Revisiting My Research Interests: A Journey of Exploration and Discovery

Hello, dear readers. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your academic pursuits. In this blog post, I want to share with you some reflections on my research interests and how they have evolved over time. I hope this will inspire you to revisit your own research interests and see if they still align with your passions and goals.

From Extensive Reading to EFL Teacher Education 

I used to say that I like doing research on extensive reading. Extensive reading is a type of language learning activity that involves reading large amounts of texts for pleasure and general comprehension. It is supposed to enhance learners' vocabulary, fluency, motivation, and overall language proficiency. I was fascinated by the idea of using reading as a tool for language learning and I wanted to explore its effects and implications for different contexts and learners. However, recently I read a lot of literature on extensive reading and I found that the research has been saturated. There is not much new to do in this area and there is a lack of consensus on how to define, measure, and implement extensive reading. There is also a lack of solid theoretical framework that can explain how extensive reading works and why it works. I felt that I was hitting a wall and I was losing interest in this topic. So I decided to change my research interests and look for something more challenging and exciting. I started to think about what I really care about and what I want to contribute to the field of language education. I realized that I am more interested in the human aspect of language learning and teaching, rather than the linguistic or cognitive aspect. I am more curious about how teachers and learners interact, communicate, and grow in different settings and situations. That's why I shifted my focus to EFL teacher education and their experience with mentorship during their teaching practicum. I think this is a very important and under-researched topic that has a lot of potential for improving the quality and effectiveness of language teaching. I want to understand how novice teachers learn from their mentors, how they cope with the challenges and opportunities of teaching in a foreign language context, and how they develop their professional identity and competence.

Exploring New Horizons: Translanguaging and Video Game-Based Language Learning 

But changing my research interests does not mean that I stopped learning and exploring new things. On the contrary, I became more open-minded and adventurous in seeking new knowledge and perspectives. I started to look at other areas of language education that I was not familiar with before, but that intrigued me and sparked my curiosity. One of them is translanguaging, which is a term that refers to the dynamic and creative use of multiple languages and language varieties by bilingual or multilingual speakers. Translanguaging challenges the traditional view of language as a fixed and bounded system and recognizes the fluidity and diversity of language practices in the real world. I think translanguaging is a very interesting and relevant topic for language education, especially in the era of globalization and multiculturalism. I want to learn more about how translanguaging can be used as a resource and a strategy for language learning and teaching, and how it can foster intercultural awareness and competence. 

 Another area that caught my attention is video game-based language learning, which is the use of video games as a medium or a platform for language learning. Video games are a popular and engaging form of entertainment that can also offer rich and authentic language learning opportunities. I think video game-based language learning is a very innovative and promising topic for language education, especially in the era of digitalization and gamification. I want to learn more about how video games can be designed, selected, and integrated into language learning curricula, and how they can enhance learners' motivation, interaction, and autonomy.

The Future of Language Education: How AI Influences Language Teachers 

Finally, I want to mention one more topic that I am interested in and that I think will have a huge impact on the future of language education. That is the role and influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on English language teachers. AI is a term that refers to the ability of machines or software to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as understanding, reasoning, learning, and decision making. AI is becoming more and more prevalent and powerful in various domains and industries, including education. I think AI has a lot of potential for enhancing and transforming language education, but it also poses some challenges and risks for language teachers. I want to learn more about how AI can be used as a tool or a partner for language teaching, and how it can support, complement, or replace human teachers. I also want to learn more about how AI can affect the identity, role, and ethics of language teachers, and how they can adapt and respond to the changes and opportunities brought by AI.

Conclusion: A Journey of Exploration and Discovery 

To sum up, in this blog post, I shared with you how I revisited my research interests and how they have changed over time. I went from extensive reading to EFL teacher education, and I also explored new horizons such as translanguaging, video game-based language learning, and AI. I think this is a journey of exploration and discovery that has enriched my academic and personal growth. I encourage you to revisit your own research interests and see if they still reflect your passions and goals. And I invite you to join me in this journey of learning and sharing. Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from you soon.