EPOSTL IN TURKEY

Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Mirici

Ins. Sinem Hergüner

Cemre Zengin

OUTLINE EFL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN

TURKEY ASSESSMENT- EVALUATION SELF ASSESSMENT IN TURKEY EPOSTL AS A SELF ASSESMENT TOOL BOLOGNA PROCESS NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK

FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN TURKEY EFL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN

TURKEY BOLOGNA PROCESS AND THE EPOSTL

SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OF CERTAIN RESEARCHES ON EPOSTL IN TURKEY

EFL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN TURKEY• THE EFL TEACHER EDUCATION

PROGRAMS COVERS 4 YEARS.

• THERE ARE MUST COURSES TOGETHER WITH THE ELECTIVE COURSES LETTING THE CANDIDATE TEACHERS TO GAIN THE NECESSARY SKILLS AT THE END OF THEIR EDUCATION PROCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTUTIONS/ UNIVERSITIES.

EFL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN TURKEY

THE EVALUATION AND THE ASSESSMENT PROCESSES SHOWED DIFFERENCES ACROSS UNIVERSITIES AND TRAINERS.

HOWEVER, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BOLOGNA PROCESS -THAT TURKEY ALSO JOINED, THERE HAS BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE PARALELLISM AMONG UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES IN TERMS OF THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE HIGHER EDUCATION AND TARGET AIMS AT THE UNDERGRADUTE AND GRADUATE LEVELS.

ASSESSMENT- EVALUATION

Assessment is the expression of the results of the observation of a quality with numbers or symbols, and evaluation can be defined as a process of commenting on the results of a survey based on a defined criterion.

A qualified measurement and evaluation process would determine whether the process of education has come to a successful end. Therefore, teachers are expected to master these two phases.

Nail, 2013

SELF ASSESSMENT IN TURKEY

The choices in the assessment and evaluation processes having a significant role in learning and teaching processes reflects the quality of these processes as well.

Living in a modern world, and having the aim in mind to grow up an independent generation, there is an urgent need to leave the traditional methods and tools and hold on more modern ways of teaching and assessing to keep up with the needs of the rapidly developing world and to engage in this world as quickly as possible.

The need to be qualified with respect to assessment and evaluation for teachers stands as a crucial property .

Daniel and King, 1998; Zhang and Burry-

Stock, 2003In addition, they should be up-to-

date in terms of new methods and tools in their fields. However, rather than alternative assessment tools teachers are inclined to prefer traditional ones in their teaching pracitces.

In a study conducted among Turkish language teachers in 2013 by Nail, it was found that self-evaluation tools such as portfolio, peer evaluation, rubric, control list and observation forms were not used properly.

Although these methods are included in both teacher’s copies and student workbooks, it is observed that they were not given enough credit by the teachers.

The teachers indicated that these tools are “time-consuming and too much demanding”.

At that point, what comes in to the mind is the education process the teachers have been exposed to and experienced. As they are not expected to utilize self assessment tools in their own learning practices, probably they aren’t mentally ready to use these alternative assessment tools in their teaching practices as well.

Here, the need to insert alternative assessment tools into teacher education programmes arise.

EPOSTL AS A SELF ASSESMENT TOOL

Evaluating teachers’ own teaching is a way to identify the strong aspects of their practice, as well as their weaknesses which may need to be changed and improved. Teachers should take initiatives and responsibility to evaluate their teaching and make improvements over time(Chan, 2010).

EPOSTL is a self assessment tool developed by ECML for student teachers of languages to assess themselves in terms of their professional skills. The descriptors (can-do statements) in the self assessment section are the outcomes of a long and meticulous study. The dossier part on the other hand gives the candidate teachers to keep record of their own product throughout their educational process at their departments.

Raising autonomous student teachers who are aware of their own strenghts and weaknesses would gurantee the autonomous learners of languages. In other words, autonomous teachers mean autonomous learners. EPOSTL is not only a typical self assessment tool but also a pedagogical tool, which contributes student teachers to learn about themselves and let them to set future goals in the light of the descriptors.

BOLOGNA PROCESS

“Europe is not only that of the Euro, of the banks and the economy: it must be a Europe of knowledge as well”.

