APLING678 Week 2 - Theory

Theoretical Perspective: Basic Concepts and Issues

Guiding Questions:
- What role(s) does technology play in language learning? - What is digital competence? - How do digital technologies impact our way of communication and learning? - What are the implications for language teachers at this point in our course?

Readings: Complete the readings for this week:

• Text: Walker & White (2013) Chapter 1 Learning and Chapter 2 Communication
• e-Reserves: Arnold & Ducate (2011) Chapter 1 Technology, CALL and the net generation: Where are we headed from here? In Arnold & Ducate (eds.) Present and Future Promises of CALL: From Theory and Research to new Directions in Language Teaching. CALICO Monograph 5 (2nd edition.)
• e-Reserves: Youngs, Ducate & Arnold (2011) Chapter 2 Linking second language acquisition, CALL and language pedagogy. In Arnold & Ducate (eds.) Present and Future Promises of CALL: From Theory and Research to new Directions in Language Teaching. CALICO Monograph 5 (2nd edition.)
• Weblink: Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieve from http://marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
• Weblink: Lippincott & Greenwell (2011) 7 things you should know about the modern learning commons. Retrieve from http://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1261&context=libraries_facpub

Substantive Discussion Post:

Differentiation

COLLAPSE

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If we concede to the strictly binary categories of Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant, my first instinct is to classify myself as a Digital Immigrant, who immigrated to the land of technology at a somewhat early age. Idid grow up watching Sesame Street (Marc Prensky assumes Digital Immigrants did not), but I was not introduced to computers until late elementary. I took a Brother Word Processor to college with me, not a PC, and I did not have a cell phone until after college. I still prefer to learn (and teach) in a step-by-step manner. Most ironically of all, in this technology class, I have printed out every article from this course so far because I prefer to read off of paper and highlight and take notes by hand. I even wrote out most of this response with a pen in my spiral notebook before beginning to type. I organize my thoughts better that way.

As a Digital Immigrant, I supposedly “think learning can’t (or shouldn’t) be fun” (Prensky 3). Fifteen years ago, as a student teacher right out of college (still not in possession of a cell phone or a laptop), I created a giant board game to help my students learn about Kafka. They had a blast. Perhaps Pensky’s bias towards video games doesn’t allow him to see this as fun. Or perhaps I’m actually a Digital Native who just doesn’t see herself that way.

In the end, does it really matter? “The problem with the ‘digital natives vs. digital immigrants’ concept is that it leads to an assumption that all modern young people are intrinsically interested in, motivated by, and expert with digital technologies” (Walker & White 24). In fact, different students are interested in and motivated by different things. That is why differentiation is so important in the classroom.

Differentiation offers students “multiple ways of taking in and expressing information” (Sprenger 2). We all have different learning preferences. I absorb information better when I read it and take notes with pen and paper. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not digitally fluent; native or immigrant, I speak the language passably. Under some circumstances, though, I’m more comfortable in my native tongue. My 15-year-old son (young and affluent enough to automatically be considered a Digital Native) is an amazing computer coder, but he does not own a smartphone or a tablet. He likes to take in information via YouTube (on his laptop) and listening to NPR (on the car radio) and by discussing politics, religion, and philosophy with his parents (at the dinner table). There are so many great sources of information available to us. We can’t assume that one modality will work for an entire generation. We have to use a variety.

Ducate and Arnold emphasize that we should not use technology in the classroom solely for the sake of incorporating technology. There has to be sound pedagogical rationale behind it (13-14). “Clearly, pedagogy and theory should be linked” (Ducate & Arnold 25).  Differentiated instruction is part of the educational theory that makes incorporating technology into the classroom (in the proper manner) a sound pedagogical practice. Technology enhanced learning in and of itself can be a way to differentiate, and within the broad category of TELL, there are many possibilities for differentiated and individualized instruction. “The idea of taking your students to the same destination while using different modes of transportation is one way of looking at this concept [of differentiation]” (Sprenger 2). As language teachers, we can use many vehicles in our classrooms – lecture by instructor, recordings/video/Podcasts of native speakers, CMC, conversations between students, email with a native penpal, creating a PowerPoint presentation on a cultural aspect of the target language, etc. There are hundreds of “vehicles” available to us. We just have to pick and choose wisely.

When I think about going back to the classroom 15-20 years after I last taught in a full-time manner, I am a little nervous. Especially when I read articles like Prensky’s, which make me feel like I need to be a video game designer to get the students’ attention. I do know that I am enough on the Immigrant end of the Digital Native vs. Digital Immigrant spectrum to know that properly incorporating technology will be a challenge to me when I return to teaching. To be in a room full of students who have grown up on “twitch speed” (Prensky 3) will be new for me. I accept that I am not an expert and will likely need to learn from my students, as Prensky writes that smart adult immigrants do (3).

At this point in our course, only two weeks in, there are already so many implications for language learners and teachers that my mind is spinning. I’m already picturing my future German classroom and jotting down notes of specific ways I can effectively use technology to help my students learn and communicate. I look forward to learning more as the semester goes on and to thinking about if my ideas are pedagogically sound, based in a “solid understanding of learning theories” (Dr. Compton, in reply to my Week 1 substantive response).

References:

Assigned readings

Sprenger, M. (2008) Differentiation through learning styles and memory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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