‘Who Is My Research for?’: Researcher Perceptions of the Research–Practice Relationship

Abstract

This study investigated second language (L2) researchers’ perceptions of the research–practice relationship. While research use (or lack thereof) in the classroom has been debated by researchers for decades, researchers have rarely investigated themselves as stakeholders in the relationship. However, it is vital to know researchers’ approaches to the issue so that collaborative researcher-practitioner relationships may be fostered. Hence, the current survey study explored: (a) L2 researchers’ identities; (b) their perceptions of the research–practice relationship; and (c) predictors of their perceptions. Participants were 217 researchers from 25 countries with 31 different first-language backgrounds. The results showed that L2 researchers’ identities often crossed multiple boundaries, as L2 learners, teachers, as well as researchers. A factor analysis showed that researchers held distinct beliefs for their own research (individual self) and for researchers in general (collective self). The regression models revealed that L2 teaching experience, pre-service teacher training experience, and institutional rewards positively predicted researchers’ perceptions of L2 practice. We argue that it is largely researchers’ responsibility to facilitate the research–practice dialogue.

The Research–Practice Dialogue in Second Language Learning and Teaching: Past, Present, and Future

“…Some teachers may consider themselves as researchers as well, especially when they conduct and disseminate their action research. In fact, Sato et al.’s (2021) survey ( N = 217) showed that 95% of L2 researchers who presented their research at international conferences currently were or had been L2 teachers. Not only may the dichotomy be inaccurate but it also may exacerbate the research–practice gap if one feels excluded from the current discussion (see Tavakoli & Howard, 2012).…”

“…A few recent L2 studies examined researchers (for general education research, see Cherney et al, 2012;Ion et al, 2019;Merga & Mason, 2021). Sato et al (2021) conducted a survey with 217 L2 researchers from 25 countries. A factor analysis showed that researchers distinguished their own research and research in general: They thought that their own research had positive impacts on teaching while casting doubt on research in general.…”

Teacher Beliefs About Second Language Research and Researchers: Different Roles at Research‐Oriented Universities

“…Last but not least, researchers themselves (including the authors of the current article) may be responsible for the gap between research and practice. Recent studies (Sato et al., 2021) revealed L2 researchers’ particular attitudes toward L2 teaching. Overall, we await future intervention studies designed to facilitate the research–pedagogy relationship.…”

May I See Your Credentials, Please? Displays of Pedagogical Expertise by Language Teaching Researchers

“…While Edwards and Burns's (2016) study of two teachers engaged in action research shows how this identity is engaged in initial stages of becoming a researcher, little has been written about the identities of established researchers and producers of language teaching research in terms of how former teacher identities are negotiated by current researcher identities. Some recent research addressing our knowledge gap of researcher identities has suggested that researchers’ previous L2 teaching experience positively predicts their level of engagement within the research–practice nexus (see Sato et al., 2021). Although some researchers have explicitly highlighted the importance of their own former teaching experiences in conducting research (Al–Hoorie et al., 2021), we simply do not know the degree to which most researchers of language teaching have a teacher identity from which to draw expertise.…”