Sorbonne Joint Declaration Paris, the Sorbonne, May 25 1998

 

BOLOGNA PROCESS In many respects, the Bologna Process

has been revolutionary for cooperation in European higher education. The decision to engage in a voluntary process to create the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) was formalized in Bologna, by 30 countries

(The Bologna Declaration,

1999). (EHEA)

EHEAAs the main objective of the Bologna

Process since its inception in 1999, the EHEA was meant to ensure more comparable, compatible and coherent systems of higher education in Europe. Between 1999 - 2010, all the efforts of the Bologna Process members were targeted to creating the European Higher Education Area.

The Bologna Process currently has 47 participating countries and 49 signatories. Turkey became a member country in 2001 together with Croatia,  Cyprus and Liechtenstein.  

BOLOGNA PROCESSAt its inception, the Bologna Process was

meant to stregthen the competitiveness and attractiveness of the European higher education and to foster student mobility and employability through the introduction of a system based on undergraduate and postgraduate studies with easily readable programmes and degrees. Quality assurance has played an important role from the outset, too.

However, the various ministerial meetings since 1999 have broadened this agenda and have given greater precision to the tools that have been developed.

The undergraduate/postgraduate degree structure has been modified into a three-cycle system, which now includes the concept of qualifications frameworks, with an emphasis on learning outcomes. The concept of social dimension of higher education has been introduced and recognition of qualifications is now clearly perceived as central to the European higher education policies..

(EHEA)

BOLOGNA PROCESS They decided to strengthen and build upon

the intellectual, cultural, social and technical dimensions of the European continent.

These have to a large extent been shaped by its universities, which continue to play a pivotal role for their development.

In olden times, students and academics would freely circulate and rapidly disseminate knowledge throughout the continent.

Nowadays, too many of our students still graduate without having had the benefit of a study period outside of national boundaries.

An open European area for higher learning carries a wealth of positive perspectives, of course respecting the diversities, but requires on the other hand continuous efforts to remove barriers and to develop a framework for teaching and learning, which would enhance mobility and an ever closer cooperation.

Much of the originality and flexibility in this system is achieved through the use of credits (such as in the ECTS: Europeand Credit Transfer System scheme) and semesters. This allows for validation of these acquired credits for those who choose initial or continued education in different European universities and wish to be able to acquire degrees in due time throughout life.

Undergraduates should have access to a diversity of programmes, including opportunities for multidisciplinary studies, development of a proficiency in languages and the ability to use new information technologies.

At both undergraduate and graduate level, students are planned to be encouraged to spend at least one semester in universities outside their own country. At the same time, more teaching and research staff should be working in European countries other than their own.

Thus, the fast growing support of the European Union, for the mobility of students and teachers should be employed to the full.

NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR HIGHER

EDUCATION IN TURKEYThe framework mentioned here is the one

that is guaranteed to be completed by Bologna Process countries in an effort to increase the transparency, recognition and mobility in higher education systems of these countries in accordance with the objectives of Lisbon Strategy published in 2000 by European Union (EU) and with the objectives of Bologna Process in which our country was included as a member in 2001.

Qualifications for higher education mean what a person achieving any higher education degree is supposed to know, do and be competent about.

National Qualifications Framework, On the other side, expresses the

qualifications for a national educational system and the relation between these.

In other words, National Qualifications Framework is a system in which qualifications, which are recognized by national and international stakeholders and can be related, are structured within a certain organization.

Through this system, all the qualifications for the higher education and the other learning outcomes can be explained and related to each other consistently.

The degree to which qualifications are gained is measured objectively at the end of each lesson/module as "learning outcomes".

THE IMPORTANCE OF NQF-HETR FOR HİGHER EDUCATİON

Presents certain explanation among the degrees based on the learning outcomes;

Clarifies the purpose and outcomes of the qualifications; Ensures that different qualifications may be related to one

another within an entire system; Ensures the progress and transition among the degrees in this

way; Presents a national modern outline that is leading the

education and determined by the stakeholders' participation; Creates opportunity to understand, regulate and develop the

current qualifications; Presents a content to design new qualifications;

Enables the reform of qualifications; Helps developing new qualifications in accordance

with the changing social needs; Displays the benefits and roles of qualifications for the

citizens, employers and all the members of society; Clarifies different national roles and relations between

qualifications, recognition and mobility; Raises the awareness of citizens and employers at

national and international levels; Raises the attractiveness and recognition of higher

education abroad.

