 2023, at the Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Conference Hall.

The opening speech of the event was delivered by Vice Rector and Dean Prof. Dr. Güven Özdem, followed by an introductory speech by Head of the Department Dr. Melissa Özlem Grab.

The event was attended by Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Aksu, Director of the School of Foreign Languages Prof. Dr. Vedi Aşkaroğlu, faculty members of the Faculty of Education, and faculty members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Under the chairmanship of Dr. Melissa Özlem Grab, third-year English Language Teaching students delivered presentations introducing departmental culture and academic and cultural activities to help new students adapt.

Presentations were delivered by Beyzanur Turgut (GRU ELT Department Culture), Miraç Cemre Patan (Culturally Responsive Education), Yusuf Görüm (Lesson Plan Design), Furkan Yiğit Zanbak and Samed Şimşek (Technology-Enriched Teaching Material Examples), and Damla Odabaş and Beyzanur Turgut (Curriculum Design).

The orientation program concluded after a question-and-answer session and was successfully completed, as it was considered to help students adapt more comfortably and quickly.

In the 2022–2023 academic year, Kübra Özel, a student of the Guidance and Psychological Counseling Program within the Department of Educational Sciences, became the top student of the Faculty. She also achieved first place at the university level, making us all proud.

During a small ceremony held with the participation of Vice Dean and Head of the Department of Educational Sciences Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bünyamin Çetinkaya, the student placed a plaque on the First Place Board.

We congratulate her and wish her continued success in her future life.

The General Culture Elective Courses Coordination Unit of our Faculty held a meeting on June 15, 2023, under the chairmanship of Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Hasan Hüseyin Aksu, to determine the General Culture Elective Courses to be offered in the fall semester of the 2023–2024 Academic Year.

During the meeting, decisions were made regarding the courses planned to be opened in the upcoming fall semester.

Faculty members of the Department of Turkish Language Education gathered on April 13, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. in the Dean’s Meeting Hall and completed the process of updating the department’s program learning outcomes.

During the meeting, it was decided that a total of 27 updated program learning outcomes, which were reviewed individually and agreed upon unanimously, would be entered into the system. It was also decided that course learning outcomes would be updated in subsequent meetings. The meeting was concluded accordingly.

Following an informative meeting chaired by University Quality Coordinator Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şanal, faculty members of the Department of Turkish Language Education convened on April 7, 2023 and initiated studies on creating, revising, and updating departmental program learning outcomes within the scope of the Bologna Process.

It was decided that the final version of the program learning outcomes would be determined at the next meeting (April 11) and that course data entries would be completed accordingly.

Within the scope of Bologna and program accreditation processes, studies continue at our Faculty under the guidance of the Accreditation, Academic Evaluation, and Quality Coordination Unit.

In this context, an informative meeting was held on March 30, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. in the Faculty of Education Meeting Hall regarding program accreditation and Bologna processes for the Department of Turkish Language Education.

At the meeting, Faculty Dean and Accreditation, Academic Evaluation, and Quality Coordinator Prof. Dr. Mustafa Şanal, along with coordination unit members Lecturer Dr. Hakan Sipahi and Lecturer Osman Serdal Karapınar, provided information to faculty members about the Institutional Accreditation Program (KAP) and the Bologna Process within the scope of program accreditation.

As a result of the approximately two-hour meeting, a consensus was reached on updating the department’s program learning outcomes and revising course learning outcomes accordingly. It was also decided that these meetings would be held repeatedly throughout the process.

A cooperation protocol was signed between our Faculty and Keşap Anatolian High School to enable students to participate in jointly determined scientific studies, research, and projects.

The protocol allows students to visit the Faculty of Education of Giresun University at appropriate times and locations, benefit from faculty facilities when possible, and receive contributions from academic staff in social and scientific activities.

Dr. Faculty Member Firdevs İclal Karataş Aydın, from the Department of Mathematics Education within the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, delivered training sessions titled “New Approaches in STEM Education” in Ankara and Trabzon within the scope of the Project for the Development of Inclusive Education (BEGEP), carried out by the Ministry of National Education with joint financing from the European Union and the Republic of Türkiye.

The STEM trainings consisted of five modules: Design Thinking, Coding, Inquiry-Based STEM Education, Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Technologies. The trainings aimed to equip participants with skills such as STEM teaching, evidence-based decision-making, information literacy, ICT literacy, problem-solving, metacognition, creativity, and innovation.

Within the scope of the project planned by considering 21st-century competencies and project-based learning skills required of BİLSEM teachers, approximately 900 BİLSEM teachers working in 12 pilot provinces will receive STEM training.

The STEM trainings conducted by Dr. Karataş Aydın were held in Ankara between November 28–December 2, December 5–9, and December 26–30, 2022, and in Trabzon between March 6–10, 2023, with a total of 52 BİLSEM teachers from different disciplines participating in four groups. These activities will continue in other pilot provinces within the scope of in-service training programs.

The TÜBİTAK-supported education project titled “Climate Change Education from Multiple Perspectives for University Students”, conducted within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 2237-A Scientific Education Activities Support Program and coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Öztürk, a faculty member of the Department of Primary Education of our Faculty, was carried out between March 6–10, 2023.

