FORUM ON CURRICULAR ISSUES

FOCI-XI Motivation of learners and teachers:

The Role of Curriculum

TED UNIVERSITYEnglish Language School 14th & 15th May 2015

A MESSAGE FROM THE FOCI TEAM

FOCI Team: William Kerr, Funda Akgül, Jonathan Smith

Dear Participants,

We are very pleased that finally we are holding a FOCI event in the capital and it is nice to see so many participants from Ankara – we hope that we will continue to have representatives from your institutions at future FOCI events. This forum sees a return to our usual, more intimate atmosphere after our joint event with Freshmen programmes last time. We envisage having further joint events in the future, but feel it is important also to maintain the small-scale and informal approach of FOCI.

You will soon receive a questionnaire to give feedback on the event: this will help us in planning the next FOCI. If you have not visited the website yet, please do so www.focionline.wordpress.com. There you can find all the documents relating to all previous events, and soon our webmaster, Emrah Akkurt, will be uploading all the minutes, powerpoints, videos and pictures from the last couple of days. Please also feel free to post comments, questions and suggestions about FOCI or any curricular issues on the website.

We hope to continue to welcome you or other representatives from your institutions in the future. However, we still get many people who tell us that they have not heard of FOCI; hopefully, you will all help us to spread the word about these events to your contacts in Curriculum Teams in other universities and by “liking” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FociTurkey .

We wish to thank the Director of TED University English Language School, Yeşim Eraslan, for her enthusiasm and support in hosting this event. We have very much enjoyed working with Azra Erdem and we thank her and her team for their very efficient organisation.

For the next Forum (FOCI-XII) in December 2015, we will be heading back to İstanbul again to be hosted by Yeditepe University. We are very much looking forward to seeing you there! The provisional timetable for future FOCI events over the next couple of years is shown below:

DATE INSTITUTIONFOCI-XII 10-11 Dec 2015 Yeditepe University, İstanbulFOCI-XIII May 2016 Pamukkale University, DenizliFOCI-XIV December 2016 Doğuş University, İstanbul

See you in December at Yeditepe University!

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FORUM ON CURRICULAR ISSUES

AIMS The forum was set up by the Curriculum Team of Sabancı University School of Languages in May 2010 for representatives from the curriculum teams of a range of foundation/preparatory programmes preparing students for their academic studies in English. The forum provides an opportunity for different state, foundation and private universities within the Turkish context to come together:

to discuss issues of concern in the areas of needs analysis, syllabus writing, implementation, and programme evaluation;

to share experiences and ideas relevant to curricular issues from their diverse contexts; to raise mutual awareness of the activities and approaches to curriculum issues in other programmes; to build relationships and links between the curriculum teams in different institutions.

RATIONALE The FOCI project holds regular twice-yearly two-day events in May and December; FOCI events are hosted by different universities in Turkey and Northern Cyprus; Events are organised by the FOCI Organizing Team which is comprised of members from the School of Languages

of Sabancı University, Koç University and İzmir University of Economics, in collaboration with the host institutions; The forum takes an informal and hands-on approach to the practical “nitty-gritty” of curriculum work, aiming to

complement the formal presentation of papers or workshops to be found at other professional gatherings such as conferences, seminars and workshops;

FOCI events are aimed at members of syllabus or curriculum teams or teachers interested in curricular development rather than administrators.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please visit our website www.focionline.wordpress.com

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A MESSAGE FROM THE HOST TEAM

Welcome to TED University for the eleventh FOCI event!

We are very glad to be hosting the eleventh FOCI event in Ankara at TED University. As TED University, we are highly supportive of collaborative activities that we believe contribute to individuals and institutions alike. FOCI is one of the best examples of such collaboration.

FOCI brings colleagues from different institutions together and thus enables them to discuss curricular issues of great importance to prep school contexts. At the tenth FOCI event held at Sabancı, we were able to discuss freshman English issues as well. This gave us the opportunity to establish the first footing of a bridge between prep school and freshman programs. We do hope this collaboration continues. The organizing committee has successfully created a scenario framework for the event, where participants not only discuss issues but are expected to come up with solutions.

The theme of the eleventh FOCI event is “Motivation of learners and teachers: the role of the curriculum”. We are sure that we all see motivation as a critical issue and that it plays a very important role in the success of students and also institutions. We hope to discuss in detail how we can increase motivation through curricular practices. We are also aware of the fact that not only student, but also teacher motivation contributes a lot to the success of a curriculum.

