Contact Information
Email: katebarba10@gmail.com
Phone: (267) 261-4551
Research Products
One of the requirements of the MA/TESL program is to conduct research on a topic related to the field of ESL. I decided to focus my research on the effectiveness of the PCMI program at Gonzaga University in preparing students for their twenty-seven month Peace Corps Service. I chose this topic because I had recently joined the PCMI program and hoped to learn more about what I would encounter during my own Peace Corps service. The research was qualitative and involved a questionnaire and follow-up interview for past or current PCMI students in the program as well as an interview with both a Gonzaga MA/TESL faculty member and a representative from the Peace Corps. Below you will see the research questions for the project, the final paper, and a reflecting offering changes for how to improve the research. Under the professional development tab in the menu bar, you can also find the presentation I created based on the action research project.
Research Questions
1) How prepared do past and current PCMI-MA/TESL students feel when they begin teaching in the Peace Corps?
2) What areas of their service in the Peace Corps do PCMI-MA/TESL students still find difficult or challenging and how can the program address those issues?
3) What methodology does the Peace Corps teach volunteers during the three-month training period and how do their beliefs and training align with or differ from the PCMI program?