A suggested professional development training program for EFL teacher educator candidates: An action research


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Gazi Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2021

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: ELİF BOZYİĞİT

Danışman: Gonca Ekşi

Özet:

Although teacher education has been the focus of many studies for decades, the insufficient scrutinize of teacher educators caused many challenges in the becoming processes of the teacher educators, thus leaving them to feel frustrated. To this end, this study aims to explore the needs of the teacher educators and teacher educator candidates, suggest, implement, and evaluate a training program based on the needs of these significant figures. An action research blended with the ADDIE model is applied in line with the purpose of the study. To examine the needs of teacher educators via a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, purposive sampling was conducted with 27 EFL teacher educator candidates who were pursuing their PhDs and aiming to become teacher educators at the ELT departments and 35 EFL teacher educators. The results of the needs analysis provided input for the design and development of a professional development program. Following the piloting of the designed and developed training program with two voluntary teacher educator candidates, the program was implemented with six teacher educator candidates. The online modular program required the participants to engage in reflective and practice-based tasks throughout the six modules of the training. The results of the program evaluation indicated the contributions, strengths, and weaknesses of the program. At the end of the study, it was concluded that teacher educator candidates need more practice-based opportunities in their preparation of becoming a teacher educator. In line with these results, further suggestions and implications for research and practice are shared at the end of the study.