LINGUIST List 24.101
Wed Jan 09 2013
Diss: Applied Ling/ English: Foroozandeh: 'Evaluation of the TEFL Program at Master's Level in Iran'
Editor for this issue: Lili Xia
<lxialinguistlist.org>
Date: 09-Jan-2013
From: Elham Foroozandeh <elhamforoozandeh
yahoo.com>
Subject: Evaluation of the TEFL Program at Master's Level in Iran
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Institution: Shiraz University
Program: Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2007
Author: Elham Foroozandeh
Dissertation Title: Evaluation of the TEFL Program at Master's Level in Iran
Linguistic Field(s):
Applied Linguistics
Subject Language(s):
English (eng)
Dissertation Director:
Mehdi Riazi
Mortaza Yamini
Siyamack Samani
Firooz Sadighi
Dissertation Abstract:
This program evaluation was designed within Stufflebeam's CIPP (Context,Input, Process, Product) Model (2002) with the purpose of evaluating the TEFLcurriculum in MA program implemented at nine major universities in Iran basedon the Official Curriculum developed in 1987.
Participants included 68 MA students, 34 instructors, and 9 administrators.Required data were collected through three questionnaires (checkpoints andopen-ended questions) and interviews. Two course-based questionnairesincluding 3-point and 5-point Likert type items as well as one open-endedquestion for students and instructors were developed based on the OfficialCurriculum. To develop the Administrators' questionnaire, several programevaluation questionnaires for administrators were consulted out of which 42items relevant to the Iranian educational context were selected. Thisquestionnaire also included 5-point Likert type items as well as two open-endedquestions. All the three questionnaires shared 23 items on the program's workplan. 18 instructors agreed to participate in the interview. Interviews with 30students were done in classroom setting, in defense sessions, or in students'gatherings in academic events such as conferences. Students' interviews werelater merged with their written answers as their oral comments were more orless the same as their written responses.
The data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative procedures.The data analysis techniques included Chi-square tests, Mann-Whitney U-test,QSR analysis for narratives, and Exploratory Data Analysis (stem-&-leaf plots).To validate and interpret the findings, the same were discussed with about tenMA students and two Ph.D. instructors.
The findings generally revealed that (1) there was no consensus among theparticipants regarding the overall aim of the program, (2) the implementedcurriculum is partially compatible with the Official Curriculum, and (3) theparticipants generally felt the need for (a) the official curriculum's revision, (b)reform in program delivery, and (c) reconsidering the screening system.
The Metaevaluation used to evaluate this study showed a total of 49.9%strength of the CIPP Model's provisions for the evaluation standards of utility,feasibility, propriety, and accuracy in this research.
Finally, in light of the results of this program evaluation, the strengths andweaknesses of the program, the opportunities for improvement, and the potentialthreats to the program's efficiency and long-term impact on the immediatebeneficiaries are set forth through SWOT Analysis.
Page Updated: 09-Jan-2013