What is intelligent use?

What we know about technology

• Using social media is not the same as language learning. Anecdotally, some people have learned English through social media – but they’re not most people.

• Shiny new objects get dull quickly – it’s not the tool, it’s the use of the tool. There is a standard cycle with new tech of hype – way over the top – then reality sinks in.

• Drills are not the only form of language practice; repetition is at the bottom of Bloom’s Taxonomy. However, learners do need practice. Spaced repetition is effective. Adaptive practice can move learners on to areas they don’t know once they show mastery, or guide them to the next level of practice. Language use is creative.

• Technology can improve learning, but it takes time to use well and to set up appropriately.

• Tech can enhance learning:

  • Authentic communication – ownership – learning through sense of autonomy and control – psychological research

  • Multi-modal learning and differentiation – variety of channels with the same message = better communication and learning

What we know about teaching and learning

Teacher needs include

• Practicality – ease, affordability, fit with setting; a gradebook if you don’t have an LMS, link storage – saving useful links and being able to find them again (https://www.diigo.com, others), password storage – secure (I use Keeper, a commercial product)

• Usefulness – does the tech help achieve learning goals and objectives

• Community – tech help, guidance, support from other teachers

Learner needs include

• Motivation/engagement

• Practice

• Creativity

• Belonging

More below in the 6 Ps

TPACK - Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge - Mishra & Kohler (2006); http://matt-koehler.com/tpack2/

Digital natives/residents; digital immigrants/visitors

Prensky's dichotomy of natives and immigrants based on age is largely discredited. More useful in the digital residents/digital visitors distinction from WorldCat.org. See what they mean at https://experimental.worldcat.org/vandrmapping/assets/documents/VRAMappingInstructions.pdf and create your own map at https://experimental.worldcat.org/vandrmapping/editMap

Some things are more personal, some more work-related; some things are just on an as-needed basis, and some are constantly visited.

Communication

Right tone, right place, right time

Texting and social media posts are not the same as academic or business-related email

Who is talking to whom and where - digital literacy in a global environment

Collaboration

• Google Docs (collaborative writing; hard to know who contributed what)

• Word with comments and track changes (easier to see who did what)

• Facebook Groups, WhatsApp Groups - can add audio, video

• Zoom - record for a later look (and assessment)

• Cross-classroom projects

  • Need to be planned, especially if cross-cultural

  • iEARN: https://iearn.org - collaborative projects at https://iearn.org/collaboration

Creativity

Multiple media to spark interest and motivation

Remixing - Pinterest.com or Scoop.it to create topic boards

Intelligent use for the 4Cs

• Encourage “Why” and open-ended questions

• Question sources

• Group work

• Alternative assessment

• Encourage use of creativity tools and apps

TESOL's 6 Principles

https://www.the6principles.org

Principle 1: Know your learners

What do they know now? What are their goals? How do they learn? What motivates them?

Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/

Digital resident/visitor map: https://experimental.worldcat.org/vandrmapping/editMap

Digital storytelling (see more at https://sites.google.com/site/digitalstorytellinghealey)

Principle 2: Create conditions for language learning

Positive learning environment, language input, support for learner needs, high expectations

Flipped classroom

Material and activities before class build background knowledge and set the stage. Online discussion lets teachers can get a sense of what learners do and don’t understand about a topic. In class, learners can discuss at a deeper level, and the teacher is better able to see who may need further preparation or scaffolding before moving on. Teachers can record short videos of themselves, explaining a topic, that students can view as many times as they like before class. These don’t need to be high-quality videos – a mobile phone will work, though desktop tools can be useful

• Good resources for language teachers from Helaine Marshall at https://malpeducation.com/sofla/flipped-learning/

• Good explanation at http://www.jasonrhode.com/flipped-classroom-resources-from-ut-austin

• Video tools: Flipgrid (free): https://flipgrid.com/; VideoRecorder: https://webcamera.io; record in Zoom, many more

• Screencasting: Screencast-o-matic: https://screencast-o-matic.com, many more

Principle 3: Design high-quality language lessons

Clear outcomes, scaffolding, high-quality curricula and materials appropriate to the learners

Apps and Bloom's Taxonomy at Bloomin' Apps from Kathy Schrock: https://www.schrockguide.net/bloomin-apps.html

Webquests for project-based learning - clear structure

• The original - WebQuest.org: http://webquest.org/

• Zunal.com: https://zunal.com - you can make a few webquests there for free

• QuestGarden: http://questgarden.com/ - search for examples (free search); subscription-based to create webquests on their site

• Google Doc Webquest Template

Principle 4: Adapt lesson delivery as needed

Adjust to meet learner needs; differentiate; first language support

BreakingNewsEnglish: https://breakingnewsenglish.com - current news and archives; for each topic, multi-level readings, audio, and exercises

TextAnalyzer: http://www.roadtogrammar.com/textanalysis/ - gives a CEFR score for input text

Google Translate: https://translate.google.com - convert input text or a whole web page

• Get the gist in your own language, then switch into English

• Selectively translate phrases from the English version after you've read the whole page in your language

• Read in your language, then summarize in English

Principle 5: Monitor and assess language development

Ongoing formative assessment; feedback; appropriate summative assessment

Formative quizzing (most can be used on mobile devices)

• Kahoot!: https://kahoot.com - individual or team work; ready-made or teacher-generated quizzes

• Quizlet: https://quizlet.com - flashcards and variety of practice exercises; ready-made, teacher- or learner-generated word lists. Pro version includes spaced repetition

• Quizizz: https://quizizz.com - polls and quizzes; ready-made, teacher- or learner-generated

• Duolingo: https://duoingo.com - spaced repetition in practice activities

• ESLVideo: https://eslvideo.com - add multiple-choice questions to YouTube videos

• Many more

Rubrics - Rubistar: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ - designed to L1 English speakers; adapt for your learners

Class Dojo: https://www.classdojo.com/ - on-the-fly formative assessment and note-taking; use on a mobile device

Principle 6: Engage and collaborate in a community of practice

Reflective practice, communication, collaboration, ongoing professional development

Your local language teachers association

TESOL: https://www.tesol.org

myTesol Lounge - free discussion area - https://my.tesol.org/

Final comments

From the TESOL Tech Standards Task Force

• Bad teaching will not disappear with the addition of technology, no matter how advanced.

• Intelligent use of technology supports and enhances the 6 Principles

• Keep fundamentals in mind when using shiny new toys