The training program was held at Güre Campus and provided climate change education to students from various provinces and universities across Türkiye. The project was also supported by Giresun University Technology Transfer Office (GRU-TTO), and distinguished academics from different institutions were hosted during the program.

Project coordinator Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Öztürk stated that the project aimed to raise awareness about climate change within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 2237-A Program, enhance participants’ level of consciousness, and provide interdisciplinary education covering themes such as basic climate knowledge, climate change and law, climate change and agriculture, and the interaction of different disciplines.

Throughout the project, courses addressing the scientific definition of climate change, agriculture, the importance of forests, law, biotechnology, social impact, and education were delivered, and experts in these fields were invited as trainers.
From Hacettepe University, Prof. Dr. Sinan Erten emphasized the importance of soil, waste management, and biodiversity for ecological balance, while Prof. Dr. Nuray Ekşi addressed the legal dimension of climate change, international agreements, and sample cases.
From Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şükran Güldalı discussed the social impact of climate change using drama methods and concluded her session with a mindfulness activity.
From Ondokuz Mayıs University, Dr. Esin Hazneci provided informative and encouraging insights into agriculture and irrigation, one of the most critical areas related to climate change.
Additionally, Dr. Özge Aslan, Deputy General Manager of Education at Bahçeşehir Schools, shared information about environmental, sustainability, and climate change-focused education programs developed and submitted to the Ministry of National Education.

At the end of the project, it was aimed for participants to develop knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral changes regarding climate change and to become individuals actively engaged in combating the climate crisis. It was stated with satisfaction that these objectives had been achieved.

From our Faculty, Prof. Dr. Güven Özdem, Dr. Mithat Çiçek, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Funda Hasançebi participated as members of the organizing committee. Additionally, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Funda Hasançebi contributed as a trainer on renewable energy, Lecturer Şafak Esra Aslan from GRU-TTO provided training on biotechnology from national and global perspectives, and Forest Engineer Sema Çakmak participated as a local trainer.

On March 3, World Dyscalculia Day, within the scope of the “Mathematics Mobilization” project conducted by the Giresun Provincial Directorate of National Education R&D Unit, a seminar titled “Mathematics Learning Difficulty: Dyscalculia” was held to raise awareness about students at risk of dyscalculia.

The seminar took place at Hamdi Bozbağ Anatolian High School, where Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mihriban Hacısalihoğlu Karadeniz, a faculty member of the Mathematics Education Program within the Department of Mathematics and Science Education of our Faculty, informed mathematics and classroom teachers.

Following the devastating earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, which deeply affected the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions of Türkiye, extensive efforts were made to support individuals impacted by the disaster.

While shelter and basic necessities were initially provided under the coordination of the Provincial Governor’s Office, our university and faculty staff also provided material and moral support promptly. Particular attention was given to the psychological and emotional needs of children affected by the earthquake, aiming to help them adapt to daily life more quickly by carefully considering their well-being.

Under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Öztürk from the Department of Primary Education, Preschool Education Program, and with the participation of Dr. Faculty Member F. Hürrem Sünney from the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Funda Güç from the Department of Mathematics Education, a volunteer academic team was formed to support earthquake-affected children who arrived in Giresun.

An urgent action plan was prepared in coordination with the Giresun Provincial Directorate of National Education. Information regarding the number and ages of children (0–14 years and older adolescents) accommodated in hotels, dormitories, and residences—particularly at the Application Hotel—was obtained through official coordination with the Governor’s Office.

With the support of local citizens, age-appropriate stationery, books, coloring materials, toys, textbooks, exam preparation sets, and backpacks were prepared and distributed to children as gifts. Subsequently, volunteer senior preschool teacher candidates and graduates formed activity teams, organizing daily activities such as reading sessions, drawing, playdough activities, creative play, and free play. Playrooms were prepared in cooperation with the Application Hotel and the Provincial Directorate of National Education and opened for children’s use.

The Unit Quality Commission of our Faculty convened on February 15 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dean’s Meeting Hall.

During the meeting, the final version of the Unit Self-Evaluation Report was approved, and action plans for 2023 were prepared.

The Unit Quality Commission of our Faculty convened on February 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Dean’s Meeting Hall.

During the meeting, studies related to the 2022 Unit Self-Evaluation Report were reviewed. The draft text was examined, relevant headings were analyzed and supported with evidence, and task distribution among commission members was carried out.

A comparison report of student satisfaction surveys for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 was prepared by the Unit Quality Commission of our Faculty and shared with internal and external stakeholders.

Based on the findings of the report, necessary action plans are being prepared, and appropriate measures and improvements will be implemented accordingly.

In cooperation with our Faculty and the University Quality Community, a conference titled “The Career Journey of Youth” was held on Friday, January 6, 2023, between 10:00–12:00, at Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Conference Hall.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bünyamin Çetinkaya, Vice Dean of our Faculty, participated in the event as a speaker. The opening speech was delivered by Lecturer Dr. Firdevs İclal Karataş Aydın, Academic Advisor of the University Quality Community.

The conference continued with a presentation by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bünyamin Çetinkaya focusing on guiding young people in planning their career goals. The event concluded with Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Güven Özdem presenting a certificate of appreciation to the speaker.