The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of an English language program offered at the tertiary level in the Turkish EFL context. It specifically aims at evaluating whether the program meets job-related demands and graduates are able to maintain their English proficiency level at work. 122 senior electronics and computer engineering majors and 57 graduates participated in the study. The seniors were given a questionnaire to elicit their ideas about usefulness of the ELT program in their future careers. The questionnaire administered to the graduates aimed at obtaining their ideas about the English program and language skills they need/use at work. Each group was given a questionnaire to elicit their ideas about the English Program with respect to four language skills. To see the match between the ideas and the TOEFL scores of both the seniors and graduates for each skill, TOEFL scores were compared with the data obtained from the questionnaires. Moreover the TOEFL scores of the senior students and graduates were compared to see if graduates were able to keep their English skills at work. The data was analyzed and the responses of senior students and graduates were compared by using one-way ANOVA, and the TOEFL scores by t-test statistics. The results indicated that the English program generally meets the job-related English needs and graduates are able to increase their English proficiency. Finally the role of language program evaluation in language education and how it is to be carried out are discussed.
Published in | Education Journal (Volume 2, Issue 3) |
DOI | 10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17 |
Page(s) | 98-107 |
Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2013. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Language Program Evaluation, English Education, Job-Related Language Demands
[1] | Admiraal, W., Westhoff, G. & de Bot; K. ( 2006). Evaluation of bilingual secondary education in the Netherlands: Students' language proficiency in English. Educational Research and Evaluation, 12 (1): 75 – 93. |
[2] | Altmisdort, G., Isik, A., Yamac, A. (2010). Yeni bir Program Değerlendirme Modelline Göre bir Yabancı Dil Programının Değerlendirilmesi (Evaluation of a Foreign Language Education Program through a New Program Evaluation Model) . Kara Harp Okulu Bilim Dergisi (Science Journal of Army Academy), 20 (2): 108-141. |
[3] | Barootchi, N. & Keshavaraz, M. H. (2002). Assessment of achievement through portfolios and teacher-made tests. Educational Research, 44 (3): 279–288. |
[4] | Brown, H.D. 2004. Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom practices. White Plains, NY. Longman. |
[5] | Cronbach, L.J. (1991). Course improvement through evaluation. Teachers' College Record, 64: 672-683. |
[6] | Graves, K. (2000). Designing language courses. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
[7] | Hur, J. W. & Suh, S. (2010). The development, implementation, and evaluation of a summer school for English language learners. The Professional Educator, 34 (2). |
[8] | Kavaliauskienė, G. & Anusienė L. (2008). Issues of quality in teaching/learning English at tertiary level. Filologija. Edukologija, 16(2): 124–132. |
[9] | Kiely, R .(2009). Small answers to the big question: Learning from language programme evaluation. Language Teaching Research, 13(1): 99-116. |
[10] | Kiely, R & Rea-Dickins, P. (2005). Program Evaluation in Language Education. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. |
[11] | Long, M. H. (Ed.) (2005). Second language needs analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge UniversityPress. |
[12] | Lorena, L. & Julie, S. (2009). Using program evaluation to inform and improve the education of young English language learners in US schools. Language Teaching Research, 13(1): 35-54. |
[13] | Lynch, B. K. (1996). Language program evaluation: Theory and practice. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press. |
[14] | Lynch, B. K. (2003). Language assessment and programme evaluation. Edinburgh: EdinburghUniversity Press. |
[15] | Mackay, R. (1994). Undertaking ESL/EFL programme review for accountability and improvement. ELT Journal, 48(2): 142-149. |
[16] | Matthews, P. H. & Mellom, P.J. (2012). Shaping Aspirations,Awareness, Academics, and Action: Outcomes of Summer Enrichment Programs for English-Learning Secondary Students. Journal of Advanced Academics, 23(2): 105–124. |
[17] | McDonough, K. & Chaikitmongkol, W. (2007). Thailand teachers’ and learners’ reactions to a task-based EFL Course in Thailand. TESOL Quarterly, 41 (1): 107-132. |
[18] | Morris, M. (2006). Addressing the challenges of program evaluation: One department’s experience after two years. Modern Language Journal, 90(4): 599-602. |
[19] | Norris, J. M. (2006). The why (and how) of student learning outcomes assessment in college FL education. Modern Language Journal, 90(4): 590-597. |
[20] | Norris, J. M., Davis, J.M., Sinicrope, C. & Watanabe, Y. (2009). Toward Useful Program Evaluation in College Foreign Language Education. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i, National Foreign Language Resource Center. |
[21] | Oscar, J. & Topper, A. M. (2012). The cost of providing an adequate education to English language learners: a review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 82 (2): 179-232. |
[22] | Patton, M. Q. (2008). Utilization-focused evaluation (4th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. |
[23] | Payne, A. (1994). Designing educational project and program evaluations. London: Norwell. |
