The aim of this research is to examine the perceptions of third-grade primary school students The aim of this research is to examine the perceptions of third-grade primary school students regarding the value of responsibility, according to their own and their parents’ views. The research was conducted using a qualitative research method, specifically a holistic single-case design among case study designs. The study group was determined using convenient sampling, a type of purposeful sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 28 students (18 girls and 10 boys) and their parents (21 mothers and 7 fathers) attending the third grade of a public primary school in Ümraniye, Istanbul, during the 2024-2025 academic year, and analyzed using content analysis. Parents and children stated that they fulfilled responsibilities such as preparing their school bags, tidying their rooms and doing homework. According to parents, some children did not take on any responsibilities. It was observed that some students took responsibility for preparing their school bags and making their beds themselves, some did it depending on the situation, and some left this responsibility to their mothers. In this context; The study concluded that parents do not provide enough opportunities for their children to fulfill their responsibilities, and that their children do not take on their responsibilities either. Consequently, students generally do not meet the responsibilities expected of them. Based on these findings, it is recommended that educational activities involving parents be organized to support students in taking on responsibilities appropriate to their developmental level.

This study aims to examine the activity stations in the 5th-grade science textbook, prepared in accordance with the “Türkiye Century Education Model” curriculum implemented in 2024. The research focuses on the distribution of these activities across units, their alignment with learning outcomes, material accessibility, safety measures, and digital content integration. Using document analysis, a qualitative research method, 72 activity stations in the textbook were analyzed. Data were interpreted using descriptive analysis. The results show that the activities are fully aligned with the curriculum’s learning outcomes and encourage active learning. Although the distribution across units varies, most necessary materials are easily accessible and pose a low safety risk; sufficient warnings are provided for specific experiments. However, the study also determined the extent of digital technology integration, as only 16.6% of the activity stations were supported by QR codes. In conclusion, it is recommended that activities be conducted as intended by the program by teachers and students, that safety precautions be observed, and that future textbook designs increase the prevalence of digital content to encourage hybrid learning environments and further develop students’ digital skills alongside scientific inquiry.

The aim of this research is to reveal the affective characteristics of middle school students towards mathematics through metaphors. The research was conducted using a phenomenological design, a qualitative research method. Criterion sampling, a type of purposeful sampling, was used to determine the study group. The study group consists of 143 volunteer students attending a public middle school in the Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş province during the 2025-2026 academic year. Data were collected by having students complete the sentence: “If mathematics were a color/season/weather/game or toy/food/animal/music genre/sport/cartoon character, it would be ……… Because ……….” The data obtained in the research were analyzed using content analysis. As a result of the research, it was observed that students produced 264 metaphors in nine different categories. It was determined that students mostly produced negative metaphors. Based on students’ explanations, the metaphors were categorized into three themes (value, perception, and emotion) within the context of affective characteristics. The analyses revealed that the metaphors produced by the students were mostly concentrated on perception themes, followed by emotion and value themes, respectively. Furthermore, when the codes derived from the students’ explanations of the metaphors were examined, it was observed that negative affective characteristics (difficulty, complexity, dislike, fear) were prominent, especially in the perception and emotion themes. Considering that students’ affective characteristics towards mathematics are generally negative, it can be suggested that these characteristics should be taken into account when teaching mathematics in the classroom.