Abstract
Using university periodic program review documents, this study investigated the major stakes in offering programs in language study for field specific purposes, or languages for specific purposes (LSP), at Canadian institutions of higher education, and the most frequent recommendations found in the external reviewers’ reports. A conceptual framework of the LSP field was developed for thematic coding using QDA Miner, a mixed-method approach to data analysis. The qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed that the three most important stakes for the discipline are relevance for employment needs, correspondence to stakeholder needs and interdisciplinary cooperation. The external reviewers recommended 1) developing strategies for updating, revising and reorganising courses and programs in response to the changing needs of students and society; 2) encouraging units to develop initiatives that favour international opportunities and interdisciplinary collaboration; and 3) creating tenure-track faculty positions. These findings shed light on the value of the formative function of program evaluation for developing curricula that provide quality, pertinent professional language studies.
Recommended Citation
Ainsworth, Judith A.
(2019)
"LSP in Canadian Higher Education: What We Can Learn from Program Reviews,"
Global Advances in Business and Communications Conference & Journal:
Vol. 8:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://commons.emich.edu/gabc/vol8/iss1/4