TEALS: Languages, curriculum and teacher education

Research Areas

Anglo-Portuguese Studies
Anglophone Cultures and History
Mapping Utopianisms
Relational Forms: Medial and Textual Transits in Ireland and Britain
Shakespeare and The English Canon: History, Criticism, Translation
Teacher Education and Applied Language Studies (TEALS)

Description
Convener: Carlos Ceia and Sandie Mourão

This strand aims at promoting quality research activities in curriculum studies and theory and teacher education related to language learning in Portugal. It focuses on curricular development policies at national level (in Portugal and in the Portuguese-speaking world) and points to higher education actions on teacher education programmes and languages teaching.

Index:

CONTRIBUTES TO DISSEMINATION AND TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY

Várias das iniciativas de disseminação científica organizadas pelo CETAPS no âmbito do ensino de Inglês no 1ºCEB e no 3º Ciclo/Secundário são acreditadas e têm beneficiado diretamente os estudantes da FCSH e da FLUP que participam nestes fora, assim como os docentes do grupo 120 que pretendam beneficiar da formação oferecida (quase sempre gratuitamente).

CETAPS researchers have researched and published extensively and exclusively on the teaching of English to children and assessment and supervision of English teachers in the first cycle of basic education, 3rd Cycle & Secondary Education, and students have benefited directly and indirectly from this investment in this area.

  • Mourão, S., & Leslie, C. (Co-organisers, Nov 2020). Teachers and teacher educators: Education and professional development for early language learning Conference. NOVA FCSH. Esta Conferência Internacional foi organizada conjuntamente com a AILA (International Association of Applied Linguistics) Early Language Learning Research Network (ELLReN) e obteve enorme sucesso, reconhecido por todos os participantes.
  • WORKING CLIL 2021 (online event) 2nd International Colloquium, 26 & 27 March 2021 < https://cetaps.wixsite.com/workingclil2>
  • The Virtual ICEPELL Symposium, 7 – 8 June 2021 < https://site.nord.no/icepellsymposium2021/>
  • Spring ICEPro Virtual starts on 3 March 2021
  • The ICEPELL Hybrid Conference, 1 – 2 July 2022 < https://icepellhybridconference.wordpress.com/>
  • The ICEPro Professional Development Course <https://icepell.eu/index.php/ice-pro-course-2/>
  • Todas as atividades e objetivos do projeto Erasmus+ ICEPELL (2019-2022), coordenado pelo CETAPS/TEALS, são diretamente relevantes para o CE que beneficiará de materiais produzidos no âmbito do projeto; de bibliografia adquirida através do projeto; de estudos, publicações e sessões oferecidas por especialistas, como aconteceu este ano com a formação online intitulada “Using children’s literature as mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors in English language education” (30 novembro, 2021).
  • Decorre presentemente a investigação no âmbito da tese de doutoramento na área de ensino de Inglês a crianças (6-12 anos) intitulada “Teacher education for in-depth learning and intercultural citizenship: affordances of picturebooks” de David Valente, da Faculty of Education and Arts da NORD University, Noruega, que escolheu o CETAPS como instituição de investigação onde decorre um semestre de residência científica.
  • Um seminário intitulado “Using children’s literature as mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors in English language education”, 23 November 2021, 18.00 – 19.00 (GMT) oferecido online pelo investigador em que participaram os estudantes do CE, continua disponível online: <https://youtu.be/VPSGG06UwBI>

TEXTBOOKS FOR TEYL

  • Carlos Ceia: supervisão científica de manuais escolares de Inglês para os 3º e 4º anos (Seesaw, LeYa)

EVENTS ON LANGUAGES TEACHING, INCLUDING TEYL, & TEACHER EDUCATION

  • This seminar aims at promoting the use of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in Primary Schools through hands-on practical workshops for teachers and parents in the areas of European citizenship, basic financial education and environmental education.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Ceia, Carlos e Vítor Teodoro Duarte (orgs.), “Formação de Professores e Estatuto da Carreira Docente: Um colóquio para preparar o futuro”, com João Couvaneiro, David Justino, Mário Nogueira, Paulo Guinote, Vitor Teodoro Duarte e Carlos Ceia, NOVA FCSH, 18 de Março de 2022.

