scholarly journals Why are Euro ELF (English as a lingua franca) user attitudes ambivalent? Pre-service teachers from Spain and Sweden

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyeseung Jeong ◽  
Raquel Sánchez Ruiz ◽  
Georgia Wilhelmsson

English as a lingua franca, or ELF is a well-known concept referring to English used as a contact language among people from different linguistic backgrounds. ELF users are thus people using English as ELF. This study investigated the ELF user attitudes of pre-service teachers from Spain and Sweden, towards English and its users. From the convergences and divergences of their attitudes, it emerged that the ELF user attitudes of the two European student cohorts tended to be ambivalent, mixed, and self-contradictory. After discussing factors for participants’ attitudinal tendencies, we conclude that the ambivalence in their overall attitudes seem to mirror the ambivalence of the ‘double’ definitions of English in policy documents, which are largely incompatible in setting the goals of teaching and learning the language. We suggest that university teaching help pre-service teachers experience real-life use of English and critically engage with policy documents for future teaching practices.

Author(s):  
Jan Herrington ◽  
Ron Oliver ◽  
Anthony Herrington

In response to the growing influence of constructivism as a philosophical approach to learning, and a wide range of research studies investigating alternative models of teaching and learning over the last decade, many universities have experimented with the development of ‘authentic’ learning environments. How successful they have been in this quest is a subject of some debate. For instance, Gayeski (2005) has argued: Many of today’s programs are no better than those from the early days of interactive video—in fact, they are worse. We still see too many textbooks or PowerPoint slides ‘ported’ over to the Web with a few links or silly questions added to make them ‘interactive’ (p. 98) The challenge instructors face is to align university teaching and learning more substantially with the way learning is achieved in real-life settings, and to base instructional methods on recent theories of learning which reflect this shift, such as situated learning (Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989; Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989; McLellan, 1996; Choi & Hannafin, 1995). Authentic approaches, as well as requiring students to apply theory, also allow students to create theories by starting with a realistic problem, and then developing their own knowledge within the practical situations in which the need for learning was created. This chapter proposes nine critical characteristics of learning as a framework for the design of more authentic learning environments on the Web. The elements are based on situated learning theory and other compatible research, with particular emphasis on computer and Web-based applications.


Author(s):  
Jacobus N. Cronjé

Business managers and students often criticise university teaching for not addressing real-life problems. Furthermore, professors are dissatisfied with the research capabilities of postgraduate students. This paper advocates an integrated approach to teaching and learning based on the features of project-based learning aimed at enhancing the practical and research skills of undergraduate students in Logistics. A case study is presented where third-year students were engaged in a real-life project in collaboration with industry, exposing them to collaborative learning, questionnaire design, surveys, analysing and evaluating results, literature review and report writing. The project was carried out in phases where students were assessed after each phase. The paper analyses the assessment of students and their perception of the value of the project. It is concluded that an integrated teaching and learning approach will increase students’ interest in the subject, understanding of theoretical concepts, research skills, business skills and life skills.


2018 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 195-211
Author(s):  
Beata Grzeszczakowska-Pawlikowska

Hochschu­len.  Dies trifft u.a. für die universitäre Wissensvermittlung zu. Auf Grund der steigenden Studie­renden-Mobilität bilden die interkulturell bunt gemischten Seminare einen festen Bestandteil der universitären Lehre. Der interkulturelle insgesamt durchaus positiv zu wertende Austausch unter Stu­dierenden bedeutet allerdings nicht in allen Fällen eine reibungslose Kommunikation. In der kom­munikativen Wirklichkeit ist auch potenziell mit gewissen Störungen zu rechnen. Das Erfassen von Ursachen für diese Störungen stellt einen ersten Schritt für die Optimierung der jeweiligen Kommunikationsabläufe dar. Dieser Problematik widmet sich der vorliegende Beitrag am Beispiel einer interkulturell geprägten Redesituation, in der akademisch gesichertes Wissen vermittelt wird.Disruptions to the communication of academic knowledge through spoken language Intercultural communication has, for some time now, been a feature of everyday life in higher edu­cation institutions. This applies also to the communication of academic knowledge acquired by students during their university studies. Increasing student mobility means that interculturally di­verse seminars are now a central feature of university teaching and learning but, although the ex­change between students certainly ought to be viewed positively, it does not always lead to smooth communication. In real-life communication there may be potential disruptions. Understanding what causes such disruptions constitutes the first step towards optimizing oral interactions. This paper will explore this issue, using the example of a spoken interaction in which academic knowledge is communicated.


