Initiating an Action Research Programme for University EFL Teachers: Early Experiences and Responses

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 University of New South Wales, Australia

2 Universidad Chileno-Británica de Cultura, Chile

Abstract

Accounts of how teacher educators begin to plan, develop, and support action research programmes for language teachers are rare, as are descriptions of the responses of the teachers who participate. This article documents and analyses the initial processes of introducing and supporting a new programme of action research for language teachers at the Universidad Chileno-Británica de Cultura (UCBC) in Santiago, Chile. To evaluate the setting up of the programme and how the teachers have perceived it in its early stages, the authors, who are the programme facilitators, have conducted a meta- study. Data include workshop and meeting recordings, workshop observation notes, a reflective account, and a teacher questionnaire. The findings indicate that the teachers value the input and collaboration provided by an initial workshop, and subsequent meetings and discussions, very highly, but that issues of time, student involvement, and academic literature are areas for further debate and development. The article ends by drawing out the broader implications for UCBC and for others wishing to initiate similar action research programmes.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research
Volume 4, Issue 3 (Special Issue)
October 2016
Pages 55-73

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History

  • Receive Date: 21 May 2016
  • Revise Date: 17 August 2016
  • Accept Date: 13 September 2016

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