A necessidade de formar um crescente número de professores e o estatuto da carreira docente foram os temas centrais de uma conferência onde intervieram Carlos Ceia e David Justino, docentes da NOVA FCSH. O evento contou com a presença de Mário Nogueira, Secretário-Geral da FENPROF. A gravação da sessão está no Youtube:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Sandie Mourão and Carolyn Leslie (CETAPS, NOVA FCSH) together with Maria Alfredo Moreira (CiEd, U. Minho) presented their nationwide research on classroom-based assessment in primary English education today at Direção Geral de Educação (DGE). Colleagues at DGE were very interested in the study and its results and will be reflecting on its recommendations. In the meantime Sandie Mourão and Carolyn Leslie at CETAPS, NOVA FCSH will be preparing a blended MOOC for primary English teachers in Portugal to be launched in 2024. The report of the research ‘Avaliação das Aprendizagens de Inglês no 1º CEB: Um Estudo em Portugal Continental’can be found in the NOVA FCSH repository: https://run.unl.pt/handle/10362/127374

May 2018: Organization of the 2nd Conference on New Trends in Language Teaching, in collaboration with the University of Granada and the University of Algarve

Poster 2nd New Trends

 

 

 

 

RECENT PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS ON LANGUAGES TEACHING, INCLUDING TEYL, & TEACHER EDUCATION

JPEG

  • Ceia, Carlos (2022). Reforming Teacher Education in Portugal: a call for innovation and old-fashioned actions, <https://creativedemocracyeducation.wordpress.com/keynote-speakers>, International Conference on Creative Approaches to Democracy Education, Erasmus+ EU funded project: “Creative Approaches to New Democracy through Innovative Inclusive Citizenship Education” (CANDIICE) CETAPS/NOVA FCSH (Lisbon, Portugal).

