New technology in language teaching: controversies, challenges and the way forward Pete Sharma March 2012 Oxford

Who are you? Multiple perspectives Teacher / Lecturer Language student Teacher Trainer DOS / Academic manager School manager PublisherAuthor Designer / Developer Researcher School inspector

Who are you?

Knowledge – Skills - Attitude K S A 3 numbers Who are you?

Plenary aims To update on developments in educational technology To provide a forum to discuss controversies

Overview 1) What’s going on? 2) Controversies 3) Small-group discussion 4) The way forward Task feedback posted to Comments on blog Handout - references f2f Online

Range of course types AdjunctMixed / hybridIntegrated In-class plus on-line 100% f2f 80 / 20 50/50 20 / % online Learning English in a Virtual world

Innovative trends Rise in learning platforms Publishers Authentic Teacher-produced

Range of publisher-produced software

Increase in m-learning and apps Dictionary apps

Real-world apps

ELT apps

The flipped classroom Learner voting devices Touch screen IWBs

Four controversial areas (1) ELT materials (2) IWBs (3) M-learning (4) VLEs

From content to micro-content How tenable is the linear structure of course books and workbooks. Will courses become more bespoke and fluid? (1) The future of ELT materials?

(2) Interactive whiteboards

Interactive whiteboards UpsideDownside Memorable presentations Better review – flipcharts ‘Saveability’ ‘Heads-up’ Select answer ‘cost’ Promotion of teacher- centred approach? Pedagogical value?

Merge with existing pedagogies Re-align practiceIntroductory stage

(3) M-learning “learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of the learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies”.

On the move In-class PullPush Scales / dimensions Class-set Own devices Rich content Discrete content Resource tool One-off

Hardware Mobile-phone / Smart-phone iPod / iPod touch / mp3 player Laptop / Notebook - Netbook Tablet PC / iPad / Samsung Galaxy E-book readers Learner response devices Electronic translator

Software plus  Dictionaries  Grammar practice  Services  ELT material  Apps

M-learning UpsideDownside buzz-term add value ‘just enough, just in time, just for me’ exciting apps Range of interpretations Over-reference to ‘apps’ ELT or authentic?

Virtual Learning Environments UpsideDownside information on demand appropriacy e.g. critical thinking pre / post course tasks time-consuming to learn empty at first ‘blended courses’ pleasing no-one

Focus on appropriacy Same time same place Same time different place Different time different place Same place different time Synchronous Asynchronous

Four controversies Will ELT course books disappear? Should schools buy an IWB? Should students turn off their smartphones in class? Should classroom learners be supported with VLE’s?

More controversies Can teachers use YouTube clips? Can schools upload mp3 files from a course book to their VLE? Should teachers befriend their students on Facebook? Should students use electronic translators in class? ……………?

Key things to bear in mind Importance of attitude CALL is ‘situation-specific’ What is it? So what? How to use it? Centralicity of pedagogy

Blended Learning - updates Stay as up to date as much as possible Involve all stake-holders

Considerations The ‘two year’ rule There’s ‘never’ a good time to buy! TLC – – References – Task feedback