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Instructional Planning in a Centralized School System: Lessons of a Study Among Primary School Teachers in Turkey

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Abstract

The purpose of the study described in this article was to assess teachers' planning practices at the primary-school level in Turkey. Altogether 210 schools were surveyed, a questionnaire was distributed to all teachers in these schools, and 1194 teachers responded to the questionnaire. The results indicated that the main sources of influence on daily and unit plans are teachers' experience, the national curriculum and the course textbooks. In daily planning, teachers assigned the highest level of importance to student characteristics and availability of learning materials, and the lowest level of importance to evaluation procedures and writing objectives. The main problems faced by teachers in planning were: the gap between the national curriculum and the classroom needs, difficulties in using the standard format for preparing plans, shortage of time and resources, insufficient support from principals and inspectors, and lack of cooperation among teachers.

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Yildirim, A. Instructional Planning in a Centralized School System: Lessons of a Study Among Primary School Teachers in Turkey. International Review of Education 49, 525–543 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026361208399

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