Intercultural communication and critical pedagogy: deconstructing stereotypes for the development of critical cultural awareness in language education

This study researches the problem of gender stereotypes that Spanish language undergraduates uphold against Hispanics and develops critical pedagogical approaches through the reading of a literary text for the deconstruction of such stereotypes so that students can think and act in less biased and prejudiced ways. This thesis develops the argument that stereotyping is a form of oppression, and through empirical research in three case studies, this research demonstrates that stereotypical oppression can be addressed by Critical Pedagogyfor the development of „critical cultural awareness‟. This thesis provides answers to three operational sub-questions addressed in each of the three case studies, which contribute to answering the main overarching question in this study of how can Critical Pedagogy help in the deconstruction of stereotypes for the development of „critical cultural awareness‟. This study found that a literary text can bring stereotypical thinking out to the fore for analysis and reflection, and that a reader-response approach to literature can trigger past experiences that reveal essentialising discourses of otherness. The research reviews the effectiveness of the use of an „identity-focused‟ critical pedagogical intervention for the development of a „self-regulation strategy‟ as a mental reasoning exercise to control bias and stereotyping. The results indicate that students tend to transpose stereotypical binaries and create new ones, whilst developing further views of cultural realities as being fluid, dynamic and contradictory, constantly being reconstructed and renegotiated. However, the findings indicate that a „self-regulation strategy‟ may be insufficient to appreciate the oppressive nature of stereotyping. Therefore, a Critical „Pedagogy-of-the-Oppressed‟ intervention is implemented, whereby students describe and „name‟ their own experiences of suffering stereotyping during their year-abroad experiences with narratives of stigmatisation, discrimination, exclusion and marginalisation. A tentative pedagogical model, a teaching tool and a „grammar of interculture‟ emerge from this study for the deconstruction of stereotypes in the development of „critical cultural awareness‟ for practical teaching practice and classroom use

Assessment of co-creativity in the process of game design

We consider game design as a sociocultural and knowledge modelling activity, engaging participants in the design of a scenario and a game universe based on a real or imaginary socio-historical context, where characters can introduce life narratives and interaction that display either known social realities or entirely new ones. In this research, participants of the co-creation activity are Malaysian students who were working in groups to design game-based learning resources for rural school children. After the co-creativity activity, the students were invited to answer the co-creativity scale, an adapted version of the Assessment Scale of Creative Collaboration (ASCC), combining both the co-creativity factors and learners’ experiences on their interests, and difficulties they faced during the co-creativity process. The preliminary results showed a high diversity on the participants’ attitudes towards collaboration, especially related to their preferences towards individual or collaborative work

Putting skills to work - It’s not so much the what, or even the why, but how…

This paper focuses on how generic skills can be developed to enable young adults to best utilise them in making transitions into the labour market. Drawing on the literature and a Commercial Education Trust study of practices which encourage employer engagement in skills development, it is argued that ‘putting skills to work’ is not automatic or unproblematic. It is not simply a matter of ‘skills transfer’, but a ‘continuous, contextually-embedded and transformative process’ during which individuals, supported by partners, learn how to recontextualise skills to suit different activities and environments. It may be tempting to distil employability into a list of so-called ‘soft skills’, but context matters. It requires more than that which can be taught in Education. Support is needed in the workplace through mentoring, for example, to help recruits acquire knowledge of workplace culture, norms and practices, situational understanding, and apply metacognitive strategies for bringing together this knowledge and a range of different skills and personal attributes in productive application. Further research is needed to explore the inter-relationships between skills supply, demand and utilisation, including ways in which employers can better recognise young recruits’ skills and provide ‘expansive’ working environments that maximise their capabilities and potential for development

Specialist Classroom Teacher Mentoring and Knowledge Generativity: Exploring trust, support, challenge, risk-taking, and confidence.

The Specialist Classroom Teacher (SCT) position involves a mentoring function that is an integral part of mentoring and induction programmes for teacher-mentees in secondary and area schools in New Zealand. SCT-mentor and teacher-mentee relationships should be confidential and high trust relationships and should involve professional growth for each teacher-mentee as an increase in capacity. This small scale qualitative study involves three purposefully selected cases each of which comprises a SCT-mentor working collaboratively with a teacher-mentee. Challenge, for professional growth as generativity of new practice and/or knowledge for the mentee, should be evident within the mentoring relationship. This study begins by examining documentation on the SCT position and how the position relates to mentoring for generativity. A conceptual model provides a focus for the review of the literature because it identifies some of the key concepts initially considered to be central to mentor-mentee interactions. These concepts include trust, support, risk-taking, and challenge, and to these is added confidence because this concept emerged in the data. Primary data is collected from two naturally occurring mentoring meetings involving each SCT-mentor and teacher-mentee only. This data is analysed and used to formulate questions for one semi-structured interview involving the researcher and each participant pair for each case. Participant perceptions of the concepts and concept interactions within each relationship are sought from interpretive and phenomenological approaches within the interviews. Whereas there is a major focus on support as a mentoring function in the literature, this study found that trust is the basis of each mentoring relationship and that trust underpins the generative process. Discussion centres on the relationship between trust and support, and significantly confidence emerged as a concept that leads to risk-taking behaviour. This emergence of confidence necessitated a revision of the conceptual model presented in the conclusion. Some key points in the discussion and conclusion are: appropriate challenge, static and futuristic support, fields of support, reflective dialogue using tools such as parallel conversations , and realisations pertaining to the 'conscious competence learning model'. This study suggests a shift in focus in the literature from support functions of SCT-mentors to trust building functions because trust-based mentoring relationships are more likely to endure, and are more likely to underpin greater risk-taking behaviours. This study questions the notion that 'deepest trust' through value congruence is the deepest form of trust, suggesting that 'acceptance of different values' represents a 'highest form of trust'

Using language learning strategies to develop ab-initio PGCE students' skills in primary modern languages

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of EducationThe announcements concerning the introduction of modern languages in Key Stage Two in England (https://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/ curriculum/national curriculum2014, [accessed 8 March 2013]), although not a new initiative, have renewed the need to train generalist primary teachers in teaching modern languages. Following an initial announcement of the introduction of the English Baccalaureate, the poor outcomes achieved by England in the European languages survey (COE, 2012) and the news that modern languages would be part of the primary curriculum (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18531751 [accessed 21 June 2012]) contributed to refreshing the agenda of languages in the country and the role of early second language learning appears to be slowly resurrecting. In order to provide trainee teachers with the skills necessary for teaching young learners modern languages, this study focuses on increasing subject knowledge and pedagogical competence in a short time by developing trainees’ reflective practice, broadly following the tradition of strategy-based instruction (Macaro, 2001; Cohen, 2007; Oxford, 2011), but within a social constructivist understanding of learning using collaboration. The research, which follows a mixed method case study approach, proposes and trials a teaching approach that incorporates language learning strategies in a collaborative manner. The design of a revised strategy-based approach has a three-fold purpose: (i) to enable primary trainee teachers to develop the linguistic skills necessary to teach another language through the use of the linguistic knowledge they already possess in their own mother tongue (Saville-Troike, 2012); (ii) to use self-regulation to build confidence and competence in the target language; and (iii) to enable trainees and pupils to develop their language learning autonomy. Results indicate that, within the case studies reported here, such an approach seemed to be an effective way of learning and teaching another language simultaneously for adults, as it provided ab-initio language learners with a basis for the development of linguistic skills thus increasing their capacity for languages. Whilst there is no claim to generalisation here, the studies indicate that using language learning strategies may create and sustain interest and engagement in the subject—a condition that has been identified as critical to the success of any teaching approach. Whilst the results were positive in terms of developing acceptable levels of linguistic competence in adult learners over a short time, the use of a strategy-based method with children did not prove satisfactory, perhaps because of the high metacognitive demands placed on them when they had not yet developed high level abstract thinking, particularly the amount of prior knowledge needed and the language required to verbalise complex cognitive processes

Primary trainee teachers’ talk with primary school science coordinators : Two case studies of primary trainees learning to teach science

This thesis concerned the potential influence of talk on learning to teach primary science and was based on two case studies involving primary science trainee teachers and primary school science coordinators. The overall question for the thesis was: how may ‘talk’ with a primary school science coordinator influence a trainee learning to teach science during a placement? This study adopted a lens that acknowledged the importance of people and contexts for learning to teach. Extant research on science coordinators’ responsibilities, talk features and mentoring literature, as well as my own background as a science teacher and teacher educator informed and framed the study. A collective instrumental case study provided a methodological context for gathering qualitative data from interactions between two primary school trainee teachers and two science coordinators in primary schools. These participants were in two primary schools where the trainees were placed during the second year of a Bachelor of Education degree at a university in the Midlands, England. A participant observation strategy combined with a semi-structured interview protocol and participants’ reflective diaries were employed as research instruments. Three linguistic features of talk were analysed: topics in sequences of utterances, types of utterances spoken by the science coordinator and ‘we-statements’ spoken by trainees and science coordinators. Eight common topics emerged with science coordinators giving more information than instructions or questions and employing the use of ‘we- statements’ more than trainees. Trainees’ ‘I-statements’ altered during the placement. Factors influencing linguistic features included science coordinators’ prior experiences of ITT mentoring, school practices in teaching science, and topics of talk. The study findings suggest three main ways in which talk may influence a trainee learning to teach science in a primary school. Firstly, talk may influence trainees ‘thinking and doing’ science; secondly, talk may influence trainees’ perceptions about their ‘achievements’ and thirdly, talk may influence trainees’ feelings about science teaching. In making explicit how trainee teachers and science coordinators talk, this study helps to inform how talk may influence learning to teach primary science. From the findings, a new analogy emerged to support an understanding of ‘scaffolded’ learning for trainees through their zone of proximal development (ZPD) (Vygotsky, 1978): ‘talk molecules’. ‘Talk molecules’ visualise linguistic features of talk for a particular topic such that multiple ‘talk molecules’ create a ‘talk space’ which may act as stimuli for learning. This new analogy contributes new knowledge to an understanding of how talk may influence a trainee learning to teach science

