The Hyphenated Identity of the Academic Scholar: Codeswitching across teaching-research Prof. Clare Mar-Molinero, University of Southampton

Outline of lecture Response to ‘Call for Papers’ questions The Modern Languages Context Multi-disciplinary Language v ‘content’ curriculum Southampton ML experience The Hyphenated Academic Personal biography Research as metaphor

Conference questions Can a teacher in higher education be effective without also being an active researcher? Are good teaching and good research conflicting goals? Is a focus on one likely to lead to the neglect of the other? How far should teaching be informed by or led by research? Do students benefit or suffer from being taught by active researchers in their discipline, or by specialist teachers who are not themselves active in research? What are the roles of academic leaders and institutional management in negotiating the research-teaching nexus?

What is ‘Research’? Research is NOT just ‘RAE-returnable’ work Some defnitions (n) research: systematic investigation to establish facts (n) research: enquiry / inquiry, a search for knowledge (v) research: to attempt to find out in a systematic and scientific manner (v) research: to search, explore (inquire into)

More definitions Research is: Research is: an active, diligent and systematic process of inquiry in order to discover, interpret or revise facts, events, behaviours, or theories, or to make practical applications with the help of such facts, laws or theories. an active, diligent and systematic process of inquiry in order to discover, interpret or revise facts, events, behaviours, or theories, or to make practical applications with the help of such facts, laws or theories. … "research" is also used to describe the collection of information about a particular subject. …a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge (Princeton University Press)

Do all HE teachers ‘do’ research? Can a teacher in higher education be effective without also being an active researcher? NO Are good teaching and good research conflicting goals? NO Is a focus on one likely to lead to the neglect of the other? NOT NECESSARILY

What is ‘teaching’? Teaching Is the activity of educating or instructing; activity that imparts knowledge or skill. Is the ability to understand and communicate creates the conditions to learn How far should teaching be informed by or led by research?

Who are ‘good’ teachers? Do students benefit or suffer from being taught by active researchers in their discipline, or by specialist teachers who are not themselves active in research? This is a false distinction: the good experience will contain both

Benefits of linking research & teaching Enriches the student experience Motivates staff (and students) Brings cutting-edge knowledge to the discipline Ensures the curriculum is up-to-date Skills/methods used for research can be used in teaching, and vice-versa –e.g empirical work for assessment

Respected career paths for all What are the roles of academic leaders and institutional management in negotiating the research-teaching nexus? To provide –Fair and meaningful career paths –Wide-ranging staff development –A shared understanding of research as the creation of knowledge, of benefit to staff and students

Challenges for Modern Languages Who and what is an HE Modern Linguist? –Modern languages is multi-disciplinary –Modern languages is inter-disciplinary –Tensions between Language Teaching and ‘Content’ curricula / research

The Southampton ML experience Professionalisation of language teaching Equal career pathways Research for all / teaching for all research & teaching Centres and projects (LLAS, eLearning, TNS & CALR) Links between language and content units

The successful Modern Linguist A Modern Linguist is a Teacher- Researcher or a Researcher-Teacher Dual / hyphenated identity with shifting balances and focus.

Personal biography Language tutor Lecturer Pedagogical research Sociolinguistic research Beginners Spanish Language & identity amongst US Latinos

Current research as metaphor US Latinos –Hyphenated identity –Codeswitching –Transnational movements –Top-down versus bottom-up impact (globalisation)

Molotov‘s Frijolero : an example Mexican /US border Codeswitching between English & Spanish Hybrid language and accents Multi-media (song, words & video) Multi-disciplinary (history, politics, music, language) Student-friendly

Conclusions There IS and MUST be a link between teaching and research The successful academic fluctuates effortlessly between the two However, the success of the link depends on: However, the success of the link depends on: –An explicit re-defining of ‘research’ –Fair and equitable career pathways