Seminar on Research Methodology and Design

1. An Investigation of the Perspectives of NCCU English Majors on Alternative Course Designs for Language Skills Courses Seminar on Research Methodology and Design 鄭傳傑, 陳怡蓁, 廖盈淑, 張睿銓, 潘根鴻 July 30, 2008

2. Introduction – The Changing Role of English Language Education • The global role of English language education is changing in the 21st century. • The role of English language education in Taiwan is changing due to education reform. • How should the NCCU Department of English react to these changes? • Is it time to reevaluate the English language teaching curriculum to better suit the needs of our students?

3. Overview • The changing role of English in the 21st century • English language education reforms in Asia and Taiwan • English language training at comparable Departments of English • Content-based vs. Skills-based English language training • Summarize the factors that make this a complex issue • Research Questions • Methodology • Discussion of our Findings • Conclusion and Suggestions

4. The Role of English in the 21st Century (Graddol, 2006 ; Kierath, 2006 ) • Increasing Globalization • English is the language for international communication • English competence is a factor in national power • English is becoming less of an advantage for getting ahead • English ability is an expected necessity to keep from being left behind • The age for the commencement of English language education is shifting downwards

5. The Role of English in the 21st Century (Graddol, 2006) • Fewer and fewer adult English language learners • English language ability is becoming an entrance requirement for doing university level academic work instead of an exit skill developed before leaving the university • Advantages: Having skills other than English, being Multi-lingual

6. Regional Trends in English Language Education • The need for increased English language competence has led to education reforms across Asia • Japan • Hong Kong • Others

7. Regional Trends in English Language Education (Mantero and Iwai, 2005) • Japan • MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology – Japan) began outlining new education goals in 1998 • Hoped for children to catch up with globalization • Essential for children to acquire communication abilities in English to live in the twenty-first century

8. Regional Trends in English Language Education – Japan • Hoped “to develop students’ basic practical communication abilities such as listening and speaking, … understanding of language and culture, and fostering a positive attitude toward communication through foreign languages” (MEXT, 2003)

9. Regional Trends in English Language Education – Japan • Many innovative curriculums developed in private universities (Hadley, 1999) • Keio University • Language immersion program. Learners work on group projects, discussions, and debates or group projects on topics that interest them. • Focus is on cooperative learning and fluency rather than accuracy. • Wants to instill self-confidence and fluency in spoken English to promote the further internationalization of Japanese society.

10. Regional Trends in English Language Education – Japan • Asia University • English lounges where only English is spoken • Intensive English classes required • Student exchange program, foreign roommates • Tokyo Christian University • Many classes taught in English with modified shelter approach. • Main objective is to master content material. Language learning is incidental. • Miyazaki International College • Integrated classrooms - content courses in English. • Aim is to develop language and critical thinking skills interactively.

11. Regional Trends in English Language Education – Hong Kong • Moving from 3-year universities to 4-year universities • One less year of high school • Looking at ways to embed English language skills instruction into the new curriculum. • It is hoped that this will help nurture capable people to drive the development of a knowledge-based economy and to meet society's rapidly changing needs. 

12. Regional Trends in English Language Education – Others • National University of Singapore • De La Salle University in Manila • Creating language programmes that implicitly focus on English as an International Language (EIL). • (Hadley, 2003)

13. Taiwan Trends in English Language Education • Desire for globalization • Pressure to develop EFL proficiency in the hope of gaining more access in the global arena of international trade and commerce (Carey, 1998; Thompson, 2003) • English ability provides social and economic mobility

14. The Role of Universities in Globalization • Tertiary educational system in Taiwan partly carries the burden in internationalizing the potential of its human resources (Tiangco, 2004). • Provide relevant language training and education to promising Taiwanese in preparing them for global competitiveness. • Responsible for preparing undergraduate students for future careers by providing them with the necessary skills to become productive members of both industry and government. • Provide continuing education programs such as courses in English

15. MOE Expectations for Universities • MOE’s “The International Competitiveness Enhancement of the Universities” • To be incorporated into the academic mainstream of the international community in order to enhance the research level of the overall academia of Taiwan and the quality of education and uplift the academic status and visibility of our country; internationalize our universities (by interacting with foreign universities). [MOE website, 2008]

16. The Changing Education Environment at NCCU • In 2000 ETP started the trend toward internationalization and a promotion of classes that were taught in English • Fewer hours needed to attain major • More opportunity to take elective classes in other departments • Reduced teaching hours • More research responsibilities

17. Consequence for NCCU English Department • Need to cut hours • Courses offered reduced by 200 hours in 2009-2010 academic year • Major curriculum reform necessary • Opportune time to examine the language training program • Determine how to best meet the needs of future students

18. Other Comparable English Departments in Taiwan English Programs. doc Required Language Training Hours

19. Other Comparable English Departments in Taiwan Required Courses

20. Other Comparable English Departments in Taiwan Years of Language Training

21. Other Comparable English Departments in Taiwan Comments While NCCU is not markedly out of the norm, it does tend to fall on the low end of the scale in terms of hours of classes required The English department at Chengchi university provides fewer credits of the language training courses, compared to the other schools. (Chengchi: 27; NTNU: 38; Tamkang: 34; Cheng Kung: 36)

22. Content-based vs. Skills-based Most of these curriculums are arguably characterized as being either content-based or skills-based instruction. Mostly content-based; less entirely skills-based.

23. The whole is equal to the sum of its parts. Language learning is no more than the formation of habits by means of stimulus-response conditioning. Absolute emphasis on skills and mechanics, e.g., grammar, fluency, pronunciation, etc. Content is only decorative. Students’ comprehension and knowledge of content is of little concern or not tested at all. Definition of Skills-based(El-Koumy, 2000)

24. Skills-based Instruction Advantage: Discrete subskills are clear and easy for learners to manage. Disadvantage: The teaching of language as isolated skills divorces it from its real and functional use in society (Norris and Hoffman, 1993; Reutzel and Hollingsworth, 1988).