Title: Literature and Intercultural Learning in Language and Teacher Education

  • Ceia, Carlos (2021). Short notice on CLIL in Portugal, 2nd Working CLIL Colloquium (Porto, videoconferência, with David Marsh as keynote speaker) CETAPS ([Online])
  • Ceia, Carlos (2018). Resiliência e ética profissional dos professores. In Ética Aplicada: Educação [ed. por David Justino, col. “Ética Aplicada”, coord. de Maria do Céu Patrão Neves], edited by David Justino; pp. 253-266. Lisboa, Portugal: Edições 70/Livraria Almedina.
  • Ceia, Carlos (2018). A excelência na formação de professores na NOVA FCSH: uma história de vencedores e uma estratégia de futuro, ‘O Bom Professor À Casa Torna’: Jornada sobre os 30 anos de formação de professores na NOVA FCSH, (Lisboa)
  • Ceia, Carlos; Hurst, Nicolas (2018). “Foreign Language Education in Portuguese Higher Education Institutions: The State of Play”. e-Teals 8: <https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/eteals-2018-0002>.
  • Leslie, C. (2021). Interaction patterns and support for language learning in the primary foreign language classroom. Porta Linguarum,36, 65-82.
  • Leslie, C. (2021, December). The use of YouTube video observation in initial teacher education. Paper presented at 3rd International conference, online, Universidade do Algarve, Portugal, 3rd
  • Leslie, C. (2021). Peer interaction: Beliefs of primary English learners and implications for the classroom. Humanising Language Teaching Journal 23(2), 1-10.
  • Leslie, C. (2021, May). Interaction patterns and support for learning in primary and lower secondary foreign language classrooms. Paper presented at 3rd New Trends in Foreign Language Teaching, Online conference, University of Granada, Spain, 20 May, 2021.
  • Leslie, C. (in publication). Engagement during peer interaction in the primary English classroom. In I. Papadopoulos (Ed.), International current trends in applied linguistics and pedagogy. New York: NOVA Science Publishers Inc.
  • Leslie, C. (2020, September). Interaction patterns and support for learning in the primary foreign language classroom. Paper presented at 1st International Conference on language teaching and learning in the 21st century, University of Ioannina, Greece (held online).
  • Leslie, C. (Forthcoming). Comparing primary and lower secondary EFL learners’ oral collaboration. In D. Karoulla-Vrikki, & L. Lopriore, L. (Eds.), Oracy acquisition and development in early second language learning: Voices from diverse international contexts. Multilingual Matters.
  • Leslie, C. (2019, November). Oral interaction in primary English education. Workshop presented at PEEP 2019, University of the Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
  • Leslie, C. (2018, May). Task-based peer interaction in the young learner classroom. Paper presented at New Trends in Language Teaching, University of Granada, Spain.
  • Leslie, C. (2018, April). English in primary education in Portugal: Views of teachers in the 120 recruitment group. Invited speaker at Foreign Language Didactics Conference, Faculdade de Letras da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
  • Leslie, C. (2014, November). Assessment and self-assessment in the young learner classroom. Paper presented at 5th International conference on TEFL, FCSH, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.
  • Leslie, C., Moreira, M.A., Mourão, S. (2022). Avaliação das Aprendizagens de Inglês no 1º CEB: Um estudo em Portugal Continental. Webinar DGE – 21 Março, 2022
  • Leslie, C., & Mourão, S. (2020). Reflexão e supervisão pedagogica na sala da aula de Inglês no 1ºCEB (Course for 1st cycle cooperating teachers, accredited with 24 hours  – CCPFC-107789720).
  • Leslie, C., & Mourão, S. (2018, October). To test or not to test? Primary English assessment practices in Portugal. Paper presented at PEEP 2018, Institute of Education, Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Leslie, C & Mourão, S. (Eds). (In press). Researching Educational Practises, Teacher Education and Professional Development for Early Language Learning: Examples from Europe. Routledge
  • Matos, A.G. & Melo-Pfeifer, S. (2020). Literature and Intercultural Learning in Language and Teacher Education. Berlin: Peter Lang.
  • Moreira, M. A., Mourão, S., Leslie, C., & Monteiro, E. (2021). Avaliação das Aprendizagens de Inglês no 1ºCEB: Um estudo em Portugal Continental. Lisboa: CETAPS, NOVA FCSH: ISBN: 978-972-99724-7-8
  • Mourão, S. (forthcoming). Picturebooks in early language learning: Beyond ‘Brown Bear’. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
  • Mourão, S. (forthcoming) An other’s story in picturebooks: Empathy and perspective taking in the primary English classroom. In Prusse, & N. Mayer, (Eds.), ‘This is My Story’: Biographical and Autobiographical Narratives in ELT. Bern: hep.
  • Mourão, S. (2021), The ethical practices of collecting informed consent in action research projects. In Pinter and K. Kuchah (Eds.), Ethical and methodological issues in researching young language learners in school contexts. Bristol: Multilingual Matters
  • Mourão, S. (2019). Collaborative approaches to looking at progression in early years foreign language learning contexts. In D. Prošić-Santovac & S. Rixon (Eds.) Integrating Assessment into Early Language Learning and Teaching Practice. Bristol: Multilingual Matters
  • Mourão, S. (2019). Integrating and emulating: Early English initiatives in Portugal. In J. Rokita-Jaśkow and M. Ellis (Eds.), Early Instructed Second Language Acquisition: Psycholinguistic and Sociocultural Aspects. Bristol: Multilingual Matters
  • Mourão, S., Leslie, C., Moreira, M.A., & Monteiro, E. (forthcoming). From (mis)perceptions to (mis)practices: The assessment of oral skills in primary English education in Portugal. In D. Karoulla-Vrikki, & L. Lopriore, L. (Eds.), Oracy acquisition and development in early second language learning: Voices from diverse international contexts. Multilingual Matter
  • Mourão, S., Leslie, C., Moreira, M., & Monteiro, E. (2021). Battling against a traditional assessment culture: The case of early English learning in Portugal. In C Bongartz & J. Rymarczyk (Eds.), Current research into young FL and EAL learners’ literacy skills (141-164). Peter Lang.
  • Mourão, S. & Lourenço, M. (Eds.) (2015). Early Years Second Language Education: International Perspectives on Theories and Practice. Abingdon: Routledge
  • Oliveira A.D., & Leslie, C. (2021). Effects of conversational strategy use on young learners’ oral interaction. Estreiadiálogos, 6, 1(1-2), 53-73. ISSN 2183-8402.
  • Vieira, F. & Mourão, S. (2022) Formar professores para a investigação pedagógica: o caso do Mestrado em Ensino de Inglês no 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico em Portugal, Estreiadialogos https://www.estreiadialogos.com/revista
  • Vieira, F., Mourão, S., Andrade, A.I., Cruz, M., Leslie, C, Orega, M.I., Pinho, A.S., Jorge, J., Silva, E., Simões, A.R. (2021). Mapeando abordagens da formação inicial de professores de inglês no 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico em Portugal. Cadernos do LabELing – Série Temas, número 1. UA Editora.

