Books by David Donnarumma
Given the increased levels of accountability that are driven by high stakes testing, it seems onl... more Given the increased levels of accountability that are driven by high stakes testing, it seems only fair that the stakeholders at the heart of that process – the teachers – are given training to help them to understand the principles and issues that sit behind assessment design and delivery. Amongst the several challenges in delivering this training in assessment literacy (AL) to teachers are the sheer quantity of information to be disseminated in a short period of time and the approach to that training.
This chapter describes a pilot study that investigated the challenges above along with the impact and perceptions of an AL training session. The study illustrates the vulnerable position teachers find themselves in when responsible for high stakes testing, their voiced needs and their frustration with the time available to create or manage valid, fair and reliable tests. The study concludes by advocating split levels of AL training in order to empower teachers in their decision making and protect those that are required to design tests. It also suggests a revised approach to training that treats these teachers as experts rather than novices and thus builds their confidence so that they can contribute effectively to the various aspects of high stakes tests.
In Xerri, D. and Briffa, P.V. (forthcoming) Teacher Involvement in High Stakes Language Testing, Springer AG.
Effective Organisational Communication gives students from all backgrounds the tools to communica... more Effective Organisational Communication gives students from all backgrounds the tools to communicate both within and between organisations of all kinds. Its two-part structure enables readers to explore important theoretical perspectives and key communication challenges, while also helping them to develop their own communication skills – such as listening, writing and speaking – in order to achieve specific aims and to engage with different audiences. This combination makes it the perfect resource for anyone who wants to improve their ability to work effectively with others. This heavily revised fourth edition reflects the rapidly changing world of organisational communication, with a special focus on social media and recent developments in advertising, PR and social marketing. Effective Organisational Communication is suitable for undergraduate and masters-level courses in Business Communication, Management Skills, International Management and Organisational Behaviour. It also provides an accessible overview for the general reader.
Features to aid learning include:
Real-world case studies from organisations of all kinds bring the topics alive.
‘Face to face’ case studies connect concepts and issue with typical everyday communication challenges found at university and work.
Up to the minute coverage of international and inter-cultural communication and emerging technologies.
Web links provide a starting point for research and further study on key issues in each chapter.
Reviewer comments on third edition:
‘There is something refreshing about this text that derives from the breadth of the issues and perspectives addressed in the first half of the book, the worldview advanced through a willingness to engage with the complexity of organisations and communication, and the authors' rich yet succinct style of writing. They have managed to create a comprehensive text that addresses both the conceptual and the practical requirements of students, and even make topics like “meetings”, “email”, and “report writing” both instructive and engaging. [...] The book is rich with valuable insights into the patterns, unpredictability and nuances of organisational communication. It is surprisingly thorough in its coverage of the topics one might expect, as well as many that come as a pleasing surprise. It avoids an instrumental focus and didacticism, but continuously provides guidance for effective practice.’
Journal of Communication Management (2010)
Papers by David Donnarumma
As universities expand and deliver many of their degree programmes online internationally, there ... more As universities expand and deliver many of their degree programmes online internationally, there is an increasing need to support students who may not have the required language skills for their programme. There is a lack of research on online language learning (Sun, 2014), and the intensive nature of EAP courses means that instructors can have difficulty finding the time needed to integrate technology in their teaching and course design (Gilbert, 2013), with little time remaining for research in online EAP provision. This study is an evaluation of the design and development of an online in-sessional English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) course for distance-learning Bachelor of Laws (LLB) students in Bangladesh. The evaluation of a course is the process of determining the relationship between different programme mechanisms, the procedures and theory constructed by the individuals involved in a programme, and the outcomes used to demonstrate the value of the programme (Kiely & Rea-Dickens, 2005). This study draws upon quantitative and qualitative student feedback to offer insights and advice for future online EAP course developers.
The English for Legal Studies (ELS) course is designed around two terms (2 x 10 weeks) of material, with each week consisting of four hours of self-directed content, a live weekly webinar (1.5 hours) and approximately two hours of forum work. The development of the course started in February 2014, and it was delivered to 25 Bangladeshi students starting in September 2014. The LLB degree is fully online but the University does have a partnership centre in Bangladesh that provides classroom and computer facilities where learners can come and study together.
