Evaluation of a Long-Term In-Service English Teacher Training Program

Abstract

The English Experts Program is one of the long-term in-service training programs at the Specialized Institute for Professional Training of Teachers. Despite its comprehensive design and national importance, the program has experienced limited participation rates and participant withdrawals. These issues necessitated a systematic evaluation to determine whether the program's intended objectives were being effectively achieved. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate whether the objectives of the methodological part and the language proficiency part of the program have been attained from the participants’ perspective. In addition, it investigated the effects of variables such as gender, teaching experience, cohort, and teaching level on the achievement of the program’s objectives. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed in this study. The data were collected through a questionnaire and a content analysis of the participants’ reflection reports. The study included participants from the first and the second cohorts. A sample of 60 participants responded to the questionnaire, and a sample of six participants was purposefully selected for the qualitative data. The findings revealed a high achievement of the objectives of both parts of the program. The objectives of the methodological part and the language proficiency part were highly achieved. The qualitative data supported the quantitative findings. No statistically significant differences were found with regard to gender, teaching experience, cohort, or teaching level. The participants’ attitudes toward the program were very positive, although revising the content in some areas was suggested for future improvement.