A Qualitative Assessment of the Curriculum Development Process at Secondary Vocational Schools in Turkey

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the curriculum development process in selected local vocational schools in Turkey through individual and group interviews. The participants included administrators, school-industry coordinators, teachers and students in selected secondary vocational high schools, and managers and workers in selected companies. Relevance of the vocational curricula to industry, needs assessment, curriculum development efforts, school-industry relations, and on-the-job training were some of the main areas investigated through interview questions. Interview results indicated that in general the vocational curriculum is outdated, and the procedures and processes for curriculum development create serious obstacles to updating the curriculum in line with the needs of students and industry.