The evaluation of military training pogramme for the trainee contracted officers according to instructors? and students? views

The purpose of this research is to determine the instructors? and trainee?s views on the objectives, content, teaching and learning process and assessment components of the curriculum of the military training programme for the trainee contracted officers and to provide the suggestions about developing this curriculum. Beside the main purpose, it is also examined whether these views change according to career, military branch, current status and teaching experience.This research has been conducted with 365 trainee contracted officers and 41 faculty members who attended the courses at the military training curriculum for the trainee contracted officers in Turkish Military Academy in the summer semester of 2008. An information form and Likert typed survey has been developed to collectdata for this study.Data was collected by means of two different questionnaires with similar contents for trainees and faculty members. Five open ended questions were added to the end of questionnaires in order to get suggestions of the participant for the development of the curriculum.The frequency table, percentages, means and medians were used in order to comment participants? opinions about the components of the curriculum. Variation analysis and T test are used to see whether there are differences between participants? view. The data obtained via open ended questions were classified and interpreted due to frequenciesResults revealed that the program was effective in general in terms of objectives, content, teaching and learning process and assessment components. However, period of the curriculum was regarded as insufficient to reach the goals and there could be improvements in objectives and content. It was found out that opinions of faculty members and trainees did not differ in terms of career, military branch, current status and teaching experience but faculty members were more positive on each aspects of the curriculum compared to trainees.The strong and weak parts of the curriculum was determined due to data obtained in this study, and made proposals for curriculum development and further researches.