Author(s):  
Gabriela Albertina Serrano Heredia

ABSTRACTIt is considered paramount concern depriving, in this globalized world to rethink the axiological models that determine the attitudes of those involved in education, with the aim to reposition the role of teachers in personal, professional and public life learner. In the formative process of teaching and learning, the teacher transmits to his students: values, attitudes and knowledge. If we assume that teaching is to encourage students to reflect to make judgments critically and develop skills in the pursuit of knowledge and reinforce attitudes are looking for the education of students as a result of acting trained teachers and committed ethics and / or securities training, which means establishing scales, deciding on priorities, learn to value their own decisions and not others to choose.RESUMENSe considera de suma importancia la preocupación que priva, en este mundo globalizado de replantear los es-quemas axiológicos que determinan las actitudes de los actores involucrados en la educación, teniendo como propósito el reposicionamiento de la función del docente en la vida personal, profesional y pública del educando. En el proceso formativo de Enseñanza-Aprendizaje, el docente transmite a sus estudiantes: valores, actitudes y conocimientos. Si partimos de que enseñar es estimular a los alumnos a reflexionar para establecer juicios en forma crítica, así como desarrollar habilidades en la búsqueda del conocimiento y reforzar actitudes, se está buscando la educación integral de los estudiantes, como consecuencia del actuar docente capacitado y comprometido con la formación ética y/o en valores, que significa establecer escalas, decidirse por prioridades, aprender a valorar las propias decisiones y no que otros las elijan. Contacto principal: [email protected]


Author(s):  
Jane Kotzmann

This chapter explores the real-life operation of six higher education systems that align with the theoretical models identified in Chapter 2. Three states follow a largely market-based approach: Chile, England, and the United States. Three states follow a largely human rights-based approach: Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. The chapter describes each system in terms of how it aligns with the particular model before evaluating the system in relation to the signs and measures of successful higher education systems identified in Chapter 3. This chapter provides conclusions as to the relative likelihood of each approach facilitating the achievement of higher education teaching and learning purposes.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Snodgrass

Many innovative approaches to teaching are being used around the country, and there is an exciting energy about the scholarship of teaching and learning. But what is happening in the most effective music theory and aural skills classrooms? Based on 3 years of field study spanning 17 states, coupled with reflections from the author’s own teaching strategies, Teaching Music Theory: New Voices and Approaches highlights teaching approaches with substantial real-life examples from instructors across the country. The main premise of the text focuses on the question of “why.” Why do we assess in a particular way? Why are our curricula designed in a certain manner? Why should students master aural skills for their career as a performer, music educator, or music therapist? It is through the experiences shared in the text that many of these questions of “why” are answered. Along with answering some of the important questions of “why,” the book emphasizes topics such as classroom environment, undergraduate research and mentoring, assessment, and approaches to curriculum development. Teaching Music Theory: New Voices and Approaches is written in a conversational tone to provide a starting point of dialogue for students, new faculty members, and seasoned educators on any level. The pedagogical trends presented in this book provide a greater appreciation of outstanding teaching and thus an understanding of successful approaches in the classroom.


Author(s):  
Susan Hallam

It is debatable whether it is appropriate to assess performance in the arts. However, formal education institutions and the systems within which they operate continue to require summative assessment to take place in order to award qualifications. This chapter considers the extent to which such summative assessment systems in music determine not only what is taught but also what learners learn. The evidence suggests that any learning outcome in formal education that is not assessed is unlikely to be given priority by either learners or teachers. To optimize learning, the aims and the processes of learning, including formative, self-, and peer assessment procedures, should be aligned with summative assessment. Research addressing the roles, methods, and value of formative, self-, and peer assessment in enhancing learning is considered. A proposal is made that the most appropriate way of enhancing learning is to ensure that summative assessment procedures are authentic and have real-life relevance supporting the teaching and learning process, to ensure that learners are motivated and see the relevance of what they are learning. This might take many forms depending on musical genre, communities of practice, and the wider cultural environment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 221258682110070
Author(s):  
Ka Ho Mok ◽  
Weiyan Xiong ◽  
Hamzah Nor Bin Aedy Rahman

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has forced online teaching and learning to be the primary instruction format in higher education globally. One of the worrying concerns about online learning is whether this method is effective, specifically when compared to face-to-face classes. This descriptive quantitative study investigates how students in higher education institutions in Hong Kong evaluated their online learning experiences during the pandemic, including the factors influencing their digital learning experiences. By analysing the survey responses from 1,227 university students in Hong Kong, this study found that most of the respondents felt dissatisfied with their online learning experiences and effectiveness. Meanwhile, this study confirms that respondents’ household income level and information technology literacy affected their online learning effectiveness. Moreover, this study highlights the significant contributions of the community of inquiry, which places social presence on the promotion of a whole person development that could not be achieved when relying mainly on online learning. Findings encourage university leaders and instructors to search for multiple course delivery modes to nurture students to become caring leaders with the 21st century skills and knowledge set.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-233
Author(s):  
Inmaculada Pineda ◽  
Wenli Tsou

Abstract Recent global developments have intensified the use of English as a lingua franca (ELF), the principal means of communication employed among speakers of different linguistic backgrounds to interact worldwide. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in the pedagogical implications and applications of ELF in language teaching and learning. Few works, though, have investigated the influence of ELF in bilingual education such as in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The current paper describes the design and implementation of a CLIL + ELF observation tool that was used to study a pilot CLIL program in Taiwan and to anticipate CLIL teachers’ training needs. The data collected from the rubric were contrasted with several unstructured interviews. The rubric contains 10 criteria developed from previous CLIL and ELF studies including: learners’ L1 and L2 proficiency; teachers’ L2 proficiency; teachers’ ability to reflect upon their practice; their familiarity with CLIL and ELF methodologies; and the school’s commitment to bilingual education and language policy considerations. Using these criteria, the researchers identified many positive results such as teachers’ growing familiarity with CLIL and their use of class management language, content-related language, and academic communication. The study also suggests areas for improvement such as the need for teacher training regarding ELF.


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