Technology-enhanced language learning: new perspectives for the digital age
Pete Sharma, LABCI-ABCI
The plenary was in two parts. Part one explored the term BLENDED LEARNING and offered a pedagogical rationale for including technology in language teaching. It also looked at some current, exciting technologies available for educational purposes. Part two looked at the future.
Part one
Blended Learning
The term Blended Learning means different things to different people; multiple definitions is a common phenomenon in ELT. Definitions include:
- Combination of work + training: outside ELT in the corporate world it is used to discuss cost-savings by moving training modules onto self-access platforms, so employees can stay in work and not take time away on a seminar
- Combination of online + in-person (f2f) classroom learning activities
- Combination of pedagogical approaches e.g. course with both PPP + TBL / transmissive + constructivist approaches
- Combination of different technologies e.g. a telephone course supported by e-mail and CD-ROM
For many, the term is “nothing new”; we had the language lab, the audio cassette, CD-audio, now we use podcasts….. it can have both positive and negative connotation: the best of both worlds / worst of both worlds
Pedagogical rationale
What difference does it make if I use technology? In the area of grammar, web-based exercises have been criticised as ‘kill-and-drill’. Nevertheless, interactive grammar exercises are popular. Web- based exercises offer feedback on ‘crisp’ areas of language (yes / no): the teacher is needed in the blend to offer clarification on ‘fuzzy’ areas. In the area of skills, the receptive skills have been greatly affected by the rise of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Regarding listening, student can control exposure – pausing fast English at will is better than listening to slowed down English which falsifies intonation. In reading, students can access ‘meaning on demand’ which can aid comprehension. In the productive skill of writing, the word processor is so ubiquitous we forget how spell-checking and ability to cut and paste has completely changed nature of say, academic writing wholly. In speaking, there are many opportunities for guided speaking practice. CD-ROM dictionaries allow learners to practise discrete language items. The use of electronic dictionaries has helped students acquire new lexis. We can see that technology can help students learn, and do things that they couldn’t achieve without the technology.
Why use technology in a language course? What differences does it make? Technology can be
motivating; it can encourage learner autonomy; offers freedom in time and place. It is nowadays expected by many students, and can offer help with new strategies – e.g. browsing and searching.
T.E.L.L.
Participants looked at a worksheet covering: Internet / world wide web CD-Roms / MultiROMS / DVD-ROMs Macmillan English Campus Electronic dictionaries / web-based dictionaries Electronic translators Concordancers Word processing software (e.g Word) Presentation software (e.g. Power Point) Interactive whiteboards Dictaphones Podcasts / Vodcasts Blogs Wikis Chat E-mail Video-conferencing Virtual learning environment (e.g. Blackboard / Moodle) Authoring software (e.g. Hot potatoes). Participants were invited to ADD anything missing to the list, such as adaptive tests on CD-ROM and mind-map software. Among the suggestions submitted were: Communities (e.g. Orkut); voice chat; using MP3 player files to students via the Internet; recording videos for YouTube and asking students to dub others during a role play.
Part two
Established CALL now focuses on the development of tasks. Emergent CALL is breaking new ground although it has disappointed its early promise. This areas covers Intelligent tutor systems (ICALL – computer tutors), NLP - Natural Language Processing, machine – translation and
speech recognition.
The future
We can make some confident predictions: the next generation of CD-ROM dictionaries will be on DVD-ROM; publishers will bring out vodcasts (mp4), video podcasts: animation will include 3-D graphics; schools may be interested in buying an e-beam, to transform surfaces and give whiteboard functionality; the rise of Second life for educational purposes; m-learning (mobile learning); convergence (iPhone); an increase in hybrids (e.g. e-Campus + IWB or e-board; a VLE + Hot potatoes; smaller devices; larger storage space; faster download times and connection speeds
Issues
However, there are many challenges such as communication between management and pedagogy; between the worlds of theory and practice; and between the different academic fields such as CALL / Second Language Acquisition, Artificial Intelligence, Business English, instructional design, science….
Questions remains such as the status of on-line tuition. Felix questions the validity of comparing F2F and on-line modes.
For institutions, what exactly should they invest in, in terms of hardware and software? Should they buy in interactive materials, create them, or both? How much investment is made in teacher training? It is difficult to stay at the ‘bleeding edge’.
For teachers, there are many challenges. Coping with the ‘digital divide’; how to evaluate CALL materials; the connotation or terms like ‘eclectic’; the use of umbrella terms such as ‘learners’ to cover: digital natives / digital immigrants /technophobes / technophiles / learner styles / strategies / preferences. The need for both knowledge and skills, and the underlying importance of attitude
.
In conclusion, we should remember basic principles such as: ‘Separate the role of teacher and the role of the technology’; ‘it’s not what it is, it’s what you do with it’ (Jones). We need to seek ‘win-win’ for all stakeholders; employ ‘multiple perspectives’; move ‘beyond the WOW factor’, be led by pedagogy, not technology, and remain ‘healthily sceptical’. When we teach, it is important to consider ‘appropriacy’ – what is best done f2f and what is best left to technology?
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is probable that we will never fully understand how languages are learnt. There is no ‘great unifying theory’ of teaching and learning. T.E.L.L. is a vast complex, growing area,
comprising many dimensions: Design / Evaluation / Theory / Research / Practice, which is individual to specific situations. It is reasonable to assume that technology will grow. Is the goal of all CALL ‘normalisation’? i.e. a time when technology is invisible….(Bax). We seem to be at a tipping point. Blended Learning is, this plenary argues, the way forward.
Selected Bibliography
Bax, S (2003) ‘CALL – past, present and future’ System 31 pp. 13 – 28
Felix,U (2003b) ‘Teaching languages online: Deconstructing the myths’ Australian Journal of Educational Technology 19 (1) 118 – 138
Freeman, D (1989) Teacher training, development and decision making: A model of teaching and related strategies for language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly23 (1): 27-45
Jones, C (1986) It's not so much the program, more what you do with it: the importance of methodology in CALL, System, vol. 14, no. 2, 171-178
Hubbard, P (1998) ‘An Integrated Framework for CALL Courseware Evaluation’ CALICO Journal Volume 6 Number 2 51-72
Levy, M (1997) Computer- assisted language learning Oxford: Clarendon Paperbacks
Levy, M and Stockwell, G (2006) CALL Dimensions Options and Issues in Computer-Assisted Language Learning New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Oliver, M and Trigwell, K (2005) ‘Can “Blended Learning” be redeemed?’ E-learning, Volume 2, Number 1
Rost, M. 2001 ‘Listening’ in Carter, R and Nunan, D (eds)
Salmon, G 2002 e-tivities Oxford: RoutledgeFalmer
Scrivener, J 2005 (Second Edition) Learning Teaching Oxford: Macmillan
Sharma, P and Barrett, B (2007) Blended Learning: using technology in and beyond the language classroom Oxford: Macmillan
Sperling, D (1997) The Internet Guide for English Language Teachers New Jersey: Prentice Hall Regents
Thornbury, S (2001) Uncovering Grammar Oxford: Macmillan Heinemann
Article
Driscoll, Dr M. ‘Blended learning: Let’s get beyond the hype’
Last accessed: 24 / 4 / 2006