Educational Technology Research Trends: A 10-Year Content Analysis of PhD Dissertations

Abstract

This study investigates the trends of doctoral dissertations produced in Türkiye in the field of Educational Technologies. 292 doctoral dissertations were included in this study which was conducted in the design of document analysis in the period between 2011 and 2020. The dissertations were put to content analysis by using the Dissertation Analysis Form developed within the scope of this study. The results demonstrated that the approach of the mixed method research was more commonly used in the dissertations. As a research model, it has been determined that case study from qualitative approaches and quasi-experimental model from quantitative approaches are mostly preferred. It is seen that the students of the faculty of education are greatly used as the sample. It is concluded that descriptive statistical methods are mostly used during the data analysis phase and the SPSS program is the most frequently preferred data analysis program. It has been determined that simple level statistical analysis techniques are used in theses. It is clear that although effect size calculations were made, there were also studies in which the type was not specified. Of the statistical techniques used for validity and reliability, Cronbach’s Alpha internal consistency coefficient was found to be frequently used. 1376 keywords emerged in the analysed theses. These keywords were presented visually using a force-directed algorithm. Stating sampling methods clearly in studies will guide the studies to be conducted in the future. The sampling of different types of students is important in that it enriches the potential areas of study paving the way for the emergence of different perspectives.