Vol. 2,No. 10, October 2012

Author(s): Gholam-Reza Abbasian, Sahar Sadat AfsharImani

Abstract: Modular EFL Program exercised nationwide by the University of Applied Science & Technology is an innovation in Iranian educational system which has managed to offer specialized language education in a specific field entitled as Audio-Visual Translation Course. Contrary to significant academic achievements, the program has been subject to continuous scholarly criticisms. However, no explicit empirical studies can be traced on both internal and external validity measures as well as on the extent of compatibility of the course with the standards and criteria of scientific educational program. In a bid to address these issues, this study was conducted to evaluate the program from the perspectives of both the respective teachers and students. The teachers‟ perspectives were examined on the basis of five fundamental criteria including 1) Admission Requirements, 2) Program Content, 3) Program Resources, 4) Program Instruction/Evaluation Methods, and 5) Graduation Requirements/Employment Requirements. The students‟ perspectives addressed their needs and problems in four skills and also their viewpoints toward the program content and its efficiency. Methodologically, the study is based on the requirements of both qualitative and quantitative research paradigms. To this end, a sample of 30 teachers enjoying at least five years of offering the course attempted a 22-item Likert-scaled questionnaire accommodating subcategories of the five macro criteria followed by open-ended written protocol commenting spaces for qualitative data. A sample of 200 students was also given a 125-item-need analysis questionnaire followed by three open-ended course evaluation questions. The findings revealed controversies over all the macro-criteria and compatibility of the program with these well-established standards; suggesting exercise of comprehensive revisits and modifications on all the aspects of the program as a whole.

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