Utopia vs. Reality: The Effectiveness of In-Service Training Courses for EFL Teachers

The article explores the long-term effectiveness of in-service teacher training courses for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in the Greek educational context. It presents the results of a questionnaire designed and issued to teacher-trainees a year after the completion of 60-hour courses. The questionnaire assessed, among others, (a) teacher trainees' beliefs regarding the relevance of the knowledge acquired to their individual needs, (b) the extent to which they used the materials provided in the course, and (c) the usefulness of the subjects offered. The data are discussed in relation to strategies for optimising teacher training services and implications are drawn for the implementation of change in a broader educational context. A "cooperative model" is proposed for the promotion of change involving active cooperation between all agents involved in the educational process and necessitating top-down and bottom-up cooperation. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables, and 3 notes.)