Journal of Education and Human Development

Research Experience as A Decoder for the Trajectory of ELT Student-Teachers’ Perceptional Change
Gulden Ilin

Abstract
This study investigated the probable impact of educational research experience on the way six juniors of the English Language Teaching department of a Turkish university conceptualised themselves as researchers. The participants’ research experiences were observed, the changes they went through were identified and interpreted on the basis of Mezirov’s (1978) phases of transformative learning theory. The participants wrote about their concerns, expectations from their research experience and difficulties they faced during this stage in the form of field notes. They also evaluated themselves as researchers at the beginning and at the end of the process. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were held at the end of the study in order to identify the changes, if any, the students detected in themselves. They additionally commented on whether this study had, in any way, contributed to them as prospective language teachers. The findings reveal that research experience does not only contribute to students’ perceptions of selves as researchers but also enhanced the studentteachers’ professional and academic credentials.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v4n4a20