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Liliana Cuesta Medina

Universidad de La Sabana, Education, Faculty Member

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Liliana Cuesta Medina is an Associate Professor at Universidad de La Sabana. Director of Outreach and Engagement at the School of Communication, and Director of the Master’s programs in English Language Teaching at the Faculty of Education. She holds a PhD in English Philology from the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED-Madrid, Spain), a B.A. in English and Spanish from the Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (Bogotá, Colombia), and a Specialization in Applied Linguistics to the Teaching of English from the Universidad La Gran Colombia (Bogotá, Colombia). Liliana has been involved in local and international teacher development programs (EFL, online education, international and intercultural learning, among others). Her experience also includes the teaching of American Literature courses to undergraduates; a number of courses at the graduate level in various areas), and the design and implementation of online and teacher education macroprojects. Her research areas include teacher and intercultural education, online learning, CLIL, COIL, on which topics she has published in a number of indexed journals and conference proceedings. Liliana also she serves as an evaluator of the National Accreditation Council in Colombia and of various boards and programs in the country.
Address: Campus Universitario del Puente del Común,
Km. 7, Autopista Norte de Bogotá,
Chía, Cundinamarca,
Colombia

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Universitat de Barcelona

Politecnico di Milano

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Boise State University

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Papers by Liliana Cuesta Medina

CLIL and the dynamics of policy and sectorisation in Colombia

Routledge eBooks, Nov 21, 2022

Cyberbullying detection factors of analysis: A comparative study

Revista Espacios, 2019

Contenido 1. Introducción 2. Metodología 3. Resultados 4. Conclusiones Referencias bibliográficas... more Contenido 1. Introducción 2. Metodología 3. Resultados 4. Conclusiones Referencias bibliográficas RESUMEN: El presente estudio pretende analizar la influencia de un programa de prevención del ciberacoso. La muestra estuvo conformada por 1355 preadolescentes en el caso de Colombia y 999 en el caso de Perú. Se aplicó el cuestionario de violencia escolar revisado CUVE-R (Álvarez-García et al., 2011). Los resultados indican que los factores de violencia escolar que más se presentan tanto en Colombia como en Perú corresponden con violencia verbal entre estudiantes y disrupción en el aula de clase.

Course design for graduate students: Strategic planning and actions

Underlying sources of academic writing difficulties in postgraduate language-teacher trainees

This paper reports on the initial n stages of a larger study on persuasive plurilingual communica... more This paper reports on the initial n stages of a larger study on persuasive plurilingual communicative competences. Experiential evidence indicated a mismatch between the academic writing competences desired from and those displayed by the participants—adult bilingual (L1 Spanish, L2 English) in-service English-language teacher trainees in a postgraduate program at Colombian university. The study focuses on answering questions about participants’ beliefs and practices concerning academic writing in order to identify the sources of the participants’ problems so as to provide an evidential basis from which to identifying improvement strategies. The study followed a mixed methods design, collecting data from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and student artifacts; the data was analyzed through the grounded theory approach. The results suggest the participants’ academic writing difficulties result from lack of training (through either L1 or L2) with the rhetorical norms of the ...

Situated Practice in CLIL: Voices from Colombian Teachers

GiST Education and Learning Research Journal, 2019

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to determine the factors and conditions tha... more The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to determine the factors and conditions that intervene in the implementation of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) in diverse Colombian educational contexts. This study was conducted at five private schools from different cities and towns in the country (Bogotá, Chía, Tenjo, Facatativá, and Girardot). Data was collected from three sources (interviews, questionnaires, and field journals). Data analysis procedures included the use of triangulation and validation procedures through the grounded theory approach. Findings revealed that teachers still have complications understanding CLIL as an approach that goes beyond the mere usage of the target language in content. Instead, the study advocates for the inclusion of essential lifelong skills (i.e. creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication) when implementing CLIL in the classroom. Results also indicated that staged lesson planning is scarce, and that...

