Basic Information

写真a

Joe SYKES


Title

Assistant Professor

Nationality

UNITED KINGDOM

Research Field

My early research centred on learners' metaphorical representations of language learning and insights provided about their implicit learner beliefs, which underlie their attitudes to education, such as the respective responsibilities of teachers and learners. This led to an interest in learner autonomy and related concepts, such as: motivation; metacognition; learning strategies; identity; issues of power; social cultural context and agency. My time in Japan has inspired a particular interest in the effects of the sociocultural forces of Japanese society on the learner autonomy of language learners.

Recent Activities

For the duration of 2016 I received a Special Training Program grant to study full-time at the School of Education at the University of Sheffield, in the UK, for the first year of a PhD program. During this year, I completed the compulsory coursework, completed my confirmation paper and review, worked on my literature review and developed my methodology. My research will focus on the autonomy of AIU students, the form it takes and how it develops. I am interested in how the psychological processes of the students interact with the curricular, sociocultural, political and spatial elements of context. The methodology employs a participative approach and involves multimodal narrative inquiry, along with ethnographic research. This research is on going, however, following the transfer of my supervisor, I am currently a PhD candidate at the University of Westminster.

Prior to my Special Training Program, I implemented an experimental speaking & listening course, utilising video portfolios, with the goal of promoting learner-autonomy through learner-centred pedagogy, without sacrificing academic rigour and accountability. The use of video portfolios gave tangible evidence of their progress in language learning and gave them a high degree of control over content and learning activity. The format of the course also enabled the teacher to engage the students individually on intellectual matters. This course also forms the basis of an on-going collaborative research project.

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Academic Background (Graduate Level) 【 display / non-display 】

  • University of Westminster, PhD, Education

    Doctor's Course, 2023/05, Completed, UNITED KINGDOM

  • University of Sheffield, PhD, Education

    Doctor's Course, 2016/01, Accomplished credits for doctoral program, UNITED KINGDOM

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Degree Earned 【 display / non-display 】

  • PhD (Education), Education, University of Westminster (UK), 2023/05

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Professional Career On-Campus 【 display / non-display 】

  • Akita International University Faculty of International Liberal Arts English for Academic Purposes Program, Assistant Professor, 2024/04 -

  • Akita International University Faculty of International Liberal Arts English for Academic Purposes Program, Lecturer, 2012/04 - 2024/03

  • Akita International University Language Development and Intercultural Studies Center (LDIC) , Coordinator, 2012/04 - 2016/03

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External Career 【 display / non-display 】

  • Akita University, Japan, Assistant Professor, 2010/04 - 2012/03

  • James English School, Japan, Regional Director of Studies, 2007/04 - 2010/03

  • Nova Group, Japan, Teacher Trainer, 2006/04 - 2007/03

  • ABC College, New Zealand, English Instructor, 2005/04 - 2006/03

  • Nova Group, Japan, English Instructor, 2001/04 - 2005/03

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Academic Society Affiliations 【 display / non-display 】

  • Japanese Association of Language Teachers (JALT), 1900/04 - , JAPAN

  • Learner Development JALT Significant Interest Group, 1900/04 - , JAPAN

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Field of Expertise 【 display / non-display 】

  • Language Education

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