25. Definition of Content-based(Stoller, 2004) Dual commitment to language- and content-learning objectives. Attention to learners’ growth of academic skills.

26. Models of Content-based Instruction Parkinson (2000): Science and literacies. Carson (2000): Psychology and integrated-skills English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Janzen (2001): Special effects in movies and reading skills. Mendelsohn (2001): Canadian language and culture and language-learning strategies.

27. Models of Content-based Instruction • The continuum (Met, 1998): 1. It showcases the shifting emphasis on content and language. 2. At one end of the continuum are “content-driven” approaches with strong commitments to content-learning. 3. At the other end of the continuum are “language-driven” approaches with strong commitments to language learning objectives.

28. Models of Content-based Instruction

29. Content-based Instruction Advantage: Provides a means for students to continue their academic development while also improving their language proficiency (Snow, 1998; Short, 1997). Disadvantage: Less effective in developing students’ academic English, reduced to “incidental learning” (Langman, 2003).

30. NCCU English Department’s Two Proposed Course Designs Design 1: With all the language-skills courses eliminated, to teach skills in content courses as an additional requirement. Design 2: Language-skills courses to be taught with specific subject matters or themes, such as linguistics, literature, or TESOL.

31. NCCU English Department’s Two Proposed Course Designs Both content-based, with varied emphasis on content and language.

32. NCCU English Department’s Two Possible Course Designs • However, little or no research has been done to investigate what students think about a new course design that is (or will be) taken and how the existing curriculum can be improved.

33. Curriculum Reform Drivers Change often purports to be for the benefit of the students and are well-intentioned. No large scale survey of student opinions of NCCU’slanguage training program since 1993. What drives most reform?

34. Curriculum Reform Drivers Abroad In Saudi Arabia and Thailand, the MOE has strangle-hold on curriculum, reforming curriculum strictly from a top-down approach. No mention of receiving student input. (Mackenzie 2002) (Zimmerman) In the USA, at Purdue University, focus groups composed of faculty and students have explored what will distinguish Purdue graduates (but only for exploratory purposes, and not included in the final decision-making).

35. Curriculum Reform Drivers in Taiwan • NTNU: Conducted an opinion survey amongst its students regarding its Freshman English program. • Student opinions were taken into account when the faculty proposed new courses for an Advanced English program.

36. Research questions 1. What are the students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses? 2. What are the students' attitudes toward the proposed course designs? 3. For the students, what may constitute an ideal language training program?

37. Methodology Informants Sophomore, Junior, and Senior English majors from National Chengchi University Students who have taken the required freshman and sophomore language skill training courses would be the targets. Students from two literature classes completed the questionnaire 96 surveys returned

38. Methodology Informants

39. Methodology Informants

40. Methodology Research Design Obtain the learners’ self-report of their attitudes and opinions toward: The current language training program Potential language training programs Questionnaire survey used

41. Methodology Instruments The researchers developed a questionnaire. Questionnaire Survey Included closed-ended and open-ended questions Part One: General Questions Part Two: Learners’ opinions on individual language class Part Three: Open-ended section for further opinions

42. Methodology Testing Validity and Reliability Validity of the questionnaire  consulted four professors Reliability of the questionnaire  two pilot tests

43. Methodology Two pilot tests

44. Methodology Data Collection and Analysis To deal with the closed-ended questions  used the statistics software SPSS for Windows,  descriptive statistics, correlation statistics, and recursive analysis were utilized To deal with the open-ended questions (students’ comments)  The researchers developed a coding system for each item and analyzed the subjects’ responses based on the coding systems. Coding Scheme

45. Findings & Discussion 1. What are the students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses? 2. What are the students' attitudes toward the proposed course designs? 3. For the students, what may constitute an ideal language training program?

46. Students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses Table 1 Students’ opinions on whether language training program equip them well for future career or advanced study Source from: 2008 questionnaire survey on English majors’ attitude toward language training programs.

47. Students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses Table 2 Students’ opinion on whether specific program enhance language skills. Source from: 2008 questionnaire survey on English majors’ attitude toward language training programs. Explanation: Survey questions ‘My proficiency in this skill was upgraded by taking this class..’ The answer choices include strongly agree, agree, moderately agree moderately disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The higher grades, the more helpful the language training programs help learners to enhance language skills! The highest score is 6, and the lowest is 1.

48. Students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses Table 3 Students’ attitude toward whether students would recommend this class to other students. Source from: 2008 questionnaire survey on English majors’ attitude toward language training programs. Survey questions ‘I would recommend this class to other students.’ The answer choices include strongly agree, agree, moderately agree, moderately disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The higher the grades are, the more possible the students would recommend the class! The highest score is 6, and the lowest is 1.

49. Students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses Table 4 Students’ attitude toward whether students would still take the class if it were not required. Source from: 2008 questionnaire survey on English majors’ attitude toward language training programs. Survey questions ‘I would still take this class if it were not required.’ The answer choices include strongly agree, agree, moderately agree, moderately disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The higher the grades are, the more possible the students are willing to take the class even if it were not required!. The highest score is 6, and the lowest is 1.

50. Students' attitudes toward the current language-skill courses Table 5 Students’ attitude toward whether the class should be made more challenging. Source from: 2008 questionnaire survey on English majors’ attitude toward language training programs. Survey questions ‘This class should be made more challenging.’ The answer choices include strongly agree, agree, moderately agree moderately disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The higher grades, the more challenging students think of the class! The highest score is 6, and the lowest is 1.