مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - AN EVALUATION OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE APPLICATIONS COURSE

Abstract :

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the community service applications course on the basis of stakeholders views. Community service applications is a compulsory course in faculties of education since 2006. The purpose of this course is to raise awareness in preservice teachers for social sensitivity and to introduce them the emotional aspetcts of teaching as a profession. The study was conducted using the participatory/collabrative evaluation model. The population of the study consists of 200 students who took the course, and sample for survey is determined as 100 students selected randomly from population. Moreover, interview was conducted with 34 preservice teachers, 11 officer from institutions/organizations, and 7 instructors. According to research results, basic issues faced during this course are determined as obtaining official permissions, bad planning, insufficent financial resources, communication problems and measurement and evaluation. The study offers the following suggestions to improve the course effectiveness: consultant instructors should participate the projects more with preservice teachers in related institutions/organizations; there should be a course coordinator in city governor’s office; stakeholders in course projects should come together and prepare a course study plan; the project and its results should be introduced on the university web page and in local media; and performance based assessment such as successful or failed should be used.