MA Educational Technology and TESOL

 

Postgraduate Admissions School of Education Ellen Wilkinson Building Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL www.manchester.ac.uk/education

MA Educational Technology & TESOL Thank you for your enquiry about the MA Educational Technology & TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) course. Please note that the School of Education also offers the related MA TESOL course.

Aims The MA EdTech & TESOL course aims to enable experienced TESOL practitioners to: 

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  further their careers with regard to obtaining positions of seniority, undertaking new areas of professional activity, embedding practice within a research dimension, contributing to the professional development of other teachers, and acting in advisory capacities to teaching and associated agencies;   develop advanced knowledge and deeper understanding of research, theory, and relevant areas of debate with regard to TESOL and the field of educational technology;   reflect critically on the implications of TESOL and technology-related research, theory, and relevant areas of debate for their developing professional practice;   understand more deeply their roles as TESOL practitioners given given the international currency of English and the developments in the educational environment afforded by technology access and global networking;   develop advanced professional and practical skills includi including ng the use of technology and design of digital learning materials and environments, the implementation of needs analyses, the evaluation, adaptation and design of teaching and learning resources   develop their academic literacy so that can complete their MA programme and thereafter undertake further academic studies;   develop their research competence so that they can complete their their MA dissertation and thereafter undertake further research in both academic and professional settings.

Registration and Duration  Annually in time for a mid-late September start to the course in all study modes (ie full-time, part-time and distance/e-learning The course is offered in three modes: full-time onsite over 12 months; part-time on-site normally over 27 months; part-time by distance/e-learning normally over three years. To be considered for the next September start date, applications should be received by mid-August.

Participants and Entry Requirements The course is designed for experienced teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (and this includes teachers of EFL, ESL, EAL, ESP, and so on) in whatever geographical context or type of institution they are working. Applications from both native- and non-nativeEnglish-speaking teachers are welcome. This course is for graduate teachers who have an initial qualification in teaching, a minimum of three years’ relevant teaching experience since their graduation. graduation. Non-native- English-speaking teachers should also show evidence of language proficiency (e.g. IELTS 7 overall and in writing; TOEFL Internet-based score of 100; or Pearson Test score of 66 overall with 66 in the writing component).

 

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Course Structure The MA is a modular course carrying 180 UCET points. It is divided into a taught component of 120 credits (subdivided into course units of 15 or 30 credits, see below for details) and a dissertation of 60 credits. The taught component must be successfully completed before the dissertation can be submitted. The course is semesterised in all study modes. For on-site participants, this involves Semester 1 (late September – September – late  late January), Semester 2 (February-mid-June), and, for full-time participants, a summer semester (mid June  –  – early  early September) for the dissertation. Part-time participants, who normally spread their studies over 27 months, follow the same semesters as full-time participants but with a lighter study-load. For distance participants, who also normally complete the course in three years, the semesters are as follows: Semester 1 (late September - end of February), Semester 2 (early February  – end  – end of June), and a dissertation semester in Year 3 (February – (February  – early  early September). Each 15-credit course unit is normally taught in one semester either via input through face-to-face classes or via resource-based distance/e-learning. In addition to these on-site sessions or distance resources, participants are expected to complete approximately 125 hours of independent work for each course unit. These figures should be doubled for the 30 credit course unit.

Course Organisation The taught part of the MA Educational Technology & TESOL course is a combination of core and elective course units. The onsite timetable looks like this: ON-SITE course unit timetable (EDUC70102 timetable (EDUC70102 is 30 credits; all others are 15 credits). Semester 1

Time \ Day 

MONDAY 

♣ EDUC70020

10:0012:00 

Beyond Approaches, Methods and Techniques JE C3.19/20

TUESDAY 

WEDNESDAY  

♪EDUC70090 Psychology of Language Learning JS/ZOS C2.18 (C2.32 for some classes)

THURSDAY 

♣EDUC70061

Language Learning and Technology DS B3.3 ♪EDUC70040

1:003:00

 

MA Academic Support Forum (all MA students) JE C2.18

◙EDUC70220

Language Education as Intercultural Practice RF C3.21 (C2.32 for some classes)