Publication: British Association of Lecturers of English for Academic Purposes, Conference Proceedings (2017, forthcoming)
Given the increased levels of accountability that are driven by high stakes testing, it seems onl... more Given the increased levels of accountability that are driven by high stakes testing, it seems only fair that the stakeholders at the heart of that process – the teachers – are given training to help them to understand the principles and issues that sit behind assessment design and delivery. Amongst the several challenges in delivering this training in assessment literacy (AL) to teachers are the sheer quantity of information to be disseminated in a short period of time and the approach to that training.
This chapter describes a pilot study that investigated the challenges above along with the impact and perceptions of an AL training session. The study illustrates the vulnerable position teachers find themselves in when responsible for high stakes testing, their voiced needs and their frustration with the time available to create or manage valid, fair and reliable tests. The study concludes by advocating split levels of AL training in order to empower teachers in their decision making and protect those that are required to design tests. It also suggests a revised approach to training that treats these teachers as experts rather than novices and thus builds their confidence so that they can contribute effectively to the various aspects of high stakes tests.
Abstract New Open University (OU) EAP courses are geared towards enabling students with language ... more Abstract New Open University (OU) EAP courses are geared towards enabling students with language needs to achieve in the academic environment. According to research carried out in the OU (O'Shea-Poon et al, 2009), there is 'a strong relationship between English ...
Collaborative learning is associated with Vygotskian socio-cultural theory of learning (Vygotsky,... more Collaborative learning is associated with Vygotskian socio-cultural theory of learning (Vygotsky, 1978) which considers learning as socially mediated (Wells, 2007). This learning approach is well documented in education literature (Biggs, 1999; Dillenbourg, 1999). The concept of collaborative learning has also been applied to academic literacy development through literacy pedagogies such as the Teaching and Learning Cycle (e.g., Rothery, 1996). Collaborative learning is used in the joint construction stage of the cycle, and has been successful in making explicit to students the features of written texts and increasing their understanding of how these texts are organized (Hyland, 2007). This stage in the cycle has been applied to face-to-face contexts because students and tutor are able to collaboratively work on the same text. However, research on its application to academic writing development in open and distance learning is relatively new.
This exploratory study examines how this stage can work in the context of an English for academic purposes course in an open and distance university. The data for this study consists of (1) online student discussion threads; (2) student assignments; and (3) tutor feedback. The data was analysed by employing a discourse analysis approach examining how the online interaction scaffolded students to produce their written assignments. The preliminary results showed that the students went through the three phases of Joint Construction (Bridging, Text Negotiation and Review) albeit different to a face-to-face context and performed well in their assignments. We argue that a well-designed online Joint Construction stage may enhance student writing performance.
Conference Presentations by David Donnarumma
Communicating in a Lingua Franca – What’s missing?
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is the commun... more Communicating in a Lingua Franca – What’s missing?
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is the communicative medium of choice for speakers with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds in professional settings (Seidlhofer, 2011). The focus of this study was one such setting – a large international hotel group in India. The study involved interviews, focus groups and questionnaires with hotel employees who reported on the challenges they faced in communication. Drama activities revealed communication strengths, gaps and misunderstandings. The employees demonstrated an accurate use of English but miscommunication still occurred, which was exacerbated by very poor repair techniques. It is claimed that ELF communication is more open to negotiation than in typical L1 settings (Watterson, 2008: 378), but despite this flexibility, in this setting messages were still being misinterpreted. If the context and purpose of communication is clear, and the speakers used accurate language, why was there still so much miscommunication? Is it because “one needs the capacity to negotiate diverse varieties [of English] to facilitate communication” (Canagarajah,2006: 233)? And, if so , what features of those varieties are influencing the miscommunication? This presentation will provide some initial results from the study and will stimulate discussion of aspects of ELF which appear to be critical for successful communication. We will also discuss some of the challenges the results from this study may pose for assessment.
Conference: Language Assessment for Multilingualism: promoting linguistic diversity and intercultural communication., 5th International conference of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE)
This study investigates the design and development of an online in-sessional English for Academic... more This study investigates the design and development of an online in-sessional English for Academic Purposes module for LLB students. The study explores the challenges of delivering such a module and the importance of achieving cognitive, teaching and social presences in an online environment (Garrison, Anderson & Archer, 2000). The study will explore how Rothery’s (1994) teaching and learning cycle has been adapted for the online environment.
