Evaluating learning objectives of the pre-school teacher education programme in terms of special field competencies: A curriculum alignment study

Abstract

In Turkey, as in other countries, candidate teachers are expected to achieve the teaching qualifications and competencies outlined by the ministries of education. In Turkey’s case, the Ministry of National Education of Turkey (MoNE) (Yüksek öğretim Kurulu (YÖK), 1998; MoNE, 2006) has developed the general competencies for the teaching profession including six-main competency domains called A-B-C-D-E-F, associated thirty-one sub-domains, and 233 teaching performance indicators for knowledge, skills, and attitudes for the teacher education programmes. More specifically, special field competencies for pre-school teachers have been developed to bring effective-teaching and learning to both public and private schools. This study analysed general competencies and related special field competencies with the aim of determining the extent to which there is a correlation between the general competencies of Pre-School T eacher Education Programmes and the courses’ learning objectives and sub-competencies. Qualitative content analysis methods yield the descriptive frequencies presented. This exploratory approach of these important elements of a teacher education programme will be useful to determine and seek to eliminate the intended and enacted gap between the learning objectives and the special field competencies. This study is offered as an example comparison among these elements that might also be helpful in the evaluation of teacher education programmes in other contexts.