EVALUATION OF ECA’S ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS:

E-Teacher Scholarship Program

Key Findings

EVALUATION HIGHLIGHTS
Enhancing English language teaching and learning overseas is central to the mandate of the U.S.
Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to increase understanding
between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. English language
programming results in expanded educational and economic opportunities for underserved
communities, builds educational capacity, and increases opportunities for collaboration and innovation
among American citizens, organizations and businesses overseas. The E-Teacher Scholarship Program,
part of ECA’s suite of English language programs, offers English teaching professionals around the
world the opportunity to participate in a distance-learning program that introduces the most recent
language teaching methods and techniques in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) field.

The following are highlights from a global evaluation of the E-Teacher Program funded by ECA and
released in 2015:

 The E-Teacher program provides professional development to working English teaching professionals around the
globe with limited training opportunities. For example, 91 percent of E-Teacher participants responding to the
evaluation’s survey said the course gave them access to experts in their field which they would not have had
otherwise.

This program is an excellent alternative for many teachers from around the world that are unable to attend
prestigious universities, and especially so for Cuban teachers that have very limited access to the development
of language teaching. –Vocational college instructor, Cuba

 The E-Teacher program connects English teaching professionals with other English language professionals around
the world. Specifically, 98 percent of respondents felt more connected to the global EFL community after the
program.

 E-Teacher participants reported that they had changed their teaching practices as a result of the program, which in
turn improved their students’ confidence and interest in English. Nine in ten E-Teacher respondents reported that
their students had become more active learners and had an increased interest in learning English, and 82% believed
they had built their students’ conversation skills.

 The vast majority of survey respondents reported that their E-Teacher course participation had directly led them to
make multiple changes at their institutions. These included introducing new teaching practices (90 percent);
improving testing and assessment (83 percent); teaching new courses on the subject of their E-Teacher course (79
percent); and introducing more online resources (79 percent) into existing courses.

 E-Teacher participants reported program impacts within their broader communities and at the national level.

[What I learned in] the E-Teacher [course] was cascaded to all the English language teachers/United Nations
Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools in Jordan (172 schools) at the time, and I was leading on that as
my capacity of being school supervisor at the time; all the ideas, strategies and thoughts learned from E-
Teacher were employed in the educational reform that UNRWA was implementing, and I took the part of
planning how to change the focus of teaching to become student-centered.
–Emergency education officer, Jordan

Evaluation Division, ECA, U.S. Department of State Page 1

 PROGRAM AND EVALUATION OVERVIEW

The E-Teacher Scholarship Program Figure 1. E-Teacher Course Design

offers participants a 10-week graduate-
level online professional development
course led by an instructor at a U.S.
university,1 at no cost to the
participant. The E-Teacher course
design integrates traditional learning
elements—such as reading and writing
assignments—into a highly interactive,
student-centered virtual classroom,
*In project-based or task-based learning, students master course material
where participants take primary through activities in which they apply the concepts taught.
responsibility for their own learning
and the instructor serves as a facilitator.

In 2011, EurekaFacts, LLC, was contracted to conduct an evaluation of the E-Teacher Program in
order to assess program impacts in four general areas:
 Participants’ professional knowledge, expertise and development. What knowledge/skills
have participants gained? Has the program provided them with unique opportunities? How
have they sought to expand knowledge or improve practice since taking the course?
 Participants’ English language teaching practices. How have participants applied what they
learned in their classes? Has this led to changes in courses that they teach?
 Participants’ home institutions. How have participants shared their learning with colleagues
and/or applied it at their institutions? What have been the impacts on students, institutional
curricula and/or teaching methods?
 Linkages. How have participants continued to engage with their peers/virtual communities?

1
During the evaluation period (2004–09), E-Teacher courses were offered by five U.S. universities; currently, all courses are offered by the
University of Oregon only.

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 EVALUATION OF ECA’S ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS: E-Teacher Scholarship Program

PROGRAM REACH
During the participation period covered by this evaluation (2004–09), a total of 696 E-Teacher
participants residing in 78 countries/territories completed at least one E-Teacher course, as
illustrated in Figure 2.2

Figure 2. Numbers of E-Teacher Participants per Country, 2004–09

1-5 6-10 11-15 16+

DATA COLLECTION STRATEGY

The evaluation used a mixed-method data collection strategy to evaluate the E-Teacher Program,
which included the following components:
 Online Survey: In the fall of 2012, the evaluation team conducted an online survey of
participants, which collected data from 367 of the 696 participants who had completed at
least one course between 2004 and 2009. This represented a response rate of 53%.
 Qualitative Fieldwork: In 2011 and 2012, the evaluation team traveled to Chile, Russia,
Thailand, and Turkey to conduct interviews with 22 participants as well as Ministry of
Education officials and U.S. Post/Embassy English language programming staff.

2
There was no country data for 27 of the 696 E-teachers who completed a course. Thus, the map and country/territory count are based on the
669 E-teachers for which data was available. Also, the figure of 696 represents only those participants who completed a course; approximately
1,000 E-Teacher scholarships were awarded, but the remaining participants did not complete the course.

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 EVALUATION OF ECA’S ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS: E-Teacher Scholarship Program

A 21ST CENTURY PROGRAM: VIRTUAL TRAINING FOR GLOBAL ENGLISH

TEACHING PROFESSIONALS
The virtual format of the E-Teacher Program makes advanced EFL training accessible to
working English teaching professionals anywhere in the world.

E-Teacher Courses Fill a Void in Advanced EFL Training. The most common motivation for
taking an E-Teacher course (identified by 48 percent of respondents) is to learn more about one’s
area of specialization within the EFL field. As such, the E-Teacher participants surveyed most
commonly took advanced courses or those on teaching English to specific audiences, rather than
introductory course offerings, such as online skills.3 Respondents explained that these
specialized courses fill a void in the EFL pedagogical training available locally.

Figure 3. E-Teacher Courses Most Commonly Taken by Survey Respondents, 2004–09*

E-Teacher Course Type Percentage†
Critical Thinking in the EFL Curriculum Advanced 40%
Teaching English to Young Learners Teaching to Specific Audiences 22%
EFL Assessment Advanced 21%
English for Business Teaching to Specific Audiences 16%
English for Law Teaching to Specific Audiences 5%
Total N=367
*Courses taken by less than 5 percent of respondents are not listed.
†Figures represent the percentage of respondents who completed each course; multiple responses were allowed.

Online Format Increases Accessibility

 Global reach. The virtual format makes the E-Teacher Program accessible to educators
who live far from major cities where professional development activities are usually held.
 Flexible schedule convenient for working professionals. The asynchronous course
format4 makes it possible for working English language educators to participate without
taking time off from work. In fact, 9 in 10 E-Teacher survey respondents agreed that the
online format was a “convenient alternative” to in-person training and considered the
flexible schedule a highly valuable aspect of the program (92 percent and 89 percent,
respectively).
 Opportunity to study at a U.S. university. The virtual format allows participants to
virtually “attend” a U.S. university course without leaving home, thus making such
courses accessible to a vast pool of global professionals who are not able to physically
come to the United States. The vast majority (86 percent) of respondents identified this
aspect of the program as highly valuable.

3
Some course titles have changed since the evaluation period. Also, the courses English for Business and English for Law are no longer
offered; now, these topics are subsumed within the course titled English for Specific Purposes.
4
In an asynchronous course, participants may log on to the virtual classroom—to read and post comments in online discussions, or to
complete other class activities—at different times.

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 EVALUATION OF ECA’S ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS: E-Teacher Scholarship Program

DIRECT BENEFITS OF PROGRAM PARTICIPATION

As shown in Figure 4, program participation has resulted directly in numerous benefits for E-Teacher
participants. In addition to knowledge of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and
increased professional confidence, two of these benefits—a global network and e-learning/online
skills—are “value-added” elements that result specifically from the program’s virtual format.
Figure 4. Direct Benefits of Program Participation
Course Learning: Global Professional E-Learning + Increased
TEFL Methods Network Online Skills Confidence

Course Learning: TEFL Methods and Teaching Practices.

