An Investigation into the Research Culture of Addis Ababa University: The Case of Teaching English as a foreign Language (TEFL) Phd Program
| dc.contributor.advisor | Berkessa, Mendida (PhD) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Emiru, Zewdu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-07-17T12:53:12Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-11-09T04:05:57Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-07-17T12:53:12Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-11-09T04:05:57Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2012-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study aimed at investigating the research culture of the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) PhD program of Addis Ababa University. It also aimed at identifying factors contributing to this culture. Mixed methods approach was employed for the study, which is mainly qualitative, but also uses quantitative techniques for triangulation purposes. The study participants were 40 TEFL PhD students of the university selected using stratified random sampling technique and 16 EFL educators of the university selected using comprehensive sampling technique. The qualitative data was collected using interviews held with five EFL Educators and five TEFL PhD candidates; focus group discussions with 12 PhD candidates; and document review of relevant policy documents and research guidelines of the University. The quantitative data was drawn using two types of questionnaires-one type administered to 16 EFL educators of the university and the other to 40 TEFL PhD candidates; and a content analysis of titles of ongoing TEFL PhD researches and of dissertations done at the department • in the years 1993-2010 and available at the library. While a thematic content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data, percentages were used to analyze the quantitative data. The study found out that even though official documents of the university, TEFL PhD candidates and their guides state that EFL research, including PhD researches should serve problem-solving purposes, little or no result gets into actual use. And PhD students' knowing of this reality is found to be discouraging that many feel also their dissertations will remain on shelf, and thus they feel they do the research mainly for fulfillment. Selection of titles for a PhD research was found to focus on what can be done just for fulfillment rather than what pressing problems can be solved. Most of the PhD researches from 1993-2010 and also the ongoing ones concentrate around certain themes, contexts, and employed almost similar methods. Mixed results were found regarding supervision of PhD researches, while • advisors claim that they give critical feedback and allot adequate time for discussion with their advisees, advisees reflected a range of concerns in relation to the quality and process of supervision, i.e. the feedback and overall coaching was found to be unsatisfactory in terms of depth and breadth, and the advisor-advisee relationships were characterized quite unfriendly, and thus affecting advisees commitments and the quality of their researches. It was also found that seminar and defense sessions are becoming venues just for evaluative reflections from the side of examiners or | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/9051 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | en_US |
| dc.subject | Culture | en_US |
| dc.title | An Investigation into the Research Culture of Addis Ababa University: The Case of Teaching English as a foreign Language (TEFL) Phd Program | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |