The evaluation of the English language teacher education program Introduced in 2018 by Higher Education Council in Türkiye

Due to the growing demand for foreign language instruction in a rapidly advancing world of technology and information accessibility, traditional methods of teaching foreign languages are inadequate for meeting current requirements. Combining personalized learning through technology and enhanced intercultural communication has significantly transformed foreign language learning and teaching approaches. Given the emergence of new educational frameworks, students need sociolinguistic, communication, and interaction skills to effectively engage with diverse language communities beyond the confines of the classroom (Schick & Nelson, 2001). In these novel methodologies, foreign language instructors must possess more than a solid grasp of grammar to educate students effectively. They must go beyond just mechanical linguistic exercises and instead employ instructional techniques that empower students to use language to communicate. Furthermore, as inter-societal interaction and technological tools in education continue to expand, there is a growing emphasis on finding innovative solutions to address the evolving and diverse social requirements in education and foreign language instruction. Teacher training programs have implemented several changes to enable foreign language teachers to meet these needs. In Turkey, research on the assessment of implemented programs has gained significant impetus, particularly following the advancements in teacher training programs made by the Council of Higher Education in 2006. This descriptive survey model study aims to evaluate the 2018 Council of Higher Education's English Language Teacher Education Program from the viewpoints of both instructors and university students. The research data were collected using the English language teaching undergraduate program evaluation questionnaire and semi-structured interview form. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis techniques. The SPSS software package evaluated quantitative data, whereas the MAXQDA application was employed for qualitative data analysis. Below is a concise summary of the study's findings: • Most of the students involved in the survey expressed dissatisfaction with the universities/faculties due to insufficient technical infrastructure in the classrooms, limited internet connection, and a lack of access to international resources. In the same vein, academicians believe that the classrooms need to be better-suited for foreign language instruction and need more technical resources. • The academicians asserted a shortage of academics in the departments, resulting in an inability to provide individualized attention to the students. Students perceive the number and quality of instructors in the departments as sufficient. According to the students, the academicians guide their professional growth and offer courses that are relevant to their respective fields. • Academicians perceive the facilities as insufficient to maintain cleanliness in their work offices and places. Students and lecturers perceive international mobility programs as satisfactory but have difficulty accessing them due to budgetary and political constraints. Furthermore, the number of international students is inadequate. • Students perceive the English language teacher education program as satisfactory regarding its up-to-date relevance to their interests and needs and the balance between theory and practice. Despite the recent updates to the program, academicians contend that further revisions are necessary to integrate current content in line with technological advancements. Teachers believe that ELT teacher education training programs must be more adaptable to effectively address students' evolving needs. • Academicians believe that the content of pedagogical knowledge and content knowledge courses is redundant, and they recommend tailoring these courses to specific fields and delivering them in English. • Academicians advocate for an increase in the number of courses or credits within teacher education programs that teacher candidates can complete. • University students believe that courses focused on enhancing foreign language proficiency are the most impactful in their professional and personal growth. • The academicians suggested structuring the program's general culture courses to include recent subjects like technology, artificial intelligence, and educational technologies. The academicians also mentioned that the department has a shortage of academic staff, and their dissatisfaction with their salary regarding personal rights diminishes their motivation. Keywords: Teacher education program, English language teacher education, curriculum evaluation.