 More than 9 in 10 E-Teacher respondents reported that their course had “significantly” or
“moderately” increased their awareness of new approaches (92%) and best practices (93%) in
TEFL.
 The majority of respondents who took the top three courses—Teaching English to Young
Learners (64%), Assessment (63%) and Critical Thinking (55%)—reported attaining
“advanced” knowledge of their course subject;5 many felt that they had become experts.
 More than 6 in 10 respondents agreed that they had both gained confidence (74%) and
increased ability (64%) to teach American English to a “great” or “moderate” extent.

Engagement with Global Professional Network. After participating in the program, nearly all survey
respondents (98%) felt more connected to the global TEFL community. Indeed, many considered the
engagement with global classmates to be
one of the most valuable aspects of the Figure 5. Gaining Knowledge of Global TEFL Practices
course. and Cultures
 Most respondents reported that their (% of survey respondents)
interactions with classmates had Learned how English is taught in
85%
increased their awareness of TEFL other parts of the world
Global TEFL
practices around the world. (See Learned strategies other
Practices
professionals use to overcome 85%
fig. 5.)
challenges
 Three-quarters of respondents Learned about other
74%
reported both gaining knowledge of Intercultural countries/cultures
other countries and cultures and Knowledge Increased students’ knowledge of
74%
increasing their students’ other countries/cultures
intercultural knowledge. (See *Total n= Ranges from 338 to 363
†Percentages represent total of “significantly” and “somewhat” responses.
fig. 5.)
 The majority of E-Teacher
respondents have stayed in touch with former classmates (67%) and/or collaborated with them
on research or other projects (55%). Many have also stayed in touch with their instructors,
whether for research collaboration (23%) or to seek professional advice (39%).

5
N ranges from 71 to 140.

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 EVALUATION OF ECA’S ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAMS: E-Teacher Scholarship Program

E-Learning and Online Skills. Most E-Teacher Participants use online resources for
participants agreed that their course experience had interactive, collaborative learning.
substantially increased their skills and confidence in
using e-learning platforms and working with online [I] introduce e-learning to my students,
resources. Subsequently, 60 percent of survey connect my students with English learners
respondents reported incorporating more online around the world.
resources into their teaching, often as a tool for –University professor, Indonesia
interactive language learning.
Through the virtual environment, they can
Increased Professional Confidence. The word share and develop their writing skills.
“confidence” came up repeatedly in participants’ –University professor, Turkey
comments about the impacts of course participation on
their careers. Participants reported increased confidence in their teaching abilities and professional
duties as well as a sense of empowerment or motivation to take new initiatives in their classrooms,
institutions, or beyond.

Program Benefits Lead to Multiple Impacts. As illustrated in Figure 6, E-Teacher participants’ new
knowledge and skills together with their global professional network and increased confidence led to
impacts on their classrooms, institutions, and careers.

Figure 6. Program Benefits Lead to Impacts on E-Teachers’ Classrooms, Institutions and Careers

Direct Benefits

Impacts

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IMPACTS: APPLICATION OF TEFL METHODS IN PARTICIPANTS’ CLASSROOMS

Impacts

Nearly all the survey respondents (93%) felt that they had become “more effective” teachers overall as
a result of the E-Teacher Program, two-thirds (64%) of them to a “great extent.” In particular,
participants have implemented the following teaching methods or practices in their classrooms:

Student-Centered Teaching. Nearly all respondents (95%) reported changing from a teacher-centered
approach to a student-centered one, which represented a major shift from prevailing teaching practices
in many countries. Respondents reported that increased classroom interaction and active learning had
increased students’ confidence and interest in English, as well as improved their conversation skills.

Figure 7. Students Become More Active Learners of English: E-Teacher Perceptions

Somewhat Significantly

100% 90% 90%

82%
80%
60% 56% 54% 42%

40%

20% 34% 36% 40%

0%
Helped my students Increased my students Built my students’
become more active interest in learning English conversation skills
learners

* Total n= Ranges from 336 to 339.

