The following event is at an ELI partner institution, the SILC in Kumamoto, Japan:
Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 18:00-19:30
Professional Development through Collaborative Research- A Writing Fluency Project
Sojo International Learning Center (SILC)
Sojo University
Kumamoto, Japan
〒860-0082 熊本県熊本市池田４丁目２２−１
Free to the public
Making the transition from teacher to teacher researcher can result in a range of classroom and career benefits; however, getting started in classroom-based research can be a bewildering endeavor when undertaken alone. In this presentation, I will introduce a unique project that aims to provide an opportunity for language teachers to independently replicate a quantitative research study on writing fluency in their own classrooms and do so concurrently with a team of other teacher researchers connected through an online discussion forum and resource center built with the popular Moodle platform. Teachers who join the project will discuss issues, raise questions, and share ideas about the research process while making use of online resources and receiving guidance through each step of the research process. The goals for the teachers include developing skills and knowledge in fundamentals of quantitative research, connecting with a community of EFL teacher researchers, producing a manuscript with potential for publication, and gaining experience with Moodle. I will provide an overview of the project, describe the structure and function of the Moodle site, and explain potential benefits and applications for this approach to professional development. The project will begin next January with data collection taking place in the Spring 2012 semester. Interested teachers will have the opportunity to ask questions and sign up after the presentation.
Gregory Sholdt teaches in the School of Languages and Communication at Kobe University. His interests include teacher development, classroom-based research methods, English for academic purposes, and fluency instruction. Based on his graduate studies and teaching of introductory statistics courses at the University of Hawaii, he has been exploring innovative approaches to professional development through classroom-based research. He has developed and given a number of professional development workshops and presentations throughout Japan, and created an online research methods course in 2009 for language teachers through MASH Collaboration. He currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the JALT Journal.
For additional information about the talk, or if you would like to be included in the reservation for a post-lecture dinner, contact Chris Stillwell:
SILC Contact number (December 7 only): 096 326-3850
ELI at Kanda University of International Studies 
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