ma educational technology and tesol
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Information on doing an MA in Ed. technology and TESOLTRANSCRIPT
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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:
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 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 including 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 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-native-English-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. 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).
Postgraduate Admissions School of Education
Ellen Wilkinson Building Oxford Road Manchester
M13 9PL www.manchester.ac.uk/education
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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 – late January), Semester 2 (February-mid-June), and, for full-time participants, a summer semester (mid June – 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 of June), and a dissertation semester in Year 3 (February – 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 is 30 credits; all others are 15 credits).
Semester 1
Time \ Day
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
10:00- 12:00
♣EDUC70020
Beyond Approaches,
Methods and Techniques JE
C3.19/20
♪EDUC70090
Psychology of Language Learning
JS/ZOS C2.18 (C2.32
for some classes)
♣EDUC70061
Language Learning and
Technology DS
B3.3
1:00- 3:00
MA Academic Support Forum
(all MA students)
JE C2.18
◙EDUC70220
Evaluation and Design of
Educational Coursware
GM/SB B3.17
♪EDUC70040
Language Education as Intercultural
Practice RF
C3.21 (C2.32 for some classes)
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Semester 2
Time \
Day MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
10:00-12:00
♣EDUC70102
Developing Researcher Competence (30 credits)
RF/JS
♪EDUC70150
Explorations in Language
Lunch Break
♪EDUC70150
Explorations in Language
◙EDUC70510
Multimedia Design and
Development SB
B3.17
♪EDUC70130
The Education
of Language Teachers
JE
◙EDUC70050
Teaching and Learning Online
DS Online (no
actual class on
Friday)
1:00-
3:00
MA Academic Support Forum
(all MA
students)
►EDUC70032
Blended Learning in a Digital Age SB
B3.17
♣ 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 Susan Brown Ellen Wilkinson C.2.7 [email protected]
JE Julian Edge Ellen Wilkinson C.2.21 [email protected]
RF Richard Fay Ellen Wilkinson C 2.22 [email protected]
GM Gary Motteram Ellen Wilkinson C 2.20 [email protected]
ZOS Zeynep Onat-Stelma Ellen Wilkinson C2.5 [email protected]
DS Diane Slaouti Ellen Wilkinson C 2.24 [email protected]
JS Juup Stelma Ellen Wilkinson C 2.28 [email protected]
For the distance course the scheduling is as follows: MA EdTech & TESOL compulsory, core and elective course units, and availability:
Number Title Normally taken: Credits
Compulsory course 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
Core course units (choose a minimum of 1 of the following 3)
EDUC7005 Teaching & Learning Online Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 15
EDUC7022 Evaluation and Design of Educational Courseware Year 2, Semester 1 15
EDUC7051 Multimedia Design and Development Year 1 or 2, Semester 2 15
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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 Intercultural Practice Year 2, Semester 1 15
EDUC7009 Psychology of Language Learning 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 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, part-time 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 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:
Dr Julian Edge - Senior Lecturer in Education (TESOL)
Dr Richard Fay – Lecturer in Education (TESOL)
Dr Gary Motteram – Senior Lecturer in Education (TESOL), Course Director for MA Educational Technology & TESOL
Mrs Diane Slaouti – 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 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 – as informed by theory and research as well as by their professional experiences and intuitions – 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
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 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 £50 (Dissertation completion) £500 (taught course completion) Distance Year 5 £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. 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, look at our 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.