Assessment of instructor reactions to the performance management system at the preparatory program of a foundation university

Given that among the numerous factors affecting student achievement quality teaching is the leading one, and that quality teaching is only possible by qualified teachers, it is crucial to have a system at educational institutions to have a system to help the teaching staff gain expertise and grow professionally. The purpose of this study was to assess the reactions of the instructors to a recently developed and implemented performance management system at the preparatory program of a foundation university in Gaziantep, Turkey. The participants of the study were 36 EFL instructors, 2 PDC members, and 4 curriculum coordinators working at the aforementioned institution. The data were collected through a reaction scale and semi-structured interviews. The data taken from the reaction scale were analyzed descriptively, and content analysis was done for the interviews. The results of the study indicated that the reactions of the instructors toward the system were positive in general. It was clear that the instructors had overall understanding of the system; that they accepted the standards of the framework; that they thought the supervisors were qualified enough; that the system had a positive impact on their teaching; and that their overall favorableness toward the system was above neutral point, with some reservations and concerns. At the end of the study, some suggestions were offered for the weaknesses of the system, which were identified at the study.