Mentoring Teachers to Research their Classrooms: A Practical Handbook RichardSmith

Tesol Journal, 2022

There are numerous books and publications that address how to enhance effective teaching and stra... more There are numerous books and publications that address how to enhance effective teaching and strategies to support teachers’ academic growth. Many of these publications adopt a traditional, research-based approach, highlighting theoretical foundations, though leaving aside the practical considerations and principles that derive from such analyses. Hence, readers face challenges in understanding and linking the theory with the reality of their classroom practice. In Mentoring teachers to research their classrooms: A practical handbook, Richard Smith accepts this challenge by fusing his experience and analysis of multiple teacher mentoring and coordination of teacher-research mentoring projects.

Designing for online interaction: Scaffolded and collaborative interventions in a graduate-level blended course

The EuroCALL Review, 2012

This article examines types of interaction from the perspective of intervening agents and interac... more This article examines types of interaction from the perspective of intervening agents and interaction outcomes. We argue that the strategic combination of these types of interaction with certain core features (such as dosified input, attainable goal-setting, personalization and collaboration) contribute to creating a more effective relationship between instructional design, use and the interactional purposes of learning activities. The paper also offers instructors and course designers various considerations regarding the pedagogical nature of learning activities and the actions that both learners and instructors can carry out to optimize the online educational experience. Consideration for emergent trends in research on related areas are also presented.

Transcending Barriers Towards Effective Blended Learning Horizons

Emerging Techniques and Applications for Blended Learning in K-20 Classrooms, 2020

The chapter highlights the changing nature of blended learning (BL). In addition to this, the cha... more The chapter highlights the changing nature of blended learning (BL). In addition to this, the chapter provides various pedagogical considerations drawn both from the research literature and the analysis of effective practices. Thus, by examining specific challenges and opportunities concerning the design, development, and assessment practices in BL scenarios, the chapter unveils a proposal for effective instructional, organizational, and learning decision making. It also makes a call for opportune dissemination of blended learning practices and projects both nationally and transnationally, with the intention of offering an ample and steady scope to scaffold and support educators, learners, and other agents to ensure quality and sustainability of the blended endeavors across time.

Determining Factors for Cyberbullying Prevention Programmes

International Education Studies, Nov 28, 2017

This study reports on the first stages of a larger project to develop an ICT-supported cyberbully... more This study reports on the first stages of a larger project to develop an ICT-supported cyberbullying prevention programme that fosters development of children's communication skills for the safe use of social media. To establish baseline data on the incidence and growth of cyberbullying in Bogotá, Colombia, we applied a Revised School Violence Questionnaire (CUVE-R) to a population of 1355 fifth-grade pre-adolescents. The results show that cyberbullying is at an early stage in the surveyed educational institutions, and we make specific recommendations on developing cyberbullying prevention programmes that foster effective communication and self-regulatory skills supported by multimodal strategies and ICT tools.

Beyond the Endorsement of Reflection in Language Teaching and Learning

Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 2019

This paper reports on the first phase of an exploratory qualitative study carried out with in-ser... more This paper reports on the first phase of an exploratory qualitative study carried out with in-service language teachers pursuing a graduate degree in Colombia. It aims at analyzing their practices, needs, and challenges, examined under two perspectives—the teacher as a learner and the teacher as a teacher. The study made use of interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires as the primary sources of data. Data analysis included a grounded theory approach and the use of coding, triangulation, and validation procedures. Results unveiled the difficulties that current in-service teachers have in different domains (cognitive, metacognitive, and linguistic), and also inform how the teaching challenges within their specific contexts influence their beliefs, practices, learning and teaching outcomes, and their professional growth. The study presents both theoretical and applied considerations to tackle the needs and challenges reported, aiming at offering a systematic analysis and approach fo...

