THE OPINIONS OF THE PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS WORKING IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING HIGH SCHOOL ON LEONARDO DA VINCI PROJECT: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Extended Abstract Introduction: This paper provides an overview of principals and teacher's opinions on Leonardo Da Vinci Project in Manavgat Vocational Training High School and Vocational High School. The aim of this research is to classify the opinions of the principals and teachers working in Vocational Training High school and Vocational High School on Leonardo Da Vinci Project as the reasons of joining this Project, the preparations before the Project and the benefits of the Project. Method: The sample of this research consists of two principals and eight teachers who participated in the project and worked in at Manavgat Vocational Training High School, Vocational High School and Vocational High School for Girls during 2007-2008 academic year in Manavgat in Antalya. The research is a qualitative study with a multiple holistic case study design. A qualitative approach was selected for this study because this research was more concerned with understanding principals and teachers' opinions on the Leonardo Da Vinci Project. Data were collected via interviews by using half structured interview forms. At these interviews willingness was observed. Semi-structured interviews were used. During data analysis, the data were organized categorically. Interview transcripts were regularly reviewed. Comparisons were made with the data obtained from those interviews Results: At the end of the research, conclusions were emerged under three themes and their sub-themes. The first one was that vocational training high school and vocational high school principals and teachers' main reasons for joining Leonardo Da vinci project were to see European Union countries, willingness for participating in project, having a part in a project before, having information about historical and places of tourist interest, observing vocational education in a European union country, learning a different country's education system, learning European Union countries' good examples, to broaden their horizon. The second one was that preparations of vocational training high school and vocational high school principals and teachers before participating to Leonardo Da Vinci Project were searching European Union country's cultural properties on internet, preparing cd and brochures for telling our education system, learning European Union country's daily language, learning European Union country's working hours, searching Turkish national education system deeply, searching maps showing historical and cultural places, preparing travel plan, searching European Union country's education system, following national agency's internet site. And the final one is that benefits of Leonardo Da vinci Project for vocational training high school and vocational high school principals and teachers were learning European Union country's point of view to education, having new friendships, learning European Union country's education system, practicing with colleagues, comparing difficulties of teaching language, comparing education system of two countries, introducing Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, telling our point of view to Europe, telling importance of peace and world for us, to see different cultures, introducing Turkey, changing Turkish point of view to education, to understand importance of education for finding a job, to understand importance of security in a job, age being unimportant for learning, having an idea about different jobs, searching method of teaching foreign language, abolishing prejudice among the cultures, constituting conscious of European, to see Europe by eight teacher, searching vocational and technical education in a Europe country, broadening participants' joining to project horizon, meeting with a different culture, learning European Union countries' good examples and recognizing Europe. Recommendations: According to the findings, some recommendations were developed as follows: The web site of National Agency http://www.ua.gov.tr should be re-organized in a format which will present visual and written documents for the participants who are to visit European countries due to the European projects. Teachers should be informed about the aim of project. The aim of the Project is not only to travel a foreign country but also to compare different cultures and to learn new useful information. The studies seeking the views of the participants from European countries visiting Turkey due to the Leonardo Da Vinci Project should also be done. Key Words: Leonardo Da Vinci Project, vocational high school teachers and principals, EU countries