Pair Research Tasks: Promoting Educational Research with Pre-Service Teachers

Abstract

This paper presents a study that explores the role of pair-work tasks to promote educational research in 20 pre-service English language teachers (eleven males and nine females) of a Colombian public university. The project was carried out to enhance educational research skills and knowledge by developing theoretical-practical pair-work research tasks. Data was collected through observation field notes, semi-structured interviews, and field journals. The results suggest that pair-work research tasks increased learners' opportunities to acquire theoretical and practical educational research knowledge and skills. Due to this exercise, the participants learned to define, formulate research objectives-questions, review the literature, and state research methodologies to finally write their research proposals. Additionally, pair-work research assignments offered an effective way to work together, negotiate, reach agreements, and gain experience by conducting theoretical and practical research exercises.

The Conception of Student-Teachers and the Pedagogical Practicum in the Colombian ELT Field

“…Another set of demands has to do with reflection on teaching experiences, as this allows student-teachers to become critical language teachers (Castañeda-Trujillo & Aguirre-Hernández, 2018;Cote-Parra, 2012;Fandiño-Parra, 2011). This demand can be accomplished through research, which is an unavoidable endeavor in the teaching profession (Barón-Pereira & Rojas-Espitia, 2014;Córdoba-Zúñiga et al, 2021;Díaz-Quero, 2006;Londoño-Orozco, 2009). The reviewed articles mention several paramount issues that student-teachers should investigate during the practicum; for instance, that reflection or research should be primarily on studentteachers' own beliefs and conceptions regarding language, teaching, learning, and assessment (Aguirre-Sánchez, 2014;García-Chamorro et al, 2020;Giraldo & Murcia-Quintero, 2019;Tapia-Carlín, 2014;Viáfara-González, 2014).…”