Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: LUCIANA MARTILIANO MILENA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
DISCENTE : LUCIANA MARTILIANO MILENA
DATA : 19/08/2022
HORA: 14:00
LOCAL: Modo Remoto
TÍTULO:

Writing Science in English at university: non-native English speaking students’ participation in epistemic practices

 

PÁGINAS: 250
GRANDE ÁREA: Ciências Humanas
ÁREA: Educação
RESUMO:

In this research, we investigate how university students, non-native English speakers, participate in epistemic practices (EPs) as they write scientific texts in English in a General Science introductory course, in which the English as a medium of instruction (EMI) approach was adopted. The objectives of the study are: (i) to characterize the EPs developed by the student-authors for the elaboration of their scientific texts; (ii) to characterize the relationships between the use of English language and processes of participation in EPs for the elaboration of scientific texts; (iii) to understand the internationalization culture of the university where the research takes place; and finally, (iv) to characterize how the relationship between the use of English language and the participation of students in EPs for the elaboration of scientific texts in English reflect aspects of the perspectives on internationalization of the university where the study takes place. Working under the logic of Qualitative Research, we employ assumptions from Research in Writing to analyze students' scientific texts, and from Document Analysis to examine institutional documents that address the internationalization of the university in question (Federal University of ABC - UFABC). The textual corpus corresponds to the extended abstracts written in English by students who took the Experimental Fundamentals of Natural Sciences (EFNC) course in English in 2019, mandatory for majoring in the Bachelor of Science and Technology (BS&T) and the Teaching Degree in STEM, two of the four interdisciplinary programs at UFABC. The texts were analyzed in terms of their rhetorical moves (RMs), epistemic levels (ELs), and situations of rupture with the traditional scientific genre (code-switching). The official documents that address the internationalization of UFABC, namely, its Institutional Plan and Project for Internationalization, as well as the CAPES Public Notice nº. 41/2017, were subjected to Document Analysis, which encompasses the examination of context, authorship, key concepts, nature and internal logic of the texts. Among the main results obtained so far from the analysis of scientific texts, we highlight the relationships established between (i) the presence of RMs and the EP of providing specific disciplinary justifications for knowledge claims; (ii) the absence of certain RMs and the conception of science prevalent within that group; (iii) the distribution of ELs and the EP of building a scientific explanation based on evidence and reasoning. From the interpretive analysis of code-switching, we noticed the occurrence of ruptures with the traditional scientific genre, expressed, above all, through the use of informal language, humor and creativity. The intertextual analysis of code-switching led us to ponder on the sociocultural practices adopted by the group. We did not establish a connection between the code-switching situations and a specific EP, but the practices of the community in question, with emphasis on the role of the class teacher in the constitution of the student-authors’ identity and the presence of other cultural elements influencing their writing in English. (e.g.: pop culture). Finally, through reflecting on the scientific reasoning processes of the student-authors, we identified clues of their participation in EPs to propose, communicate, evaluate and legitimize knowledge claims. Despite some limitations, our results demonstrate that a multidimensional analysis of students' written production (considering RMs, ELs, code-switching, and EPs) has the potential to lead us to understanding the sociocultural practices of the community within which the texts were created. The investigation of the institutional documents conducted so far indicates that the movement towards the internationalization of UFABC stems from its administration, and is responsive to a historical conjuncture in which all universities in the country are being led by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC) to follow this same path. The employment of the English language by the academic community is one of the pillars of UFABC’s internationalization, and the same is true for the other Brazilian higher education institutions. At this point in the study, we consider that the most significant advances are located under the scope of objectives (i) and (iii), with some insight into the fulfillment of objective (ii).

MEMBROS DA BANCA:
Presidente - Interno ao Programa - 1371962 - DANUSA MUNFORD
Membro Titular - Examinador(a) Interno ao Programa - 1546618 - MARCELO ZANOTELLO
Membro Titular - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - LÚCIA HELENA SASSERON ROBERTO - FEUSP
Membro Titular - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - MARÍLIA MENDES FERREIRA
Membro Suplente - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - LUIZ GUSTAVO FRANCO SILVEIRA - UFMG
Membro Suplente - Examinador(a) Externo à Instituição - MAÍRA BATISTONI E SILVA - USP