Characterising the challenges and responses of Ecuadorian universities to recent EFL language policy changes : a mixed methods study
In 2010, Article 124 of the new Ecuadorian Higher Education Law stipulated that university students need to master a foreign language as a requirement for graduation. Subsequent regulations specified that this requirement had to be a B1 level, based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). To identify the responses, challenges and tensions that universities experienced in complying with the requirements of Article 124, an explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted. This comprised a survey that was administered to language centre Directors, EFL teachers and EFL students in 14 universities located in 10 different cities in the country, in-depth interviews conducted with teachers, and focus group interviews with students from 3 universities. Results of this research showed that responses of participating universities focused mainly on their physical and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure development, and less on pedagogy and management due to dependence on the use of overseas textbooks and the adoption of the Common European Framework language indicators as the proposed EFL outcomes for ELT programmes. Challenges faced by university stakeholders included
Cajas, Diego
LB2300 Higher Education
Characterising the challenges and responses of Ecuadorian universities to recent EFL language policy changes : a mixed methods study. In 2010, Article 124 of the new Ecuadorian Higher Education Law stipulated that university students need to master a foreign language as a requirement for graduation. Subsequent regulations specified that this requirement had to be a B1 level, based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). To identify the responses, challenges and tensions that universities experienced in complying with the requirements of Article 124, an explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted. This comprised a survey that was administered to language centre Directors, EFL teachers and EFL students in 14 universities located in 10 different cities in the country, in-depth interviews conducted with teachers, and focus group interviews with students from 3 universities. Results of this research showed that responses of participating universities focused mainly on their physical and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure development, and less on pedagogy and management due to dependence on the use of overseas textbooks and the adoption of the Common European Framework language indicators as the proposed EFL outcomes for ELT programmes. Challenges faced by university stakeholders included
characterising challenge response university recent efl language_policy change mixed_method study article new higher_education law stipulate university_student need master foreign_language requirement subsequent regulation specify requirement level base common european framework reference cefr identify response challenge tension university experience comply requirement article explanatory sequential mixed_method study_conduct comprise survey administer language centre directors efl_teacher efl_student university locate different city country depth_interview conduct teacher focus group_interview student university response participate university focus_mainly physical information communication technology ict infrastructure development less pedagogy management due dependence use overseas textbook adoption common european framework language indicator propose efl outcome elt programme face university stakeholder include