Action Research in ELICOS Program Katherine Brandon English Australia Anne Burns University of New South Wales Emily Edwards University of New South Wales 1 Session outline • Program context • What is action research? • Case study • How to participate 2 ELICOS • • 147,828 students • 2,500+ teachers Top five countries:  China  Japan  South Korea  Brazil  Thailand 3 English Australia • Peak body & professional association • Strategic goals • Lead • Connect • Grow • Innovation & best practice key to future 4 English Australia initiatives • English Australia Conference • English Australia Journal • Guides to Best Practice • Online communities of practice • Workshops, webinars and forums 5 Action Research in ELICOS Program goals • to equip teachers with the skills to enable them to explore and address identified teaching challenges in the context of Australian ELICOS • to share outcomes of this research. 6 Outcomes for teachers 1. actively involved in classroom research 2. national peer networks 3. engagement with research and academic researchers 4. further professional development 7 Program ELICOS English Australia - project management Reference Group Anne Burns - expertise in AR Cambridge English - funding - publishing 8 Participants 2011 2011 Program outline Participants selected Introductory workshop wiki Skype Projects Workshop 2 email Projects 8-9 months Workshop 3 SHARING OUTCOMES Presentations English Australia Conference Publications Cambridge English Research Notes 2014 program projects • • Designing tasks for critical reading for EAP students • Reading aloud for pronunciation, fluency and confidence • Exploring how technology may be used for teaching extensive reading • Developing motivated readers through an extensive reading program • Using Facebook to develop extensive reading skills Using Moodle for teaching and learning EAP reading skills Action research Action research • Issues that engage participants in their own social situation • Goal is to act to understand, change/enhance what is happening • • Integrates action, research and reflection Focus on praxis – i.e. reflection on practice, and on deeper understanding of practice Process of action research • Identify key issues/challenges for investigation • Plan focus area and strategies for gathering information • Make changes and developments in practice • Use ongoing action and data-gathering to inform further understanding and change Process of action research • Key issues/challenges are identified for investigation • Focus area and strategies for gathering information are planned • Changes and developments in practice are made • Ongoing action and data-gathering inform further understanding and change Action research cycle Kemmis & McTaggart 1998 Key features of action research • Systematic – adopting more than an experiential/intuitive approach to teaching • Interventionist – deliberately seeking ways to make teaching/learning effective • Evidence-based – collecting evidence to support claims about what is happening • Critically reflective – being open-minded and responsive to what the data show Program impact Sectoral Institutional Individual • teaching/research skills & knowledge • professional development • longer-term impact Individual impact I’ll keep the lines of communication open with students to better inform my teaching. It’s a supercharged PD experience! I’ve developed my [classroom skills] at an accelerated rate. I’ve gained an appreciation of how to improve as a teacher. No matter how many years you have been teaching you can still learn, and [action research] makes this easy and exciting. Program impact Sectoral • strengthened practice • institutional engagement • enhanced PD & professionalism • teaching/research skills & knowledge • professional development • longer-term impact Institutional Individual Institutional impact Too often staff only see things that they do [at this centre] and this project gave them the chance to step outside their daily role. •Most [other] teachers also became involved with the project, allowing their classes to be included in the research. The program fitted neatly into our own PD for the year. Program impact • enhanced reputation • rejuvenation of practice • program dissemination • strengthened practice • institutional engagement • enhanced PD & professionalism • teaching/research skills & knowledge • professional development • longer-term impact Sectoral Institutional Individual Sectoral impact I could not believe the number of people who picked it up and knew it was happening. It was always applicable for best practice but was hidden and is now bringing it out again into the open. It also provides stimulation for teachers who know in most institutions there are limited career possibilities. More outcomes • 2013 IEAA Award for Excellence • Further research & publication • Application to other communities within the global ELT field • UK • Malaysia 2012 action research project: Using writing assessment rubrics to develop learner autonomy Emily Edwards PhD student @ UNSW Teacher @ UTS:Insearch My action research context • English Language Company • Rolling-intake Academic English classes • Cycle 1: high B1 to low B2 (CEFR) • Cycle 2: high B2 to C1 • Various ages and nationalities • Student requirement: IELTS or EAP Research question How can a class of Academic English learners autonomously assess and monitor their own progress in relation to their formative written assignments, and how can I assist them in this process? Using assessment rubrics: • Peer assessment • Editing checklists • Goal setting Cycle 1 Goal-setting = most useful in rolling intake context Cycle 2 • Progress & motivation • Self-study materials • Role of the teacher Implications for practice • Continued focus on ‘Assessment for Learning’:  Importance of integrating assessment rubrics into teaching  Goal setting activities = useful in Academic English classes  BUT context changes everything! • Reflection & questioning!  Why did that work or not?  ‘Evidence’ to support my teaching 2015 Program academic Teaching, learning and assessing writing feedback test prep v general development How to get a place in the Program • Read past project reports and all information! • Keep it simple – ‘think big, act small’. • Be clear about what you want to explore. • Make sure it’s relevant to the theme. • Observe the word limit! For more information please visit: www.englishaustralia.com.au/action-research-program www.professoranneburns.com Contact: [email protected]