Critical Thinking Skills. Many participants who took

the Critical Thinking course found ways to E-Teachers report positive results
incorporate critical thinking into their lesson plans or from new assessment practices.
assignments, although this was sometimes
challenging within their local teaching system or [I use a] variety of test types with my
culture. Those who did so reported positive results students, implementing and adapting
for students, such as improved teacher-student what I have [learned] … and [I] find good
relationships or improved performance on tests. results in my teaching.
–Primary school teacher, Yemen
New Assessment Practices. Participants reported that
gaining an expanded range of assessment [Peer assessment] gives students an
techniques—such as scoring rubrics, peer awareness of the work they are doing, and
assessment, and designing assignments to align with all sorts of benefits.
assessment—was very useful in their classes. –University professor, Chile

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IMPACTS: PARTICIPANTS ATTAIN INCREASED STATURE AND LEADERSHIP ROLES

Impacts

Program participation had a major impact on many participants’ careers, including increased stature
and/or responsibility within their home institutions, as well as new job opportunities.

Increased Stature and Influence Figure 8. Increased Influence within Organization

within Institution. After
100% Moderate Extent Great Extent
completing their course, many
participants reported that they 81% 80%
80%
were looked to as experts in their
course content. Their increased 60% 43% 45%
stature coupled with increased
professional confidence made 40%
participants more likely to assert
new ideas and increased the 20% 38% 35%
likelihood that those ideas would
influence others. 0%
I am better able to influence others in My opinions and recommendations are
my organization more valued by my organization
Job Changes. The majority (59%)
of survey respondents reported *Total n= 357 and 355, respectively.
that their E-Teacher participation
had led directly to increased responsibilities in their job. In addition, many survey respondents either
earned a promotion (18%) or obtained a new job (16%).
 Leadership roles. Most commonly, E-Teacher participants took on leadership roles, such as
becoming a “coordinator” of other instructors or advising institutional leaders on curriculum.
 Shift in focus. Some participants—especially those who took the Assessment course—reported
taking on more specialized tasks utilizing their new expertise.
 Consulting opportunities. A few participants in Peru noted that their E-Teacher course had led to
new consulting, business, or freelance opportunities.
E-Teacher participants’ higher status and increased leadership roles facilitated their ability to make
changes within their institutions and to multiply the effects of their new knowledge. (See p. 8.)

Former E-Teacher participants take on leadership roles and new jobs.

Taking the course widened my knowledge of assessment. This allowed me to participate
actively in the decisions made at an institutional level on how students are assessed.
–Administrator, English language institute, Peru
[I attained] a bigger position in teaching … Now I am the Deputy Director in
Academic Affairs. –Secondary school administrator, Thailand

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IMPACTS: INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND MULTIPLIER EFFECTS

Impacts

Many E-Teacher participants have implemented institution-wide changes to teaching practices,

curricula or English language programs; some were able to multiply their new knowledge at a national
level.

Sharing Knowledge with Colleagues. The majority of survey respondents shared their learning with
colleagues at their home institution by sharing course materials (73%) and/or giving formal
presentations or workshops (62%). Many participants reported that knowledge-sharing had led directly
to other instructors applying new teaching methods.

Knowledge-sharing influences colleagues to apply new methods.

I have had the opportunity to share my E-Teacher course content with my colleagues in a
seminar. … Since then, my colleagues all try to apply content- or task-based learning.
–Classroom instructor, Ministry of Education, Burkina Faso

Institutional Impacts. Most survey respondents reported making multiple changes at their institutions
as a result of the program, as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Institutional Changes by E-Teacher Participants

(% of survey respondents)
Introduced new teaching practices or pedagogies 90%
Improved testing or assessment practices 83%
Taught new course on subject of E-Teacher course 79%
Introduced more online resources into existing courses 79%
Integrated e-learning into existing courses 62%
Developed or revised institution-wide curricula 54%
N= Ranges from 344 to 359

Additional findings emerged from the qualitative research:

 In terms of new teaching practices, E-Teacher participants most commonly introduced a
critical thinking approach.
 Curriculum changes included integrating critical thinking, new assessment methods, methods
of teaching language to children, and materials for different types of learners.
 A few participants in administrative positions were motivated by their course experience to
increase professional development opportunities for their staff.

