Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model

Despite the emergence of specific English for Academic Purposes (EAP) qualifications in the UK and worldwide, EAP training remains ‘largely ad hoc and informal’ (Alexander, 2010:3). The post-observation conference (POC) is a valuable opportunity to address the development needs of EAP tutors. This d...

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Main Author: Robinson, Lisa
Format: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/26984/
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author Robinson, Lisa
author_facet Robinson, Lisa
author_sort Robinson, Lisa
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Despite the emergence of specific English for Academic Purposes (EAP) qualifications in the UK and worldwide, EAP training remains ‘largely ad hoc and informal’ (Alexander, 2010:3). The post-observation conference (POC) is a valuable opportunity to address the development needs of EAP tutors. This dissertation explores to what extent the POC fulfils these needs by presenting a review of the relevant literature and a case study of the POC. The latter is based on the collection of six EAP tutor interviews. Analysis of the data suggests that the POCs described in this study are largely supervisory in approach, with a bias towards evaluation rather than development. Moreover, POC structure and discourse can influence this partiality and perpetuate an observer-driven event. I make recommendations for a flexible observation model which encourages a shared agenda to support tutors in taking responsibility for their own development and promotes collaboration and reflection, prerequisites for knowledge building.
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spelling nottingham-269842017-10-15T19:44:03Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/26984/ Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model Robinson, Lisa Despite the emergence of specific English for Academic Purposes (EAP) qualifications in the UK and worldwide, EAP training remains ‘largely ad hoc and informal’ (Alexander, 2010:3). The post-observation conference (POC) is a valuable opportunity to address the development needs of EAP tutors. This dissertation explores to what extent the POC fulfils these needs by presenting a review of the relevant literature and a case study of the POC. The latter is based on the collection of six EAP tutor interviews. Analysis of the data suggests that the POCs described in this study are largely supervisory in approach, with a bias towards evaluation rather than development. Moreover, POC structure and discourse can influence this partiality and perpetuate an observer-driven event. I make recommendations for a flexible observation model which encourages a shared agenda to support tutors in taking responsibility for their own development and promotes collaboration and reflection, prerequisites for knowledge building. 2013-06 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/26984/1/Robinson_Lisa.pdf Robinson, Lisa (2013) Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished) EAP; Post-observation Conference; POC; flexible observation
spellingShingle EAP; Post-observation Conference; POC; flexible observation
Robinson, Lisa
Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model
title Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model
title_full Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model
title_fullStr Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model
title_full_unstemmed Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model
title_short Allowing for Development in the EAP Post-observation Conference: Towards a flexible observation model
title_sort allowing for development in the eap post-observation conference: towards a flexible observation model
topic EAP; Post-observation Conference; POC; flexible observation
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/26984/