1. Transfer climate and EAP education Mark Andrew James Arizona State University Presentation slides and recording will be posted on my website: www.public.asu.edu/~mjames6

2. Background A fundamental goal in EAP education is that students transfer learning to mainstream courses.A fundamental goal in EAP education is that students transfer learning to mainstream courses. Learning transfer can be difficult to stimulate.Learning transfer can be difficult to stimulate. Learning transfer is influenced by various factors (e.g., similarity between situations; motivation).Learning transfer is influenced by various factors (e.g., similarity between situations; motivation). One factor worth focusing on is transfer climate (i.e., the support for learning transfer that an individual perceives in the target context of instruction).One factor worth focusing on is transfer climate (i.e., the support for learning transfer that an individual perceives in the target context of instruction).

3. What is transfer climate? In workplace training research, transfer climate involves workers’ perceptions of:In workplace training research, transfer climate involves workers’ perceptions of: (a) support from supervisors, coworkers, and/or supervisees in the form of... expectations that training outcomes will transfer; demonstration of training outcomes; encouragement to transfer training outcomes; attention to connections between workplace and training; positive reactions to transfer; positive attitudes toward training. (b) personal outcomes of learning transfer (e.g., salary raises, promotions).

4. Transfer climate in EAP education? Transfer climate seems relevant here because...Transfer climate seems relevant here because... (a) the mainstream academic settings that EAP instruction prepares students for: –are similar to workplaces in that students have to do work (i.e., coursework) and deal with supervisors (i.e., instructors, TAs) and coworkers (i.e., classmates). –are complex and may present hurdles to learning transfer. (b) EAP educators are interested in understanding mainstream academic settings, and a transfer climate lens can help them do that.

5. Definition and research question The definition of transfer climate in EAP education is:The definition of transfer climate in EAP education is: –learners’ perceptions of characteristics of their mainstream academic courses that may facilitate or inhibit the application of learning outcomes from an EAP course. The research question for this study is:The research question for this study is: –What can a transfer climate perspective reveal about challenges EAP students face in a mainstream academic setting?

6. The setting A 1-semester, 3-credit university EAP writing course.A 1-semester, 3-credit university EAP writing course. 8 sections (with 19 students each) of the course were offered.8 sections (with 19 students each) of the course were offered. –... students from 5 of those sections participated. All sections had 4 formal written assignments.All sections had 4 formal written assignments. –... these assignments were 3-4 page essays involving self- reflection and/or primary/secondary research. –... for each project, the students had to create a rough draft that was peer- and/or instructor-reviewed, and then revise the rough draft to create a final draft.

7. The participants 52 students participated.52 students participated. Most were in their first year of university study.Most were in their first year of university study. 29 were male and 23 were female.29 were male and 23 were female. They represented 22 different nationalities, the most common being Saudi Arabian (12 participants), South Korean (11), Indian (5), and Chinese (3).They represented 22 different nationalities, the most common being Saudi Arabian (12 participants), South Korean (11), Indian (5), and Chinese (3). They represented a range of majors, the most common being business (15 participants), engineering (11), and the natural sciences (5).They represented a range of majors, the most common being business (15 participants), engineering (11), and the natural sciences (5).

8. Data collection Each student participated in 1 semi-structured interview. The main questions were:Each student participated in 1 semi-structured interview. The main questions were: –Do instructors in other courses... expect strong writing skills? provide feedback on students’ writing skills? react positively to your use of skills from the EAP course? –Are classmates in other courses concerned about writing? –Do instructors / classmates in other courses... use the same kind of writing you have been learning in the EAP course? talk about connections between those courses and EAP courses? encourage students to transfer learning from EAP courses? have positive attitudes toward EAP courses? –Will using skills from the EAP course help you get higher grades and / or work faster in other courses?

9. Data collection Each student participated in 1 semi-structured interview. The main questions were:Each student participated in 1 semi-structured interview. The main questions were: –Do instructors in other courses... expect strong writing skills? provide feedback on students’ writing skills? react positively to your use of skills from the EAP course? –Are classmates in other courses concerned about writing? –Do instructors / classmates in other courses... use the same kind of writing you have been learning in the EAP course? talk about connections between those courses and EAP courses? encourage students to transfer learning from EAP courses? have positive attitudes toward EAP courses? –Will using skills from the EAP course help you get higher grades and / or work faster in other courses?