Evaluation and Design of Educational Coursware GM/SB B3.17

2

FRIDAY  

 

Semester 2

Time \ Day

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESD WEDNESDAY AY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY ◙EDUC70050

10:0012:00

♣ EDUC70102

◙EDUC70510

Developing Researcher Competence

Explorations in

Multimedia Design and Development

(30RF/JS credits)

Language

SB B3.17

♪EDUC70150

♪EDUC70130

The Education of Language Teachers JE 

Teaching and Learning Online DS Online

 (noon actual class Friday) 

Lunch Break

MA Academic Support Forum (all MA students)

1:003:00

♣ 

►EDUC70032

♪EDUC70150

Blended Learning in a Digital Age SB B3.17

Explorations in Language

◙ 

Core course units for most MA TESOL and MA Ed Tech & TESOL students Additional core course unit for MA Ed Tech & TESOL students MA TESOL students normally take three of these four course units MA Ed Tech & TESOL students normally take one of these course units

SB JE RF GM ZOS DS JS

Susan Brown Julian Edge Richard Fay Gary Motteram Zeynep Onat-Stelma Diane Slaouti Juup Stelma

►  ♪ 

Ellen Ellen Ellen Ellen Ellen Ellen Ellen

Wilkinson C.2.7 Wilkinson C.2.21 Wilkinson C 2.22 Wilkinson C 2.20 Wilkinson C2.5 Wilkinson C 2.24 Wilkinson C 2.28

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

For the distance course the course the scheduling is as follows: MA EdTech & TESOL compulsory, core and elective course units, and availability: Number  

Title 

Normally taken: 

Credits 

Compulsory Compul sory cours e units   EDUC7002 

Beyond Approaches, Methods & Techniques

Year 1, Semester 1 

15 

EDUC7006 

Language Learning & Technology 

Year 1, Semester 2 

15 

EDUC7003 

Blended Learning in a Digital Age  

Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 

15 

EDUC7010 

Developing Researcher Competence 

Year 3, Semester 1 

30 

Cor e cours e units (c hoos e a minimum of 1 of the foll following owing 3) 

 

EDUC7005 

Teaching & Learning Online 

EDUC7022 

Evaluation and Design of Educational Courseware 

EDUC7051 

Multimedia Design and Development Development 

3

Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 

15 

Year 2, Semester 1 

15 

Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 

15 

 

Electives   EDUC7013 

The Education of Language Teachers 

Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 

15 

EDUC7015 

Explorations in Language 

Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 

15 

EDUC7004 

Language Education as Intercultura Interculturall Practice 

Year 2, Semester 1 

15 

EDUC7009 

Psychology of Language Le Learning arning 

Year 2, Semester 1 

15 

ISS 

Independent Supervised Study (details in MA TESOL handbook) 

Usually in Year 2 

15 

Note that the course units we offer may change over time. We will make every effort to keep you up-to-date about any changes, and to respond to your needs where possible.    At the end of the taught course you are then required to produce a dissertation that explores a topic relevant to your or the course. This dissertation is worth 60 credits. Outlines for our course units are available on our website at: http://courses.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/education/

Study Schedules On-Site  – full-time study mode (12 months) On-site, full-time participants take four course units in Semester 1, four more in Semester 2, and then complete their dissertations in time for submission in early-September, and, assuming all the studies are successful, they graduate in mid-December. When planning which electives to take, participants need to bear in mind both the study pattern of four course units per semester and the regulations detailed above regarding core and optional course units. On-Site  – part-time study mode (normally mode (normally 27 months) On-site, part-time participants typically negotiate an individualised study programme so as to accommodate their other commitments. However, they will typically follow the same pattern as distance/e-learning participants (see below) albeit the mode of study will be different. Also, parttime participants will submit assignments on the same dates as full-time participants rather on the dates set for distance/e-learning participants. Off-Site  – distance/e-learning mode (normally mode (normally three years) Distance/e-learning participants will typically take the following study-path. Note that the actual course units shown here are examples as regards the areas where participants have some freedom of choice (see the Course Organisation details above).