Cyberbullying: tackling the silent enemy

International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2018

Access to online information and communication and the use of social networks have all increased ... more Access to online information and communication and the use of social networks have all increased considerably among preadolescents over the last decade. These trends are directly related to the similarly growing phenomenon of cyberbullying: as preadolescents' exposure to online social interaction increases, so does their potential involvement in harmful online interactions. Thus, there is a need to design and implement cyberbullying prevention programmes that prepare pre-adolescents for both the risks and opportunities of a technology-driven world. This qualitative study analyzed the effects of a cyberbullying prevention programme supported by the use of technologies for the safe use of social media in pre-adolescents. Data were collected from 151 participants (aged 9-11), at five schools in Bogotá, Colombia. Results indicate that pre-adolescents increased their understanding about cyberbullying as they came to appreciate how building confidence and self-efficacy could prepare them to better face cyberbullying threats. Thus, the study advocates for the early teaching of self-regulatory skills to help youngsters develop conflict resolution skills and ease their gradual empowerment to face cyberbullying. The study suggests specific considerations that will help communities to shape future prevention plans and policies, supporting the development of more inclusive school learning environments framed upon collaboration, equity, and social justice principles.

Blended learning: Deficits and prospects in higher education

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2017

This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompass... more This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompasses numerous connotations, including its conception as a strategy, delivery mode, opportunity, educational shift, or pedagogical approach. Although much has been said in this field, very few studies examine the different types of blends behind their implementation. To address this gap in the literature, the article indicates types of blends and analyses the characteristics of BL, its benefits and limitations, supported by a review of literature, and an analysis of a sample of BL cases in higher education language-teaching worldwide. Additional data were also gathered through a questionnaire administered to language department chairs. Data were triangulated and analysed using the grounded theory approach. The article closes with an examination of different levels of blending, the various perspectives within the educational community on its use, and a discussion of its future applicability,...

Diseño, Desarrollo e Implementación De Un Modelo

E Mail Educativo, Feb 15, 2010

Boosting vocabulary learning through self-assessment in an English language teaching context

Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 2015

This study explores the influence of self-assessment of vocabulary competence on a group of stude... more This study explores the influence of self-assessment of vocabulary competence on a group of students’ oral fluency. Twenty-four young adult learners participated in a learning process that promoted their oral skills and vocabulary development. Self-assessment was mainly examined through the analysis of students’ learning logs, field notes and artefacts in the form of audio recordings. By contrasting and analysing data sources, and the results obtained from pre- and post-speaking tasks, through a mixed method design approach, it was found that when students self-assess, they are able to acknowledge their learning strengths and drawbacks. This practice enabled students to set learning commitments, use learning strategies that also allow them to raise awareness and take further actions, while self-monitoring them. Consequently, initial improvements in students’ oral fluency development were evinced through the implementation of a systematic cycle that applies self-assessment as a formative assessment source....

Fostering collaboration in CALL: Benefits and challenges of using virtual language resource centres

CALL Design: Principles and Practice - Proceedings of the 2014 EUROCALL Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2014

This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study on collaborative CALL design and implem... more This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study on collaborative CALL design and implementation carried out with two groups of postgraduate language-teacher trainees who designed and piloted nine virtual language resource centres (VLRC) at 16 educational institutions of different levels and contents for an academic year. The project was conceived with the collaborative nature of online environments and the design principles of Paquette (2002) in mind. Data analysis revealed that both teacher trainees and their learners understood VLRCs as supporting the development of learner autonomy through the use of Web 2.0 technologies, various scaffolding agents, and instruction in learner strategies. The design of the VLRCs helped learners engage in collaborative projects related to their contexts and needs to achieve their learning objectives. However, some learners experienced technology-generated anxiety, which limited their usage of the VRLCs, as well as their engagement with and achievement in the collaborative activities planned. Likewise, some trainees experienced technostress stemming from lack of expertise with learning management systems (LMSs) and design of learning objects. Various possibilities for improving the design and implementation of VLRCs are recommended, such as including ICT training tutorials and activities that cater activities appropriate to a broader variety of learning styles and language skills.

