Student resistance in a literary translation classroom: a study within an instructional conversion experience from a transmissionist approach to a transformationist one

ABSTRACT

While enacting innovative learner-centered practices has been reported to instigate, at least initially, student negative responses in diverse contexts, studies in translation education adhering to teaching approaches informed by social-constructivism have paid no great attention to student resistance, as one potential threatening factor, in response to the newly employed approaches. This study aims at addressing this under-researched but important aspect in the design, development, and implementation process. In a course redesign plan aimed at advancing towards a learner-centered approach in the course literary translation, we found student resistance as one major threat to the plan’s ultimate success. Although attempts were made to anticipate student resistance and enact several prevention strategies, by mid-semester we found the majority of the students still resistant. An investigation into student resistance types and sources revealed that the majority of the students did not perceive the problem as being instructor-owned. Data collected through the questionnaire on students’ characteristics alongside follow-up interviews highlighted students’ lack of motivation as one important variable worth investigating in the first place. Results from the analysis of motivational factors better justified student resistance. Implications were discussed in the light of the relevant literature for our pedagogical purposes in the upcoming semester.

KEYWORDS:

• Learner-centered approach
• literary translation classroom
• action research
• student resistance
• motivation
• contextual influences

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Among such terms as instructional dissent, student dissatisfaction, student misbehaviour, student resistance, and student demotivation, used to refer to student negative responses, we have chosen the term student resistance.