This featured presentation begins with a systematic review of published CDST research in the Chinese context and identifies possible future directions. Publications in both international journals and Chinese journals are compared and contrasted in terms of developmental trends, topic distribution, research methods and research design. Then I introduce two particularly promising research methods: Social Network Analysis and Q methodology, and discuss the possibilies of applying these methods in CDST research. Future directions are discussed at the end of the lecture.
For the past two decades, the Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) has burgeoned in applied linguistics, especially on second language (L2) development (e.g. complexity, accuracy, fluency) and individual differences (e.g. motivation, working memory, and self-regulatory strategies). The CDST perspective sees language development taking place as individual learners mobilize their linguistic, cognitive, and affective resources to co-adapt to the learning environment, which justifies a balanced view on language learners, learner language, as well as the learning context. CDST research has also seen rapid growth in the Chinese context, but as most research is reported in Chinese, little is known to the international academia. As the featured presentation, I will delineate the development of CDST resarch in the Chinese context by doing a systematic review of published research. Publications in both international journals and Chinese journals are compared and contrasted in terms of developmental trends, topic distribution, research methods and research design. Then I introduce two particularly promising research methods: Social Network Analysis and Q methodology, and discuss the possibilies of applying these methods in CDST research. Future directions are discussed at the end of the lecture.