Teaching Staff The core team is as follows:   

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Dr Julian Edge - Senior Lecturer in Education (TESOL) Dr Richard Fay – Fay  – Lecturer  Lecturer in Education (TESOL) Dr Gary Motteram  –  –   Senior Lecturer in Education (TESOL), Course Director for MA Educational Technology & TESOL Mrs Diane Slaouti – Slaouti – Lecturer  Lecturer in Education (TESOL) Dr Juup Stelma - Lecturer in TESOL, Course Director for MA TESOL Ms Susan Brown - Teaching Fellow (Educational Technology & TESOL)

Teaching, Learning and Assessment Assessment Methods The course is taught by lecturers who themselves have been language teachers (TESOL and other languages) with experience of working in Britain and overseas. This background is reflected in the range of teaching approaches and techniques used on the course. Onsite, formal lectures are rare and instead classes tend to mix sections of input with group-work, computer and video activities, simulations, problem-based learning and so on. Although not all of these activities are easily replicated in distance/e-learning mode, and other forms of interaction are possible and

 

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utilized, we seek to provide a similarly varied range of teaching and learning experiences for our off-site participants. The course can be characterized in terms of participants ’ critical reflection – reflection – as  as informed by theory and research as well as by their professional experiences and intuitions  – on  – on their understandings of their professional practice. We encourage both individual and co-operative learning and research and hope to foster an ethos of life-long-learning. As most of our participants are themselves experienced teachers, we appreciate the wealth of knowledge and practical experience that they bring to the programme and we encourage all participants to use all sources of professional insights including their fellow participants. We provide training in the use of electronic databases, library resources, and computer based statistics packages. Many other key skills will be developed during the course of the programme. The form of the assessment varies from unit to unit but usually consists of a written assignment of 3,500 words for a 15-credit course unit (double this word count for a 30-credit course unit). In such assignments, participants are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the relevant theory as applied to their professional practice, and through such work they must also demonstrate their technical, academic, and professional skills as appropriate to the topic. All assignments will be followed by both formative and summative feedback. Participants can choose between a Mode A (ie more traditional type) or a Mode B (portfolio type) dissertation. Mode A dissertations can also be characterised as having one of the following centres of gravity: empirical (which report on a research project); conceptual (which discuss or develop a conceptual understanding or framework of relevance to the participant’s professional development; or practical (which involve the development of a rationale for practical activities related to professional practice). Mode A practical dissertations and Mode B portfolio-type dissertations are very similar but in the latter the materials produced are close to being in a publishable format.

Course Fees Note:   The fees stated here are the latest confirmed fees and subject to increase in future Note: academic years.

On-site Participants Fees for full time International students in 2012/2013 are £12,300

Fees for Home/EU students in 2012/2013 are £5,000 for full time study and £2,500 for part time study. Please note fees for subsequent years are subject to change.

Off-site Participants The fees for students starting the distance/e-learning programme in September 2012 will be £2,300 per year (subject to an inflationary increase in years 2 and 3). We have planned the course so that completion within three calendar years is possible and we expect that most students will follow this schedule. However, we recognise that part-time distance/e-learning studies have to be accommodated within withi n participants’ busy personal and professional lives and sometimes unpredictable circumstances arise. In such cases, interruption of studies for up to a year is possible without any fee implications. In other cases a slower study pace can be arranged involving the following additional fee calculations (again, these figures may be subject to slight inflationary increases): Distance Year 4 Distance Year 5

£50 (Dissertation completion) £500 (taught course completion) £50 (Dissertation completion)

Thus, there is a financial incentive to complete within three years.

 

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How to Apply  Applications can be made on-line at www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply. at www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply. If  If you do not have access to the internet, application forms can be requested from: [email protected] or tel: +44 (0) 161 275 4740. For further academic information, please don’t hesitate to contact: [email protected]. Also, [email protected].  Also, look at our blog: http://edtechandtesol.info/wp/ blog: http://edtechandtesol.info/wp/

Career Opportunities: Graduates from the course can follow a number of career paths: some continue to work in their existing posts, but often with enhanced status; some move into teacher education, materials development, publishing, the media, managing self-access facilities, testing and assessment, research; some set up their own businesses.  

 

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