The School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies at the University of Nottingham hosted the fifth annual conference in the “Innovative Language Teaching at University” series. Under the heading “Enhancing participation and collaboration” the conference, organised by Cecilia Goria, Oranna Speicher and Sascha Stollhans, took place on 19 June 2015, and was attended by over 120 linguists, language teachers and language acquisition researchers from all over the world. This edited volume contains 15 selected short papers based on presentations from the conference as well as Dr Jan Hardman’s keynote address and a foreword by Prof. Zoltán Dörnyei.
The second volume in this series of papers dedicated to innovative language teaching and learning at university focuses on enhancing employability. Throughout the book, which includes a selection of 14 peer-reviewed and edited short papers, authors share good practices drawing on research; reflect on their experience to promote student engagement, inclusivity, and collaboration; and foster a successful learning environment while developing employability skills. Whatever the language – or the subject we teach – there are a number of skills, behaviours, attributes and attitudes which staff and students should be aware of in order to enhance teaching and learning so as to maximise student potential and their employability prospects.
The present volume collects papers from InnoConf19, which took place at the University of Southampton on the 28th of June 2019. The theme of the conference was ‘Treasuring languages: innovative and creative approaches in HE’. The contributions collected in this peer-reviewed volume aim to reflect on best practice in higher education. They showcase innovative approaches to support the multiple skills needed in our society whilst fighting a decline in students wanting to learn languages. The short papers selected for this volume display examples of innovative curriculum design; enhancement of critical thinking, creative skills, and intercultural awareness; the use of digital tools and technology-enhanced learning, employability, innovative assessment, and collaborative and independent learning. We believe this volume will be of use to language teachers and practitioners in higher education and beyond.
This volume collects selected papers from the 2017 Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University conference, which took place on the 16th of June at The Open University. The theme of the conference was Integrating informal learning into formal language education. The aim of the conference was to engage in productive collaboration between language professionals to further equip students to succeed in our ever-growing landscape of formal and informal learning. This is the third volume in a series of books compiling papers from the InnoConf conferences. It follows from the first two volumes in 2015 and 2016 respectively: Enhancing participation and collaboration (Goria, Speicher, & Stollhans, 2016) and Enhancing employability (Álvarez-Mayo, Gallagher-Brett, & Michel, 2017).
The present volume collects papers from InnoConf18, which took place at the University of Liverpool in June 2018. The theme of the conference was ‘New trends in language teaching and learning at university’. The contributions collected here aim to reflect on best practice in the sector while at the same time capturing state-of-the-art language teaching and learning methodologies. The short papers in this peer-reviewed selection display examples of active learning and student empowerment across all levels of learning and demonstrate the benefits of maximising engagement through a creative and inspiring learning environment. We believe this volume will be of use to language teachers and practitioners in higher education and beyond.
Neuroscience contributes to the basic understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying human development and learning. Educational neuroscience is an interdisciplinary research field that seeks to translate research findings on neural mechanisms of learning to educational practice and policy and to understand the effects of education on the brain. It is an emerging multidisciplinary field where the aim is to link basic research in neuroscience, psychology, and cognitive science, with educational technology. Educational neuroscience is often associated with the ‘science’ of learning and encompasses a broad range of scientific disciplines, from basic neuroscience to cognitive psychology to computer science to social theory. It is an interdisciplinary research field that seeks to translate research findings on neural mechanisms of learning to educational practice and policy and to understand the effects of education on the brain. Neuroscience research usually focuses only on learning, but there is a developing subfield within neuroscience called “Mind, Brain and Education” (MBE) that attempts to link research with teaching. MBE researchers consider how to take advantage of the natural human attention span, how to use studies about memory systems to inform lesson planning, and how to use research on the role of emotions in learning. In neuroscience research, progress has been extraordinary, including advances in both understanding and technology. Scientists from a wide range of disciplines are being attracted to the challenge of understanding the brain. In spite of discoveries regarding the structure of the brain, we still do not understand how the nervous system allows us to see, hear, learn, remember, and plan certain actions. Educators and schools around the globe are increasingly relying on the knowledge, techniques, and programs developed based on a new understanding of how our brains work. This knowledge is being applied to the classroom. A growing amount of attention is being paid to neuroscience and how the results of empirical research may be used to help individuals learn more effectively. In this Research Topic, academic scientists, researchers, and scholars will share their experiences and research results on all aspects of brain-based learning and educational neuroscience. Furthermore, it provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present the latest developments, trends, and concerns. In addition, it discusses practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the field of Educational Neuroscience. The focus of this Research Topic is to bring together academic scientists, researchers, and scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research findings related to brain-based learning and educational neuroscience. Researchers, practitioners, and educators will also be able to present and discuss the newest innovations, trends, and concerns. This will include practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in Educational Neuroscience as well as in related fields. All original and unpublished papers describing conceptual, constructive, empirical, experimental, or theoretical work in any area of Brain Based Learning and Educational Neuroscience or studies that explore the intersections between neuroscience, psychology, and education are highly encouraged. Aspects, topics, and critical issues of interest include, but are not limited to: neuroscience applications in enhanced-learning, how students learn mathematics and language, personal motivation, social and emotional learning, motivation, the biology of learning, brain functions and information processing, and many others.
The focus of this book is original research regarding the implementation of problem-based learning and pedagogies of play as active approaches to foster self-directed learning. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in mind, educational institutions need to rethink teaching and learning for the future. As such, active engagement can be encouraged, as evident in this book, where problem-based learning drives learning through real-world problems, while pedagogy of play focuses on innovative environments where the action of play and learning are integrated with the aim of developing SDL. The following are addressed in the chapters: an overview of problem-based learning and pedagogy of play, metaliteracy, playful problem-based learning tasks, computational thinking in game-based tasks and geometry, solving puzzles, applying LEGO®, using drama as the pedagogy of play and implementing educational robotics. The empirical research findings disseminated in this book aim to inspire academics in the research focus area of self-directed learning with active learning approaches in the school and tertiary classroom that hold affordances to enhance 21st-century skills. Active learning is an umbrella term for pedagogies that mainstream student engagement, such as problem-based learning, cooperative learning, gamification, role-play and drama. This scholarly book highlights various engaging pedagogies.
The pursuit of higher education has become increasingly popular among students of many different backgrounds and cultures. As these students embark on higher learning, it is imperative for educators and universities to be culturally sensitive to their differing individualities. Student Culture and Identity in Higher Education is an essential reference publication including the latest scholarly research on the impact that gender, nationality, and language have on educational systems. Featuring extensive coverage on a broad range of topics and perspectives such as internationalization, intercultural competency, and gender equity, this book is ideally designed for students, researchers, and educators seeking current research on the cultural issues students encounter while seeking higher education.
This book examines the phenomenon of English Medium Instruction (EMI) in Turkish higher education, using research-based findings and review-based discussions with a critical focus on diverse aspects of EMI. Particularly, it addresses issues under four major themes: EMI policy and the macro level context, teaching practices in EMI, learning experiences in EMI and future directions for EMI in Turkey. English as the Medium of Instruction in Turkish Higher Education: Policy, Practice in Action and Future Directions comprehensively examines the EMI phenomenon by taking Turkey as a case study and it exclusively explores existing issues against different conceptual frameworks and theoretical foundations. It also explores novel issues around EMI, such as EMI assessment, EMI classroom interaction, and technology-enhanced EMI teacher training. Written by established experts in the field, this volume will be of particular interest to scholars of English for Academic Purposes, English Medium Instruction and Applied Linguistics as well as postgraduate students of Applied Linguistics, English as a Lingua Franca, English for Academic Purposes, and language and education policy. The book might also appeal to policy makers both in Turkey and in international education seeking blueprints to align their avowed principles and ground realities for purposes of effective practices.
This volume contributes to emerging interdisciplinary conversations in higher education about how to refine internationalization in terms of praxis and how to coordinate curricular and pedagogical efforts to achieve meaningful learning outcomes for all students. The chapters provide suggestions for how L2 specialists can reframe their work in their individual programs to help internationalize the entire university in ways that lead to improved learning outcomes for students at different points in their degree programs, including: Orientation programs (early arrival on campus, before classes start); language center contexts (support during studies); volunteer programs for International Teaching Assistants (ITA) and undergraduate students [and more].