PROJECTS ON LANGUAGES TEACHING

 

A atual coordenadora do mestrado em ensino de Inglês para o 1º Ciclo, Carolyn Leslie, participa na rede interinstitucional (PEEP) Primary English Education in Portugal, onde se regista a participação de três docentes e investigadoras do TEALS / CETAPS nos 3 projetos de investigação a decorrer, um dos quais financiado pela FCT:

  • TEYL in the practicum: Mapping supervisory and teaching approaches(MAp): Carolyn Leslie, Sandie Mourão, et al.
  • Assessment in primary English education in Portugal:Teachers’ Perceptions and practices: Carolyn Leslie, Sandie Mourão, et al. . No âmbito deste estudo longitudinal (2017-2020) sobre as práticas de avaliação de professores no ensino primário de inglês, a coordenadora do curso apresentou recentemente os resultados globais da investigação ao Ministério da Educação (Webinar DGE – 21 de Março de 2022). Este estudo agora está na base de um futuro projeto, submetido à FCT para financiamento, sobre a formação de professores do 1º ciclo em Portugal em práticas de avaliação, intitulado ‘An assessment mindset intervention: Professional development through a blended MOOC ‘.
  • Approaches for second language learning at an early age: the impact of a training course on the receptivity of pre‑service teachers of English to pedagogical innovation: FCT Funded Post-doctoral research project undertaken by Catarina Castro. CETAPS, Nova University Lisbon.

The current coordinator of the CS, Carolyn Leslie, also participates in the inter-institutional network (PEEP) Primary English Education in Portugal, where three TEALS / CETAPS teachers and researchers are participating in three ongoing research projects, one of which is funded by FCT:

  • – TEYL in the practicum: Mapping supervisory and teaching approaches (MAp): Carolyn Leslie, Sandie Mourão, et al.
  • – Assessment in primary English education in Portugal: Teachers’ Perceptions and practices: Carolyn Leslie, Sandie Mourão, et al. As part of this longitudinal study (2017-2020) on teachers’ assessment practices in primary English education, the course coordinator recently jointly presented the findings of the research to the Ministry of Education (Webinar DGE – 21 Março, 2022). This study now forms the basis of a future project, submitted to FCT for funding, on educating 1st cycle teachers in Portugal on assessment practices, entitled ‘An assessment mindset intervention: Professional development through a blended MOOC’.
  • – Approaches for second language learning at an early age: the impact of a training course on the receptivity of pre-service teachers of English to pedagogical innovation: FCT Funded Post-doctoral research project undertaken by Catarina Castro. CETAPS, Nova University Lisbon.
 

Dr Catarina Castro

Between 2018 and 2020, the researcher will continue to develop a postdoctoral research, funded by FCT, which aims to disseminate Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT), an approach that was developed as an alternative to traditional methods, and that is considered to facilitate second language acquisition. However, despite the clear psycholinguistic rational for TBLT and empirical evidence supporting the choice of “tasks” as the basis for second language teaching and learning, a number of teacher factors have been found to challenge the adoption of TBLT. Given the present resistance regarding TBLT (principles and implementation), the project aims to develop, implement and evaluate a language teacher training program, at the New University of Lisbon, University of the Algarve and the University of Porto.