We would like to thank the organizing committee for providing us with guidelines and for supporting us in our endeavour to host the event. We would also like to thank our colleagues here at TED University who have wholeheartedly accepted to be facilitators during the event. Our thanks also go to the wonderful participants who make this event what it actually is.

We hope that you leave the event with lots of ideas and the motivation to create wonders upon your arrival at your institutions.

Back row (left to right): Fatih Ekinci, Azra Erdem, Kerem Selçuk, Tuba KorkmazFront row (left to right): Hatice Yurtman, Pınar İlbars Gülce Bayrakçı

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PARTICIPANTS1 Bahçeşehir University Başak Ergüven e-mails are intentionally deleted2 Başkent University Aygül Kökçe e-mails are intentionally deleted3 Bilkent University Ayça Üner e-mails are intentionally deleted4 Doğuş University Nevin Durmaz e-mails are intentionally deleted5 Eastern Mediterranean University Müsyteyde İrikoğlu e-mails are intentionally deleted6 Ege University Nazan Yağcı e-mails are intentionally deleted7 Erciyes University Elif Barbaros e-mails are intentionally deleted8 Eskişehir Osmangazi University Selcen Ercan e-mails are intentionally deleted9 Eskişehir Osmangazi University Onur Ergünay e-mails are intentionally deleted

10 Fatih Sultan Mehmet University Emel Hakyemez e-mails are intentionally deleted11 Hacettepe University Nazlınur Göktürk e-mails are intentionally deleted12 İpek University Suzan Kotan e-mails are intentionally deleted13 İstanbul Technical University Aslı Gülerbaşlı e-mails are intentionally deleted14 İzmir Gediz University Seyit Ömer Gök e-mails are intentionally deleted15 İstanbul Medeniyet University Meral Hırçın e-mails are intentionally deleted16 İstanbul Şehir University Mehtap Yavuzdoğan e-mails are intentionally deleted17 İzmir University Ayşegül Ece Çalışkan e-mails are intentionally deleted18 Kadir Has University Nesrin Kurt e-mails are intentionally deleted19 Koç University Ayça Palancılar e-mails are intentionally deleted20 Marmara University Aysu Öztürk e-mails are intentionally deleted21 Necmettin Erbakan University Gülçin Mutlu e-mails are intentionally deleted22 Özyeğin University Selen Şirin Dülger e-mails are intentionally deleted23 Özyeğin University Özlem Kaplan e-mails are intentionally deleted24 Sabancı University Alev Türkmen Zengin e-mails are intentionally deleted25 TED University Derya Bozdoğan e-mails are intentionally deleted26 TOBB Uni of Economics & Technology Simla Kötüz e-mails are intentionally deleted27 University of Turkish Aeronautical Association İlknur Bayram e-mails are intentionally deleted28 Yaşar University Betül Yıldırımcan Doğdu e-mails are intentionally deleted29 Yaşar University Dilek Arca e-mails are intentionally deleted30 Yeditepe University Çiğdem Atilla Hiçyılmaz e-mails are intentionally deleted31 Yıldırım Beyazıt University Aslı Ersen Yanık e-mails are intentionally deleted

32 Yeditepe University Kimberly Farber e-mails are intentionally deleted

33 TED University Fatih Ekinci e-mails are intentionally deleted34 TED University Hatice Yurtman e-mails are intentionally deleted35 TED University Fatma Tuba Korkmaz e-mails are intentionally deleted36 TED University Kerem Selçuk e-mails are intentionally deleted37 TED University Azra Erdem e-mails are intentionally deleted

38 İstanbul Şehir University Emrah Akkurt e-mails are intentionally deleted

39 Koç University William Kerr e-mails are intentionally deleted40 Sabancı University Jonathan Smith e-mails are intentionally deleted41 İzmir University of Economics Funda Akgül e-mails are intentionally deleted

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PROGRAMME for FOCI XI @ TEDUTHURSDAY: 14thMAY 2015

Time Activity Location

08.30 ARRIVAL & WELCOME(refreshments provided)

Fatma Semih AkbilKültür Merkezi

Upper Floor

09.00 OPENING REMARKS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

09.30 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS

10.00 Introduction to Focus Groups

10.15 COFFEE BREAK

10.30 – 12.30FOCUS GROUPS DISCUSSIONS

First half hour for:“Discussion on the Pre-event Readings”

