Alex Ding

SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY

Scholarly activity now – Why?

• What does it mean to teach (EAP) at a (Russell Group) university? (EAP at a private language school?)

• Where do you want to be in 5 years?

• Where do you want the centre to be in 5 years?

Standard definition …

“We develop a scholarship of teaching when our work as teachers becomes public, peer-reviewed and critiqued. And exchanged with members of our professional communities so they, in turn, can build on our work”

(Shulman, 2000).

Scholarly activity as praxis• Not just about the means but also the ends

• Reflexive – questioning & critical (including of self) – relating to the value, desirability and transformative potential of teaching - not only about ‘what works’… nor only about ‘efficiency’

• Good practice rather than best practice

• Entails recognition from the CoP(s)

• Social, public, outcome – a contribution for others to use

• not private, CPD, reflective, …

Which communities of practice?

• Student/Classroom (exploratory practice)• Colleagues• CELE• School of Education• University• Higher Education• EAP (ESP/LSP/TESOL…)• ?

What form can it take? Visible and public

• Journal/book publications

• Conference presentations

• Workshops/seminars

• Materials/teaching/assessment/syllabus

• Social media .. Blogs etc.

• Public engagement

• Exploratory practice

Why do it?

• Recognition, reputation, influence (self/centre)

• Developing expertise, understanding, confidence, academic identity & values

• Creating professional opportunities

• Improving teaching & learning

• Changing practice

• Contributing to knowledge/communities

• Collegiality and collaboration

• Contributing to an intellectually and professionally stimulating environment

• Personal satisfaction

An e-book…

Collectively write an e-book covering all the key areas of the presessional programme.

Why?

• Great deal of (scholarly) investment by many

• Innovative & successful

• Of use and interest to wider community

• Recognition, influence and enable critical feedback

• Making tangible the theory and practice of programme (enabling consensus to emerge too)

• A reference point for all

Chapters

• Written in pairs or more …

• Focus on theory, critical reflection and practice

• 5,000 words

• Expressions of interest 23rd of January

Contents?

Assessment

Teacher and Student Autonomy

Exploratory Practice

Writing, Reading, Speaking and Listening

Reflexivity and reflection

Leadership and management

Academic & digital literacies

Stakeholders: Student perspectives, summer tutors, SoE?

Classroom Dynamics

The PEAPs (1,2,3 & 4) plus ESAP PEAPs

Authenticity and academic tasksCoPs

Language Advising

Curriculum development

Academia, knowledge and educationPolicy

Discussion questions

1. Over the past year what have you done, individually and collectively, that might be considered as scholarly activity or could be transformed into scholarly activity?

2. What sort of scholarly activity might you like to be involved in and/or consider worthwhile?

3. What obstacles and objections to scholarly activity do you have? Do you want to do it? what support is needed for you to carry out scholarly activity?