What the CHAMELEON Framework Taught Us About Equitable and Adaptable Pedagogy

Abstract

The CHAMELEON framework, although stimulated by COVID-19, has transformed the English for academic purposes (EAP) practices at a Sino–foreign joint venture university. The framework’s guiding principles are to show compassion and empathy to foster equitable and adaptable conditions for teaching and learning. Tangible examples of transformative practice include the creation of a working group to develop EAP-related artificial intelligence (AI) policy, the formation of EAP micro-teams to facilitate professional development and personal support, and increased undergraduate and graduate EAP synergy. Taking generative AI as an example, the CHAMELEON framework has been fundamental in developing an empathic, rather than punitive, pedagogical approach and associated policy to better understand students’ (mis)use of AI tools. This chapter will extrapolate on how the CHAMELEON framework informed transformative EAP practices in ways that are transferable to a wide range of higher education practitioners involved with writing, assessment, pedagogy, and generative AI.