10. Data collection Each student participated in 1 semi-structured interview. The main questions were:Each student participated in 1 semi-structured interview. The main questions were: –Do instructors in other courses... expect strong writing skills? provide feedback on students’ writing skills? react positively to your use of skills from the EAP course? –Are classmates in other courses concerned about writing? –Do instructors / classmates in other courses... use the same kind of writing you have been learning in the EAP course? talk about connections between those courses and EAP courses? encourage students to transfer learning from EAP courses? have positive attitudes toward EAP courses? –Will using skills from the EAP course help you get higher grades and / or work faster in other courses?

11. Data analysis Quantitative: I coded each response as “yes”, “no”, “varied”, “don’t know”, or “unclear”. For example...Quantitative: I coded each response as “yes”, “no”, “varied”, “don’t know”, or “unclear”. For example... Researcher: Do your instructors expect strong writing skills? Student: In some courses they do, but in others, no.  code: Varied. Qualitative: I identified reasons students gave for unsupportive aspects of transfer climate and coded them into categories. For example...Qualitative: I identified reasons students gave for unsupportive aspects of transfer climate and coded them into categories. For example... Student: My professors don’t expect strong writing skills. I make grammar mistakes on my lab reports, and they don’t take off any marks.  code: No connection between language use and grades.

12. Findings from quantitative analysis Aspect of transfer climateYesVariedNoDon’t know Unclear/ no resp. Instructors... expect strong writing skills174831 04... give feedback on quality of writing 23762 00... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course294027 22... have positive attitudes toward EAP courses2915 392... make connections to EAP courses 21089 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 42173 02... react positively to transfer from EAP course393327 02 Classmates... are concerned about writing skills192942100... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course174435 40... have positive attitude toward EAP courses125417152... make connections to EAP courses 4 294 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 8 681 24 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on grades.3560 6 00 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on efficiency.272944 00 Student’s response

13. Findings from quantitative analysis Aspect of transfer climateYesVariedNoDon’t know Unclear/ no resp. Instructors... expect strong writing skills174831 04... give feedback on quality of writing 23762 00... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course294027 22... have positive attitudes toward EAP courses2915 392... make connections to EAP courses 21089 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 42173 02... react positively to transfer from EAP course393327 02 Classmates... are concerned about writing skills192942100... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course174435 40... have positive attitude toward EAP courses125417152... make connections to EAP courses 4 294 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 8 681 24 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on grades.3560 6 00 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on efficiency.272944 00 Student’s response

14. Findings from quantitative analysis Aspect of transfer climateYesVariedNoDon’t know Unclear/ no resp. Instructors... expect strong writing skills174831 04... give feedback on quality of writing 23762 00... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course294027 22... have positive attitudes toward EAP courses2915 392... make connections to EAP courses 21089 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 42173 02... react positively to transfer from EAP course393327 02 Classmates... are concerned about writing skills192942100... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course174435 40... have positive attitude toward EAP courses125417152... make connections to EAP courses 4 294 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 8 681 24 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on grades.3560 6 00 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on efficiency.272944 00 Student’s response

15. Findings from quantitative analysis Aspect of transfer climateYesVariedNoDon’t know Unclear/ no resp. Instructors... expect strong writing skills174831 04... give feedback on quality of writing 23762 00... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course294027 22... have positive attitudes toward EAP courses2915 392... make connections to EAP courses 21089 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 42173 02... react positively to transfer from EAP course393327 02 Classmates... are concerned about writing skills192942100... use learning outcomes targeted in EAP course174435 40... have positive attitude toward EAP courses125417152... make connections to EAP courses 4 294 00... encourage transfer from EAP course 8 681 24 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on grades.3560 6 00 Transfer has (or will have) a positive impact on efficiency.272944 00 Student’s response

16. 1. Explicit negative reference to EAP writing courses Researcher: What about other students? [How do they feel about EAP writing courses?] Student:Some of my friends took [another EAP writing course]. They told me it is kind of a waste of time. So they feel negative. (Student 12)

17. 2. Explicit negative reference to academic writing Researcher:How do you think your professors feel about freshman writing courses? Student:Some I would say, my math teacher, she doesn't feel too good about it, kind of negative, being in math and all. Researcher:How do you know that? Student:I remember when she said, “the writing”, she said, “this is the only writing, I'm sorry, this is the only writing you will ever have to do in math. I was never good in writing.” She was explaining the course. She said, “in this part of the course, you'll have to do a little bit of writing, and I'm sorry for that.” (Student 23)