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Books by David Donnarumma
This chapter describes a pilot study that investigated the challenges above along with the impact and perceptions of an AL training session. The study illustrates the vulnerable position teachers find themselves in when responsible for high stakes testing, their voiced needs and their frustration with the time available to create or manage valid, fair and reliable tests. The study concludes by advocating split levels of AL training in order to empower teachers in their decision making and protect those that are required to design tests. It also suggests a revised approach to training that treats these teachers as experts rather than novices and thus builds their confidence so that they can contribute effectively to the various aspects of high stakes tests.
In Xerri, D. and Briffa, P.V. (forthcoming) Teacher Involvement in High Stakes Language Testing, Springer AG.
Features to aid learning include:
Real-world case studies from organisations of all kinds bring the topics alive.
‘Face to face’ case studies connect concepts and issue with typical everyday communication challenges found at university and work.
Up to the minute coverage of international and inter-cultural communication and emerging technologies.
Web links provide a starting point for research and further study on key issues in each chapter.
Reviewer comments on third edition:
‘There is something refreshing about this text that derives from the breadth of the issues and perspectives addressed in the first half of the book, the worldview advanced through a willingness to engage with the complexity of organisations and communication, and the authors' rich yet succinct style of writing. They have managed to create a comprehensive text that addresses both the conceptual and the practical requirements of students, and even make topics like “meetings”, “email”, and “report writing” both instructive and engaging. [...] The book is rich with valuable insights into the patterns, unpredictability and nuances of organisational communication. It is surprisingly thorough in its coverage of the topics one might expect, as well as many that come as a pleasing surprise. It avoids an instrumental focus and didacticism, but continuously provides guidance for effective practice.’
Journal of Communication Management (2010)
Papers by David Donnarumma
The English for Legal Studies (ELS) course is designed around two terms (2 x 10 weeks) of material, with each week consisting of four hours of self-directed content, a live weekly webinar (1.5 hours) and approximately two hours of forum work. The development of the course started in February 2014, and it was delivered to 25 Bangladeshi students starting in September 2014. The LLB degree is fully online but the University does have a partnership centre in Bangladesh that provides classroom and computer facilities where learners can come and study together.
Publication: British Association of Lecturers of English for Academic Purposes, Conference Proceedings (2017, forthcoming)
This chapter describes a pilot study that investigated the challenges above along with the impact and perceptions of an AL training session. The study illustrates the vulnerable position teachers find themselves in when responsible for high stakes testing, their voiced needs and their frustration with the time available to create or manage valid, fair and reliable tests. The study concludes by advocating split levels of AL training in order to empower teachers in their decision making and protect those that are required to design tests. It also suggests a revised approach to training that treats these teachers as experts rather than novices and thus builds their confidence so that they can contribute effectively to the various aspects of high stakes tests.
This exploratory study examines how this stage can work in the context of an English for academic purposes course in an open and distance university. The data for this study consists of (1) online student discussion threads; (2) student assignments; and (3) tutor feedback. The data was analysed by employing a discourse analysis approach examining how the online interaction scaffolded students to produce their written assignments. The preliminary results showed that the students went through the three phases of Joint Construction (Bridging, Text Negotiation and Review) albeit different to a face-to-face context and performed well in their assignments. We argue that a well-designed online Joint Construction stage may enhance student writing performance.
Conference Presentations by David Donnarumma
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is the communicative medium of choice for speakers with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds in professional settings (Seidlhofer, 2011). The focus of this study was one such setting – a large international hotel group in India. The study involved interviews, focus groups and questionnaires with hotel employees who reported on the challenges they faced in communication. Drama activities revealed communication strengths, gaps and misunderstandings. The employees demonstrated an accurate use of English but miscommunication still occurred, which was exacerbated by very poor repair techniques. It is claimed that ELF communication is more open to negotiation than in typical L1 settings (Watterson, 2008: 378), but despite this flexibility, in this setting messages were still being misinterpreted. If the context and purpose of communication is clear, and the speakers used accurate language, why was there still so much miscommunication? Is it because “one needs the capacity to negotiate diverse varieties [of English] to facilitate communication” (Canagarajah,2006: 233)? And, if so , what features of those varieties are influencing the miscommunication? This presentation will provide some initial results from the study and will stimulate discussion of aspects of ELF which appear to be critical for successful communication. We will also discuss some of the challenges the results from this study may pose for assessment.
