Dissertation Proposal Title: Examining Language Attitudes of Black International Students from Tanzania towards Their Own English Before and After Studying in the U.S.A.

Dissertation Committee: Dr. Chris Tardy (Chair), Dr. Suzanne Panferov Reese, Dr. Wenhao Diao, Dr. M'Balia Thomas

Dissertation Proposal Abstract: One of the significant gaps in research on language attitudes is the lack of representation of marginalized student populations, such as the black population from outside the United States of America (USA). This dissertation aims to address this research gap by examining a group of international students from Tanzania as a case study. It aims to answer three main questions: first, what are the language attitudes of these students towards their own English before and after studying in the US? Second, what linguistic and non-linguistic challenges do these students face while living and studying in the US, and how do these challenges impact their language attitudes? Third, what strategies and resources do international students from Tanzania use to overcome language-related challenges? 

Data in this mixed-methods study will be collected using four data collection tools: language attitude questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, spontaneous conversational narratives (SCN), and WhatsApp group interaction. To better document participants' experiences and understand how language attitudes change over time, the study will be conducted longitudinally over one academic year. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis will be used to analyze the data. Qualitative analysis will be done through Reflexive Thematic Analysis (TA), while quantitative analysis will involve descriptive analysis and paired sample t-tests. 

This research aims to contribute to the broader conversation on diversifying higher education curricula by highlighting the voices of underrepresented student populations. The findings of this research will inform administrators, policymakers, and language teachers about the evolving language attitudes of underrepresented student populations towards their own language varieties. By understanding these attitudes and needs, appropriate solutions can be developed to enhance students' experiences and support their academic and professional goals.

Dissertation Title: Service-Provider Virtual Exchange: Practices, Literacies, and Identities

Dissertation Committee: Dr. Beatrice Dupuy (Chair), Dr. Shelley Staples, Dr. Chantelle Warner

Abstract: The benefits of connecting language learners with speakers of their target language have been extensively researched. One of the ways to foster such connection is virtual exchange (VE), a practice of bringing together geographically distant groups of students for collaborative language and content learning. Despite its benefits, VE presents many challenges to educators, such as finding a partner in a different country, aligning curricula, scheduling across different time zones, and ensuring participation on both sides of the exchange. However, Service-Provider Virtual Exchange (SPVE), a relatively recent development in the area of VE, allows educators to take advantage of the benefits of VE without investing time into the logistics of organizing an exchange.

Tecedor and Vasseur (2020) report several benefits of SPVE from the perspective of teachers: they lift the burden of organizing the exchange from the instructor’s shoulders, eliminate the curricular imbalances that are common in traditional virtual exchange, remove the need to spend time conversing in the first language (L1) allowing learners to focus solely on their second language (L2), and do not require training students to provide linguistic feedback to their peers. In addition to taking care of logistical and technological challenges, SPVE companies train their native-speaking coaches and provide instructional and supporting materials for students and teachers. For these reasons, SPVE is an attractive alternative to traditional virtual exchange, especially for teachers interested in increasing the number of contact hours with the L2 outside of the classroom.

While SPVE has been included in overviews of telecollaborative or VE practices (e.g., O’Dowd, 2023), it is quite different from traditional forms of virtual exchange. First, SPVE is a paid service, which connects learners with coaches rather than fellow learners. It is thus inherently less collaborative than VE because (1) only one side of the exchange participates with the purpose of learning and (2) SPVE coaches are not fellow learners, they cannot be assigned homework such as preparatory reading tasks or asked to participate in collaborative product creation, as is common in VE. Therefore, pedagogical approaches to designing tasks for SPVE as well as the dynamics of interaction will necessarily be different from VE. Second, it is possible that the benefits to students may not be as substantial in the potentially “un-mentored and often decontextualized virtual conversations with native speakers” in SPVE (O’Dowd, 2021, p. 2). Because SPVE affords a more hands-off approach to the organization of virtual exchange, educators may implement it as additional out-of-class language practice, separate from the rest of the curriculum. Such separation is likely to yield limited and potentially unsatisfactory learning outcomes. For these reasons, SPVE deserves further investigation to understand how it can be successfully used and the challenges it presents.

This three-article dissertation aims to fill the gap in SPVE research and thereby help language instructors understand how and why they should use SPVE, how they can implement SPVE to foster sustainability literacy, and how learners and coaches engage in identity work during SPVE sessions.

Dissertation Proposal Title: Refugee and migrant-serving language programs: an inquiry into policies, teacher perspectives, and teacher professional learning

Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Beatrice Dupuy (Chair), Dr. Hayriye Kayi-Aydar, Dr. M'Balia Thomas

Abstract: Language programs that serve students with refugee and migrant backgrounds represent an underresearched area within language education research. Language learners in these programs encounter distinctive challenges from traumatic immigration histories, varied educational backgrounds, cultural diversities, and the sociopolitical contexts of their origin and host countries (Bonet, 2021; Warriner, 2016). Additionally, learners face discrimination as racial, ethnic, gender, and linguistic prejudices permeate the policies and local communities in which they resettle and, as a result, influence the language programs and teachers who serve these students (Bonet, 2021). The provisions for newcomers' language learning in different countries are systematically underfunded, lack essential resources, and are steeped in discriminatory practices and ideologies requiring more research and advocacy (Wrigley, 2015; Simpson & Hunter, 2023). Some of the crucial gaps in research are in teachers' professional learning and experiences and analysis of language policies.

This three-article dissertation aims to respond to the gaps in refugee and migrant language learning research and provide material for advocacy. The first article will employ critical discourse analysis to examine language and language learning policies in five refugee-receiving Western countries to raise awareness about ideological patterns in policies and resulting practices. The second article will investigate teacher knowledge, perspectives, and experiences in refugee and migrant teaching contexts. The third article will take the form of curriculum development for teacher professional learning that fosters equitable teaching practices in refugee and migrant language programs.

Join us for the annual GIDP Student Research Showcase, which is taking place on Thursday, December 7th, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm in the Student Union Memorial Center – North Ballroom. For those who have never attended one of these showcases, this is a great event that includes student research poster presentations from each of the 19 GIDP programs. Three of our wonderful SLAT students (Dilara Avci, Anh Dang, and Hui Wang) will be presenting posters displaying each of their research projects/interests. And Dr. Beatrice Dupuy will be receiving a GIDP Honored Faculty Award as well!

There will also be other service awards presented to faculty and staff, refreshments, and raffle prizes. Please come and support our students and our GIDPs, and stay for as little or long as you’d like. Please see the attached invitation for more details, and the link to RSVP is https://forms.office.com/r/3buahaK4HK.