Bill Johnston – författare

From Information Literacy to Social Epistemology: Insights from Psychology focuses on information and the ways in which information literacy relates to critical thinking in education, the workplace, and in our social life.

The broad context for our interest is the development in internet technologies often characterised by terms like the 'digital age', leading to questions of digital participation, digital divides, and the role of thinking in the information society.

In short, to what extent is the 'digital age' engendering changes in learning directed towards the better use of information, and in addition, encouraging or even requiring improvements in critical thinking?

Provides a new and relevant contribution based on the authors' synthesis of a number of psychological constructs aligned to information literacy Addresses the issue of information literacy in the wider population by researching adult returnees to higher education and investigating their experiences in relation to prior experience Applies insights to recent developments on the topic, i.e. the Secker and Coonan IL curriculum, alowing an alternative disciplinary perspective and a new, research-based platform Develops a model based on the literature reviewed and discusses the relation of the model to the broader concept of social epistemology

This book offers a new perspective on language teaching by placing moral issues--that is, questions of values--at the core of what it is to be a teacher. The teacher-student relation is central to this view, rather than the concept of language teaching as merely a technical matter of managing students' acquisition of language. The message is that all language teaching involves an interplay of deeply held values, but in each teaching situation these values are played out in different ways. Johnston does not tell readers what to think, but only suggests what to think about.Values in English Language Teaching explores the complex and often contradictory moral landscape of the language classroom, gradually revealing how teaching is not a matter of clear-cut choices but of wrestling with dilemmas and making difficult decisions in situations often riven with conflict. It examines the underlying values that teachers hold as individuals and as members of their profession, and demonstrates how those values are played out in the real world of language classrooms. Matters addressed include connections between the moral and political dimensions in English language teaching, and between values and religious beliefs; relationship(s) between teacher identity and values; the meaning of professionalism and how it is associated with morality and values; the ways in which teacher development is a moral issue; and the marginality of English language teaching.All the examples are taken from real-life teaching situations--the complexity and messiness of these situations is always acknowledged, including both individual influences and broader social, cultural, and political forces at play in English language classrooms. By using actual situations as the starting point for analysis, Johnston offers a philosophy based in practice, and recognizes the primacy of lived experience as a basis for moral analysis. Examples come from teaching contexts around the world, including Brazil, Thailand, Poland, Japan, Central African Republic, Turkey, and Taiwan, as well as various settings in the United States.This book will change the way teachers see language classrooms--their own or those of others. It is a valuable resource for teachers of ESL and EFL and all those who work with them, especially teacher educators, researchers, and administrators.

This book offers a new perspective on language teaching by placing moral issues--that is, questions of values--at the core of what it is to be a teacher. The teacher-student relation is central to this view, rather than the concept of language teaching as merely a technical matter of managing students' acquisition of language. The message is that all language teaching involves an interplay of deeply held values, but in each teaching situation these values are played out in different ways. Johnston does not tell readers what to think, but only suggests what to think about.Values in English Language Teaching explores the complex and often contradictory moral landscape of the language classroom, gradually revealing how teaching is not a matter of clear-cut choices but of wrestling with dilemmas and making difficult decisions in situations often riven with conflict. It examines the underlying values that teachers hold as individuals and as members of their profession, and demonstrates how those values are played out in the real world of language classrooms. Matters addressed include connections between the moral and political dimensions in English language teaching, and between values and religious beliefs; relationship(s) between teacher identity and values; the meaning of professionalism and how it is associated with morality and values; the ways in which teacher development is a moral issue; and the marginality of English language teaching.All the examples are taken from real-life teaching situations--the complexity and messiness of these situations is always acknowledged, including both individual influences and broader social, cultural, and political forces at play in English language classrooms. By using actual situations as the starting point for analysis, Johnston offers a philosophy based in practice, and recognizes the primacy of lived experience as a basis for moral analysis. Examples come from teaching contexts around the world, including Brazil, Thailand, Poland, Japan, Central African Republic, Turkey, and Taiwan, as well as various settings in the United States.This book will change the way teachers see language classrooms--their own or those of others. It is a valuable resource for teachers of ESL and EFL and all those who work with them, especially teacher educators, researchers, and administrators.