11 Mapping Transformations in Teacher Education: Colombian Teachers’ Enactments through Mentoring

Professional Development through Teacher Research

Self-regulation and Language Teacher Training in Colombia

Initial English Language Teacher Education, 2017

Self-regulation and a capacity for self-regulated learning (SRL) are widely recognized in educati... more Self-regulation and a capacity for self-regulated learning (SRL) are widely recognized in educational research literature as critical for not only contemporary learners but also for teachers. Yet the emphasis placed on instilling skills and strategies for SRL in learners often ignores a more fundamental problem of teachers who are not only unprepared to educate their learners in SRL but in fact lack SRL abilities themselves. Successfully meeting these challenges requires understanding the distinct situations of younger learners, who can develop SRL habits and skills from the beginning of their formal educational processes, and adult learners, needing to unlearn years of dependent learning habits as well as learn new SRL habits, especially if these adults are to foster SRL in others. Objectives: 1. Review relevant literature on self-regulation with a focus on development of self-regulation in language teachers. 2. Explore a hypothesized gap/mismatch between emphasis on self-regulated learning in teacher-training programmes and actual practice in the field through analysis of data collected from Colombian teacher educators. 3. Propose strategies and approaches to address the challenges identified and to promote the development of self-regulation in language teachers and their learners.

Beliefs and Practices Concerning Academic Writing Among Postgraduate Language-Teacher Trainees

Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 2019

This paper reports on the initial stages of a larger study on plurilingual rhetorical communicati... more This paper reports on the initial stages of a larger study on plurilingual rhetorical communicative competences. Experiential evidence indicated a mismatch between the academic writing competences desired from and those displayed by the participants—adult bilingual (L1 Spanish, L+ English) English-language teacher trainees in a postgraduate program at Colombian university. We examined participants’ beliefs and practices concerning academic writing to identify the sources of their challenges and develop the evidential basis for identifying appropriate remedial strategies. This was a mixed methods study, in which we analyzed data from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and student artifacts through the grounded theory approach and descriptive statistics. The results suggest that participants’ challenges with rhetorical aspects of academic writing stem from a lack of training. However, participants were relatively successful with aspects of writing in which they had been ...

Graphic Organizers Support Young L2 Writers’ Argumentative Skills

GiST Education and Learning Research Journal, 2018

Learners are increasingly required to analyze critically information presented in languages other... more Learners are increasingly required to analyze critically information presented in languages other than their first to form reasoned opinions and solve problems. It is thus urgent to develop their argumentation skills, needed not only for academic success but also later professional life—and, indeed, by participant citizens in democratic societies. Although there has been some increased interest in teaching argumentation at pre-tertiary levels, this remains a relatively unexplored issue in Colombia (and, indeed, much of the developing world), certainly when considering writing in a second language. This qualitative study analyzed the influence of graphic organizers on the development of argumentative written tasks by a group of sixth-grade English learners. Data was collected through surveys, questionnaires, focus group, a teachers’ journal, and students’ written artifacts and analyzed through the grounded theory approach. Findings revealed that using graphic organizers positively in...

Technological and psychopedagogical innovation in second language blended learning

Blended Language Learning: International Perspectives on Innovative Practices , 2019

This chapter analyses a challenging domain of application within blended learning, namely, that o... more This chapter analyses a challenging domain of application within blended learning, namely, that of second languages, due to the intricate array of receptive, productive and interactive verbal (and non-verbal) formal and functional capabilities that intervene in the communicative act. A specific blended methodology is highlighted among the myriad of implementations of this modality, due to the evidence available for its successful application. The chapter focuses on the role that technological and psychopedagogical innovation can play in overcoming the main limitations related to students’ perceptions and attitudes about certain aspects of the conventional learning tasks aimed at the development of the abovementioned capabilities.

