Clare Jackson and Merran Toerien joined Professor Paul Drew
(Loughborough University) and Dr Chase Raymond (UCLA, in the USA) at Shanxi
University in Taiyuan, China to deliver a Workshop in Conversation Analysis (10th
- 14th August 2015).
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| Prepping for the start of the workshop - Clare and Merran with participants at the opening plenary session |
Aimed at
graduate students and faculty with an interest in developing their analytic
skills, the workshop involved an intensive programme of lectures and
small-group hands-on practical sessions.
Over 60 participants took part, including locals (from Shanxi University)
and many from a diverse range of universities around China. The workshop generated much online discussion
among participants on ‘we-chat’ (a social networking forum in China), giving us
instant feedback, insight into some of the debates students were having about
the data they were working on, and lots of pictures of us all hard at work
(okay and sometimes not)! We were
absolutely delighted by the level of engagement and effort put in by all
participants, with some groups staying up into the early hours to work on the
presentations they gave towards the end of the week. The standard of work was very high and
indicates a growing body of CA expertise in China - very exciting indeed!
We are very grateful to Professors Guodong Yu and Yaxin Wu
(of Shanxi University), who invited us, hosted the workshop and ensured such a
great turnout and such an exceptionally well-organised event. They also arranged some wonderful
sight-seeing and cultural opportunities for us, which will remain with us as
highlights for many years to come. We
are also deeply endebted to Jody Zhou, whose organisational skills, attention
to detail and general care for us ensured that we were always beautifully
looked after, both in the classroom and out.
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| Some much needed relaxation - sight-seeing at the Forbidden City (Chase Raymond, Clare Jackson, Merran Toerien) |
