The Future of Digital English: new technologies for English language learning
Michael Carrier British Council Cartagena, October 2012
Learning & change •
We live in a fast-changing world
•
Our learners’ needs and aspirations are changing
•
Our learners’ motivations are changing
•
A generational shift in expectations about learning & technology when how and where to learn
•
Innovative approaches can make learning more effective, quicker, more enjoyable, more sustainable....
"cellphones are the gateways to all of human knowledge" Ray Kurzweil
"Whenever I go into class, I have to power down."
New learning styles for new generations Generation Y Learning Styles:
Education 3.0 - A new vision of learning:
zDoing is more important than knowing
“as an activity not a place, open to new people with new ideas, of learners “pulling” learning toward themselves rather than teachers “pushing” learning out”
zA need for immediacy zTrial and error approach to problem-
Michael Stevenson
solving zLow boredom threshold zMultitasking and parallel processing zVisual, nonlinear and virtual learning zCollaborative learning zConstructivist approach Ashridge Business School
Economic benefits of English Drivers for English: •
Access to Education
•
Employability
•
Social mobility
English Next – David Graddol
Salary Gap •The average salary gap of someone who can speak English vs. someone who does not is approximately 20% Annual Gross Income per Capita •72% of all companies interviewed stated that employees with English language skills advance quicker within companies •67% of these companies also said that English is beneficial for company growth Adequately Educated Workforce •Over 50% of companies interviewed said that their workforce was required to speak English •30% of students in higher education aim to continue their studies abroad, especially in English-speaking countries, such as the UK, US and Australia
What do we need? Higher Goals:
• Teachers performing at B2 level before starting to teach
• Higher levels of English competence at exit of Secondary education
• New assessments to test communicative performance
• Students reaching at least B1 level by 18 • Learning extended outside the classroom • Technology-supported learning
5
New course modalities New pedagogical models:
•Online/blended learning •‘Anytime’ learning •Khan academy •LMS between classes •Handheld between classes •BYOD for school resource access
Stages of digital learning
Teachnology-Supported learning (TSL) – what is it? 1 New Goals z Digital literacy, global citizenship,
interculturality, professional-level communication in English z New Assessment tools
2 New Pedagogical models z For learning in a digital age
3 New Activities z Inside and outside of class z Formal and informal learning
Benefits: • • • •
Relevance
• •
Collaborative activities
•
New pedagogical models empower the learner
z Ubiquitous learning z Consume content and internalise language
use vs Produce content and reinforce productive competence z Individual vs collaborative work
4 New Content 5 New Tools/media/channels
Align with learning styles Communicative & productive focus Rich content gives exposure to authentic language Stretch learning time beyond classroom
TSL for language learning
• Extends learning exposure
• In class • Out of class
• Supplemental, not core
• But: needs human interaction in class or immersion
• Individual - SAL • Group work • Teacher led • Student led
TSL is not ICT TSL is not optional “I’m not very good with technology”
TSL cycle
Teacher input Curriculum mapped Learning reinforcement
In-class
Learning from Digital content Out-of-class
Communication
Activation
10
The digital classroom
• Built-in Projector • Handheld / Netbook class set
• Handheld responders • Digital audio/video from teacher PC/laptop
• Wall-mounted speakers • Wi-fi across school • External support: website portal, Twitter, Facebook school communities
Digital classroom Features:
• Connectivity • Rich media input • 1:1 or 1:few • BYOD • Social Media - twoway communication to real world
• Content creation tools
Portable IWBs The Now Board: convert any laptop + projector + white wall into an IWB
Personal Response Systems Voting & assessment devices (and now phone apps) with real-time quiz scores via mobile
Classroom management
The Flipped Classroom
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Virtual Classroom - Learning Management Systems
• LMS/VLE self access courses
• Supplemental practice work
• Homework activities • Resource bank • Progress tracking • ePortfolio
Digital learning online - SAL
Virtual classrooms
Remote teaching‌.