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Impacts

Multiplier Effects

Participants share their new expertise with TEFL professionals in the broader community, such as at
national conferences or regional institutions. Furthermore, changes implemented by participants in
TEFL training courses will likely be replicated by students in their own classrooms around the country.

Participants infuse new teaching methods into the broader TEFL community.
I have been invited at … local institutions to conduct a few workshops on how to implement
critical thinking strategies. … I firmly believe that has made a difference in the way my peers
view our profession. –Instructor, binational center, Colombia

[The E-Teacher course led me to] arise the students’ interest and involve them to a greater
degree. These novice teachers (my students) implemented their newly acquired teaching
practices and pedagogies in their classrooms. …
–University professor/administrator, Israel

National Impacts National Impacts

 Student-centered approach implemented in [The E-Teacher course] was cascaded to all the
English classrooms nationwide. (Jordan) English language teachers/UNRWA schools in
Jordan (172 schools) at the time, and I was
 Creation of Web site to facilitate sharing of leading on that as … school supervisor at the
ideas and resources among English time … planning how to change the focus of
language teachers nationwide. (Tajikistan) teaching to become student-centered.
–Emergency education officer, Jordan
 Changes implemented by E-Teacher I also developed a Web site … to organize
participants who work for their country’s English clubs in different parts of Tajikistan. I
ministry of education6 may have national continuously created lesson plans and shared
impacts. For example, a Ministry official in with colleagues both in and outside of my
Sudan shared approaches for teaching home country.
young learners throughout his country’s –Nonprofit administrator, Tajikistan
English teaching community, and an
official in Bahrain reported integrating [I] spread the culture of TEYL [Teaching English
critical thinking into lesson plans. to Young Learners] among academics,
educationalists and practitioners.
–Ministry of Education official, Sudan

6
Approximately 5 percent of E-Teachers reported working for their national ministry or department of education at the time of the survey.

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IMPACTS: PARTICIPATION SPURS LIFELONG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Impacts

E-Teacher participants attributed high influence to their course experience in kick-starting them onto a
path of lifelong learning. In fact, three-quarters (75%) of survey respondents credited the course to a
“great extent” in making them more motivated to engage in professional development.

Professional Development Courses. One-third (32%) of respondents have taken more online courses
or trainings (such as additional E-Teacher courses). Among this group, nearly all respondents (97%)
rated their initial E-Teacher experience “extremely” or “very” valuable in preparing them for
additional online programs.

As an E-Teacher scholar, I have proved to myself that an eager teacher will do everything in
order to improve her craft. That continuous education of the teacher is like the usual process
of breathing. –Secondary school teacher, Philippines

Pursuing Graduate Degrees.

 The majority (70%) of survey respondents E-Teacher Program participation
reported that the E-Teacher course had influences graduate study.
significantly “increased [their] confidence to It inspired me to continue my studies in the
take other graduate-level courses in field, and since then I completed [my] MA in
their field.” Applied English Linguistics and started
 Many participants were inspired by their [my] PhD. –PhD student, Uzbekistan
course experience to pursue a Master’s or [As a direct result of my E-Teacher
PhD, or even both in some cases. participation], I got the Fulbright Scholarship
and attended SIU/Carbondale.
 Some participants noted that their course
–Teacher trainer, university, Niger
participation had resulted directly in a
scholarship or acceptance to a [The course was] instrumental in my decision
graduate program. of actually going into an assessment-related
area for my PhD, because that was the first
 Some reported that their E-Teacher course had time I was forced to articulate what I thought
influenced their decision of what area to about evaluation in a formal way.
specialize in or to focus on for their thesis. –University professor, Chile

Other Career Opportunities. E-Teacher partcipants

also reported other types of professional activities and accomplishments that resulted from their
course participation.
 Participating in professional associations and conference.
 Publishing professional articles or books.
 Giving presentations on the subject of their E-Teacher course.

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