A critical evaluation of " Campus Life" in terms of university first year students' and english instructors' opinions and expectations

This study aims to find out the students' and the ELT instructors' opinions about the Compulsory English Language Teaching coursebook 'Campus Life', determine the strong and weak points of the book and be able to reach some suggestions about how the book can be more effective.The study was conducted as a descriptive study adopting survey methodology and carried out with 278 student participants studying Compulsory Language (English) course as first grade students at Çanakkale Onsekizmart University in 2007-2008 fall term and 22 instructors participants who have been teaching the course. The data were collected by means of quantitative and qualitative research techniques. In the light of the literature, questionnaires were adapted and designed both for students and instructors. The reliability of both questionnaires were analyzed and found acceptable. The data obtained through the questionnaires were analyzed via Descriptive Statistics, Independent Samples T-test and Cronbach Alpha Reliability Test with the help of SPSS computer programme.The results of the four questions in the first part of SEQ indicated that majority of students would like to be presented not only English but also other languages as options in their first years' programme, they expect to develop sequentially grammar, listening and vocabulary building skills in this course, expect the course to be based on a reader or a coursebook (the concepts of coursebook and reader might be mixed up by the students), and students? major considerations in an EFL coursebook are sequentially seen as the easily accesibility and low price, colourful and appealing appearance and plenty of grammar and vocabulary exercises in the book. As a result of the students' coursebook evaluations, no poor qualities were designated in the textbook. The book was found strong in terms of readable and clear type font and adequate number of visual aids. The rest of the book?s qualities were found moderate by the students. In terms coursebook evaluations, no meaningful difference was defined between faculty and vocational high school students.The results of the instructors? evaluation checklists indicate that the book was found strong in terms 14 considerations, and it was found weak in terms of 5 considerations in the evaluation checklist. The teacher?s book was found poor in terms of including adequate amount of supplementary materials. The rest of the qualities were found moderate. Instructors suggested their further ideas and suggestions on 5 topics in the further suggestions part of the checklist.