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF NQF-HETR FOR STUDENTS

Helps the students to choose their educational programmes and lessons aware;

The students know in advance what competency they will have achieving these lessons;

Clarifies what the students will learn with the activities except from the educational programme;

Lessens the enclosures for students' mobility and encourages the life long learning;

Clarifies the lateral and vertical transfers between the educational degrees;

Maintains an  extensive list of all higher education qualifications and credit limits including sub qualifications;

Helps, supports the learners and explains all the educational opportunities for them in this way.

THE IMPORTANCE OF NQF-HETR FOR EMPLOYERS

Helps them to understand what to-be employee students will know, at what degree will they put these into practice and what information and competencies they will have at the end of their graduation;

Helps them to choose employees being more aware based on the difference between the degrees and for the employability in accordance with the needs;

Enables their participation to the development of educational programmes in their related areas and their transition of expectations.

EFL TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN TURKEY BOLOGNA

PROCESS AND THE EPOSTL

EPOSTL BEING A DOCUMENT DEVELOPED BY ECML ALSO REFLECTS THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE BOLOGNA PROCESS, CONTAINIG THE LEARNING OUTCOMES AS DESCRIPTORS.

ALTHOUGH THE EPOSTL IS NOT APPLIED PRACTICALLY IN THE UNIVERSITIES ACROSS TURKEY. THERE ARE THEORETICAL STUDIES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DOCUMENT .

HOWEVER, THE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR VARIOUS COURSES AT THE DEPARTMENTS OF ELT ARRANGED ACCORDING TO THE BOLOGNA PROCESS SHOWED PARALELLISM WITH THE DESCRIPTORS IN THEEPOSTL TO SOME EXTENT.

A DIGITAL EUROPEAN SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR STUDENT TEACHERS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES: THE

EPOSTL

MİRİCİ&HERGÜNER, 2015

This study discussed and put forward some practical suggestions on the functions and the effectiveness of the EPOSTL in English Language Teaching (ELT) and German Language Teaching (GLT) departments in a state university in Turkey.

The results of the study revealed that the use of the EPOSTL is helpful in developing student teachers’ metacognitive strategies as autonomous learners, which is a key factor in becoming teachers of foreign languages adopting the CEFR and the ELP principles in their classes.

SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OF CERTAIN RESEARCHES ON EPOSTL IN TURKEY

Student teachers of languages are in need of space and time to reflect on their achievements so that they personally experience self-directed learning as autonomous learners, and become teachers who can also provide autonomous learning facilities for the students in their future classes,

the EPOSTL is a useful self-assessment tool to help student teachers reflect on the progress and potential of their learning and teaching,

.

Student teachers of languages can familiarize themselves with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and the European Language Portfolio oriented foreign language teaching practices when they personally experience using the EPOSTL as a standard European self-assessment tool,As the EPOSTL holders, student teachers of languages become efficient users of the Europass documentation system, and create their own Europass CV, Europass Language Passport and the supplementary documents even before they graduate from their department

HOW TO TURN THE EPOSTL INTO AN ELECTRONIC SETTING:

THE E-EPOSTL MİRİCİ&HERGÜNER, 2013 There is a new generation entering into our educational institutions and this era is theirs. It is a time when children are born roughly between 1980 and 1994 (Prensky, 2001) as “digital natives”, “Net Generation”.

These young people are said to have grown up with information and communication technology (ICT) as an integral part of their everyday lives imbuing them with sophisticated technical skills and learning preferences for which traditional education is unprepared (Bennet et. al, 2008).

There is a need for an educational reform to accompany the technological developments the new generation follows very closely.

SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OF CERTAIN RESEARCHES ON EPOSTL IN TURKEY

One of the biggest problems facing education today is that our Digital Immigrant instructors, who weren’t born into the digital world but even later in their lives adopt most aspects of the new technology and who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language (Prensky, 2001).

