The purpose of this study was to explore how school leaders address both the technical and professional socialization needs of teachers during the planning and implementation of student formative assessment in every classroom, an initiative that is often implemented as a means of gathering the data needed to support the academic needs of all learners (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Bolman & Deal, 2008; Heath & Heath, 2010; Leithwood & Seashore Louis, 2011; Wiliam, 2010). In order to determine school leadership considerations for addressing the technical and professional socialization needs of teachers during the implementation of student formative assessment in every classroom, two research questions guided the study: 1. What do teachers perceive to be their technical and professional socialization needs experienced during the planning and implementation of student formative assessment and how are these met? 2. What are the school principals’ perceptions of how they address the technical and professional socialization needs of teachers during the planning and implementation of student formative assessment? Using a grounded theory approach, this qualitative study examined the perceptions of both teachers and principals through a multi-site case study design (Miles & Huberman, 1994). This design was chosen in order to gather insight regarding the perceptions and experiences of principals and teachers at three elementary campuses that have implemented student formative assessment in every classroom. The sites and participants for this study were purposefully selected. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups. In order to confirm emerging theoretical explanations, the researcher gathered additional data through a review of relevant documents, such as district and campus improvement plans. The prominent technical needs identified by teachers in this study were the development of a campus-wide common terminology, participation in vertical teaming, and the maintenance of the support role of a campus instructional specialist. Furthermore, teacher participants identified their professional socialization needs as reassurance from the principal with new professional learning, a gradual pace of implementation for the student formative assessment initiatives, meaningful teacher-to-teacher interaction, open and transparent communication with the principal, and opportunities to participate in building cohesive grade-level teams. Principals perceived their technical supports as facilitating vertical teaming, providing a campus instructional specialist, embedding time for collaborative professional development, and setting clear expectations for implementation. Additionally, principals perceived their professional socialization supports for teachers as facilitating the building of cohesive grade-level teams, providing reassurance with new implementation, promoting open and transparent communication, promoting a gradual implementation pace and facilitating meaningful teacher-to-teacher interactions. / text

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the needs of the third year Management students of the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences at BaSkent University with regard to the English-Turkish Translation Course through the perceptions of the students / course instructors including the course designer / graduates who took the course / subject-area instructors of the Department of Management / and the professionals practicing in different fields of management and business administration. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were extended to the course designer and the instructors who teach the course for the improvement of the course. The data collection instruments used for the study were a Needs Analysis Questionnaire administered to fifty-three students and structured interviews conducted with the six course instructors, sixteen departmental instructors, ten graduates and ten professionals. The reliability of the questionnaire was measured by using Cronbach Alpha test and all the instruments were pilot-tested. Both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered which were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentages and frequencies). The study brought into light the fact that translation particularly from English into Turkish was perceived to be a very important skill primarily in students&rsquo / departmental studies most of which they do in Turkish and for which they do most of their field-specific readings in English, which renders transfer from the foreign language into the native language indispensable. Perceptions of the participants also revealed that the translation course, in addition to improving the translation skill, raised competence in the foreign language, primarily in terms of enhancing knowledge of vocabulary, reading comprehension skill and writing skill. One of the major strengths of the translation course was found out to be the total relevance of the content of its translation materials to the students&rsquo / area of study. Preferences of the course instructors and the students were generally in line with the requirements of the target situations and the suggestions of the literature. Based on the findings, recommendations were extended to the course designer and the instructors. The most important ones included were extending the duration of the course from one semester to two semesters / shifting from sentence-level to paragraph-level and text-level translations / more emphasis on communicative rather than faithful translation / incorporation of authentic materials such as texts from magazines and newspapers and texts used in professional life into the course materials in addition to the texts extracted from field-specific course books and resources already used in the course for translation.

This case study explores the experiences of eight newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to interpret interview data. The literature study investigates the phenomenon of staff turnover and includes key literature themes such as adult learning theories of Senge and Vygotski, the life cycle of a teacher, the special school context and problems and needs experienced by beginning teachers. The key findings of the research were that beginning special education teachers experienced various problems and needs but that, with well planned structured support, these problems could successfully be overcome. The researcher has developed a set of guidelines, which could be used in developing a staff induction programme, aimed at raising the effectiveness of newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. This research once again emphasizes the need for a well planned, structured induction programme. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This case study explores the experiences of eight newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to interpret interview data. The literature study investigates the phenomenon of staff turnover and includes key literature themes such as adult learning theories of Senge and Vygotski, the life cycle of a teacher, the special school context and problems and needs experienced by beginning teachers. The key findings of the research were that beginning special education teachers experienced various problems and needs but that, with well planned structured support, these problems could successfully be overcome. The researcher has developed a set of guidelines, which could be used in developing a staff induction programme, aimed at raising the effectiveness of newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. This research once again emphasizes the need for a well planned, structured induction programme. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)