IKU ROUNDTABLE MEETING FINAL DECLARATION May 28, 2011

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT There is a need for needs analysis in faculties and in prep school before designing a curriculum. Institutional objectives should be written according to the findings of this needs analysis

It requires an effective planning in terms of multi- strand curriculum based on: Themes Tasks Skills Language (Grammar & Vocabulary) It should be evaluated from different perspectives: students’, instructors’ and faculty members’ perspectives.

EFFICIENCY IN TEACHING Better teaching practices require effective team work. Instructors should be consistent on school policies and missions.

All students should go through a program that is achieved by all of them. Work load should be reasonable for instructors in order to: improve their knowledge and awareness, plan and prepare their lessons effectively, build rapport and communication with learners.

ASSESSMENT Institution needs to prioritize objectives in terms of their teaching practices. Feedback from faculties should be taken regularly. The program of the department needs to be Faculty-based program.

For students’ survival after preparatory year, there should be an EAP -oriented system. Academic English based on EAP-oriented system should be accessible from the first day of the preparatory year.

In order to provide tests’ quality, reliability, validity and objectivity, regular feedback from instructors, from faculty courses and tests needs to be taken. For an efficient EAP-oriented system, corpus driven research should be carried out to find out mostly used words and structures in faculties ‘ materials.

In light of the results of corpus-driven research, EAP courses and materials can be designed in preparatory school.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Instructors are the core for personal and professional development. No matter what the system is, the most important element is the instructor. For constant personal and professional development, the staff should be committed.

First of all, the institutional needs for personal and professional development should be determined. Also, teachers’ needs as the core element need to be found out. The critical question is “Are we ready to change as instructors?”

ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT We should see the whole picture in school ethos: Thinking, learning and caring We should redefine our terms: What is management? We cannot manage people, we can provide an effective environment to work. The idea of management is not for one person, but it is a teamwork.

There is need for avoiding levels of hierarchy, but putting emphasis on work and project. A label and title-free mindset should be formed. We have positive ethos and we should benefit from it. We need to create a positive atmosphere/support for people’s cooperation & collaboration

We should have a healthy mindset. While defining or describing all teaching and learning situations, we need to use correct words and a sensitive language. It is us who have to change since our students will not change.

There should be a shared vision and shared goals among staff. We need a strategic plan which should be parallel to our university’s strategic plan with areas prioritized.