International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
integral program. Formation courses were distributed over the years and a 5 year consolidated (combined or
composite) education started (Özoğlu, 2010).
Secondary school branch teacher training master’s program without thesis (4 year + 1.5) given by the
faculties of science and letters was to be maintained provided that the training program be revised (Kartal,
2011).
Percentage of the general culture courses and selective courses removed on a great scale by the 1998
regulations were raised again with 2006 restructuring. This application required the implementation of the
courses comprising 50-60 % field knowledge, 25-30 % formation, and 15-20% general culture knowledge. The
main purpose of increasing class hours of general culture courses was to provide the teacher nominees trained at
university level with the necessary capacity for an intellectual person. Courses such as History of Science,
History of Turkish education, and Introduction to Philosophy were introduces as new general culture courses
(Erdem, 2012).
Due to the difficulties in finding application schools, class hours were later reduced again (Kartal, 2011).
New program put an end to minor (secondary field) branch application as it was not required. Hence, it
would be possible for the teacher candidates to acquire a profound knowledge of their own major fields (Erdem,
2012).
List of courses, course definition and credits were rearranged (Kartal, 2011).
A new course, “Social service Applications” was added to teacher training programs. The purpose of the
course was to enable the teacher nominees tackle with social problems more easily (Kartal, 2011).
Furthermore, this new course was to encourage the teacher candidates to participate in scientific activities
such panels, conferences, congresses, and symposiums as listeners, lecturers or organizers (Erdem, 2012).
Özoğlu expresses his views about the 2006-2007 regulations: In 2006-2007 regulations, the Council of
Higher Education stepped backward regarding many of the issues of 1998 regulations. This situation shows that
the changes on teacher training should be dealt with comprehensively and integrally in accordance with the
realities of the country (Özoğlu, 2010).
New Regulations In 2008: Reducing Secondary School Branch Teacher Training Master’s Program Without
Dissertation To One Year
In virtue of 2008 regulations master’s program without thesis was rearranged in terms of both duration and
course program.
After 2008 on the academic length of science and letter faculties and education faculties became equal.
2009 Regulations
In 2009, The Council of Higher Education made new decisions on the secondary school branch teacher
master’s program without dissertation. These decisions were:
On August 27, 2009 Uludağ University, Istanbul University and Marmara University were authorized by The
Council of Higher Education to complete teacher formation courses in their faculties of science and letters, and
theology within the four year academic program.
Then, upon the objections of Dokuz Eylül, Erciyes, İnönü, and Selçuk Universities, the other science and
letters faculties were also entitled to the same rights (Özoğlu, 2010).
This regulation of 2009 was a great inequity against the candidates in studying in the education faculties, who
were to complete their education in five years.
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