scholarly journals ACTION RESEARCH: ANSWERING THE NEVER-ENDING QUESTION OF EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-402
Author(s):  
Igballe Miftari
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Student Involvement ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
English Language ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Methodology

This paper aims to identify different issues and factors which might establish higher efficiency in the teaching process. It relates to the aspect of self-criticism and student-involvement in the learning process and emphasizes student-centered teaching and self-reflection. The term action research itself refers to various techniques and procedures that teachers might use or implement in order to improve their methods of teaching, their theories and/or approaches.According to Richards and Farrell (2005),action research refers to teacher-conducted classroom research that seeks to clarify and resolve practical teaching issues and problems. The terms refer to two dimensions of this kind of activity: the word research in “action research” refers to a systematic approach to carrying out investigations and collecting information that is designed to illuminate an issue or a problem and to improve classroom practice. The word action refers to taking practical action to resolve classroom problems.” (2005, pg. 171)Accordingly, the key questions of the case study are: 1. How am I teaching and am I effective? 2. How can I receive input regarding my teaching methodology? 3. Can I actually change my personal theory and how can my students help me change?Participants in the case study are 50 third year students of IBU, of three different fields of study: English language teaching, Psychology and Psychological counseling and guidance. All three departments attend the common course entitled Educational methodology, which I teach. Participants were asked to provide personal assumptions regarding: the course (the content), the methodology of teaching (techniques, approaches etc.), the materials (coursebook and additional resources) and the teacher (attitude, proficiency, knowledge etc.) by filling in a questionnaire of 20 statements (5 per each area, which will be added in the Appendix). On a scale of strongly agree-neutral-strongly disagree, students were asked to rank each specific statement according to their overall impressions. They were also advised to add additional remarks and suggestions as well. The main aim of gathering such data and information is receiving input on issues which teachers encounter on a daily basis. Furthermore, student-involvement in decision-making and providing suggestions are crucial in teaching nowadays. The results, together with additional theory and practice will be further elaborated in the paper. Future recommendations and implications will also be provided as well.

scholarly journals From Context to Curriculum: A Case Study of Communicative Language Teaching in China

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyong Sun ◽  
Liying Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Curriculum Development ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Communicative Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Teaching Program ◽  
Preliminary Stage

This article discusses the implementation of communicative language teaching methodology in the EFL context in one institution in China. The context and curriculum development of the English teaching program at Private Pui Ching Commercial College is used here as a case study. The article suggests that a preliminary stage of context-based communicative curriculum development is necessary. Such a preliminary stage aims to investigate first the context of an English language teaching program, and then the process of adapting the program to its context for implementation. A framework for such a context investigation is proposed. Three key questions regarding the integration of the context study into curriculum design are also discussed.

scholarly journals Language teaching methodology and teacher education: Trends and issues—An interview with Alan Waters

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Chit Cheung Matthew Sung
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World

Adopting appropriate teaching methods and designing suitable teaching materials are among the major concerns of language teachers around the world. Although many teachers are eager to find the ‘best’ or most effective ways of teaching, there are no easy answers, given the wide range of sociopolitical contexts in which teaching takes place. In this interview, Alan Waters, a leading expert in English language teaching (ELT) from Lancaster University, talks about the trends and issues surrounding language teaching methodology, materials design, as well as teacher education in ELT. With extensive experience in the field, Alan has taught English as a foreign language and taken part in teacher training projects in various parts of the world, and has published several books and numerous journal articles. He is interested in all the main aspects of the theory and practice of ELT.

Importance of Video Aids’ Usage in Teaching and Learning Process of English Language Classes

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eriselda Vrapi ◽  
Xhevdet Zekaj
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Communicative Skills ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
9Th Grade ◽  
8Th Grade

This study aims to explore the use of video in English language teaching (ELT) elementary school (grades 8 to 9)... In addition, the thesis aims to find out how videos in English lessons helped to achieve the goals of English curriculum. The main hypothesis was that teaching with video would develop pupils’ communicative skills and, therefore, was appropriate for the communicative approach to ELT. The study addressed five research questions regarding the use of videos in English lessons in the case study school: why the teachers used videos in ELT, what kinds of videos were used in English lessons, how and how often videos were used, what was taught and learned through the use of videos and, finally, what the teachers’ and pupils’ attitudes to lessons with videos were. The research was performed as a case study at an Elbasan elementary school. The data for the research was obtained through the use of mixed methods: qualitative, in the form of interviews with four English teachers and observations of three of the interviewed teachers’ lessons with videos, and quantitative, in the form of a pupil questionnaire answered by 105 pupils from two 8th grade and two 9th grade classes.

