The Effectiveness of MOE-Endorsed Professional Development Programs as Perceived by Jordanian EFL Teachers

Ruba Fahmi  Bataineh; Jacqueline Mohammad  Bani Amer

doi:10.29333/ejecs/1750

Authors

Ruba Fahmi Bataineh Al-Ahliyya Amman University and Yarmouk University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5454-2206
Jacqueline Mohammad Bani Amer Yarmouk University https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4098-4400

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1750

Keywords:

EFL teachers, Jordan, Ministry of Education, professional development, perceptions

Abstract

This study aims at examining the potential effect of Ministry of Education (MOE)- endorsed teacher professional development programs on Jordanian EFL teachers’ practices as perceived by the teachers themselves. A five-section Likert-scaled questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 328 (of the 681) EFL teachers enrolled in professional development programs at Qasabet Irbid Directorate of Education in 2021/2022. The respondents expressed moderate views as to the effectiveness of the professional development programs endorsed by the MOE. General dissatisfaction was reported for several reasons, most important amongst which is inability to satisfy teachers’ needs due to inadequate coverage of general competencies, teaching skills and methodology, classroom management, and assessment. The findings also revealed a moderate agreement with the training programs, which were reported to need to better address integrated assessment and constructive feedback and to be subjected to continuous evaluation and improvement. Several relevant recommendations and pedagogical implications were put forth.

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Author Biographies

Ruba Fahmi Bataineh, Al-Ahliyya Amman University and Yarmouk University

Ruba Fahmi Bataineh is a professor of TESOL at the Department of English and Translation, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and the director of the Language Center at Al-Ahliyya Amman University (on sabbatical leave from the Department of Curriculum and Methods of Instruction at Yarmouk University), Jordan. Formerly, Prof. Bataineh had been the founding executive director of the National Center for Curriculum Development, Jordan (2018-2020) and the director of Prince Salman Center for Research and Translation, Prince Sultan University, Saudi Arabia (2011-2013).

Jacqueline Mohammad Bani Amer, Yarmouk University

Jacqueline Mohammad Bani Amer, a PhD candidate in TEFL at the Department of Curriculum and Methods of Instruction at Yarmouk University, Jordan, is currently a teacher at the Ministry of Education. Her research interests are foreign language pedagogy, teacher training, and professional development.

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