The Islamic University- Gaza Deanery of Higher Education Faculty of ...

7. Driven by best available researches and students dataSuccessful INSET programmes are guided by recent creams of the best available researches,they make use of "strategies, methods, proven effective by the standard of scientificallybased research" U.S Department of Education (2002, p.2).Furthermore, employing up-to-date innovations and researches calls for focusing onstudents‟ achievements as key indicators of successful INSET programmes. Students‟ datainvolve making use of students' performance analysis, achievement records, andproblematic areas in learning a specific subject matter, preferred learning styles; ways ofthinking, techniques used by students in learning a certain skill, and finally drop outpercentages and attendance records.8. Systematic feedback and evaluationSystematic feedback and evaluation characterizes high quality INSET programmes, withoutsystematic evaluation “there is only one –in- ten chances that the participants will even beable to engage sufficiently in the practice of the new learning". Joyce and Showers, (1995,p. 15 cited in Remeirs, 2003, p.98). Evaluative procedures can involve traditional reactionevaluation forms gathered at the end of the training programmes, questionnaires, andinterviews or more recently through teachers‟ portfolios, observation, peer evaluation andanalysis of students‟ data outcomes. Gathering evaluative information through previousprocedures provides rich sources of data that can lead to programme's modification,refinement and improvement.9. Needs AssessmentSeveral researchers have recognized the importance of having needs assessments prior toINSET programmes. According to Weddle and Van Duzer (1997, p.2 citedin Idris et al., 2007,p.104), “Needs assessment is an essential ingredient in all successful training programmes"Needs assessment can be approached in a variety of forms as:- 51 -