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Form, Function, and Relevance of Contemporary Language Resource Centers

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Form, Function, and Relevance of Contemporary Language Resource Centers FORM, FUNCTION, AND RELEVANCE OF CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTERS by Paul L. Sebastian A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Education in Curriculum & Instruction Boise State University December 2017 © 2017 Paul L. Sebastian ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE COLLEGE DEFENSE COMMITTEE AND FINAL READING APPROVALS of the dissertation submitted by Paul L. Sebastian Dissertation Title: Form, Function, and Relevance of Contemporary Language Resource Centers Date of Final Oral Examination: 10 October 2017 The following individuals read and discussed the dissertation submitted by student Paul L. Sebastian, and they evaluated his presentation and response to questions during the final oral examination. They found that the student passed the final oral examination. Jennifer L. Snow, Ph.D. Chair, Supervisory Committee Richard Osguthorpe, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee Kelly Arispe, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee Rob Martinsen, Ph.D. Member, Supervisory Committee The final reading approval of the dissertation was granted by Jennifer L. Snow, Ph.D., Chair of the Supervisory Committee. The dissertation was approved by the Graduate College. DEDICATION In some ways, this dedication has proven harder to write than the bulk of this dissertation. At this point in my life, I feel much more comfortable writing a literature review than trying to produce two lines on a birthday card. Nevertheless, here goes. First, to my darling wife, Jessica. To make up for the late nights and subsequent grumpy and stressed out days, I promise you a lifetime of adventures big and small. Let’s get the party started in Paris. I’ll meet you there in March, mon amour. Second, to my daughters Ellie and Pemberly. As recompense for any precious moments I may have missed up until now, I promise you a never-ending supply of hugs, kisses, and chocolate. Seriously, ask me any time, any place. Consider it done. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is a product of many formal and informal conversations with colleagues, advisors, professors, and students. First, I’d like to thank my entire dissertation committee for putting up with my signature indecisiveness and for trusting me to take the lead on this study. A special thank you also to each of the ten participants for speaking with me so candidly about their respective centers. Additionally, I express gratitude to the new colleagues I have met from the International Association of Language Learning and Technology (IALLT). In particular, I wish to thank Jonathan Perkins for helping me access the numerous offline volumes of the NALLD and IALL Journals. Special thanks to Harold Hendricks for his early mentorship in the area of computer-assisted language learning and for introducing me to such a wonderful community of professional colleagues. Also from IALLT, I wish to thank Felix Kronenberg for helping me access photographs of the former language laboratory at Rhodes College and for his willingness to help me get oriented to my new position as a language center director. Finally, I wish to thank my former and current colleagues for providing me the space, encouragement, and support to finish this last leg of what has been a long and rather unique academic journey. v ABSTRACT This dissertation was conducted in order to better understand the interplay between form, function, and relevance regarding contemporary language resource centers (LRCs). Five language centers housed by four different institutions of higher education in the western region of the United States were examined. Two representatives from each of the five centers were interviewed either in-person or over the phone (N = 10). Data were collected in the form of semi-structured interviews, on-site visits, and research journal entries. The data were analyzed using a flexible combination of multi-level qualitative coding, descriptive statistics, and narrative analysis. This study confirms recent findings that have shown LRCs to be a highly diverse group of institutions, particularly with respect to form and function (Kronenberg, 2017). The study also builds on previous investigations of language centers as contemporary reincarnations of the former audiolingual-style language laboratories (Liddell & Garrett, 2004; Wang, 2006). With respect to relevance, a common framework for discussing different language resource centers is outlined in the form of three paradigms: center/department, center/institution, and center/community. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................v ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ xii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiii DEFINITION OF TERMS .............................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................1 The Language Laboratory: A Brief History.............................................................1 From Language Laboratory to Language Center .........................................8 Communities of LRC Professionals.......................................................................12 Background of the Problem ...................................................................................14 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................18 Research Questions ................................................................................................18 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................20 Positionality ...........................................................................................................21 Conclusion .............................................................................................................22 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................24 Theoretical Framework ..........................................................................................26 Theoretical framework(s) ...........................................................................32 vii Conceptual Framework ..........................................................................................35 Review of Relevant Literature ...............................................................................38 Form ...........................................................................................................40 Function .....................................................................................................45 Relevance ...................................................................................................49 Conclusion .............................................................................................................53 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................55 Four Philosophical Assumptions of Qualitative Studies .......................................57 Selection of a Qualitative Approach ......................................................................62 Data Collection ......................................................................................................63 Interviews ...................................................................................................65 On-site Visits .............................................................................................67 Reflective Journaling .................................................................................67 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................68 Structural Codes .........................................................................................69 In Vivo Coding ..........................................................................................70 Focused Coding .........................................................................................71 Theoretical Coding.....................................................................................75 Narrative Analysis .....................................................................................77 Participants .............................................................................................................79 Validity, Dependability, and Trustworthiness .......................................................82 Conclusion .............................................................................................................84 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS .........................................................................................86 viii Narrative Profile Introductions ..............................................................................86 The Knowles Center ..................................................................................86 The Mayer Center ......................................................................................90
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