Digital English Learner framework On窶人ine Courses
LearnEnglish Websites
Specialist Sites
Digital Courses
Web
Web Content Packages
SM / Peer to Peer
DVD Packages
Digital Learner Smartphone
TV
Radio
Broadcast
Mobile
Tablet
SMS/MMS/ IVR
Digital teaching materials
• Digital textbooks • Apple’s iBook Author • Page turning software • eBook publishing
www.issuu.com
• Flipboard • LMS
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Broadcast Media Radio •
The forgotten medium
•
Learner radio
•
Teacher radio
•
Top & tailing
TV/video •
Expensive but…
YouTube search:
•
British Council Word on the Street
‘Word on the Street’
•
British Council video seminars for teachers
‘British Council’
Handheld learning What is Handheld Learning? •Using tablets/mobile phones in class to study language activities – exercises, reading, listening etc
•Using student laptops/ handhelds in class for group activity
•Using tablets/mobile phones outside class for student selfaccess language practice
•Using mobile phones ‘in the wild’ - to collect data for lesson input, record interviews etc
Research – Cooney & Keogh Use of mobile phones for language learning
Findings:
•67% of teachers said students made progress
•95% said they enjoyed using the
•promote oracy in Irish
technology
•increase student motivation
•students regarded the integrated
through the use of familiar technology
technologies as a positive move from more traditional methods
•increase student use of the 4 skills
•proved to break down barriers to students
- reading, writing, speaking, listening
•investigate the use of ICT in assessment
learning and speaking
•students abilities to learn autonomously were enhanced
•teachers commented positively on the shift from teacher-led to student-led learning
•teachers noticed increased motivation Cooney & Keogh
and student interest
Mobile or Handheld?
Mobile
Handheld
yes
no
less likely - often banned
yes – can be managed
yes
yes
Group work
for out of class tasks, recording, data collection
plus: rich media, web research
Individual study activities
yes – but limited
yes
less likely
yes
Phone SIM Use in class Use out of class
Courseware
Your own Activity taxonomy task
individual
Consuming: Grammar study
√
Self-access quiz
√
Reading
√
Listening
√
Vocabulary
√
√
upload & share projects
√ √
phonecasting phoneblogging
√ √
Producing: recording/interviewing storytelling/writing
group
√ √ 26
Some activities… • •
SMS phones
• •
Feature phones
•
Record conversations & dialogues in class (eg in pairs)
• •
Use mobile flashcards for vocabulary
• • • • • • • • •
SmartPhones/Tablets
Text each other to build a story
Take photos out of class - bring to class for discussion or project (eg writing up descriptions for a city tourist guide)
Use dictionaries on phones
Use practice apps – grammar & vocab exercises Watch video podcasts Listen to audio podcasts & check comprehension Create stories with photos and recordings (eg Scavenger Hunt) Use authentic input from Internet Phone casting Phone blogging PRS
PACER – new teaching/learning model
We need a technology-enhanced pedagogical model:
• Pre-teaching •
Authentic input via Handheld
• Classroom communicative practice •
External practice via Handheld
• Reinforce in classroom
1:1 learning - English & Classmates
“The students were clearly interested, motivated and engaged by the computer based materials, far more so than is likely to be the case for traditional approaches to teaching�
1:1 learning - OLPC classroom devices “OLPC's mission is to empower the world's poorest children through education” Nicholas Negroponte, MIT
“As the pace of change in the world increases dramatically, the urgency to prepare all children to be full citizens of the emerging world also increases dramatically. “
• • • • •
Uruguay Paraguay Peru Madagascar India
• • • • •
Nepal Gaza & Ramallah Kenya Afghanistan Rwanda
“What children lack is not capability, it is opportunity and resources. In the first years of OLPC we have seen two million previously marginalized children learn, achieve and begin to transform their communities.”
Plan Ceibal – remote teaching using OLPC Remote teacher using videophone
Joint lesson planning
Local class teacher managing activity
Local classroom: •TV screen showing remote teacher •Lesson materials shown via Webex 2-way video & audio
Students with Classroom laptops 31
Learn English on Nokia Life Inclusive access to English learning from the bottom of the pyramid upwards
Nokia Life (SMS)
Nokia Life +(Webapp)
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Nokia Confidential. Contents of this document are illustrative only & can/will change through the design, development, testing, implementation and operate phases.
