Trainee Teacher Perceptions and Course Evaluations

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Trainee Teacher Perceptions and Course
Evaluations

• by
• Alison MacKenzie
• rustaqenglishteacher_at_yahoo.com

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Outline

• 
  
  
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Research Questions
• 3. Methodology
• 4. Results and Discussion
• 5. Limitations and Implications
• 6. Conclusion
• Comments, Questions and Answers

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1. Introduction

• c)Literature
• Teacher Training
• Perceptions- (attitudes)
• feelings
• judgments
• predictions
• Evaluation
• Research-Al- Issa (2005)
• Harrison (1996)

? a) Course Evaluations

• ?b)Context purpose
• of the study

• RETROSPECTIVE

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2. Research Questions

• 1. To what extent do the perceptions of Omani
  initial teacher trainees on an end of course
  evaluation change after a limited teaching
  practice experience in schools ?
• 2. What factors account for changes in the
• perceptions on an end of course
• evaluation and after a limited school
• experience ?

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3. Methodology

• Case study detailed description of teacher
  trainee perceptions
• Longitudinal study same sample over an extended
  period of time
• Mixed methods approach quantitative
• qualitative data
• Sampling purposeful convenient

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Data Collection Analysis

• Semi structured questionnaire x 2
• 13. Which course aspect should definitely be
  repeated? A B C D E F G H I J K L
• Give a reason for your answer
  _ __________________
• 14. What new aspect / s should be added to the
  course ? __________________
• 15. Has the course had an affect on you as a
  future teacher ? Yes / No
• Give a reason for your answer
  _ __________________
• ?Quantitative Analysis for ease of comparison
• ?Qualitative Analysis emergent themes
  (Radnor2002)

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4. Results and Discussion
QUANTITATIVE RQ 1

• QUALITATIVE RQ 2
• ?6 themes
• ?Apparent Dichotomies
• ?polar ends of continua, rather than true
  opposites (Allwright Bailey, 199162)

• Dont want to be an English Teacher 9 for 1
  P
• 19 for 2

• F, J P perceptions

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Relevant VS Irrelevant Because it is
related more to what we are going to do in
schools
Practical VS TheoreticalWe need
to know how to teach practically more than
theories that we dont use

• Important VS Unimportant I didnt feel that it
  gives me anything important in teaching EFM

Authentic VS Artificial micro is acting. It
doesnt reflect the real classroom situation
Positive VS Negative emotion She is strict in
correcting exam papers
Practised VS Repetitive I dont like doing the
same routine everyday by going to school to teach
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5. Limitations and Implications

• Significance
• Teacher Trainer- focus on VE dichotomies
• Evaluator- perceptions may be influenced
• Researcher- retrospective evaluation a more
  accurate account of ITT course effectiveness ?

• ?Subjectivity
• Questionnaire design
• Individual perceptions
• No stat analysis (rigor)
• No triangulation (robustness) ?

• Q for FUTURE
• RESEARCH

• Adding to literature

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6. Conclusion

• NEW ?modernization ?caution!
• This study raised awareness, facilitated
  change, offered retrospective evaluation
  provided a platform from which the voices of the
  next generation of Omani English teachers have
  been heard through their perceptions.
• Hopefully teachers, trainers and trainees will
  respond to curriculum challenges by using course
  evaluations to become more dynamic, effective and
  critical educators!
• Thank you for your
  participation.

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Selected References

• Al- Issa, A. (2005). An ideological discussion of
  the impact of the NNESTs english
• language knowledge on ESL policy
  implementation a special reference to the
• omani context. The Asian EFL Journal,
  7, 3, 98-112.
• Allwright, D. and Bailey, K. (1991). Focus on the
  language classroom.
• Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
•  Barkhuizen, G. (1998). Discovering learners
  perceptions of ESL classroom
• teaching/learning activities in a
  south african context. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 1,
  85108.
• Brown, J. (1995). The elements of language
  curriculum a systematic approach
• to program development. Boston Heinle
  Heinle.
• Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2000).
  Research methods in education.
• London Routledge.
•  Davies, A. (2006). What do learners really want
  from their EFL course?
• ELT Journal, 60, 1, 3-12.

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• Harrison, I. (1996). Look whos talking now
  listening to voices in curriculum renewal. In
• Bailey, K. and Nunan, D. (eds.). Voices
  from the language classroom qualitative
• research in second language education
  (pp. 283- 303).
• Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
• Mann, G. (2004). An evaluation approach towards
  feedback betterment in an
• initial teacher training in EFL. The
  Asian EFL Journal, 6, 1. Retrieved July 15, 2007,
  from
• http//www.asian-efl-journal.com/04_gm
  .php
• Nunan, D. (1992). Research methods in language
  teaching. Cambridge CUP
• Pennycook, A. (1990). Comments on martha c.
  pennington and aileen l. youngs
• approaches to faculty evaluation for
  ESL a reader reacts
• TESOL Quarterly, 24, 3, 555-559.
• Radnor, H. (2002). Researching your professional
  practice doing interpretive
• research. Buckingham Open University
  Press.
• Richards, K. (2003). Qualitative inquiry in
  TESOL. New York Palgrave Macmillan.
• Sharp, A. (1990). Staff/student participation in
  course evaluation a procedure
• for improving course design. ELT
  Journal, 44, 2, 132-137.