Cultivating the nexus of research and practice in language teacher education: A duoethnographic exploration

Abstract

This article addresses the research-practice divide in education, with a particular focus on language teacher education. In line with this special issue, we see disciplinary value in the concept of “nexus” to describe the dynamic relationship between research and practice, offering a more nuanced framework than traditional dichotomies. After introducing the notion of nexus, we briefly explore the distinction between education and educational research before outlining duoethnography as our methodology. Our central aim is to challenge the prevailing positivistic approaches to research, which prioritize causal generalizations and “what works” models, and to advocate instead for duoethnography – a more conversational and interpretive approach in support of research utilization. Duoethnography is a dialogic and iterative methodology, which enables us to juxtapose our life histories and lived experiences to interrogate our shared topic of interest. This approach generates multiple, often contested understandings of phenomena, foregrounding difference and multivocality. Through our duoethnographic analysis, we argue for the development of critical research literacy among prospective teachers to foster a sustainable and pedagogically meaningful nexus of research and practice. Rather than providing a prescriptive blueprint, we invite readers to engage actively and critically with research by embracing its complexity and interpretive nature.