Being a digital material, EPOSTL is a practical document for the digital natives. On the other hand, what can make the EPOSTL more accessible and practical are probably the internet and the recent technology. In this study, thanks to the rapidly developing technology and its facilities, the preliminary studies were started to transfer EPOSTL into an electronic and online environment to have the E-EPOSTL so that the teacher candidates can reach it without any time or place constraints.

Limesurvey.com is an open source survey application system which is written in PhP language. It works on the Linux, an operating system.

allowing users to quickly create intuitive, powerful, online question-and-answer surveys that can workfor tens to thousands of participants without much effort.

The survey software itself is self-guiding for the respondents who are participating

SIGNIFICANT RESULTS OF CERTAIN RESEARCHES ON EPOSTL IN TURKEY

INCORPORATING EPOSTL (EUROPEAN PORTFOLIO FOR STUDENT TEACHERS OF LANGUAGES) INTO METHODOLOGY COURSE

To determining the student teachers’ opinions about using the EPOSTL in Methodology course.

8 student teachers -- semi-structured interviews.

Student teachers were quite positive about incorporating the EPOSTL into Methodology course.

They believed that the EPOSTL provided them to see their strengths and

weaknesses as they assessed themselves.The EPOSTL helped them to be aware of their teaching. The

student teachers who were aware of themselves and acted in their practice as to this awareness were reflecting on their practice.

(Okumus&Akalın, 2015)

A practical course that presents the chance of self assessment and reflection is more effective.

The student teachers also believed that Methodology course with EPOSTL is more effective due to these contributions. Given these contributions of the EPOSTL, it is suggested that EPOSTL be incorporated into Methodology course.

SAMPLE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND MATCHING DESCRIPTORS İN EPOSTL

Course name -

ID

Learning Outcome

İDÖ382 - Instructional Technology and Materials Design

Students will be able to use and evaluate

technology based language teaching

materials.

Descriptor

Number

Descriptor

Resources no:11 I can use and critically assess ICT

learning programmes and platforms.

Course name

- ID

Learning Outcome

İDÖ282 - Special Teaching Methods I

Students will be able to develop a lesson plan

with clear lesson phases.

Descriptor

Number

Descriptor

Lesson Planning-Lesson Content no:7

I can identify time needed for specific topics

and activities and plan accordingly.

REFERENCES

THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA *http://www.ehea.info/article-details.aspx?ArticleId=3 *http://www.ehea.info/Uploads/Declarations/SORBONNE_DECLARATION1.pdf

NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN TURKEY

* http://tyyc.yok.gov.tr/ Mirici, İ.H., Hergüner, S. (2015) A Digital European Self-assessment Tool for Student

Teachers of Foreign Languages: The EPOSTL, TOJET:The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 14 (1): 1-10.

*http://www.tojet.net/articles/v14i1/1411.pdf Çakır, A., Balçıkhanlı, C. (2012) The Use of the EPOSTL to Foster Teacher Autonomy: ELT

Student Teachers’ and Teacher Trainers’ Views. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 37 (3):1-18

Okumus K., Akalın, S. (2015) Incorporating EPOSTL (European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages) into Methodology Course. International Journal on New Trends in Education and Their Implications. 6 (1) :76-81

Mirici, İ.H, Demirbaş, S. (2013) How to turn the epostl into an electronic setting: the E-EPOSTL, Proceedings Book INTE 2013 1 (1): 1446-1456

Nail, G. (2013) Preferences of Turkish language teachers for the assessment - evaluation tools and methods. Educational Research and Reviews 8 (15): 1263-1269.

Chan, C. (2010). Assessment: Evaluating Your Own Teaching. Assessment Resources at HKU: Hong Kong.

Daniel L.G, King D. (1998). A Knowledgeand use of testing and measurement literac of elementary and secondary teachers. Journal of Educational Research. 91(6):331-344.

Zhang Z., Burry-Stock J.A. (2003). Classroom assessment practices and teachers’ self- perceived assessment skills. Applied Measurement in Education. 16(4):323-342

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