Niall Walsh
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Synchronous (Onsite) Reimagining the Language Classroom - Learner-Based Teaching more
Sat, Apr 29, 13:00-13:25 Asia/Seoul
Increasingly, educators are seeking more collaborative and student-centred pedagogies in the language classroom. One area that has the potential for realizing these goals is learner-based teaching. This study investigated students' attitudes towards learner-based teaching in their classrooms. Twenty-eight Japanese university students working in groups developed teaching content at two intervals over the duration of one semester. The groups then proceeded to teach the content to their classmates. Results from a post-performance questionnaire indicate that while creating their own content was challenging for students, especially when placed with non-familiar group members, most students signalled that it was overall an enjoyable experience. A further finding of this study that may have implications for language practitioners is that most students preferred more involvement in content creation for their classes.
Synchronous (Onsite) Reassessing Classroom Observation for University Teachers more
Sat, Apr 29, 14:00-14:25 Asia/Seoul
Classroom observation is one of the most common ways to reflect and improve teaching practice. However, the researchers recognized, through conversations with colleagues and friends, an apparent lack of classroom observations among university teachers in Japan and decided to investigate this issue further. This study investigates the experiences and beliefs of university teachers working in Japan related to classroom observations. An online questionnaire was distributed and the results were a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. Follow-up interviews were conducted with volunteer teachers to discuss their experiences of classroom observations in more depth. The results highlight the scarcity and negative connotations of classroom observations, as well as offering practical ideas for how to re-evaluate and consider the benefits of peer-to-peer classroom observations at the university level in Japan. The researchers will then introduce their plans to develop this research in the future.