Recently submitted proposals :

  • ERC Synergy Grant 2019: CURFLEX (Changing the way we teach: curriculum flexibility in Portugal)
    • Carlos Ceia (Cpi) – Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas (Chi)
    • António Domingos (Pi2) – Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
    • Mariana Gaio Alves (Pi3) – Instituto de Educação da Universidade de Lisboa
    • Total Requested Grant (in euro): 9 397 356,25 €
    • Result: not approved
  • Erasmus+
    • Project Title: Intercultural and Global Citizenship Education (INCITE)
    • Action: Strategic Partnerships for higher education (KA203) Call for proposals: 2019
    • Applicant organization: FCSH / NOVA CETAPS
    • Result: not approved
  • Erasmus+
    • Project Title: Creative Approaches to New Democracy through Innovative Inclusive Citizenship Education (CANDIICE)
    • Applicant organization: School Development Support Agency (SDSA), Leicester, UK
    • Non-governmental organisation
    • Result: Approved
      Awarded funds: CETAPS: 47,940 € TOTAL: 281,554 €
  • Projects in preparation:
    • Observatory on the Curriculum
  • Professor Carlos Ceia was the main advisor to the Ministry of Education to revise the legislative framework in 2014, and was instrumental in creating a complementary training for teachers at all Higher Education institutions which ensured that, from 2015-16, c200.000 3rd- and 4th-year students in Basic Education in Portugal started learning English as part of their national core curriculum. New curricular standards were implemented accordingly, following the CEFR and EAQUALS “Can Do” (starter level). Subsequently, new master courses for teacher training specifically in this area were certified by A3ES (the national education quality agency). CETAPS researchers were thoroughly involved in this process, with a special focus on the promotion of CLIL – Content and Language Integrated Learning – a methodology for primary and secondary schools.
Most recent presentations related to languages, curriculum, and teacher education:

Carlos Ceia:

  • “Reforming Teacher Education in Portugal: a call for innovation and old-fashioned actions”, International Conference on Creative Approaches to Democracy Education, Erasmus+ EU funded project: “Creative Approaches to New Democracy through Innovative Inclusive Citizenship Education” (CANDIICE), CETAPS/NOVA FCSH Colégio Almada Negreiros, Campolide, Lisbon & online, 10-12 March, 2022. https://creativedemocracyeducation.wordpress.com/keynote-speakers/

  • “A formação inicial de professores em Portugal: o estado de uma prolixa arte”, Colóquio Formação de Professores e Estatuto da Carreira Docente, 18 de março.

    A necessidade de formar um crescente número de professores e o estatuto da carreira docente foram os temas centrais de uma conferência onde intervieram Carlos Ceia e David Justino, docentes da NOVA FCSH. O evento contou com a presença de Mário Nogueira, Secretário-Geral da FENPROF. Informações adicionais em https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/…/formacao-de-professores-e…/

