saturs - rpiva

Figure 3. Phases of teaching content
Teaching
content
Peer-learning
content
Learning
content
Empirical study
Research design
The qualitative evaluation research has been used. The study consisted of preparing the
qualitative evaluation research (exploration of the context of students’ communicative
competence), carrying out the qualitative evaluation research (qualitative and quantitative data
processing) and the analysis of the qualitative evaluation research results (data analysis and
interpretation) (Zaščerinska, 2010).
Interpretative research paradigm which corresponds to the nature of humanistic
pedagogy has been determined for the study as it creates an environment for the development of
any individual and helps them to develop their potential (Lūka, 2008, 52). The present empirical
study was conducted during the implementation of the English for Academic Purposes course
within the master programme School Management of Riga Teacher Training and Educational
Management Academy in 2007–2008 to examine efficiency of the educator’s contribution,
namely, English studies for academic purposes, for the development of students’ communicative
competence and, consequently, knowledge in order to promote the quality of studies. The aim of
the English for Academic Purposes course is to improve students’ communicative competence
for the participation in international research activities. Analytical approach to content selection
for the English for Academic Purposes course was based on the competence analysis (Nunan,
1991, 57). The students’ communicative competence was a criterion of efficiency of English
studies for academic purposes evaluated.
The subjects of the present research are 18 respondents, namely, six researchers, two
language educators and 10 students within the English for Academic Purposes course in the
professional Master’s study programme School Management of Riga Teacher Training and
Educational Management Academy in 2007–2008. The group consisted of eight females and two
males which is a typical representation to the proportion of female and male students in school
management in Latvia. The age of the sample was from 23 to 48. The respondents represent
different upbringing backgrounds and diverse educational approaches (Gulbe, 2008, 79). 10
respondents had certain expectations from the master programme and, consequently, from the
English for Academic Purposes course, which were demonstrated in the answer to the question
why they had chosen to participate in this study. Use of communicative competence in the
studies was one of the answers. English is a foreign language for all the students in the group. In
accordance with the students’ self-evaluation based on the levels of the self-assessment grid of
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