Key Stakeholders’ Attitudes towards Teacher Education Programs in TEFL: A Case Study of Farhangian University in Iran

Abstract

Recently, teacher training courses have attracted the researchersí special attention, while teacher education programs have not received as much attention. The present study investigated the attitudes key stakeholders in a teacher education program (i.e., student teachers, in-service teachers, and teacher educators) hold toward the appropriateness of TEFL teacher education programs at an Iranian teacher education university and their relevance to and sustainable impact in the real teaching context. To this end, 62 pre-service teachers, 48 in-service teachers, and 28 teacher educators filled out the Foreign Language Teacher Education Program Evaluation questionnaire adapted from Peacock (2009). The results of ANOVA tests indicated that the pre-service teachers and teacher educators found courses with literary strands less relevant to English language teaching and believed that those courses should be modified or replaced by teaching more knowledge-building or knowledge-applying subjects. In addition, the in-service teachers harboured a negative perspective towards the courses which were not practical in the real classroom setting and considered them less empowering. All three groups found teaching-related courses, such as teaching methodology, of more sustainable nature and useful in the real teaching context. Besides, the participants believed that it is essential for the universities to incorporate several practical courses including practicum and classroom observations within the curriculum. This study suggests that accommodating key stakeholdersí preferences in a teacher education programs could lead to crafting more accountable and empowering teacher education programs.

Effects of Contextual Factors on ESD in Teacher Education

“…To exemplify, the results of the study bear similarities with those of Gholami and Qurbanzada (2016) in terms of the importance and increased need of practical courses that are considered to prepare student teachers for real teaching environments and help them continue sustainability in their professional lives. In parallel with Pehkonen and Turner (1999), contextual factors like the school setting, administration, student profile and parental involvement were found to affect professional skills of teachers but no participant mentioned the impact of contextual factors on research skills, which could be due to their lacking research skills or work overload to cover the curriculum.…”

“…Since sustainability is a tool of continuous progression, it is important to reveal and compare the opinions of different groups of stakeholders who have a say and shape the content and route of teacher education programs. Likewise, Gholami and Qurbanzada (2016) examined the perspectives of 62 pre-service teachers, 48 in-service teachers, and 28 teacher educators in Iranian context at TEFL (Teaching English as Foreign Language) departments. What was stressed by all the three groups of participants was the existence of practical courses such as methodology in TEFL program and courses like practicum and classroom observations were reported to empower teachers for real educational settings.…”

School-based Teacher Training in Jordan: Towards On-school Sustainable Professional Development

“…The study provided some pedagogical implications directed toward sustainable professional development. Gholami and Qurbanzada (2016) found out that in-service teachers had a negative perspective towards the impractical courses which tended to be not practical in the real classroom environment and they regarded them as less powerful. The participants of the study found courses related to teaching like teaching methodology, of special sustainable nature and beneficial in the actual teaching context.…”

Exploring Change in EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development

“…Buczynski & Hansen, 2010;Chang, Jeon, & Ahn, 2014;Hung & Yeh, 2013;Kumba & Nkumbi, 2008;Powell, Terrell, Furey, & Scott-Evans, 2003;Smith & Gillespie, 2007;Tang, Lee, & Chun, 2012). Yet, the beliefs of EFL teachers about CPD have been largely ignored (Gholami & Qurbanzada, 2016;Pipere, Veisson, & Salite, 2015).…”