Writing the qualitative dissertation: what motivates and sustains commitment to a fuzzy genre?

Belcher, Diane; Hirvela, Alan

doi:10.1016/j.jeap.2004.07.010

Cited by 65 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In this respect, the richness of the qualitative tools and instruments was found to be quite satisfying. As Belcher and Hirvela (2005) point out, nonnative graduate students generally avoid exploiting qualitative methodologies due to the challenge of building up a text based on a personalized way of writing and expression. Nonetheless, programs can possibly offer more courses on qualitative approaches and methodologies in which specifically data analysis techniques are presented and practiced by doctoral students.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in Doctoral Research on English Language Teaching in Turkey

2016

EDUC SCI-THEOR PRACT

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This review examines the doctoral research in Turkey completed between 2010 and 2014 in the area of English language teaching and learning. All of the dissertations (N = 137) indexed in the National Theses Database have been included in order to analyze dissertations' subject areas, research paradigms/ techniques, and research contexts as well as scopes, validity/reliability concerns, and piloting. The subject area categorization is based on a cyclical reading process resulting in three major categories: Teaching English as a foreign language, foreign language teacher education, and second language acquisition. Grant/ funding opportunities, the rate of international students, and certain demographic characteristics of PhD students are also addressed in order to clarify the contextual factors. In addition, detailed sub-subject areas were identified so as to be able to categorize all of the dissertations, and 57 dissertations representing the major subject areas are reviewed briefly to offer a closer look. The examination of the doctoral research reveals, in general, 12 potential problems, divided into two levels -6 macro levels (systemic) and 6 micro (departmental). Macro level problems include the heavy pressure of rapid graduation and international publishing. The present study is expected to provide a holistic portrait of the doctoral dissertations for the programs, supervisors, and students concerned. Trends in Doctoral Research on English LanguageTeaching in Turkey 1738 EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES: THEORY & PRACTICEThis review examines the doctoral research on English language teaching (ELT) between the years 2010 and 2014 in Turkey. The analysis focused on 137 PhD dissertations covering various aspects of English language learning and teaching, such as teaching English as a foreign language, foreign language teacher education, and second language acquisition (SLA). Of particular importance were the subject areas, research design, sampling methodology, and contexts with a special regard to adopted research paradigms of the dissertations analyzed. Including all of the dissertations completed in the last five years, the review also categorizes the dissertations in terms of those three major subject areas and sub-areas identified in a data-driven process.A comprehensive overview of research on applied linguistics and foreign language education in Turkey was published by Alptekin and Tatar (2011), surveying approximately 130 published articles, conference presentations and PhD dissertations from 2005 to 2009. Alptekin and Tatar (2011) also discuss in detail the history and sociopolitical dynamics of foreign language education in Turkey. Hence, the present review does not repeat those recollections, which are still valid under today's conditions. Instead, the focus is on research trends and concerns of the doctoral research written between 2010 and 2014.Over the last two decades, ELT PhD programs and scholars in Turkey have undergone a radical transformation process, during which the field has moved from a prac...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in Doctoral Research on English Language Teaching in Turkey

2016

EDUC SCI-THEOR PRACT

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“…First, it was important to evaluate whether users perceived the quality of the technology-based course and if so, through which criteria; and, secondly, to understand if the use of multimedial tools for teacher training represented more an obstacle to users or rather an aid in activities, becoming a crucial component for their studying activity and professional practice. The research tools therefore belonged to the field of quality investigation (Belcher & Hirvela, 2005;Harklau, 2011), while the research questions concentrated on the technological dimension of the learning process in order to understand whether such technical feature represented in fact a complication within the training process increasing as a matter of fact the distance among participants, or if it rather facilitated the user in his or her studying process helping in carrying out assigned activities in a synergic manner. Informants were also asked to gauge if the online training course contributed to the participants' professional development and if the technological tools could be used for future training situations.…”

Section: The Research Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Teachers’ Perception of the Effectiveness of MAECI Online Glottodidactic Training for Teachers of Italian as a Foreign Language: A Case Study

Maugeri

2018

IJL

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In this paper, theory and practice are interconnected in a case study to examine the suitability, multimodality and effectiveness of the training courses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) for language teachers and university tutors of the Italian language across the world. The first part of the paper describes the theoretical framework underlying the training project design; the second part describes the qualitative research model used in order to explore, through an online questionnaire and focus group, the opinions of the informants as to the quality of the online course granted by Ca' Foscari University of Venice. In particular, the effects and impact of technology on the didactic activities of the participants are highlighted. The data obtained is useful in outlining a training model that effectively deploys technological tools to supply teachers with the latest digital competences for their everyday didactic activity. Keywords: Training online, Taxonomy of Maeci training, Qualitative approach, Digital practicesInternational Journal of Linguistics ISSN 1948-5425 2018 www.macrothink.org/ijl 47 Using 2.0 E-Learning to Train Foreign Language TeachersIn the last twenty years, training courses for language teachers have increased in number and quality thanks to the use of recent technologies. Multimedial support has become a means to enhance and exchange knowledge allowing the development of metacognitive and technological competences in teachers consistent with the requirements of different professional environments. The use of technology has further multiplied long-distance training offers on behalf of university institutions aware of the advantages of the web to sustain a personalized vision of knowledge where learning communities are set up and become capable of accomplishing effective training practises (Johnson, 2009). This has allowed the rethinking of training models in terms of: a) a platform with social value; b) technological tools that are both intuitive and suitable to carry out didactic activities in a virtual environment (Norman, 2002); and c) specific training needs expressed by the participants to deepen targeted areas of interest and develop highly specialist abilities (Abbott, 2007).Together with widespread communication technology applied to the implementation and enhancement of training for foreign teachers comes a methodology and set of learning tools purposely designed for an online environment guaranteeing: a) flexibility in terms of time to dedicate to didactic activities; b) productivity in terms of developing metacognitive strategies, collaboration competences and higher levels of understanding and experimentation within the creation of knowledge; and c) versatility and affordability in terms of sharing knowledge with a large number of participants in a cost-efficient way (Anderson, 2007).These kinds of technological platforms add value to the learning experience as they allow trainee teachers to become part of a community of professiona...

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“…Belcher and Hirvela (2005) , for example, studied six L2 doctoral students who were writing a qualitative research dissertation, with the aim of understanding what motivated these students to choose a qualitative topic and also to fi nd out how they viewed the linguistic demands. Three of the students had intrinsic motivation, and three had extrinsic motivation, but all six succeeded.…”

Section: Purposes and Descriptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thesis and Dissertation Writing

Thompson

2012

The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes

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Writing the qualitative dissertation: what motivates and sustains commitment to a fuzzy genre?

Cited by 65 publications

References 8 publications

Trends in Doctoral Research on English Language Teaching in Turkey

Trends in Doctoral Research on English Language Teaching in Turkey

Analysis of Teachers’ Perception of the Effectiveness of MAECI Online Glottodidactic Training for Teachers of Italian as a Foreign Language: A Case Study

Thesis and Dissertation Writing

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