PhD by published work and “doctorateness” : my experience at a UK university

In this short article, I share my experience of completing a PhD by Published Work, an alternative PhD route, at a UK university, especially in relation to its usefulness in preparing me for a position in academia. I end the piece with some questions for potential candidates to consider.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A systematic review of written corrective feedback research in ESL/EFL contexts

In the past decade (2007-2017), research on written corrective feedback (WCF) has been proliferating in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) contexts, and new developments in this field of research are evident. To synthesize the latest advancement in WCF research, a systematic review of recent literature on WCF was conducted to identify current research trends and provide an agenda for future WCF studies. This study was conducted following the seven stages of systematicreview suggested by Petticrew and Roberts (2008). In this article, content analysis was conducted on abstracts of 41 WCF primary studies published between 1997 and 2017 in SSCI-indexed journals in the fields of TESOL, language learning, and technology andeducation using a text-mining tool called Leximancer. Twenty-two word-level concepts were identified, which were grouped into five themes: types of WCF, types of writing tasks, demographics of participants, research design/methods, and types of errors. Based on the systematic review, two research tasks are identified to provide an agenda for future research.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

University students’ perceptions towards using exemplars dialogically to develop evaluative judgement. The case of a high-stakes language test

This study was funded by the Teaching Development Grant at the Education University of Hong Kong in 2018/2019 (T0203).The revived interest in the notion of ‘evaluative judgement’ in higher education is motivated by commitment of researchers and practitioners to effectively implement learning-oriented assessment and cultivate this high-order cognitive ability to develop students’ capacity for self-regulated learning. Recent studies have examined the affordances and constraints of using exemplars to develop students’ evaluative judgement in the fields of Education, Nutrition, Biology, and English for Academic Purposes. The present study, which focuses on use of exemplars in IELTS, analyzes patterns of teacher-students dialogues and 129 university students’ perceptions of using exemplars to develop their understanding of assessment standards of IELTS academic writing tasks. Qualitative data were collected through an online questionnaire, individual semi-structured interviews, and workshop observations. Findings suggest that the IELTS instructor/researcher utilized various interactive strategies to develop students’ hard, soft, and dynamic dimensions of evaluative judgement. Students identified affordances and limitations of using exemplars for language test preparation. Implications related to dialogic exemplar use to develop students’ evaluative judgement are discussed in light of the findings.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A three-stage model for implementing focused written corrective feedback

This article aims to show how the findings from written corrective feedback (WCF) research can be applied in practice. One particular kind of WCF—focused WCF— is brought into the spotlight. The article first summarizes major findings from focused WCF research to reveal the potential advantages of correcting a few preselected language items instead of all errors. It is argued that the majority of the focused WCF research, which has adopted an experimental or quasi-experimental design, has had limited pedagogical implications for second language (L2) writing teachers. Thus, the second section puts forward a three-stage model for operationalizing focused WCF, which includes selecting the focus, teaching the focus, and reinforcing the focus. Pedagogical ideas will be included in each of the stages to give writing teachers a clear idea of how to justify the selection of a language focus and implement WCF in a systematic manner.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Improving peer-review by developing reviewers’ feedback literacy

There is a need to train journal peer reviewers to provide professional, constructive, and actionable feedback: i.e., develop their feedback literacy.Journals and publishers can improve the way they support peer reviewers' feedback literacy by raising awareness and providing guidance and exemplars of good practice.Existing online peer‐review training resources developed by major publishers only focus on content of feedback but neglect the socio‐emotional aspect of feedback.Resources to develop peer reviewers' feedback literacy should be formulated by adopting knowledge‐based, skills‐based, and community‐based approaches.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A protocol for a scoping review of advising in language education

Publisher PD

Technology-mediated task-based language teaching: A qualitative research synthesis

In the past 10 to 15 years, researchers have begun to explore the possibility of synthesizing research on task-based language teaching (TBLT) and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in the interests of advancing the development of both fields as well as informing practice. In particular, there has been an increasing number of naturalistic, classroom-based studies, which have demonstrated the affordances of TBLT in particular contexts, but whose findings may be less generalizable. Against this backdrop, a qualitative research synthesis of these classroom-based studies is warranted. The current study adopts grounded theory (GT) as the methodology to systematically synthesize qualitative findings from 16 technology-mediated TBLT studies published between 2002 and 2017 in second and foreign language contexts. This resulted in the identification of (a) the characteristics of technology-mediated TBLT, (b) the affordances and limitations of technology-mediated TBLT, and (c) the factors affecting the effectiveness of technology-mediated TBLT. Following this synthesis, a possible research agenda is proposed and practical implications are suggested

Demystifying the process of scholarly peer-review : an autoethnographic investigation of feedback literacy of two award-winning peer reviewers

Peer reviewers serve a vital role in assessing the value of published scholarship and improving the quality of submitted manuscripts. To provide more appropriate and systematic support to peer reviewers, especially those new to the role, this study documents the feedback practices and experiences of two award-winning peer reviewers in the field of education. Adopting a conceptual framework of feedback literacy and an autoethnographic-ecological lens, findings shed light on how the two authors design opportunities for feedback uptake, navigate responsibilities, reflect on their feedback experiences, and understand journal standards. Informed by ecological systems theory, the reflective narratives reveal how they unravel the five layers of contextual influences on their feedback practices as peer reviewers (micro, meso, exo, macro, chrono). Implications related to peer reviewer support are discussed and future research directions are proposed.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe