Abstract

This single-case study was conducted by three practitioner researchers working for the foundational English language program at an English-medium higher education institution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Since 2013, the department has been going through a process of transition from a general English language skills curriculum to an English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) curriculum, which has demanded a revision of personal and institutional philosophies of language, learning and teaching. The researchers hypothesised that the major changes that have occurred in the department in relation to reframing mental models, creating a shared vision, strengthening team work practices and utilising individual expertise for common organisational goals might have influenced the department into becoming a Learning Organization (Senge, 1997). The research was designed to explore the contextual factors in the department using the LO framework as its theoretical basis. This paper argues that the scholarly endeavour of an academic unit working on a curriculum issue provides an opportunity for professional development institutionally in terms of becoming a community of practice which displays features of a learning organisation. (Not sure if this should be in introduction)

Document Type

Article

Publisher

Zayed University

Publication Date

2017

Author First name, Last name, Institution

Wayne Jones
Burcu Tezcan-Unal
Suzanne Littlewood

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