12.30- 13.30 LUNCH TED University Cafeteria

13.30 – 15.00 FOCUS GROUPS DISCUSSIONS Fatma Semih AkbilKültür Merkezi

Upper Floor15.00 COFFEE BREAK

15.15 – 16.30 FOCUS GROUPS DISCUSSIONS

18.30 FOCI DINNER KOLEJ-IN İNCEKBus leaves at 18:00

FRIDAY: 15thMAY 2015Time Activity Location08.45 ARRIVAL

Fatma Semih AkbilKültür Merkezi

Upper Floor

09.00 ANNOUNCEMENTS

09.05 – 10.15 FOCUS GROUPS(Preparation for presentations)

10.15 COFFEE BREAK

10.30 – 12.30

FOCUS GROUPS(Preparation for presentations)

Email the presentations toAzra Erdem by 12.00

Last half hour for Final Discussion Question&

Rehearsal time for presenters12.30- 13.20 LUNCH TED University Cafeteria

13.30 – 15.10

FOCUS GROUPS presentations(15mins each + 10 minutes Discussion and Q&A)

Group A: 13.30 – 13.55Group B: 13.55 – 14.20Group C: 14.20 – 14.45Group D: 14.45 – 15.10

Fatma Semih AkbilKültür Merkezi

Upper Floor15.10 Group Photo5mins15.15 COFFEE BREAK

15.30 – 16.30 REFLECTION & ROUND-UP SESSION

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FOCUS GROUPS

AIMS

To discuss in detail findings and areas of common concern To exchange ideas to find out if any institution has addressed these concerns To share successes and failures in the related issues To brainstorm different suggestions on how to better respond to these concerns To summarize the highlights of the work of the focus group To present these highlights to the whole group in the final session with emphasis on curriculum

THURSDAY

The session sessions on this day are an opportunity for participants to discuss the theme and share ideas and experiences from one particular perspective in a smaller group. It is hoped that the pre-event readings and the student presentations may provide some food-for-thought in this process. From the suggestions which participants made when they registered we have put together a scenario which we hope will encourage participants to come up with some concrete suggestions for addressing the issues and some practical solutions which we may be able to put into practice in our own institutions.

FRIDAY

The sessions this morning are to prepare to report the suggestions of the focus groups in the afternoon session to the entire group. The powerpoint must be e-mailed by the facilitators to Azra Erdem by 12.00 at the latest. The group should choose one person to present the work of the Focus Group to the whole group. Each group will have 10-15 minutes to present and there will then be 5-10 minutes for questions and discussions about issues raised by each group.

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FOCUS GROUPS PARTICIPANTS

FOCUS GROUP A: CURRICULUM DESIGN & TEACHER MOTIVATION1 Facilitator: Fatih Ekinci TED University2 Ayça Üner Bilkent University3 Azra Erdem TED University4 İlknur Bayram University of Turkish Aeronautical Association5 Nazan Yağcı Ege University6 Nevin Durmaz Doğuş University7 Onur Ergünay Eskişehir Osmangazi University8 Seyit Ömer Gök İzmir Gediz University9 Suzan Kotan İpek University10 William Kerr Koç University

FOCUS GROUP B: CURRICULUM DESIGN & LEARNER MOTIVATION1 Facilitator: Kerem Selçuk TED University2 Aygül Kökçe Başkent University3 Dilek Arca Yaşar University4 Elif Barbaros Erciyes University5 Emel Hakyemez Fatih Sultan Mehmet University6 Funda Akgül İzmir University of Economics7 Gülçin Mutlu Necmettin Erbakan University8 Mehtap Yavuzdoğan İstanbul Şehir University9 Meral Hırçın İstanbul Medeniyet University10 Nesrin Kurt Kadir Has University11 Selen Şirin Dülger Özyeğin University

FOCUS GROUP C: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRICULUM & TEACHER MOTIVATION1 Facilitator: Fatma Tuba Korkmaz TED University2 Aslı Gülerbaşlı İstanbul Technical University3 Aysu Öztürk Marmara University4 Ayşegül Ece Çalışkan İzmir University5 Başak Ergüven Bahçeşehir University6 Betül Yıldırımcan Doğdu Yaşar University7 Çiğdem Atilla Hiçyılmaz Yeditepe University8 Derya Bozdoğan TED University9 Jonathan Smith Sabancı University10 Müsteyde İrikoğlu Eastern Mediterranean University

FOCUS GROUP D: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRICULUM & LEARNER MOTIVATION1 Facilitator: Hatice Yurtman TED University2 Alev Türkmen Zengin Sabancı University3 Ali Ersen Yanık Yıldırım Beyazıt University4 Ayça Palancılar Koç University5 Emrah Akkurt İstanbul Şehir University6 Kimberley Farber Yeditepe University7 Nazlınur Göktürk Hacettepe University8 Özlem Kaplan Özyeğin University9 Selcen Ercan Eskişehir Osmangazi University10 Simla Kötüz TOBB University of Economics and Technology

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FOCUS GROUP TASK

DISCUSSION ON THE PRE-EVENT READINGS (First half an hour) How would you relate this to your context curriculum? What factors of your curriculum affect motivation? Think of one thing in this article which you think merits further discussion? Something you agree with –

something you disagree with.

