Making time count: Kairos as temporal, methodological, and ethical innovation in qualitative applied linguistics research

Responding to calls to interrogate the role of temporality in applied linguistics research methods, this paper explores the utility and value of kairos as a temporal and methodological logic in qualitative inquiry. In contrast to the predominant understanding of time as chronos, the objective passage of clock time, kairos represents the qualitative experience of time by the individual as personally significant moments that constitute turning points and major transitions in development. To illustrate how kairos can be productively integrated in qualitative research, we present a case study of a research project on faculty development in the context of English as a Medium of Instruction that was designed to create change in participants’ instructional decision making and practices. The analysis illustrates how the cultivation of kairos, defined as opportune, relevant, and meaningful experiences for participants, guided the study design and implementation, and enabled faculty-participants to implement new teaching practices to the benefit of their students’ engagement and learning. We conclude by considering the temporal, methodological, and ethical implications of attending to time as kairos, and by advocating for the potential benefits of a kairic orientation to qualitative inquiry in applied linguistics.