The Hyphenated Identity of The Hyphenated Identity of the Academic Scholar:the Academic Scholar:

Codeswitching across Codeswitching across teaching-researchteaching-research

Prof. Clare Mar-Molinero, Prof. Clare Mar-Molinero,

University of University of Southampton Southampton

Outline of lectureOutline of lecture

Response to ‘Call for Papers’ questions Response to ‘Call for Papers’ questions The Modern Languages ContextThe Modern Languages Context

Multi-disciplinaryMulti-disciplinaryLanguage v ‘content’ curriculumLanguage v ‘content’ curriculumSouthampton ML experience Southampton ML experience

The Hyphenated Academic The Hyphenated Academic Personal biography Personal biography Research as metaphor Research as metaphor

Conference questionsConference questions Can a teacher in higher education be effective without Can a teacher in higher education be effective without also being an active researcher? also being an active researcher? Are good teaching and good research conflicting goals? Are good teaching and good research conflicting goals? Is a focus on one likely to lead to the neglect of the Is a focus on one likely to lead to the neglect of the other? other? How far should teaching be informed by or led by How far should teaching be informed by or led by research? research? Do students benefit or suffer from being taught by active Do students benefit or suffer from being taught by active researchers in their discipline, or by specialist teachers researchers in their discipline, or by specialist teachers who are not themselves active in research? who are not themselves active in research? What are the roles of academic leaders and institutional What are the roles of academic leaders and institutional management in negotiating the research-teaching management in negotiating the research-teaching nexus? nexus?

What is ‘Research’?What is ‘Research’?

Research is NOT just ‘RAE-returnable’ workResearch is NOT just ‘RAE-returnable’ work

Some defnitionsSome defnitions(n) (n) research:research: systematic investigation to systematic investigation to establish factsestablish facts(n) (n) research:research: enquiry / inquiry, a search for enquiry / inquiry, a search for knowledge knowledge

(v) (v) researchresearch: to attempt to find out in a : to attempt to find out in a systematic and scientific manner systematic and scientific manner (v) (v) researchresearch: to search, explore (inquire into) : to search, explore (inquire into)

More definitionsMore definitions ResearchResearch is: is:

an active, diligent and systematic process of inquiry in an active, diligent and systematic process of inquiry in order to discover, interpret or revise facts, events, order to discover, interpret or revise facts, events, behaviours, or theories, or to make practical behaviours, or theories, or to make practical applications with the help of such facts, laws or theories. applications with the help of such facts, laws or theories.

… … "research" is also used to describe the collection of "research" is also used to describe the collection of information about a particular subject. information about a particular subject.

……a systematic investigation, including research a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge (Princeton University Press)(Princeton University Press)

Do all HE teachers ‘do’ Do all HE teachers ‘do’ research?research?

Can a teacher in higher education be Can a teacher in higher education be effective without also being an active effective without also being an active researcher? researcher? NONOAre good teaching and good research Are good teaching and good research conflicting goals? conflicting goals? NONOIs a focus on one likely to lead to the Is a focus on one likely to lead to the neglect of the other? neglect of the other? NOT NECESSARILYNOT NECESSARILY

What is ‘teaching’?What is ‘teaching’?

Teaching Teaching Is the activity of educating or instructing; activity Is the activity of educating or instructing; activity

that imparts knowledge or skill.that imparts knowledge or skill.

Is the ability to understand and communicateIs the ability to understand and communicate

creates the conditions to learncreates the conditions to learn

How far should teaching be informed by or How far should teaching be informed by or led by research?led by research?

Who are ‘good’ teachers?Who are ‘good’ teachers?

Do students benefit or suffer from Do students benefit or suffer from being taught by active researchers in being taught by active researchers in their discipline, or by specialist their discipline, or by specialist teachers who are not themselves teachers who are not themselves active in research?active in research?

This is a false distinction: the good This is a false distinction: the good experience will contain bothexperience will contain both

Benefits of linking research & Benefits of linking research & teachingteaching

Enriches the student experienceEnriches the student experience

Motivates staff (and students)Motivates staff (and students)

Brings cutting-edge knowledge to the Brings cutting-edge knowledge to the disciplinediscipline

Ensures the curriculum is up-to-dateEnsures the curriculum is up-to-date

Skills/methods used for research can be Skills/methods used for research can be used in teaching, and vice-versaused in teaching, and vice-versa– e.g empirical work for assessment e.g empirical work for assessment

Respected career paths for allRespected career paths for all

What are the roles of academic leaders What are the roles of academic leaders and institutional management in and institutional management in negotiating the research-teaching nexus? negotiating the research-teaching nexus?

To provideTo provide– Fair and meaningful career pathsFair and meaningful career paths– Wide-ranging staff development Wide-ranging staff development – A shared understanding of research as the creation of A shared understanding of research as the creation of

knowledge, of benefit to staff and studentsknowledge, of benefit to staff and students

Challenges for Modern Challenges for Modern LanguagesLanguages

Who and what is an HE Modern Linguist?Who and what is an HE Modern Linguist?– Modern languages is multi-disciplinaryModern languages is multi-disciplinary– Modern languages is inter-disciplinaryModern languages is inter-disciplinary– Tensions between Language Teaching and Tensions between Language Teaching and

‘Content’ curricula / research ‘Content’ curricula / research

The Southampton ML experienceThe Southampton ML experience

Professionalisation of language teaching Professionalisation of language teaching

Equal career pathwaysEqual career pathways

Research for all / teaching for all Research for all / teaching for all research & teaching Centres and projects research & teaching Centres and projects (LLAS, eLearning, TNS & CALR)(LLAS, eLearning, TNS & CALR)

Links between language and content units Links between language and content units

The successful Modern LinguistThe successful Modern Linguist

A Modern Linguist is a Teacher-A Modern Linguist is a Teacher-Researcher or a Researcher-TeacherResearcher or a Researcher-Teacher

Dual / hyphenated identity with shifting Dual / hyphenated identity with shifting balances and focus.balances and focus.

Personal biographyPersonal biography

Language tutor Language tutor

Lecturer Lecturer

Pedagogical research Pedagogical research

Sociolinguistic research Sociolinguistic research

Beginners Spanish Beginners Spanish

Language & identity amongst US LatinosLanguage & identity amongst US Latinos

Current research as metaphorCurrent research as metaphor

US Latinos US Latinos

– Hyphenated identity Hyphenated identity – Codeswitching Codeswitching – Transnational movements Transnational movements – Top-down versus bottom-up impact Top-down versus bottom-up impact

(globalisation) (globalisation)

Molotov‘s Molotov‘s FrijoleroFrijolero : : an examplean example

Mexican /US border Mexican /US border

Codeswitching between English & Spanish Codeswitching between English & Spanish

Hybrid language and accents Hybrid language and accents

Multi-media (song, words & video) Multi-media (song, words & video)

Multi-disciplinary (history, politics, music, Multi-disciplinary (history, politics, music, language) language)

Student-friendly Student-friendly

Conclusions Conclusions

There IS and MUST be a link between There IS and MUST be a link between teaching and researchteaching and research

The successful academic fluctuates The successful academic fluctuates effortlessly between the twoeffortlessly between the two

However, the success of the link depends However, the success of the link depends on:on:– An explicit re-defining of ‘research’ An explicit re-defining of ‘research’ – Fair and equitable career pathwaysFair and equitable career pathways