Evaluation of Teaching Competencies of Social Studies Teachers Graduated from the College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University from Supervisors’ and Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating performance of teaching competencies by social studies teachers (graduated from College of Education – Sultan Qaboos University for the years of 2003 - 2006) from the point of view of teacher supervisors, senior teachers, and teachers. The researchers developed a comprehensive checklist of (4) domains of competencies. The instrument was distributed to a study sample of 122 teachers, 20 senior teachers, and 16 teacher supervisors after being tested for validity and reliability. The results of study revealed that social studies teachers posses a number of the main competencies by the mean of (3,33-4,06) compared to the standard level of the Ministry of Education (3,75). However teachers were in short of a number of sub professional competencies such as designing new learning strategies and organizing learning activities suitable for individual differences. In the light of those findings the study concluded with recommendations such as: covering the real needs of the student/teachers to deal with shortcomings of sub competencies during pre – service preparation courses and providing in-service teacher training programs that aimed at fulfilling the needs of social studies teachers in dealing with shortcomings in such sub competencies.