LearnEnglish
LearnEnglish Grammar
•
Wide variety of interactive grammar practice
•
Graded language practice
•
Follows core inventory of language syllabus
•
In app content for purchase
•
Multiple language support
•
Available for iOS, Android and Blackberry phones.
•
#1 educational app in Hong Kong, Thailand
LearnEnglish
MyWordBook 2
LearnEnglish Sports World
LearnEnglish
Vocational English - Taxi Drivers
LearnEnglish
LearnEnglishKids Apps for kids
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Social media & language education " Children now default to social media in nearly every aspect of their life. They use it to communicate with their friends, play games and watch TV. By refusing to engage with our children in the digital playground that is social media, we will never truly understand their needs and never fully realise its potential as a language learning tool." 1. Create a Facebook page 2. Create a Twitter account 3. Create a YouTube account. 4. Create a Pinterest account 5. Create a blog or Tumblr :
Social Media - features for language learning 1
Purposeful reception of content z
2
3
Understanding and evaluating discourse
Thoughtful participation z
Creating community, netiquette
z
Awareness of self online
Evaluating contributions of others z
Intercultural awareness of contribution
4
Creative content production
5
Exploiting tools z
Remixing
z
Re-structuring content
z
Describing process of creation & negotiating with others
LS6 Project: Social Media The 6 Dialogues
Social Media benefits Benefits: • Shared reading • Shared writing • Shared speaking • Creative writing on • • •
•
students’ homepage in MySpace Increased participation Authentic use of language Intercultural awareness via human interaction online with learners from other countries ‘language buddy’ set up with native speakers
Features:
•
SM is constructivist
•
Develops autonomous learning
•
Develops natural interaction
•
Matches learning materials to real needs
•
Creates identity
•
Share content with peers and accept commentary
•
Communicate with others
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Create human networks
Negative
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Some SM users resist its use for formal study & work – it’s for fun
Digital teachers – new competences
• Technology awareness & curiosity • Operational skills • Lesson planning: how to integrate digital content • Classroom management: how to coordinate formal & informal activities
• Classroom management online: how to manage a virtual classroom
• Digital tools & media awareness – how to create new content
• Legal & IP awareness
Digital teachers - support & development
e-Moderator course
Learning Technologies for the Classroom
mLearning course: TheConsultants-e 41
Policy – investment in digital learning
Investment focus
Budget
Technology infrastructure – bandwidth
33%
Equipment – 1:1 devices & BYOD systems Teacher development – pre-service & in-service
33%
Curriculum update:
•pedagogical models, language syllabus, new assessment systems Digital content:
•textbooks, authentic input, activity drivers (incl. apps)
33%
Policy - mapping to the Ministry of Education curriculum
Policy - localisation
Policy - Technology partnerships • Deliver English lessons on home PCs
• Deliver English practice on mobile phones
• Develop reading skills via speech recognition
• Bring PCs to disadvantaged learners
• Integrate English learning with technical training
• Deliver English language content via broadcast
Future trends
• Virtual classroom • Teleteachers • Multi-modal ecosystem • Kindle effect • Translation devices • SR - Siri, Nuance • IPTV • Google Glasses • Augmented reality
Microsoft Surface
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The learner at the centre of cloud-based digital learning
LMS-based Practice
Digital & blended Course
MyPortfolio (User generated content & Social Media community)
Phone-Tablet-PC (device agnostic)
eTutors VOIP
Content-integrated radio/TV broadcasts
FaceTime
The Learner Face-to-face classroom State schools
Language schools 47
Teacher at the centre of a range of digital tools
Technology Solutions for ELT Access to quality teaching: • VOIP & VC tutors • Remote teaching • Telepresence
Extending learning time: • Flipped classrooms • Handheld learning
Exposure to natural language: • 1:1 devices & BYOD • Digital textbooks • Rich media & broadcast • Virtual classroom – VR immersion
Making learning relevant, credible & motivating • Social media • Mobile apps • Digital classroom • Content creation tools & activities