  • Conference: INSPIRING PLURILINGUALISM: STAKES AND PERSPECTIVES IN EUROPE, Tuesday 29th March 2022 – 9.30 am, at Eurofound Conference Centre, Dublin 18 & Online. Presented as part of the French Presidency of the EU Council in association with EUNIC Ireland and the European Commission in Ireland: “Innovative practices at university language institutes to promote plurilingualism effectiveness / Pratiques innovantes dans les instituts universitaires de langues pour promouvoir l’efficacité du plurilinguisme / Práticas inovadoras em institutos universitários de línguas para promover a eficácia do plurilinguismo”
  • “Integrating foreign languages centers into the policy of our universities eluding the economic crisis”, The sixth Wulkow Meeting of Directors of Language Centres in Higher Education in Europe,Parkhotel Schloss Wulkow, Brandenburg / viadrina sprachen, Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany), 23rd to 26th January 2014.
  • “O quadro estratégico europeu para o multilinguismo e a actualização da formação de professores de línguas”, I Jornadas de Ensino do Português e do Espanhol,- 9 e 10 Maio de 2014, Faculdade de Artes e Letras (UBI).
  • “Tecnologia e metalinguagem literária: a construção de dicionários de termos literários na Internet – o caso do www.edtl.com.pt”, XIV Encontro da ABRALIC, Belém (Brasil), 24-26 Setembro de 2014.
  • “A Aprendizagem Precoce das Línguas Estrangeiras”, Rede de Escolas de Excelência, XV Seminário ESCXEL, Loulé, 3 de Outubro de 2014.
  • “O quadro estratégico europeu para o multilinguismo e a actualização da formação de professores de línguas”, XXIIème Congrès de L’APPF, “WEB 2.0 en classe: les défis des réseaux sociaux”, FCSH-UNL, 7 e 8 Novembro de 2014.
  • “A (in)definição de uma filosofia curricular na legislação sobre formação de professores nos últimos 30 anos”, Seminário “Formação Inicial de Professores”, Conselho Nacional de Educação, Universidade do Algarve, 29 de Abril de 2015
  • “A formação de professores no ensino à distância em Portugal e sua articulação com o ensino presencial: contingências presentes e possibilidades futuras”, XII Congresso Brasileiro de Ensino Superior a Distância e I Congresso Internacional de Ensino Superior a Distância, Universidade do Estado da Bahia – UNEB, Salvador, 30 de Novembro a 03 de Dezembro de 2015.
  • “Promoting a Teacher Education Research-Oriented Curriculum for Initial Teacher Training in English as a Foreign Language, ICTE 2017: International Conference on Teacher Education, 15-16 June, 2017, Toronto, Canadá. <https://waset.org/conference/2017/06/toronto/ICTE>
  • “A Construção de um Currículo Essencial (Core Curriculum) no Ensino Básico e Secundário – O Caso Português”, III Colóquio Cabo-verdiano de Educação, Mindelo, Universidade de Cabo Verde (UniCV), 12, 13 e 14 de Junho de 2017.
  • “A força das estrelas e a resiliência dos professores”, I Encontro de Educação e Saúde das Freguesias de Carcavelos/Parede e S. Domingos de Rana, Centro Cultural de Cascais, 29-6-2017.
  • “O poder da leitura literária e a formação do gosto (nos estudantes, nos professores e nos educadores)”, Cátedra Eugénio Tavares de Língua Portuguesa da Universidade de Cabo Verde, Praia, 15 de Janeiro de 2018.
  • “Cinema académico: uma teoria”, “A Escola Secundária no Cinema”, Registo: CCPFC/ACC-100757/18, NOVA FCSH e Escola Secundária Pedro Nunes, https://www.cetaps.com/events/escolanocinema
  • “A excelência na formação professores na NOVA FCSH: uma história de vencedores e uma estratégia de futuro”, ‘O Bom Professor À Casa Torna’: Jornada sobre os 30 anos de formação de professores na NOVA FCSH, FCSH, 11-7-2018.
  • (Moderador de painel). International Seminar on “Curriculum Autonomy Policies in Europe: trends, tensions & transformations”, Painel sobre “Curriculum & Policies”, com José Augusto Pacheco (U. Minho), Majella Dempsey (Maynooth University, Ireland) e Pedro Abrantes (U. Aberta), Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, no âmbito do projecto UID/SOC/04647/2013» – CICS.NOVA (Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences of the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa)”, 25 e 26 de Janeiro de 2019.
  • Debate sobre o tema “Questões éticas prementes no domínio da Educação”, sob a moderação de Margarida Marques e com a participação de David Justino, Carlos Ceia, Susana Batista e Alexandre Homem Cristo. FCSH, 11 de Abril de 2019.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Og4fhbKsFzYvSgIl0qT_7DHoF8kQ-TJJsFdMRbAjJEg/edit?fbclid=IwAR1dobfBACPOyRFNyH8GaBw7o9orr2s5wWzSWExLZZikJuBUV5UJw3-0XY4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CETAPS is co-organizing free online Portuguese FL courses for refugees both from Ukrania and Afghanistan.

This is a joint co-organization with ILNOVA (https://ilnova.fcsh.unl.pt/portugueslivre/).

Currently, 41 classes are assigned to 41 volunteer teachers from all Portugal. More than 500 students, mostly Ukrainian, are now enrolled.

Professor Carlos Ceia is the main organizer and he also teaches in the program, along with other CETAPS ’members (Rogério Puga, Zulmira Castanheira and Marco Neves).

