Boundary Crossing in Researching, Understanding, and Improving Language Education: An Introduction and the Tuckerian Impact

Abstract

This chapter first discusses the concept of boundary crossing and its learning potential in education and underscores the urgency of crossing a multitude of boundaries for researching, understanding, and improving language education. It then discusses the important role of expert boundary crossers. In particular, it highlights how G. Richard Tucker, whom this volume honors, has exemplified boundary crossing through his distinguished career in applied linguistics and language education for over half a century. The chapter ends with an overview of the four parts that form this volume and brief descriptions of how the chapters in the rest of the volume, each and collectively, contribute to language education research, policy, and practice through boundary crossing.