2023

Venue: Meiji University (Academy Common, Surugadai) Google Map

Reframing notions of research collaboration in language education: Some suggestions on why and how

A recurrent theme in education, including language education, is the extent to which teachers draw on the findings of academic research, despite the fact that ‘evidence-based’ practice is usually promoted as the gold standard. Research on teachers as consumers and users of research (Noonoo, 2019) suggests that although teachers may access research in various ways, such as in teacher training programs, workshops or conference presentations, in their actual daily classroom practices, little attention may be paid to research. There are various reasons for this situation, including inaccessibility of academic research concepts and methods, the perceived lack of relevance to teachers’ contexts, or the gap between the worlds of researchers and teachers.

In this talk, I argue for a rethinking of the types of collaboration that could work to overcome these disparities. I will first discuss why, given the growing complexity and challenges in education, it is important that we do not overlook or fail to deploy the empirical and pedagogical resources available to us as educators. I will outline why collaboration is central to the building of stronger cultures of research that can aim to have an impact on practice. I will go on to suggest what kinds of processes and strategies could be harnessed to strengthen research collaborations and how these could be implemented. To illustrate my arguments, I will draw on my own experiences of research collaboration with teachers as well as other examples from international contexts. In so doing I will attempt to draw out what kinds of roles, knowledge, relationship,s and procedures might work towards effective collaboration.

Noonoo, S. (2019). Teachers Aren’t Getting as Much From Education Research as They’d Like, Says Survey. Edsurge, 22 November, 2019.

Biodata

Professor Anne Burns has a PhD in applid linguistics and is a part-time Professor at Curtin University, Australia. She was also Professor of TESOL, and now holds an Honorary Professorship, in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. She is  a Professor Emerita at Aston University, UK and Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney and The Education University, Hong Kong. She has published extensively on language teacher education and the teaching of speaking, and is particularly well known for her work on action research. Her most recent book is Sustaining action research: A practical guide for institutional engagement (with Emily Edwards and Neville Ellis, published by Routledge, 2022).  She is a Series Editor for the Research and Resources Series published by Routledge. In 2017, she was recognised by TESOL International as one of the ‘50@50’ who have made an outstanding contribution to ELT. In 2019, she was listed on Wikipedia: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Burns_(linguist)

As education has to respond to the rapid changes occurring in the business world, interdisciplinarity in higher education has become increasingly important, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Curriculums in various fields have been developed and undergone revision to meet the learners’ current needs. To ensure that students will be able to perform effectively in the intercultural world, the English language is instrumental in helping the students gain knowledge, expand their experience, and prepare themselves for their future careers.

In the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), there have been new collaborative activities that will foster academic development among EFL students. English for Specific Purposes (ESP) plays a crucial role in such development as it focuses on learners’ needs to understand specific content, knowledge, and terminology. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) are also very important to enhance the quality of university curriculums that will cater for students’ needs to work in the globalized world, where English is used as a lingua franca.

This lecture will present some research studies and projects that investigate the roles of English teachers and content teachers engaged in the collaborative process of interdisciplinary teaching at some Thai universities. It will also discuss the benefits and drawbacks of implementing such collaboration in which English teachers’ roles, involving lesson planning, delivering lessons, organizing classes, and designing activities, differ from subject teachers’ roles, which mainly involve providing consultation, monitoring, and facilitating course preparation. Details from research studies related to the development of ESP courses in the Thai context will be provided.

In addition, this lecture will present collaborative projects in some Thai universities regarding ELT and technology, research, and assessment. In terms of technology, there are projects that integrate the use of IT programs to enhance learners’ language proficiency. Research projects are also available to facilitate joint projects between faculty members and scholars in the fields of English language education. Last but not least, several projects were launched to implement collaboration between Thai universities and assessment scholars from overseas universities to develop standardized English language tests.

Bio-data

Associate Professor Dr. Supong Tangkiengsirisin is the Director of the Language Institute of Thammasat University and Past President of Thailand TESOL Organization. He specializes in teaching academic writing, business communication, English for Specific Purposes, Research Methodologies in ELT, and career-related English skills. His research interests involve second language writing, written discourse analysis, EAP, ESP, and Global Englishes.