چکیده:
Generally, program evaluation is of prime importance to check the workability of a course. In this way, it can be made sure that the course achieves its intended goals and objectives, and consequently fulfills the learners’ needs, wants, and aspirations. Therefore, an attempt was made to evaluate the instructional functioning of the Simple Prose and Newspaper Articles course which is offered to the undergraduate English majors at the university of Tabriz, Iran and is taught by the researcher/instructor himself. To this end, Brown’s (1995) model of program evaluation was opted for. Based on local needs and objectives, this model was modified and extended to seven curriculum components: objectives, attitudes, needs analysis, time, classroom activities, materials, and assessment. In order to gather quantitative and qualitative data, a mixed methods design was employed. The quantitative data were obtained through a questionnaire which comprised 35 items based on the aforementioned curriculum components, i.e. five items for each component. Also, the qualitative data were collected through a semi-structured interview. The participants consisted of 36 undergraduate English majors, i.e. 12 male, 24 female. The results of the study indicate that this course is quite useful for the students to develop their linguistic, cultural, and social knowledge. However, it needs to be modified in order to be more fruitful. One of the main implications of this study might be that the seven curriculum components proposed by the researcher could be employed for the evaluation of any course of study. Another implication might be that these seven curriculum components could be utilized by syllabus designers or curriculum developers for the development of any syllabus.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Therefore, an attempt was made to evaluate the instructional functioning of the Simple Prose and Newspaper Articles course which is offered to the undergraduate English majors at the university of Tabriz, Iran and is taught by the researcher/instructor himself.
However, in the present study taking into account other researchers’ views (Akst & Hecht, 1980; Flowerdew & Peacock, 2001b; Kiely, 2009) and based on local needs and goals the researcher came up with the following seven curriculum components: objectives, attitudes, needs analysis, time, classroom activities, materials, and assessment.
Nunan also believes that the likely factors for evaluation might include "initial planning procedures, goals, content, materials and learning activities, teacher performance and the assessment processes …" (ibid.
However, in order to study the course under study more deeply the six components were revised and modified into seven elements: objectives, attitudes, needs analysis, time, classroom activities, materials, and assessment.
Therefore, teachers need to: - encourage the students in positive attitudes, - prepare the students in efficient skills and strategies, - involve the students and make them responsible for their own learning, - create a supportive and pleasant atmosphere to suit different student types, - familiarize the students with the intended culture, - try to know their students and their attitudes, - try to lower the students’ anxiety and promote their self-confidence.
When interviewed, most of the students (85%) believed that this course was interesting and the different types of materials and activities encouraged them to study more and consequently learn better.
233) model of program evaluation this study opted for seven components: objectives, attitudes, needs analysis, time, classroom activities, materials, and assessment.