Using action research in innovation project management: building legitimacy and organizational learning in an SME during a merger process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Elizabeth Kampf ◽  
Charlotte J. Brandt ◽  
Christopher G. Kampf
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Project

PurposeThe purpose is to explore how the process of action research (AR) can support building legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation project management and portfolio practices in merger contexts.Design/methodology/approachMeta-reflection on method issues in Action Research through an action research case study with an innovation group during an organizational change process. This case demonstrates an example of an action research cycle focused on building practitioner legitimacy rather than problem-solving.FindingsKey findings include (1) demonstrating how AR can be used for building legitimacy through visualizing the innovation process, and embedding those visuals in top management practices of the organization; and (2) demonstrating how AR can work as an organizational learning tool in merger contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on an action research cooperation during a two-and-a-half-year period. Thus, findings offer the depth of a medium term case study. The processes of building legitimacy represent this particular case, and can be investigated in other organizational contexts to see the extent to which these issues can be generalized.Practical implicationsFor researchers, this paper offers an additional type of AR cycle to consider in their research design which can be seen as demonstrating a form of interplay between practitioner action and organizational level legitimacy. For practitioners, this paper demonstrates a connection between legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation contexts. The discussion of how visuals were co-created and used for building legitimacy for an innovation process that differs from the standard stage gate model demonstrates how engaging in AR research can contribute to developing visuals as resources for building legitimacy and organizational learning based on connections between theory and practice.Originality/valueThis case rethinks AR practice for innovation project management contexts to include legitimacy and organizational learning. This focus on legitimacy building from organizational learning and knowledge conversion contributes to our understanding of the soft side of innovation project management. Legitimacy is demonstrated to be a key concern for innovation project management practices.

scholarly journals Effects of Pop Culture for Improving Student-Teachers’ Writing Skill (A Case Study at Galuh University)

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Ratnawati Ratnawati
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Pop Culture ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Authentic Materials ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
Writing Skill

Writing, one of the four skills which have to be taught by educators in language learning. Starting from classroom observation implied that students confronted the difficulties in writing involving generating ideas, organizing words, and making compositions. This study supposes to explore some effects of pop culture as authentic materials for English language teaching in improving students’ writing skill. Due to pop culture relates to students’ life and experience, it is considered to be a stimulus for gaining students’ ideas, information, motivation, and interest in teaching writing. The students of secondary school were involved in this study and descriptive case study was employed to observe the importance of pop culture in writing class. Also, questionnaires and students’ works are the instruments to measure its effects. Both students’ works and result of the questionnaires pointed out that significantly improvement obtained after applying pop culture. In line with findings, it can be said that pop cultures have significant effects toward students’ writing skill. So, educators need to apply pop culture as their choices in future planning lesson.

scholarly journals Washback of English national exams at ninth-grade level in Thailand and Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wachyu Sundayana ◽  
Panusak Meekaeo ◽  
Pupung Purnawarman ◽  
Didi Sukyadi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Ninth Grade ◽  
Ninth Graders ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Ninth Grade Students

Washback refers to influences of testing on teaching and learning. In Thailand and Indonesia, washback of the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) and Ujian Nasional (UN) inevitably occurs on teaching and learning in classrooms at every level. This present study aims to explore and compare the washback effects of the O-NET and UN on English language learning as perceived by Thai and Indonesian ninth-grade students. It is a multi-case study (Thailand case and Indonesia case) by using triangulation design as the research design. The questionnaires concerning washback effects of national exams on English language learning were distributed to 200 ninth-graders in the two cases. In addition, six students from each case were interviewed. The results reveal that in both cases, the participants focus to learn on contents and skills that were likely to appear in the national exams. The participants learned English harder to perform well in the tests rather than to improve their English ability. Moreover, the students had high anxiety during the test preparations and feared for low O-NET and UN scores. The results of the study contribute to future washback study and improvement of English language teaching and learning at ninth-grade in Thailand and Indonesia.

scholarly journals Intercultural competence of university teachers: a challenge of internationalization

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Zelenková ◽  
Dana Hanesová
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Medium Study ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Significant Deficit ◽  
Intercultural Mediators

Abstract The aim of the authors is to respond to the growing demands on the intercultural competence of university teachers due to intensified internationalization pressures on higher education, especially due to the growing number of students and teachers’ international exchanges. They report on an intercultural course design responding to this need, presenting a case study from Slovakia. First, they define the need of intercultural competence of university teachers, especially those teaching in English-medium study programmes. Then they share a) findings from a needs analysis preceding the design of a new curriculum for an intercultural competence course (ICC) at Matej Bel University (MBU) with three aims (development of linguistic, cultural and pedagogic competences); and b) results from action research during piloting the ICC course. A comparison of 2011 and 2018 surveys pointed to the growing dominance of the English language, including an increasing command of English by MBU teachers. The ICC curriculum, tailored to the pre-identified teachers’ needs, proved to be a feasible way of facilitating their intercultural competence. Its implementation revealed persistent prejudices and difficulties associated with overcoming them. It also confirmed a significant deficit in preparing university teachers for their role as intercultural mediators in English-medium courses.

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