An evaluation of educational needs assessment models and curriculum design for applied educational programs in Islamic Republic of Iran

Applied Educational Programes (AEP) are those programs which aim at providing vocational and job skills and also promoting job skills among employees. As such programs have a significant role in the development of the country, the High Council cultural Revolution stablished the High Conncil for Applied educational programs to develop a relevant structure and content for these programs. This paper investingated the models for educational needs assesements in order to identify all applied programs and the process of curricullum designing in two sectors (Industry and Agriculture). Results indicate a lack of sufficient attention by policy maker organizations and institutions which run applied educational programs. Major shortcomings in this regard are lack of attention to the aims and objectives of these programs (particulary the self employment), lack of the use of relevant models for needs assesement in identifying the courses and also lack of enough attention to models for skill-centered curricullums by educational planners.