Focitepe University has been battling with motivational problems. The curriculum team wonders if the curriculum itself has a role to play in improving this situation and has decided to call upon representatives of teachers and learners to make some concrete suggestions as to how to go about trying to improve learner and teacher motivation.

Group A:You are a group of Teacher representatives. You have been requested to present some concrete suggestions as to how the design of the curriculum can have a more beneficial impact on Ts motivation.

Group B:You are a group of Learner representatives. You have been requested to present some concrete suggestions as to how the design of the curriculum can have a more beneficial impact on L motivation.

Group C:You are a group of Teacher representatives. You have been requested to present some concrete suggestions as to how the implementation of the curriculum can have a more beneficial impact on Ts motivation.

Group D:You are a group of Learner representatives. You have been requested to present some concrete suggestions as to how the implementation of the curriculum can have a more beneficial impact on L motivation.

You may like to consider some or all the following points during your discussion. Please note that you do not need to discuss all of these and you do not need to discuss them in order. You are also free to come up with other topics if you feel they are relevant:

Involvement / ownership/empowerment Stress and burnout Teacher-learner interaction/contact Collaboration Autonomy Objectives: descriptive vs. prescriptive curriculum Coursebooks, materials & task types Technology/flipped classroom Standardisation of materials/teaching approach Diversity of interests/needs/background

Assessment & proficiency test Curriculum Team members

approach/leadership style Learning atmosphere School culture/atmosphere Hidden curriculum Projects / team work Flexibility Mixed ability classes Mix of skills Pacing

FINAL TASK FOR ALL GROUPSThis topic is for the final half hour of the focus group Is what motivates Ts same as what motivates Ls and vice versa? How can we reconcile them?

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ROUND UP SESSION

AIMS: To reflect on the event To suggest topics for the next event To announce the theme for the next FOCI event

FORMAT:

Task 1: Individual Reflection Each participant will decide on three “key items” that they wish to take away from today’s event. This could be an issue or a concept which arose during the event and you felt was important; an idea you would like to take back to your own institution; or an area you would like to explore in further detail in your own context.

1.

2.

3.

Task2: Group ReflectionShare your ideas with two sitting near you. As a group select three ideas (common ideas, or combine or select from the ideas you have all chosen). Write these on the slip of paper provided. These will be collected in and collated to form a document which will be available on the FOCI website soon after the event. If time allows, we will ask each group to briefly read their list to the whole group. (If an idea has already been mentioned, please do not go over it again).

Task 3: Looking to the futureWe will ask the participants to get together in groups of 3 or 4 to brainstorm some suggestions for themes which you would like to see in future FOCI events.

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FORUM ON CURRICULAR ISSUES

(FOCI-XI)

14th & 15th May 2015

PREPARATORY PROGRAMME PROFILES

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Prep Programme Profiles part is intentionally deleted

PREVIOUS FOCI EVENTSFOCI-X

Sabancı University11th & 12th Dec 2014

Prep and Freshman: Two sides of the same coin or worlds apart?

FOCI-IXYaşar University

9th & 10th May 2014Thinking Critically about Critical Thinking in

the CurriculumFOCI-VIII

İzmir University of Economics12th & 13th December

2013 The Quest for the Ideal Coursebook

FOCI-VIIEskişehir Osmangazi University

9th & 10th May2013 Standardization: What are we sacrificing?

FOCI-VIÖzyeğin University

13th & 14th December2012 Flexibility within Limitations

FOCI-VKoç University

10th & 11th May2012

Pathways to Progression

FOC- IVEastern Mediterranean University

9th & 10th December2011

Collaborating with Colleaguesto Consolidate Curriculum

FOCI-IIIİstanbul Aydın University

13th May2011

Developing a Curriculumthat Fosters Independent Learner

CompetenciesFOCI-II

Bahçeşehir University3rd December

2010Enabling Low-Level Learners’ Success

FOCI-ISabancı University

28th May2010

Common Concerns,Multifarious Responses

We are looking forward to seeing you

at FOCI XII @ YEDİTEPE UNIVERSITY on 10th & 11th Dec 2015

FORUM ON CURRICULAR ISSUES

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