Conference: Language Assessment for Multilingualism: promoting linguistic diversity and intercultural communication., 5th International conference of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE)
This chapter describes a pilot study that investigated the challenges above along with the impact and perceptions of an AL training session. The study illustrates the vulnerable position teachers find themselves in when responsible for high stakes testing, their voiced needs and their frustration with the time available to create or manage valid, fair and reliable tests. The study concludes by advocating split levels of AL training in order to empower teachers in their decision making and protect those that are required to design tests. It also suggests a revised approach to training that treats these teachers as experts rather than novices and thus builds their confidence so that they can contribute effectively to the various aspects of high stakes tests.
In Xerri, D. and Briffa, P.V. (forthcoming) Teacher Involvement in High Stakes Language Testing, Springer AG.
Features to aid learning include:
Real-world case studies from organisations of all kinds bring the topics alive.
‘Face to face’ case studies connect concepts and issue with typical everyday communication challenges found at university and work.
Up to the minute coverage of international and inter-cultural communication and emerging technologies.
Web links provide a starting point for research and further study on key issues in each chapter.
Reviewer comments on third edition:
‘There is something refreshing about this text that derives from the breadth of the issues and perspectives addressed in the first half of the book, the worldview advanced through a willingness to engage with the complexity of organisations and communication, and the authors' rich yet succinct style of writing. They have managed to create a comprehensive text that addresses both the conceptual and the practical requirements of students, and even make topics like “meetings”, “email”, and “report writing” both instructive and engaging. [...] The book is rich with valuable insights into the patterns, unpredictability and nuances of organisational communication. It is surprisingly thorough in its coverage of the topics one might expect, as well as many that come as a pleasing surprise. It avoids an instrumental focus and didacticism, but continuously provides guidance for effective practice.’
Journal of Communication Management (2010)
The English for Legal Studies (ELS) course is designed around two terms (2 x 10 weeks) of material, with each week consisting of four hours of self-directed content, a live weekly webinar (1.5 hours) and approximately two hours of forum work. The development of the course started in February 2014, and it was delivered to 25 Bangladeshi students starting in September 2014. The LLB degree is fully online but the University does have a partnership centre in Bangladesh that provides classroom and computer facilities where learners can come and study together.
Publication: British Association of Lecturers of English for Academic Purposes, Conference Proceedings (2017, forthcoming)
This chapter describes a pilot study that investigated the challenges above along with the impact and perceptions of an AL training session. The study illustrates the vulnerable position teachers find themselves in when responsible for high stakes testing, their voiced needs and their frustration with the time available to create or manage valid, fair and reliable tests. The study concludes by advocating split levels of AL training in order to empower teachers in their decision making and protect those that are required to design tests. It also suggests a revised approach to training that treats these teachers as experts rather than novices and thus builds their confidence so that they can contribute effectively to the various aspects of high stakes tests.
This exploratory study examines how this stage can work in the context of an English for academic purposes course in an open and distance university. The data for this study consists of (1) online student discussion threads; (2) student assignments; and (3) tutor feedback. The data was analysed by employing a discourse analysis approach examining how the online interaction scaffolded students to produce their written assignments. The preliminary results showed that the students went through the three phases of Joint Construction (Bridging, Text Negotiation and Review) albeit different to a face-to-face context and performed well in their assignments. We argue that a well-designed online Joint Construction stage may enhance student writing performance.
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is the communicative medium of choice for speakers with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds in professional settings (Seidlhofer, 2011). The focus of this study was one such setting – a large international hotel group in India. The study involved interviews, focus groups and questionnaires with hotel employees who reported on the challenges they faced in communication. Drama activities revealed communication strengths, gaps and misunderstandings. The employees demonstrated an accurate use of English but miscommunication still occurred, which was exacerbated by very poor repair techniques. It is claimed that ELF communication is more open to negotiation than in typical L1 settings (Watterson, 2008: 378), but despite this flexibility, in this setting messages were still being misinterpreted. If the context and purpose of communication is clear, and the speakers used accurate language, why was there still so much miscommunication? Is it because “one needs the capacity to negotiate diverse varieties [of English] to facilitate communication” (Canagarajah,2006: 233)? And, if so , what features of those varieties are influencing the miscommunication? This presentation will provide some initial results from the study and will stimulate discussion of aspects of ELF which appear to be critical for successful communication. We will also discuss some of the challenges the results from this study may pose for assessment.
Conference: Language Assessment for Multilingualism: promoting linguistic diversity and intercultural communication., 5th International conference of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE)