Metamorphosis of English Preparatory Program Instructors as Researchers

Year 2024, Volume: 25 Issue: 2, 101 - 113

Sezgin Ballıdağ Kenan Dikilitaş

https://doi.org/10.12984/egeefd.1431816

Abstract

Transformation of the Turkish EFL teachers working at tertiary level as researchers has received relatively little attention in the relevant literature. Furthermore, most studies in the field sought to explain the transformation of the teachers through interventions. Therefore, drawing on the underpinnings of transformative learning theory proposed by Mezirow, this study aims to investigate how the three EFL teachers have changed since starting their research careers. Unlike most of the studies in the literature, this study aims to find out the transformation of the participants as researchers with no specific intervention. This is a qualitative study, and the data were collected online through semi-structured interviews. In order to see if the participants went through the stages suggested by the theory, the recorded interviews was analyzed deductively. The results revealed that despite not following a linear order, the participants pass through all the suggested stages. The participants were found to pass through transformation at distinct stages, and how they changed was presented under the steps of the theory. Overall, this study sheds light on the longitudinal development of researchers initiated by a disruptive event, which is followed by iterative reflections which leads to the feeling of confidence in their researcher identities.

Keywords

critical reflection, transformative learning theory, teacher research, teacher transformation

Ethical Statement

This study was produced from the PhD Thesis prepared by Sezgin Ballıdağ under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Kenan Dikilitaş.

Supporting Institution

This publication was produced from the doctoral thesis supported by TUBITAK Scientist Support Programs Directorate (BIDEB) 2211-Domestic Graduate Scholarship Program.

İngilizce Hazırlık Programı Öğretim Görevlilerinin Araştırmacı Olarak Dönüşümü

Abstract

Yükseköğretim düzeyinde araştırmacı olarak çalışan Türk yabancı dil öğretmenlerinin dönüşümü, ilgili literatürde nispeten az ilgi görmüştür. Ayrıca alanda yapılan çalışmaların çoğu öğretmenlerin dönüşümünü müdahalelerle açıklamaya çalışmıştır. Bu nedenle, Mezirow tarafından önerilen dönüştürücü öğrenme teorisinin temellerinden yararlanan bu çalışma, üç İngilizce öğretmeninin araştırma kariyerlerinin başlangıcından bu yana nasıl değiştiklerini araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Literatürdeki çoğu çalışmadan farklı olarak bu çalışma, katılımcıların herhangi bir özel müdahale olmaksızın bir araştırmacı olarak dönüşümünü ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu nitel bir çalışmadır ve veriler çevrimiçi olarak yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla toplanmıştır. Katılımcıların teorinin önerdiği aşamalardan geçip geçmediğini görmek için, kaydedilen görüşmeler tümdengelim yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, doğrusal bir sıra izlememesine rağmen, üç katılımcının da önerilen tüm aşamalarda dönüşüm yaşadığını ortaya koymuştur. Katılımcıların farklı aşamalarda dönüşüm geçirdiği görülmüş ve nasıl değiştikleri teorinin adımları altında sunulmuştur. Genel olarak bu çalışma, araştırmacıların yıkıcı bir olayla başlatılan ve bunu tekrarlayan yansımalarla devam eden, araştırmacı kimliklerine güven duymalarına yol açan boylamsal gelişimine ışık tutmaktadır.

Keywords

eleştirel yansıma, dönüştürücü öğrenme teorisi, öğretmen araştırması, öğretmen dönüşümü

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma, Sezgin Ballıdağ tarafından Prof. Dr. Kenan Dikilitaş danışmanlığında hazırlanan doktora tezinden üretilmiştir.

Supporting Institution

Bu yayın TÜBİTAK Bilim İnsanı Destek Programları Müdürlüğü (BIDEB) 2211-Yurtiçi Lisansüstü Burs Programı tarafından desteklenen doktora tezinden üretilmiştir.

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