I don’t know what it is but we at eltjam are feeling a little nostalgic. It might be that we’ve met our 500th follower on twitter this week. It might be the spate of glorious weather that the UK is revelling in. Who knows? Either way, it’s at times like this that it makes sense to look up from the doleful glow of the computer monitor, open a blind or two and take stock of a few things. One such thing that we’d like to reflect upon in the giddy glow of this English summer is what we’ve learnt since we launched the eltjam site back in April this year.
Since the inception of the site we’ve been conducting regular micro-interviews with a colourful range of contacts from across the ELTosphere. The format is simple: there are ten questions and each question has a 140 character limit. The idea is to encourage the interviewee to reduce their thoughts, ideas and predictions down into a potent, prescient broth. The contributors represent every aspect of the broad edu-publishing spectrum; teachers, trainers, designers, publishers, editors, writers, edtech evangelists. Effectively, those who care for, comment on and create educational materials. So far we’ve proudly posted these communiques as they’ve been coming in, but what a perfect time to start collating all those responses to see what we’re able to learn from all the micro-interviews we’ve conducted; what patterns emerge? What predictions feature most commonly? Here’s a brief summary of the answers to each question; it’s quite remarkable what emerges when these are condensed down …
What’s the most interesting thing happening in ELT right now?
A definite theme that emerges in these responses is the evolutionary force of the internet and the enabling capabilities that it represents: Teachers are connecting with each other in self-organising communities of interest. Change in education is being driven from the grassroots as opposed to the traditional top-down approach as long-established roles in edu-publishing are being challenged and reassessed. Teachers are increasingly becoming content creators rather than consumers, whilst publishers are (or should be) becoming more education-minded in their behaviour and operations. There is increasingly a blurring of the real and virtual worlds in the content that is being introduced in the learning environment.
What do you think the developments in EdTech mean for learners of English?
Again, there are some key ideas and interpretations that come to the foreground with this question: Learners are able to lead the way when it comes to their learning experiences, preferences and objectives. Learning will become more personalised and will increasingly become integrated into daily life. Learners can liberate themselves from the entrenched ‘one size fits all’ classroom models. EdTech will engender and promote flexible and diverse modes of learning. However, learners will need to be more discerning in order to filter the quality content from the con. There are always empty promises and exploited learners in EdTech learning environments, as well as the unnecessary undermining of the vital role of an actual teacher when it comes to effective, meaningful learning.
What do you think the developments in EdTech mean for teachers?
Interestingly, the perception of EdTech’s impact on teachers is less positive: Teachers will be under pressure to work with the new tools. There will be an increasing pressure put upon educators to be perceived as being a ‘tech-savvy’ teacher as opposed to an inspirational one. New platforms and products will require more work and attention that will need to be diverted away from actual learning opportunities. However, it is a necessary disruption that will help teachers to develop and grow as professionals. Change is inevitable and they need to move forward towards a potentially liberating and rewarding paradigm shift. Teachers will need to ‘up-skill’ and engage their own critical thinking skills.
What do you think the developments in EdTech mean for publishers?
Our interviewees had some strikingly similar things to say about the fortune of publishers in the EdTech age: Publishers must change or die. Revenues will be lost and redundancies will be made as companies make mad dashes to restructure. Publishers will need to seriously rethink their strategy and pedagogical approaches as focus will move from brand names to the actual quality of the materials. However, it’s a ripe time for small companies that are able to pay attention to the developments and innovate. Innovators will be the victors. Self-publishers are going to be taking the ‘old boys’ on at their own game.
Gamification: Fad or future?
A cheeky question intended to split opinion but one that actually, remarkably, generated the most consistent responses: Gamification will become a mainstream option over time. Publishers will need to be informed experts in the strategy (rather than wagon-chasing opportunists) in order to get any meaningful return on their attempts.
How will mobile learning transform ELT?
This was another question that generated similar responses and revealed a surprisingly frank take on the longevity of the classroom-based learning experience: Mobile learning won’t necessarily change anything; classrooms will always have students and teachers. Tech is for outside of the classroom, whereas classrooms are for real and meaningful interactions. The underlying principles of language learning will remain unaltered by mobile devices and their applications, although it may present itself as a viable homework option. More favourable commentators view it as a way of encouraging learners to access learning opportunities anywhere, at any time. There is a the ability to take learning into the real world and the real world into the language learning classroom.
What next for online learning?
As expected, we got some great responses. Check back in a couple of years to confirm how prescient these were: There are opportunities for augmented reality, ebooks, more advanced LMS platforms, On Demand courses tailored to a learner’s requirements, non-linear, blended MOOC-type courses, mobile platforms, globally inclusive courses accessed through a smartphone. Furthermore, there will be the stabilising influences of HTML5 as well as the dominance of the Tin Can API. However, there will be the ubiquitous ‘snake oil’ solutions peddled by opportunists. Teachers will need substantial training and support to make the online space more collaborative and effective.
