Abstract:

In this virtual presentation the presenters will discuss the adaptation of the Preparation/Discussion/Reaction (PDR) method created by Eichhorst et al. (2016) and how it has been adapted from a face-to-face method to a flipped style class by utilizing our university’s learning management system (LMS). The method was selected as the basis for a unified syllabus being introduced by Iwate University’s International Education Center for the 2023 school year’s English Communication curriculum. These lessons were taught by 11 instructors to over 600 students. The students entered their courses with a wide range of competence in English, but with similar educational backgrounds. With pressure from the university’s administration to offer these students a standardized structure, the presenters were faced with establishing a syllabus appropriate for a wide range of students and deliverable by a variety of full-time and part-time instructors using the university’s LMS. The presenters used the PDR method to allow a wide variety of instructor-selected content under a uniform structure. The essential elements of the PDR method, including its structure and its aims and advantages for students in our context will be discussed. Decision-making, considerations, and priorities in the digitization process will also be covered. Finally, a discussion will be held on the teacher’s experiences after a semester spent teaching with this syllabus, as well as the experiences of students taken cross-sectionally at different points throughout the semester.

Reference:
[1] Eichhorst, D., Enslen, T., & Shearon, B. (2016). Preparation/Discussion/Reaction Method Handbook. Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, Tohoku University. http://www.ihe.tohoku.ac.jp/CPD/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/PDbookelt_Vol07.pdf

Keywords:

PDR, Flipped, English, Curriculum.