CLIL and the dynamics of policy and sectorisation in Colombia

Routledge eBooks, Nov 21, 2022

Cyberbullying detection factors of analysis: A comparative study

Revista Espacios, 2019

Contenido 1. Introducción 2. Metodología 3. Resultados 4. Conclusiones Referencias bibliográficas... more Contenido 1. Introducción 2. Metodología 3. Resultados 4. Conclusiones Referencias bibliográficas RESUMEN: El presente estudio pretende analizar la influencia de un programa de prevención del ciberacoso. La muestra estuvo conformada por 1355 preadolescentes en el caso de Colombia y 999 en el caso de Perú. Se aplicó el cuestionario de violencia escolar revisado CUVE-R (Álvarez-García et al., 2011). Los resultados indican que los factores de violencia escolar que más se presentan tanto en Colombia como en Perú corresponden con violencia verbal entre estudiantes y disrupción en el aula de clase.

Course design for graduate students: Strategic planning and actions

Underlying sources of academic writing difficulties in postgraduate language-teacher trainees

This paper reports on the initial n stages of a larger study on persuasive plurilingual communica... more This paper reports on the initial n stages of a larger study on persuasive plurilingual communicative competences. Experiential evidence indicated a mismatch between the academic writing competences desired from and those displayed by the participants—adult bilingual (L1 Spanish, L2 English) in-service English-language teacher trainees in a postgraduate program at Colombian university. The study focuses on answering questions about participants’ beliefs and practices concerning academic writing in order to identify the sources of the participants’ problems so as to provide an evidential basis from which to identifying improvement strategies. The study followed a mixed methods design, collecting data from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and student artifacts; the data was analyzed through the grounded theory approach. The results suggest the participants’ academic writing difficulties result from lack of training (through either L1 or L2) with the rhetorical norms of the ...

Situated Practice in CLIL: Voices from Colombian Teachers

GiST Education and Learning Research Journal, 2019

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to determine the factors and conditions tha... more The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to determine the factors and conditions that intervene in the implementation of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) in diverse Colombian educational contexts. This study was conducted at five private schools from different cities and towns in the country (Bogotá, Chía, Tenjo, Facatativá, and Girardot). Data was collected from three sources (interviews, questionnaires, and field journals). Data analysis procedures included the use of triangulation and validation procedures through the grounded theory approach. Findings revealed that teachers still have complications understanding CLIL as an approach that goes beyond the mere usage of the target language in content. Instead, the study advocates for the inclusion of essential lifelong skills (i.e. creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication) when implementing CLIL in the classroom. Results also indicated that staged lesson planning is scarce, and that...

Mentoring Teachers to Research their Classrooms: A Practical Handbook RichardSmith

Tesol Journal, 2022

There are numerous books and publications that address how to enhance effective teaching and stra... more There are numerous books and publications that address how to enhance effective teaching and strategies to support teachers’ academic growth. Many of these publications adopt a traditional, research-based approach, highlighting theoretical foundations, though leaving aside the practical considerations and principles that derive from such analyses. Hence, readers face challenges in understanding and linking the theory with the reality of their classroom practice. In Mentoring teachers to research their classrooms: A practical handbook, Richard Smith accepts this challenge by fusing his experience and analysis of multiple teacher mentoring and coordination of teacher-research mentoring projects.

Designing for online interaction: Scaffolded and collaborative interventions in a graduate-level blended course

The EuroCALL Review, 2012

This article examines types of interaction from the perspective of intervening agents and interac... more This article examines types of interaction from the perspective of intervening agents and interaction outcomes. We argue that the strategic combination of these types of interaction with certain core features (such as dosified input, attainable goal-setting, personalization and collaboration) contribute to creating a more effective relationship between instructional design, use and the interactional purposes of learning activities. The paper also offers instructors and course designers various considerations regarding the pedagogical nature of learning activities and the actions that both learners and instructors can carry out to optimize the online educational experience. Consideration for emergent trends in research on related areas are also presented.

Transcending Barriers Towards Effective Blended Learning Horizons

Emerging Techniques and Applications for Blended Learning in K-20 Classrooms, 2020

The chapter highlights the changing nature of blended learning (BL). In addition to this, the cha... more The chapter highlights the changing nature of blended learning (BL). In addition to this, the chapter provides various pedagogical considerations drawn both from the research literature and the analysis of effective practices. Thus, by examining specific challenges and opportunities concerning the design, development, and assessment practices in BL scenarios, the chapter unveils a proposal for effective instructional, organizational, and learning decision making. It also makes a call for opportune dissemination of blended learning practices and projects both nationally and transnationally, with the intention of offering an ample and steady scope to scaffold and support educators, learners, and other agents to ensure quality and sustainability of the blended endeavors across time.

Determining Factors for Cyberbullying Prevention Programmes

International Education Studies, Nov 28, 2017

This study reports on the first stages of a larger project to develop an ICT-supported cyberbully... more This study reports on the first stages of a larger project to develop an ICT-supported cyberbullying prevention programme that fosters development of children's communication skills for the safe use of social media. To establish baseline data on the incidence and growth of cyberbullying in Bogotá, Colombia, we applied a Revised School Violence Questionnaire (CUVE-R) to a population of 1355 fifth-grade pre-adolescents. The results show that cyberbullying is at an early stage in the surveyed educational institutions, and we make specific recommendations on developing cyberbullying prevention programmes that foster effective communication and self-regulatory skills supported by multimodal strategies and ICT tools.

Beyond the Endorsement of Reflection in Language Teaching and Learning

Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 2019

This paper reports on the first phase of an exploratory qualitative study carried out with in-ser... more This paper reports on the first phase of an exploratory qualitative study carried out with in-service language teachers pursuing a graduate degree in Colombia. It aims at analyzing their practices, needs, and challenges, examined under two perspectives—the teacher as a learner and the teacher as a teacher. The study made use of interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires as the primary sources of data. Data analysis included a grounded theory approach and the use of coding, triangulation, and validation procedures. Results unveiled the difficulties that current in-service teachers have in different domains (cognitive, metacognitive, and linguistic), and also inform how the teaching challenges within their specific contexts influence their beliefs, practices, learning and teaching outcomes, and their professional growth. The study presents both theoretical and applied considerations to tackle the needs and challenges reported, aiming at offering a systematic analysis and approach fo...

Cyberbullying: tackling the silent enemy

International Journal of Inclusive Education, 2018

Access to online information and communication and the use of social networks have all increased ... more Access to online information and communication and the use of social networks have all increased considerably among preadolescents over the last decade. These trends are directly related to the similarly growing phenomenon of cyberbullying: as preadolescents' exposure to online social interaction increases, so does their potential involvement in harmful online interactions. Thus, there is a need to design and implement cyberbullying prevention programmes that prepare pre-adolescents for both the risks and opportunities of a technology-driven world. This qualitative study analyzed the effects of a cyberbullying prevention programme supported by the use of technologies for the safe use of social media in pre-adolescents. Data were collected from 151 participants (aged 9-11), at five schools in Bogotá, Colombia. Results indicate that pre-adolescents increased their understanding about cyberbullying as they came to appreciate how building confidence and self-efficacy could prepare them to better face cyberbullying threats. Thus, the study advocates for the early teaching of self-regulatory skills to help youngsters develop conflict resolution skills and ease their gradual empowerment to face cyberbullying. The study suggests specific considerations that will help communities to shape future prevention plans and policies, supporting the development of more inclusive school learning environments framed upon collaboration, equity, and social justice principles.

Blended learning: Deficits and prospects in higher education

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2017

This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompass... more This article examines the nature and evolution of the term blended learning (BL), which encompasses numerous connotations, including its conception as a strategy, delivery mode, opportunity, educational shift, or pedagogical approach. Although much has been said in this field, very few studies examine the different types of blends behind their implementation. To address this gap in the literature, the article indicates types of blends and analyses the characteristics of BL, its benefits and limitations, supported by a review of literature, and an analysis of a sample of BL cases in higher education language-teaching worldwide. Additional data were also gathered through a questionnaire administered to language department chairs. Data were triangulated and analysed using the grounded theory approach. The article closes with an examination of different levels of blending, the various perspectives within the educational community on its use, and a discussion of its future applicability,...

Diseño, Desarrollo e Implementación De Un Modelo

E Mail Educativo, Feb 15, 2010

Boosting vocabulary learning through self-assessment in an English language teaching context

Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 2015

This study explores the influence of self-assessment of vocabulary competence on a group of stude... more This study explores the influence of self-assessment of vocabulary competence on a group of students’ oral fluency. Twenty-four young adult learners participated in a learning process that promoted their oral skills and vocabulary development. Self-assessment was mainly examined through the analysis of students’ learning logs, field notes and artefacts in the form of audio recordings. By contrasting and analysing data sources, and the results obtained from pre- and post-speaking tasks, through a mixed method design approach, it was found that when students self-assess, they are able to acknowledge their learning strengths and drawbacks. This practice enabled students to set learning commitments, use learning strategies that also allow them to raise awareness and take further actions, while self-monitoring them. Consequently, initial improvements in students’ oral fluency development were evinced through the implementation of a systematic cycle that applies self-assessment as a formative assessment source....

Fostering collaboration in CALL: Benefits and challenges of using virtual language resource centres

CALL Design: Principles and Practice - Proceedings of the 2014 EUROCALL Conference, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2014

This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study on collaborative CALL design and implem... more This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study on collaborative CALL design and implementation carried out with two groups of postgraduate language-teacher trainees who designed and piloted nine virtual language resource centres (VLRC) at 16 educational institutions of different levels and contents for an academic year. The project was conceived with the collaborative nature of online environments and the design principles of Paquette (2002) in mind. Data analysis revealed that both teacher trainees and their learners understood VLRCs as supporting the development of learner autonomy through the use of Web 2.0 technologies, various scaffolding agents, and instruction in learner strategies. The design of the VLRCs helped learners engage in collaborative projects related to their contexts and needs to achieve their learning objectives. However, some learners experienced technology-generated anxiety, which limited their usage of the VRLCs, as well as their engagement with and achievement in the collaborative activities planned. Likewise, some trainees experienced technostress stemming from lack of expertise with learning management systems (LMSs) and design of learning objects. Various possibilities for improving the design and implementation of VLRCs are recommended, such as including ICT training tutorials and activities that cater activities appropriate to a broader variety of learning styles and language skills.

11 Mapping Transformations in Teacher Education: Colombian Teachers’ Enactments through Mentoring

Professional Development through Teacher Research

Self-regulation and Language Teacher Training in Colombia

Initial English Language Teacher Education, 2017

Self-regulation and a capacity for self-regulated learning (SRL) are widely recognized in educati... more Self-regulation and a capacity for self-regulated learning (SRL) are widely recognized in educational research literature as critical for not only contemporary learners but also for teachers. Yet the emphasis placed on instilling skills and strategies for SRL in learners often ignores a more fundamental problem of teachers who are not only unprepared to educate their learners in SRL but in fact lack SRL abilities themselves. Successfully meeting these challenges requires understanding the distinct situations of younger learners, who can develop SRL habits and skills from the beginning of their formal educational processes, and adult learners, needing to unlearn years of dependent learning habits as well as learn new SRL habits, especially if these adults are to foster SRL in others. Objectives: 1. Review relevant literature on self-regulation with a focus on development of self-regulation in language teachers. 2. Explore a hypothesized gap/mismatch between emphasis on self-regulated learning in teacher-training programmes and actual practice in the field through analysis of data collected from Colombian teacher educators. 3. Propose strategies and approaches to address the challenges identified and to promote the development of self-regulation in language teachers and their learners.

Beliefs and Practices Concerning Academic Writing Among Postgraduate Language-Teacher Trainees

Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 2019

This paper reports on the initial stages of a larger study on plurilingual rhetorical communicati... more This paper reports on the initial stages of a larger study on plurilingual rhetorical communicative competences. Experiential evidence indicated a mismatch between the academic writing competences desired from and those displayed by the participants—adult bilingual (L1 Spanish, L+ English) English-language teacher trainees in a postgraduate program at Colombian university. We examined participants’ beliefs and practices concerning academic writing to identify the sources of their challenges and develop the evidential basis for identifying appropriate remedial strategies. This was a mixed methods study, in which we analyzed data from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and student artifacts through the grounded theory approach and descriptive statistics. The results suggest that participants’ challenges with rhetorical aspects of academic writing stem from a lack of training. However, participants were relatively successful with aspects of writing in which they had been ...

Graphic Organizers Support Young L2 Writers’ Argumentative Skills

GiST Education and Learning Research Journal, 2018

Learners are increasingly required to analyze critically information presented in languages other... more Learners are increasingly required to analyze critically information presented in languages other than their first to form reasoned opinions and solve problems. It is thus urgent to develop their argumentation skills, needed not only for academic success but also later professional life—and, indeed, by participant citizens in democratic societies. Although there has been some increased interest in teaching argumentation at pre-tertiary levels, this remains a relatively unexplored issue in Colombia (and, indeed, much of the developing world), certainly when considering writing in a second language. This qualitative study analyzed the influence of graphic organizers on the development of argumentative written tasks by a group of sixth-grade English learners. Data was collected through surveys, questionnaires, focus group, a teachers’ journal, and students’ written artifacts and analyzed through the grounded theory approach. Findings revealed that using graphic organizers positively in...

Technological and psychopedagogical innovation in second language blended learning

Blended Language Learning: International Perspectives on Innovative Practices , 2019

This chapter analyses a challenging domain of application within blended learning, namely, that o... more This chapter analyses a challenging domain of application within blended learning, namely, that of second languages, due to the intricate array of receptive, productive and interactive verbal (and non-verbal) formal and functional capabilities that intervene in the communicative act. A specific blended methodology is highlighted among the myriad of implementations of this modality, due to the evidence available for its successful application. The chapter focuses on the role that technological and psychopedagogical innovation can play in overcoming the main limitations related to students’ perceptions and attitudes about certain aspects of the conventional learning tasks aimed at the development of the abovementioned capabilities.

Teaching from home, working from home: What does it really encompass?

March 15, 2020, 11:49 p.m. Colombia is included in the long list of countries in which the COVID... more March 15, 2020, 11:49 p.m.
Colombia is included in the long list of countries in which the COVID-19 has rapidly spread. With 34 cases as of today, the country has engaged in a contingency plan that embodies preventative measures against the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, like in the case of other territories worldwide, one of the biggest sectors with the most affects is the educational one, surrounding the lives of thousands of children, teachers and their families. Among the measures adopted by several educational institutions (K-12 thru Higher Ed), one can report the suspension of classes, and the temporary transition to remote work conditions, hoping to move forward with the academic semester/year. However, to ensure that effectiveness reach the expected plateau, several adaptations need to be made by teachers and learners, such as the offer of flexible working plans, including remote working, and/or home working strategies. Thus, organizations and agents need to be aware of the most effective manners to respond to this unprecedented moment, reviewing and mitigating critical aspects derived from the implementation of such plans.
I have listed in this short article various considerations for instructors who aim the transition to working remotely, most likely to occur in the confort of their homes, given the national governmental call to enter self-isolation. In a future paper, I will refer to the implications for directive and administrative staff.