An experienced Chinese EFL teacher educator's beliefs about the essence of educational research

Abstract

University teacher educators, second-order practitioners, or ‘teachers of teachers’ play an important role in reforming classroom practice and developing teacher researchers. Educational research can empower teachers to emancipate themselves from daily drudgeries and stifling exam pressures with research dispositions and learning competence. Inquiries of how English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher educators, who are the key agents in EFL teacher education and educational reforms, can continuously reflect on and adjust their research beliefs to achieve research-practice nexus may enrich the literature on EFL teacher educators’ research development. Teacher beliefs act as a filter through which teachers interpret new information and experience. The self-study has practical implications for teacher educators, teachers, and educational administrators in the EFL field and beyond. It highlights the importance of research beliefs and belief change process for teacher educators to lead teacher education reforms.