EERA: Relations between teaching and learning. Evidence from a

EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
Relations between teaching and learning. Evidence from a meta-analysis
of Language Didactic research.
Author(s):Teresa Cardoso, Isabel Alarcão, Cristina Manuela Sá
Conference:ECER 2008, From Teaching to Learning?
Network:27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching
Format:Paper
Session Information
27 SES 03A, Instructional Approaches/ Classroom Environments
Paper Session
Time:2008-09-10
14:00-15:30
Room:B3 316
Chair:Ingrid Maria Carlgren
Contribution
Relations between teaching and learning. Evidence from a meta-analysis of Language
Didactic research.
Recent developments in Education reveal a shift from teaching to learning, supported by international organizations
(European Commission, s.d.) and experienced researchers (Hernandez, 2008; Laevers, 2008; Moss, 2008). This emerging
paradigm was previously announced by “thinkers” in Education, such as Carl Rogers (with the movement “Freedom to
learn”), Paulo Freire (the promoter of alphabetization in Brazil, whose ideas inspired educational movements elsewhere),
Knowles (in his principles of adult education) and Holec (the promoter of learner autonomy in foreign language learning).
This shift fosters a teaching/learning process concerning the development of traditional competences (such as
Communication in the mother tongue, Communication in foreign languages, Mathematical literacy, Science and Technology
and ICT), now placed in a new framework, dealing with the building of a knowledge-based society. In such a society,
individuals must also show mastery of other competences not specifically related to a disciplinary field and generally illtreated by the usual educational context, such as: Learning to learn, Interpersonal, intercultural, social competences, Civic
competencies, Entrepreneurship and Cultural awareness (cf. European Commission, s.d.). This learner-centered approach
implies new educational roles: more active and engaged students, capable of generating personal learning situations,
assisted by teachers in these processes. It is aimed not only that they develop competences, but also that they use former
knowledge while creating new knowledge. In general, it is sought that they learn how to deal with real, changing contexts. In
this paper we intend to find out whether Portuguese research is following this trend or yet keeping in line with more
traditional perspectives. We will analyse both the themes and pedagogical implications in 177 PhD and Master Thesis
presented between 1996 and 2006, using a categorical instrument and a relational database called MAECC_BD specifically
developed for that purpose. This data was collected within a major project thought to meta-analyse the scientific production
in the field of Language Didactics in Portugal, from primary school to university contexts. This ongoing project is focused on
identifying the main characteristics of scientific production in this field and the underlying epysthemological assumptions,
analyzing its relations with society and drawing guidelines to promote new perspectives, both in research on Education and
in educational policies. Besides determining whether this educational shift is showing evidence in Portuguese research, we
expect to provide a tool for similar studies in the European framework, in order that our conclusions may be compared to
similar ones in other contexts, allowing us to draw a closer picture of this issue. Financed by the Portuguese Foundation for
the Science and the Technology (EMIP – POCI/CED/59777/2004 – Didáctica de Línguas: um estudo meta-analítico da
investigação em Portugal).
Method
Analysis of both the themes and pedagogical implications in 177 PhD and Master Thesis presented between 1996 and 2006,
using a categorical instrument and a relational database called MAECC® specifically developed for that purpose.
Expected Outcomes
Determining whether this educational shift is showing evidence in Portuguese research.
Providing a tool for similar studies in the European framework.
Comparing our conclusions to those of other research teams in different European countries.
References
ALARCÃO, I. (coord.), ANDRADE, A. I., MOREIRA, A. et al.(2004). Percursos de consolidação da Didáctica de Línguas em
Portugal, Investigar em Educação. Revista da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciências da Educação, 3, pp. 235-302
ALARCÃO, I., ANDRADE, A. I., ARAÚJO e SÁ, M. H. et al. (2008). De la Didactique de la Langue à la Didactique des Langues:
observation d'un parcours épistémologique. In Actes du Colloque ACEDLE 2008 - Recherches en Didactique des Langues.
Strasbourg: ACEDLE.
HERNANDEZ, F. (2008). Qué tipo de sujeto se construye en la escuela primaria. In P. C. Martins (org.), Actas do I Congresso
Internacional de Estudos da Criança. Infâncias possíveis, mundos reais. Braga: Universidade do Minho/Instituto de Estudos
da Criança [CD-Rom]
HOLEC, H. (1981) Autonomy and foreign language learning. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
KNOWLES, M. (1975). Self-directed learning: a guide for learners and teachers. USA Cambridge adult Education. Prentice Hall
Regents.
LAEVERS, F. (2008). Quality at the level of context, process and output. Insights from Experiential Education. In P. C. Martins
(org.), Actas do I Congresso Internacional de Estudos da Criança. Infâncias possíveis, mundos reais. Braga: Universidade do
Minho/Instituto de Estudos da Criança [CD-Rom]
MOSS, P. (2008). What is your image of the early childhood centre? In P. C. Martins (org.), Actas do I Congresso Internacional
de Estudos da Criança. Infâncias possíveis, mundos reais. Braga: Universidade do Minho/Instituto de Estudos da Criança [CDRom]
Author Information
Teresa Cardoso
Universidade Aberta, Portugal
Isabel Alarcão
Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal
Cristina Manuela Sá
Universidade de Aveiro
Departamento de Didáctica e Tecnologia Educativa
Aveiro