Michael Carrier “The Future of Digital English: new technologies for English language learning”

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

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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

Print

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

•

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