research that resonated
SPRE & IIC | Raymond Sheehan | March 10th, 2002
The SPRE structure encourages us to particularize our teaching context and to view the efficacy of our response within that particular context. One of the things that puzzled me more than a year ago was why anybody else would want to read about my very particular teaching context and find any value in it, since they had their own very particular contexts to deal with; similarly, what could I find of value in the detailing of teacher's methodological or genre report from a Japanese company when I was teaching young Arab learners in preparation for a college education in English. Was all of this writing-up of particular contexts "just academic" (in the BADDEST since of the word academic), I sometimes wondered. What use could it possibly be--to anyone else besides me?
Part of the answer I found in an article in IIC called 'May I see your warrant please?' (Has somebody been enjoying Ben Jonson's Bartholomew Fair? Or a recent police drama?). It states
"We expect information transfer across educational contexts to be most effectively created by the reader, from richly contextualised, problematised and theoretical reports and interpretations, as they are resonant with the reader's own contextualised experience. The reader understands (what is important) in the new situation via an evaluation of (what is important in) his or her own situation(s)."
I think the main point here is that of resonance (and reader responsibility) . We read something richly detailed, problematised and theorised that strikes a chord: recognition, empathy, been there and almost got the t-shirt. Across cultural and educational boundaries, we see commonality of sorts--despite all the particularities of our very specific contexts.
Just wondered, in support, or refutation, of this, if you had read any articles/books/CP research recently that resonated with you? It is up to the reader, not the writer, to make the connections between the writer's described situation and the reader's lived one... Did you read a piece of research and say, "Yes, yes, yes. That's exactly it?" Or does most qualitative research leave you saying "So what?" Does action research matter to anybody else apart from the person doing it (and, at best, if they deign to notice it, the institution s/he works in)?
Raymond/UAE
Re: SPRE & IIC | Maria Leeham | March 11th, 2002
Dear Raymond and everyone else,
I'm just beginning the MSc so SPRE is all very new and the readings are fresh. I think Raymond is right in that the reader finds a common ground in other people's research, even if the situation is very different. Large or small classes, different ages and nationalities, teaching styles, etc mean it would be extremely UNlikely that you would read a qualitative piece of research and think yes, that's my exact situation too. However problems can still be similar, and the responses carried out can strike a chord with s/o from a very different background.
The research additionally spurs the readers on to do their own, whether formal and written-up, or small-scale, "I'll try that diary technique out next week and see what happens". Most articles encourage me to try out new things in my own classes. The only times I've thought "so what?" are when the response seems obvious and minimal and barely worth writing into an article. I can't think of instances of this off-hand, only that some articles in journals seem to be written more from that "I want to be in print" rationale than "I've got something new to say"!
Maria Leedham
Oxford, UK
A/R | Jake Kimball | March 11th, 2002
In short, I support Raymond's thoughts about finding resonance regardless of teaching context.
Long story made longer: For Christmas I ordered a set of books through TESOL, one being Action Research.
A little while ago I was corresponding with Phil Quirke. He mentioned he had an article in that very book. Believe it or not, the next day I received a package. I read his article. Turns out that the topic of Phil's SPRE formatted article was EXACTLY what had been on my mind all week, particularly the problem of getting reliable, timely information from students.
Main point: the focus of his a/r was timely and therefore relevant despite our very different circumstances and interest for this a/r.
Topics that interested me years ago may not now. Although I do have areas of interest that haven't waned, my current situation forced me to pay closer attention to a certain work (could also just be the module I'm working on or a favorite writer, good style, etc).
Phil's in the middle east, I'm in Asia. The article's setting was a women's college. I teach YL's. The impetus for his a/r was a list of 4 questions, none of which pertained to my management dilemma.
Main point: very different circumstances in all areas of SPRE.
The article motivated me to look for a way to rectify my problem and I started brainstorming shortly after reading Phil's article. It was to late solve my problem, but reforms are underway so mistakes don't happen again. What I took from the article was reflection, direction, and a call to action.
Yes I've read other books/articles on a/r and reflection (ex. Altrichter's 'Teachers Investigate their Work') but this one was timely.
Raymond had a good question about the responsibility for making connections. I think it's shared. The writer (and especially editors) need to ensure that a topic/focus indeed interests more than the writer (Maria, didn't the other Mr. Johnson have something to say about vanity and the wish to be in print?) But it is my own responsibility as a reader to personalize or find resonance. If I don't see the relevance I can always move on. It must matter to someone, somewhere.
Jake
PS: All of the articles in the Action Research book I mentioned were written using the SPRE format and make for a useful learning experience.
Re: SPRE & IIC | Jerry Talandis Jr. | March 11th, 2002
Raymond,
You asked if any of us had read any resonating research...
I read two articles pertaining to my MET assignment that have really influenced me in practical and theoretical ways. Both are accessible via the net:
1. An article by Tim Murphy and Tom Kenney, two EFL professors in Nagoya, Japan, about "Intensifying practice and noticing through videoing conversations for self-evaluation." This article explains a technique for videotaping your students talking in class, having them create a transcript, and then using their transcripts for language study.
2. This is an article along the same lines as above written by Duane Kindt of Nanzan University in Nagoya. It's called "Turning up the heat: energizing conversation with cassette recorders." For my assignment I adapted Kindt's technique for my teaching situation. It worked great! Now I'm planning to incorporate it into my syllabus next year. I'm looking forward to collecting TONS of data which I can then use on the rest of this course.
Check these articles out if you are interested in getting your students to talk more in class and increase their language awareness.
Jerry
with 
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