Terra’s Dissertation Takes Shape

When Jason and I arrived in Armenia back in 2005, I anticipated that my future career would take me back to teaching, and perhaps into teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language (EFL/ESL).  During our three years in Armenia, I had the opportunity to see another side of education that I had not previously considered as a career option –  that of education policy and development.  That interest is what took me to Bristol University, which is well known across the globe for its strong work in this particular field, specifically comparative studies, which involves looking at different countries’ education systems.  Bristol Uni also has a new research center focusing on small states a category which Armenia falls into.  This all comes together nicely for my interests and study, both current and future.

During my classes and for my term papers, I focused heavily on reforms and new policy creation in Armenia.  In particular, I wrote about Armenia’s changeover from a 10 to 12 year education system, conceptions on good EFL teaching practices, participation in international standardized examinations, and new standardized and combined school-leaving/university-entrance examination system.  My dissertation will focus on the latter of these topics with particular attention to the English examination and EFL teachers’ understandings and perceptions of it.

While here in Armenia, I will be interviewing English teachers, ministry representatives and third party players (like Peace Corps Volunteers, and other organization reps that work with English teachers) to investigate teachers’ understandings and perceptions of the new examination.

Our first day here, I fell into a bit of luck which has put me on a strong path to fulfilling my research.  Just before we left Bristol, I learnt that the debut administration of this new national English examination would be held the Tuesday after our arrival and had hoped to be admitted to observe.  However, I knew this would be difficult to arrange given the strict conditions aimed at maintaining transparency and fairness.  Thankfully, as we were having coffee with one of Jason’s former counterparts and discussing our studies, I mentioned my topic, and he immediately asked if I wanted to observe the exam.  One of his close friends was overseeing the examination in Gavar and could get permission to allow my presence for part of the event.

I met him the next day and observed a meeting for examination proctors and was invited to come to the testing site the following morning to watch the opening procedures.  As is the nature of getting things accomplished in Armenia, these connections have snowballed into future interviews, opening doors to individuals linked to the Ministry of Education and Science.  Next week, I will go to the new Assessment and Testing Center in the capital for another interview regarding the creation of the examination.

In the coming weeks, I will be meeting with teachers to discuss the exam with them and get their opinions and feelings about this change in assessment practice.  I hope to glean some understanding of their potential resistances as well as a peek into possible cultural implications this new exam has for Armenia’s pupils and future.

Once all this data is collected, we will return to Bristol and I will have the heavy task of wading through it all and making careful selections to support my dissertation.  Just three short months from now, my MEd will be complete and I will be moving on to my PhD application!  I look forward to sharing the process and outcomes of my research and writing in the future.