Networked Professional Learning in Intercultural Language Education: A Case Study of a Small Connectivist Open Online Course (SCOOC)

Abstract

The globalisation era presents an urgent need for teacher professional development in the domain of intercultural language teaching and learning (ILTL) that allows language teachers to work with and prepare their students for effective intercultural communication. However, most teacher professional development programs in ILTL are simply intercultural training workshops or based on short-term, sporadic and top-down approaches, overlooking the expertise, experience and beliefs of teacher-participants. Innovative delivery models are needed to improve teacher professional learning in ILTL.

With the growth of various open online learning formats, teacher professional learning is no longer an individualistic or school-based activity but networked learning that uses information and communication technologies to promote connections between people as well as between people and resources. While connections in social networks or informal/personal learning networks do not sufficiently support professional development in specific teaching areas, SCOOCs (Small Connectivist Open Online Courses) have recently emerged as a potential course structure that better facilitates networked professional learning activities. However, little empirical research has examined the effectiveness of a SCOOC for teacher professional learning in ILTL. There is also a lack of research-based evidence on design principles for effective networked professional learning.

Networked professional learning goes beyond traditional organisational boundaries to potentially foster connections and dialogues across cultures. In this light, this case study aimed to look further into how a SCOOC could facilitate networked professional learning in intercultural language education. Adapting the ADDIE-five-stage instructional design model with strong emphasis on quality assurance, a SCOOC was designed to engage networked professional learning of 84 tertiary English language teachers across cultural and geographical boundaries. Termed as “The Intercultural Dimensions of English Language Teaching” or the IDELT 2015, this SCOOC attempted to foster quality networked professional learning in a formal course structure. It was designed based on Desimone’s (2009) core professional development design features, Downes’ (2010) key Connectivism principles, O’Dowd and Waire’s (2009) telecollaboration framework, Byram’s (1997) intercultural competence model, and Byram et al.’s (2002) guidelines to develop intercultural dimensions in language education. The study adapted Desimone’s (2009) professional development evaluation framework to evaluate the SCOOC’s effectiveness in these aspects: (1) teachers experience effective professional learning, (2) professional learning increases teachers’ knowledge and skills and/or changes their attitudes and beliefs, and (3) professional learning impacts on teaching practice and student learning.

Employing a mixed-methods case study approach with multiphase design, this study was conducted in three phases from 2015 to 2016. Data were collected from a needs analysis survey, an online pre-test and post-test questionnaire, module-based reflections, examples from online discussion forums, Moodle reports, and a follow-up email survey. The findings from the thematic analysis and the statistical data analysis suggested design considerations for a SCOOC in networked intercultural language teaching and learning. This study challenges some existing views on networked professional learning and provides implications for online teacher professional development in intercultural language education.