Cary Buzzelli and Bill Johnson reinvigorate the enduring question: What is the place of morality in the classroom? Departing from notions of a morality that can only be abstract and absolute, these authors ground their investigation in analyses of actual teacher-student interactions. This approach illuminates the ways in which language, power and culture impact "the moral" in teaching. Buzzelli and Johnson's study addresses a wide range of moral issues in various classroom contexts. Its practical and diverse examples make it a valuable resource for teachers and teacher development programs.

Cary Buzzelli and Bill Johnson reinvigorate the enduring question: What is the place of morality in the classroom? Departing from notions of a morality that can only be abstract and absolute, these authors ground their investigation in analyses of actual teacher-student interactions. This approach illuminates the ways in which language, power and culture impact "the moral" in teaching. Buzzelli and Johnson's study addresses a wide range of moral issues in various classroom contexts. Its practical and diverse examples make it a valuable resource for teachers and teacher development programs.

This thoughtful exploration examines the complex and multifaceted transition of retirement from academia, addressing fundamental questions of when and how to retire, and what retirement looks like. The work challenges assumptions about ageing while acknowledging the profound sense of loss that often accompanies the end of an academic career.Through engaging autoethnographies, this book reveals both challenges and opportunities inherent in this significant life stage, offering unique insights into how academic identities evolve beyond formal employment. It focuses on the ongoing development of self and community in post-academic life, examining themes including the cultural production of retirement, the impact of political and social changes on academic careers, and the role of metacognition in shaping personal narratives. By presenting these complex issues through deeply personal stories, the work invites readers to reflect on their own experiences within the broader context of academic work and professional identity transformation.This volume will interest current academics contemplating retirement, retired academics navigating post-career life, and researchers studying workforce transitions and ageing. It holds particular value for students and professionals in social work, social policy, gerontology, and higher education administration, offering both guidance and inspiration for understanding the complexities of post-retirement academic life.

This thoughtful exploration examines the complex and multifaceted transition of retirement from academia, addressing fundamental questions of when and how to retire, and what retirement looks like. The work challenges assumptions about ageing while acknowledging the profound sense of loss that often accompanies the end of an academic career.Through engaging autoethnographies, this book reveals both challenges and opportunities inherent in this significant life stage, offering unique insights into how academic identities evolve beyond formal employment. It focuses on the ongoing development of self and community in post-academic life, examining themes including the cultural production of retirement, the impact of political and social changes on academic careers, and the role of metacognition in shaping personal narratives. By presenting these complex issues through deeply personal stories, the work invites readers to reflect on their own experiences within the broader context of academic work and professional identity transformation.This volume will interest current academics contemplating retirement, retired academics navigating post-career life, and researchers studying workforce transitions and ageing. It holds particular value for students and professionals in social work, social policy, gerontology, and higher education administration, offering both guidance and inspiration for understanding the complexities of post-retirement academic life.

Debates about the place of mission work in English Language Teaching continue to rage, and yet full-length studies of what really happens at the intersection of ELT and evangelical Christianity are rare. In this book, Johnston conducts a detailed ethnography of an evangelical language school in Poland, looking at its Bible-based curriculum, and analyzing interaction in classes for adults. He also explores the idea of ‘relationship’ in the context of the school and its mission activity, and more broadly the cultural encounter between North American evangelicalism and Polish Catholicism. The book comprises an in-depth examination of a key issue facing TEFL in the 21st century, and will be of interest to all practitioners and scholars in the field, whatever their position on this topic.

Debates about the place of mission work in English Language Teaching continue to rage, and yet full-length studies of what really happens at the intersection of ELT and evangelical Christianity are rare. In this book, Johnston conducts a detailed ethnography of an evangelical language school in Poland, looking at its Bible-based curriculum, and analyzing interaction in classes for adults. He also explores the idea of ‘relationship’ in the context of the school and its mission activity, and more broadly the cultural encounter between North American evangelicalism and Polish Catholicism. The book comprises an in-depth examination of a key issue facing TEFL in the 21st century, and will be of interest to all practitioners and scholars in the field, whatever their position on this topic.