It is essential to run a continuous improvement system for the Plan-Do- Check-Action cycle to be achieved and sustained. It is inevitable to consult stakeholder opinions to determine the improvable aspects of the activities carried out in the quality process. Student opinions, the main subject of educational activities, are one of the most critical data sources for continuous improvement. It is recommended to consult students’ views in all processes from the planning to the output of courses, which are the cornerstones (...) of education programs. When the field is examined, it is seen that the number of studies in which students’ opinions are sought to evaluate the quality of the courses is quite limited. This study, built around the main problem “How to design a lesson effectively in all processes, from planning to assessment and evaluation?” is a scale development study. It is thought that a lesson plan designed with the data obtained based on student opinions will increase the quality of the lesson. It is known that the programs which carry out the quality and accreditation process use different questionnaires in the continuous improvement mechanism to measure the quality of courses. 636 students from Hitit University participated in this study in 2022. The scale's validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The scale has a four-component structure with 24 items, according to the results of the exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the fit indices were within a reasonable range. The reliability coefficients the factors were 0.93, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.93, respectively, with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the full scale of 0.94. This finding indicated that the scale items had a high degree of internal consistency and that the scale was made up of objects with a strong tie. According to the correlation study, all of the scale’s variables had a tangible link. It can be said that the “Course Evaluation Scale (CES),” which was developed as a result of all these analyses, is a valid and reliable measurement tool consisting of 24 items that can be used to measure the effectiveness of a course taught in higher education, according to student opinions. (shrink)

Media news can be regarded as an important teaching material to be used in lessons in terms of being interesting, containing up-to-date information, reinforcing what has been learned in the course, and combining it with many methods and techniques. In addition, the fact that media news provides a more concrete learning, helps the subject in the lesson to be connected with real life and helps students to develop their empathy skills. Therefore, the use of media news in religious education can (...) increase curiosity and interest in the lesson and enable students to actively participate in learning processes. This article, which focuses on how to benefit from media news in religious education, has been prepared to raise awareness about the use of media news for teachers who attend religious education classes, and thus to guide them in using media news in their lessons. In the study, the use of media news in religious education was first addressed in a conceptual framework, and then the extent to which media news was used in the textbooks of the religious education courses was investigated. Within the scope of the research, 42 books on Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge (RCMK) and Imam Hatip High School Vocational Lessons were examined and four examples were found as a result of this examination. It was observed that the media news used in the textbooks led the students to research, share and discuss. However, the fact that only four examples could be found in 42 textbooks reveals that media news are not used sufficiently in religious education, and teachers are not provided with sufficient material on the use of media news in teaching processes. In the third part of the study, the issues to be considered in the use of media news in religious education are examined in three groups as before, during and after the lesson. According to this media news can be evaluated as lecture, interpretation, concept definition, question-answer and application of discussion techniques during the lesson. Discussion, scientific research and case study methods are methods that can be used effectively in media news activities. In the last part of the study, six activity examples are given for the use of media news in religious education classes. These activities are the activities of the lessons of RCMK (4-7th grade), The Life of the Prophet (7th grade), Basic Religious Knowledge (9th grade), Fiqh (10th grade) and Islamic Culture and Civilization (12th grade). These exemplary activities, prepared at five different lessons and five different class levels, reveal that media news can be used quite effectively in religious education, and all media news from sports to economy, from health to daily life can be associated with the course subjects. In the context of the results of this research, it is suggested that the course books should be updated and media news should be included more. Through a platform to be established by the General Directorate of Religious Education, news in the media can be archived and a guide can be prepared on what subjects and how these news can be used. Additional research can be conducted with focus on a single lecture or a single media tool. In addition, quantitative and qualitative studies can be conducted to asses the contribution of the use of media news in religious education classes to students’ learning. (shrink)