ABSTRACT

As we stated in the Introduction, methodology courses are, by and large, designed and delivered by teachers working in regrettable isolation. It is clear that, as in all fields of academic endeavour, considerable benefits will accrue if the isolation can be overcome. It is easier than ever before to make contacts and form networks in order to learn from one another’s experiences, as well as to engage in a continuing debate about the goals of methods education and how they can be realized. The aim of this collection is to begin that process by stimulating the exchange of ideas and encouraging further investigation, analysis and discussion – in other words, a pedagogical culture – in relation to a subject that is increasingly becoming an essential element of education and training within institutions of higher education.