18. 3. Effective language use Researcher:Do you think the students are concerned about writing skills? Student:I don't know. No, I don't think so. Researcher:Why do you think they're not? Do they say anything? Have you heard anything? Student:I think for them, most of the students I know, they are native English speakers. So they're not very concerned about English. They know it, so they use it very easily. It's not a big thing. (Student 2)

19. 4. Ineffective or careless language use Student: So I don't think some of them are positive, because they are always absent, they come late to the class. And they do their projects and homework in really short time. So they don't spend that much time. (Student 18)

20. 5. Little or no connection between language use and grades Researcher:How do you know [instructors] don't expect students to have good writing skills? Student:Yes, I sometimes write my opinion in [a Human Services courses] casually, and sometimes I make a mistake with grammar, but she doesn't care. She gives me full points. (Student 19)

21. 6. Unrelated activities Researcher:If you tried to use the skills from [the EAP writing course] in these courses, what impact would it have on your grades? Student:Maybe negative. Researcher:Why? Student:Because they are different writing styles. Just as, you can't wear a T-shirt to a job interview at a business, a company. (Student 29)

22. 7. Unrelated disciplines Student: But I wouldn't think the people in architecture would be very concerned about English. Mostly they are right- brained people. (Student 51)

23. 8. Limited resources Researcher:So how do you know, or why do you think, you said the other students are maybe not so concerned [about their writing skills], how do you know that? Student: I don't think they really have, I'm not trying to be, I think they're just short on time, to concentrate on the studying, so whenever they're doing writing, I don't think they have time to concentrate. Same as me, I don't really have any time to consider my grammar skills when I do history, because I'm kind of focusing on what is going on in that area. So it's based on that. (Student 5)

24. 9. Low-level courses Researcher:Do you think the professors expect students to have strong English writing skills? Student:I'm not sure about that. But from my perspective, I think these are 100-level courses, it looks like professors don't really expect too much from the students. (Student 17)

25. Summary A transfer climate perspective can shed useful light on challenges EAP students face in a mainstream academic setting...A transfer climate perspective can shed useful light on challenges EAP students face in a mainstream academic setting... –EAP students can perceive support for learning transfer in a variety of ways; but, they can also perceive a lack of support for learning transfer in a variety of ways. –Various concrete features of a mainstream academic setting can contribute to negative transfer climate (e.g., explicit negative references to academic writing; little or no connection between language use and grades), and therefore might be added to a list of challenges EAP students face in mainstream academic settings.

26. Implications for research By examining students’ perceptions, this study complements research that has examined mainstream academic settings from other angles (e.g., faculty perspectives).By examining students’ perceptions, this study complements research that has examined mainstream academic settings from other angles (e.g., faculty perspectives). By examining a broad range of features of mainstream academic settings, this study complements research that has examined students’ perceptions of language-related difficulties.By examining a broad range of features of mainstream academic settings, this study complements research that has examined students’ perceptions of language-related difficulties. By examining support for learning transfer, this study complements research that has examined students’ perceptions of interactions with teachers/peers.By examining support for learning transfer, this study complements research that has examined students’ perceptions of interactions with teachers/peers.

27. Implications for teaching This study sheds light on the challenges EAP students face in mainstream academic courses.This study sheds light on the challenges EAP students face in mainstream academic courses.... opportunities to apply learning outcomes from an EAP course do not occur in a vacuum: They occur in situations in which students may feel varying degrees of support. So, EAP instructors may want to assess transfer climate, in order to:So, EAP instructors may want to assess transfer climate, in order to: (a) raise students’ awareness of the variation they may perceive in support for learning transfer; (b) help students decide how to react appropriately in these situations.

28. Limitations The data were gathered only through interviews with EAP students.The data were gathered only through interviews with EAP students. –... Would instructors and other students perceive transfer climate in a similar way? The students were not divided into subgroups.The students were not divided into subgroups. –... Would transfer climate be consistent across subgroups based on level of study or discipline?

29. Conclusion The transfer climate construct can illuminate in a particularly meaningful way the experiences of EAP students in mainstream academic settings.The transfer climate construct can illuminate in a particularly meaningful way the experiences of EAP students in mainstream academic settings. Future research might investigate questions such as:Future research might investigate questions such as: –... Does transfer climate correlate with actual learning transfer from EAP courses? –... How does this relationship vary across EAP settings?