[24] | Tribble, C. (2000). Designing evaluation into educational change process. ELT Journal, 54(4): 319-327. |
[25] | Tunç. F. (2010). Evaluation of an English language teaching program at a public university using CIPP model. Unpublished MA thesis. Middle East Technical University. |
[26] | Youssef, L. S. (2012). Using student reflections in the formative evaluation of instruction: a course-integrated approach. Reflective Practice, 13(2): 237–254. |
[27] | Walker, E. (2010). Evaluation of a support intervention for senior secondary school English immersion. System, 38 (1): 50-62. |
[28] | Watanabe, Y., Norris, J. M., & González-Lloret, M. (2009). Identifying and responding to evaluation needs in college foreign language programs. In J.M. Norris, J.M. Davis, C. Sinicrope, & Y. Watanabe (Eds.), Toward useful program evaluation in college foreign language education (pp. 5–56). Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i, National Foreign Language Resource Center. |
APA Style
Ali Işık. (2013). To What Extent does a University Level English Program Meet Workplace Demands. Education Journal, 2(3), 98-107. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17
ACS Style
Ali Işık. To What Extent does a University Level English Program Meet Workplace Demands. Educ. J. 2013, 2(3), 98-107. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17
AMA Style
Ali Işık. To What Extent does a University Level English Program Meet Workplace Demands. Educ J. 2013;2(3):98-107. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17
@article{10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17, author = {Ali Işık}, title = {To What Extent does a University Level English Program Meet Workplace Demands}, journal = {Education Journal}, volume = {2}, number = {3}, pages = {98-107}, doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17}, url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17}, eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20130203.17}, abstract = {The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of an English language program offered at the tertiary level in the Turkish EFL context. It specifically aims at evaluating whether the program meets job-related demands and graduates are able to maintain their English proficiency level at work. 122 senior electronics and computer engineering majors and 57 graduates participated in the study. The seniors were given a questionnaire to elicit their ideas about usefulness of the ELT program in their future careers. The questionnaire administered to the graduates aimed at obtaining their ideas about the English program and language skills they need/use at work. Each group was given a questionnaire to elicit their ideas about the English Program with respect to four language skills. To see the match between the ideas and the TOEFL scores of both the seniors and graduates for each skill, TOEFL scores were compared with the data obtained from the questionnaires. Moreover the TOEFL scores of the senior students and graduates were compared to see if graduates were able to keep their English skills at work. The data was analyzed and the responses of senior students and graduates were compared by using one-way ANOVA, and the TOEFL scores by t-test statistics. The results indicated that the English program generally meets the job-related English needs and graduates are able to increase their English proficiency. Finally the role of language program evaluation in language education and how it is to be carried out are discussed.}, year = {2013} }
TY - JOUR T1 - To What Extent does a University Level English Program Meet Workplace Demands AU - Ali Işık Y1 - 2013/06/10 PY - 2013 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17 DO - 10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17 T2 - Education Journal JF - Education Journal JO - Education Journal SP - 98 EP - 107 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2327-2619 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20130203.17 AB - The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of an English language program offered at the tertiary level in the Turkish EFL context. It specifically aims at evaluating whether the program meets job-related demands and graduates are able to maintain their English proficiency level at work. 122 senior electronics and computer engineering majors and 57 graduates participated in the study. The seniors were given a questionnaire to elicit their ideas about usefulness of the ELT program in their future careers. The questionnaire administered to the graduates aimed at obtaining their ideas about the English program and language skills they need/use at work. Each group was given a questionnaire to elicit their ideas about the English Program with respect to four language skills. To see the match between the ideas and the TOEFL scores of both the seniors and graduates for each skill, TOEFL scores were compared with the data obtained from the questionnaires. Moreover the TOEFL scores of the senior students and graduates were compared to see if graduates were able to keep their English skills at work. The data was analyzed and the responses of senior students and graduates were compared by using one-way ANOVA, and the TOEFL scores by t-test statistics. The results indicated that the English program generally meets the job-related English needs and graduates are able to increase their English proficiency. Finally the role of language program evaluation in language education and how it is to be carried out are discussed. VL - 2 IS - 3 ER -