Supporting leadership development in European Universities: a mixed methods study of digital education leadership literacies for higher education

This exploratory mixed methods case study research addressed the problem of how a framework of digital education leadership literacies can support European campus-based universities in implementing strategic and organizational change to improve the way technology is used for teaching and learning. The study applied qualitative and quantitative approaches through a Delphi study; a thematic analysis of (a) case study data collected from three campus-based universities (France, Belgium, United Kingdom), and (b) selected digital education leadership development programmes; statistical analysis of data collected via a survey with academics (n=102); and a final online focus group. The main findings of the study confirm Digital Education Leadership Literacies for Higher Education (DELLHE) as a theoretically and empirically grounded novel concept and framework. The results highlight the need to focus more explicitly on cultural, pedagogical, ethical, relational, and environmental issues in digital education leadership development, and to take a whole-institution approach to developing leadership capacity for digital education.Esta investigación exploratoria plantea de qué forma un marco de alfabetización del liderazgo en educación digital puede ayudar a las universidades presenciales europeas a implementar cambios estratégicos y organizacionales para mejorar el uso de la tecnología para la educación superior. Para realizar la investigación se ha aplicado una metodología mixta a través de un estudio Delphi; un análisis temático de a) estudios de casos de tres universidades presenciales (de Francia, Bélgica y Reino Unido), y b) una selección de programas de desarrollo del liderazgo en educación digital; un análisis de los datos de una encuesta con académicos (n=102), y un grupo focal final en línea. Los principales hallazgos confirman el marco Digital Education Leadership Literacies for Higher Education (DELLHE) como un concepto novedoso fundamentado teórica y empíricamente. Asimismo, destacan la necesidad de centrarse en cuestiones culturales, pedagógicas, éticas, relacionales y ambientales, y de adoptar un enfoque institucional sistémico para desarrollar la capacidad de liderazgo para la educación digital.Aquesta investigació exploratòria planteja de quina manera un marc d'alfabetització del lideratge en educació digital pot ajudar les universitats presencials europees a implementar canvis estratègics i organitzacionals per millorar l'ús de la tecnologia per a l'educació superior. Per fer la recerca s'ha aplicat una metodologia mixta mitjançant un estudi Delphi; una anàlisi temàtica de a) estudis de casos de tres universitats presencials (França, Bèlgica i el Regne Unit), i b) una selecció de programes de desenvolupament del lideratge en educació digital; una anàlisi de dades d'un qüestionari amb acadèmics (n=102), i un grup focal final en línia. Les principals troballes confirmen el marc Digital Education Leadership Literacies for Higher Education (DELLHE) com un concepte nou fonamentat teòricament i empíricament. Destaquen, també, la necessitat de centrar-se en qüestions culturals, pedagògiques, ètiques, relacionals i ambientals, i d'adoptar un enfocament institucional sistèmic per desenvolupar la capacitat de lideratge per a l'educació digital.E-learnin

Understanding teacher development: case study of knowledge and beliefs in English language teaching in Mexico

This thesis reports on a case study that discusses the interconnection between the knowledge, beliefs and practices of teachers of English as a foreign language in a state university in Mexico. Previous research suggests that there is a knowledge base for teaching that is significant for teachers irrespective of the subject they teach. Research also indicates that teaching practices are shaped by teachers’ beliefs about the nature of language, the nature of the learning process and the nature of the teaching act. Nevertheless, it appears that the development of language teachers tends to be focused on increasing the knowledge required for the teaching of English without recognising that teaching practices are also informed by the beliefs that teachers hold. The purpose of this case study was therefore to increase our understanding of how the knowledge and beliefs of the case study teachers intersected to inform their teaching practices, and to draw some conclusions that could be used to further English language teacher development. The case study involved four teachers of English in a state university in Mexico. It was conducted from an interpretivist approach and drew on the perspectives of the participant teachers. The methods used were: observations and video recordings of classes; focus groups, interviews and conversations with the case study teachers; teachers’ journals. The words and actions of the teachers were the units of the within-in case and cross-case analysis undertaken. The findings of the study illustrate three main aspects: Firstly, teacher’s knowledge plays a supporting role in their teaching practices and appears to be composed of different knowledge categories that are not independent but interwoven. In addition, any category presupposes other knowledge categories since any of them implies knowledge covered by other categories. Secondly, teaching practices are not only informed by teachers’ knowledge but also by their beliefs. Moreover, the study suggests that teachers’ beliefs have a predominant role in their teaching since teachers claim to use only the knowledge in which they believe. Finally, the case study suggests that the learning and teaching experiences of the teachers are a major source of their knowledge and beliefs, and beliefs that are experientially engrained appear to be more influential than theoretically embraced beliefs. The case study concludes that teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and teaching practices interact and inform each other persistently in a dynamic process that could usefully be represented as a gear model of the relationships between the three elements. This model would illustrate the dynamic process more accurately since it represents them within a constant interaction process. It is also argued that the relations between the three elements are pertinent irrespective of the context of the study as this offers a frame of reference for other researchers and teacher educators interested in understanding the interconnection between teachers’ practices and their knowledge and beliefs