©2003 jeremy f. jones turning students of elt into researchers in elt a case study of an...

©2003 Jeremy F. Jones

Turning students of ELT into researchers in ELTTurning students of ELT into researchers in ELTA case A case studystudy of an imaginative research methods course of an imaginative research methods course

Jeremy F. JonesJeremy F. Jones

University of CanberraUniversity of Canberra

ELT Research Conference, KMUTT, April 2003ELT Research Conference, KMUTT, April 2003


Value of carrying out researchValue of carrying out research for practising teachers for practising teachers

The teacher is not someone who The teacher is not someone who consumes or applies other people’s consumes or applies other people’s theories theories

She or he creates theory out of practice She or he creates theory out of practice and new understanding of the things and new understanding of the things that happen in teaching and learningthat happen in teaching and learning


Value of research (methods and project) Value of research (methods and project) in ELT teacher educationin ELT teacher education

Teacher educators would like their Teacher educators would like their students to have the knowledge, skills students to have the knowledge, skills and disposition to undertake research in and disposition to undertake research in their current or future workplacetheir current or future workplace


Students’ Point of ViewStudents’ Point of View

They may have no academic pretensionsThey may have no academic pretensionsThey know they will have little time for They know they will have little time for

researchresearchThey see few if any teachers engaged in it and They see few if any teachers engaged in it and

note the lack of institutional support for itnote the lack of institutional support for it

TThe advantages of research training are less clearhe advantages of research training are less clear


““Research Methods in Language Teaching Research Methods in Language Teaching and Learning” at UCand Learning” at UC

Postgraduate levelPostgraduate levelHeterogeneous group in terms of age, Heterogeneous group in terms of age,

cultural background and professional cultural background and professional aspirationsaspirations

Some students have teaching experience Some students have teaching experience in EFL/ESL, others none at allin EFL/ESL, others none at all


Structure of the courseStructure of the course

One semester (15 weeks)One semester (15 weeks)First few weeks devoted to study of First few weeks devoted to study of

research methodsresearch methodsRemaining weeks devoted to carrying out Remaining weeks devoted to carrying out

small-scale research projectsmall-scale research projectResearch Display (Week 14)Research Display (Week 14)Completed research report (Week 15)Completed research report (Week 15)


The research projectThe research project

Free choice of topicFree choice of topicRelevant to current or future Relevant to current or future

practicepracticeIndividual productIndividual productCollaboration within small groupsCollaboration within small groups


The Research DisplayThe Research Display

An exhibition of students’ research An exhibition of students’ research summarised and presented in the form of summarised and presented in the form of colourful posters, panels or even PowerPointcolourful posters, panels or even PowerPoint


Students’ feedback on the Research DisplayStudents’ feedback on the Research Display

100% agreed that it was a “useful 100% agreed that it was a “useful learning experience”learning experience”

““It forced me to come to conclusions”It forced me to come to conclusions”

““Clarified thought processes”Clarified thought processes”

““Opportunity for networking”Opportunity for networking”““Mutual respect from academics was Mutual respect from academics was

very encouraging”very encouraging”“Valuable for creating community in Valuable for creating community in

our group and in the larger university our group and in the larger university

environment”environment”

Students’ feedback on the Research DisplayStudents’ feedback on the Research Display


Examples of projectsExamples of projects

1. “Do Thai students really want to 1. “Do Thai students really want to improve their English or are they improve their English or are they only interested in having fun?”only interested in having fun?”


2. “To what extent do Chinese students 2. “To what extent do Chinese students at the University of Canberra take at the University of Canberra take advantage of the English language advantage of the English language environment beyond the classroom to environment beyond the classroom to enhance their knowledge of English?”enhance their knowledge of English?”



3. “Parents’ influence on their children’s 3. “Parents’ influence on their children’s acquisition of English as a foreign language”acquisition of English as a foreign language”



4. “An investigation of Chinese 4. “An investigation of Chinese students’ participation in tutorials”students’ participation in tutorials”



Further benefitsFurther benefits

Collegiality and collaborativenessCollegiality and collaborativeness““mentoring” from practising teachersmentoring” from practising teacherswitnessing of the impact of their witnessing of the impact of their

research on the teaching and learning research on the teaching and learning environmentenvironment

reference to other components of the reference to other components of the programprogram


ConclusionConclusion

Vindication of the bottom-up approach to Vindication of the bottom-up approach to teacher educationteacher education

Students create the content of their learning Students create the content of their learning from their developing experience; they from their developing experience; they themselves “construct” their knowledgethemselves “construct” their knowledge

They are not dependent on non-teaching They are not dependent on non-teaching expertsexperts


Turning students of ELT into researchers in ELTTurning students of ELT into researchers in ELTA case A case studystudy of an imaginative research methods course of an imaginative research methods course

Jeremy F. JonesJeremy F. Jones

University of CanberraUniversity of Canberra

ELT Research Conference, KMUTT, April 2003ELT Research Conference, KMUTT, April 2003

©2003 jeremy f. jones turning students of elt into researchers in elt a case study of an...

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