Abstract:
Purpose of the study The objectives of this study were to examine present status and problems arising through the delivery of the in-service training program to teachers and educational personnel and to compare opinions regarding the status and problems of the program as perceived by instructors, program attendants, and program graduates of the central-region teacher colleges. Procedures Samples of the study were 213 program instructors, 305 program attendants, and 323 program graduates who were randomly selected from the five teachers colleges locating in the central region. The research tool devised by the researcher was devided into sections. The first section was comprised of 7 items on personal data. The second was comprised of 43 items on present status and problems of the program. The collected data were analyzed by means of percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, variance, and Scheffe test. Findings of the study 1. Present status of the in-service training program. 1.1 General condition. It was found that delivering the program on Saturday and Sunday was rated very suitable and that the program duration was rated moderately suitable. 1.2 Program objectives. It was mostly asneed that objectives of the program could improve could help improve capability of attendants creativeness and knowledge applicability. 1.3 Curriculum. It was found that program content, program duration, program utility in general, program usefulness to ones work, and minor courses offered were moderately related. 1.4 Learning activities. It was found that text-books, supplementary readings, instructional media, teaching methods, course assignments, and elective courses offered were moderately suitable. 1.5 Course evaluation. It was strongly agreed that the evaluation method used covered the topics included in the courses. 1.6 Administration and management. It was found that instructors were responsible for their individual responsibilities. 2. Problems arising through the delivery of the program. 2.1 General condition. The teachers colleges had some difficulties in founding training centers out of the main campus. 2.2 Program objectives. The three groups asserted the problems regarding the pulling and utilizing of local human and nonhuman resources. 2.3 Curriculum. The three groups asserted the problems regarding relations between the curriculum itself and the delivery time, and the problem regarding the applicability of individual courses. 2.4 Learning process. The three groups asserted the problems regarding suitability of the learning process, availability of text-books, supplementary learning materials, instructional media, course specialist, out-of-the centre trainings, and course assignments. 2.5 Course evaluation. The three groups asserted problems regarding their use of grade received from the project in the application of the knowledge for the improvement of their own instruction. 2.6 Administration and management. The majority asserted several problems concerning administration and management, especially problems regarding uppropriateness of the fees, coordinating functions, public service, library services, and advising service. 3. Differences in the perceptions on status and problems of the program. 3.1 There are statistical differences at .05 level between the three groups perceptions on the status of the program on general conditions, objectives, curriculum, and evaluation methods of the program. 3.2 There are statistical differences at .05 level between the three groups perceptions on the problems regarding general conditions, objectives, curriculum, and evaluation methods of the program.