 

Transforming assessment mindsets: Professional development through a blended MOOC
(TAM-bMOOC Project)

Project dates: January 2023 – December 2025
Coordination: Sandie Mourão (CETAPS)

Contextualisation

Classroom-based assessment is seen as ‘principled ways of collecting and using evidence on the quality and quantity of people’s learning’ (Rixon, et al., 2019, p. 1). Regarding early language learning (ELL), traditional assessment methods associated with tests are considered problematic because they do not contemplate attitudinal and motivation goals, oral skills, or intercultural communicative competence. Assessment practices have not accompanied the introduction of English at earlier ages, and assessment remains troublesome. This is due to inadequate planning during policy implementation, assessment being at odds with the playful, oral-based approaches of ELL programmes and the influence of general education which overlooks the specificities of ELL (Mourão, et al.,2021). Teachers play a crucial role in the decision-making process which impacts on classroom-based assessment, and improved assessment literacy can overcome negative mindsets towards assessment amongst teachers and stakeholders. Despite being one of the most relevant aspects of teacher education, it has been a pressing issue for decades and teachers continue to require a deeper understanding of ‘the purposes of and social role of assessment in education’ and to grasp ‘the link between various assessment purposes, tools or instruments, methods and the curriculum’ (Papp, 2019, p. 400).

Research in Portugal (Moreira et al., 2021) has identified an incongruence between teaching and learning goals in ELL teachers’ classroom-based assessment practices, which is confounded by an absence of training in assessment, misunderstanding learning outcomes, traditional cultures of assessment and professional isolation. Recommendations highlight the need for an efective, nationwide intervention to upgrade the assessment literacy of Portuguese ELL teachers that changes mindsets and classroom-based assessment practices and counters professional isolation.

MOOCs combine ‘autonomous and self-directed learning with a strong social dimension and the interaction that make learning experiences richer and more rewarding’ (Teixeira, et al., 2015: 146). MOOCs are relatively under-researched for professional development, yet they have proven to enhance pedagogical knowledge, improve classroom practices, promote collaborative learning and contribute to continuous PD. They facilitate peer exchange, contribute to building a community, involve peer review activities, use content as a trigger for learning through reflection, sharing and exchange, facilitate transfer to practice and are flexible (Herz, et al., 2021).

The TAM-bMOOC project aims to upgrade the assessment literacy of primary English teachers and investigate the efectiveness of the instructional design features of a blended Massive Open Online Course (bMOOC) ‘Classroom-based assessment in primary English education’ to stimulate a change in mindsets and classroom practices and foster a sense of community.

The project team of researchers coordinated through in CETAPS (FCSH/Universidade Nova de Lisboa) involves the collaboration of LE@D (Universidade Aberta) together with external consultants. It brings the expertise of scholars working in the fields of primary English teacher education together with those in e-learning.

 

CETAPS LE@D

(PI) Sandie Mourão (FCSH/UNL)

Ana Raquel Simões (U Aveiro)

Carolyn Leslie (FCSH/UNL)

Catarina Castro (IP Leiria)

Elisabete Silva (IP Bragança)

Mario Cruz (IP Porto)

Rosana Durão (U Algarve)

Isabel Orega (U Algarve)

Teresa Sequeira (U Algarve)

(Co-PI) António Teixeira (U Aberta)

Lina Morgado (U Aberta)

Paula Cardoso (IP Leira)

João Vaz (U Aberta)

Maria João Spilker (U Aberta)

Ana Paula Rocha

 

Funding: The TAM-bMOOC Project is funded through [CETAPS’s FCT funding nº UIDP/04097/2020]

 

References:

Hertz, B. & Engelhardt, K. (2021). Using personalized support & school-based study groups to increase teachers’ participation in MOOCs – findings from two European pilot projects. IUL Research, 2(3), 3-20.

Mourão, S., Leslie, C., Moreira, M., & Monteiro, E. (2021). Battling against a traditional assessment culture: The case of early English learning in Portugal. In C.Bongartz & J. Rymarczyk (Eds.), Current research into young FL and EAL learners’ literacy skills. (pp. 141-164). Peter Lang.

Papp, S. (2019). Assessment and young English language learners. In S. Garton & F. Copland (Eds.), Routledge handbook of teaching English to young learners. (pp.389-407). Routledge.

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Teacher Education and Applied Language Studies

Intercultural studies in second language education

Languages, curriculum and teacher education

Translationality

CLIL

CETAPS