How will ELT be different 5 years from now?
There was a strong commonality between the responses to this question and one that (again) reveals how vital the ‘basics’ of language learning are perceived as being: There will still be classrooms and teachers and students working together inside them. These classes won’t necessarily be any more communicative, but perhaps tech will be more integrated. Grammar and vocab will still be required (Grammar In Use projected directly onto your glasses? *shudder*). There will still be tension within the ELT as it tries to keep up with tech. However, the more integrated use of tech will help to provide more individualised learning pathways and autonomous learners. There will be better online materials and a more effective, seamless convergence of online and real worlds. We may see the rise of crow-sourced publishing initiatives and the major publishers (or those that remain) adapting their strategy to mimic that approach.
And there we have it; a run down of the what the our micro-interviews uncovered over the last few months. Watch this space for a new round of questions that will hopefully get the collective ELT consciousness visualising the next step in ELT’s relentless evolution.
Thanks for the nice summary of the micro-interviews.
One thought that occurs: there is (naturally) a degree of confirmation bias in this summary. All the interviews have been with, shall we say, ‘friendlies’ to edtech and the delights of ‘digital’. Given this fact then the picture of the future, the thoughts about change, the thoughts about gamification etc are not balanced and don’t really cover the views of the ELT industry as a whole, merely a vocal subsection.
What say the publishing managers who aren’t specifically ‘digital’ in their remit? What say the publishing directors? The sales people in countries where broadband is at best patchy and edtech is just not a reality for most classrooms. Indeed, what about teachers and educators across the globe: how would they respond to the micro-questions? Perhaps the micro-interview could be extended to non-diggies?
I’m not sceptical in any sense about digital and education: I have a strong ELT publishing background, and a focussed digital one to boot. But I do think it’s important to be clear that these thoughts are not necessarily representative of the whole industry – at least not yet. Otherwise, we are in danger of skewing the picture somewhat.
Hi Carl,
Thanks for the excellent comment and you make some good points. You’re right to comment that the interviews weren’t made available to a thoroughly representative range of individuals from the ELT industry, and we certainly have been in contact with people who are of the more ‘future focused’ persuasion. I would certainly welcome input and commentaries from Publishing Directors and Sales Managers from as many publishing houses as we can. I’m sure they would add a new perspective to the mix of views we are in the process of gathering.
I’d like to respond to one point you made, if I may; you suggested that the summary was naturally exhibiting a degree of confirmation bias. I think the opposite is true, to be honest. I was quite surprised by many of the points that emerged from looking across all of the responses, in particular the repeated confirmation of the classroom/teacher/student dynamic and how essential it is to the learning process (regardless of what tech developments unfold). That ran contrary to the assumptions I held about our collection of collaborators and only served to confirm (from eltjam’s perspective) that things are as cut and dried as we’d thought when it comes to EdTech.
I would like to reiterate that these views do not speak for the ELT industry as a whole and that generalisations should not be made. However, these are views of ELT ‘agents’ across a wide spectrum and with a range of experiences/contexts/beliefs/motivations. I would suggest that their views are worth paying attention to.
Thanks Tim, good response!
Fair point re: confirmation bias – although I would still say that if you ask a bunch of like-minded individuals for their thoughts, you will get a similar response on these issues. So while it may not confirm *your* bias, I wonder if they are confirming each others’. But that’s probably too much thinking about the detail!
It’s good to debate, and thanks for confirming “that these views do not speak for the ELT industry as a whole and that generalisations should not be made. However, these are views of ELT ‘agents’ across a wide spectrum and with a range of experiences/contexts/beliefs/motivations. I would suggest that their views are worth paying attention to.” You are quite right to say that they should be listened to, indeed.
Thanks again.
This great post is a very accurate and insightful description of the evolutionary impact of the internet on all the ELT players, from the teacher to the biggest publisher in the world. I would just add that the classroom itself could disappear, just think how Skype and Paypal benefits for self-employed teachers can disrupt the traditional english learning school.
Hi Michel,
Thanks for the comment. I think the concept you’ve put forward is intriguing. Do you have examples of that model being used by teachers? We’d love to hear more about how teachers are actively reinventing the language school format in the light of recent online tools/capabilities.
@Tim
May be each individual teacher involved doesn’t know how far he or she is reinventing the language school format like a single piece of the puzzle doesn’t think much about the cover puzzle game box.
Hello again Michel,
I find it also intriguing. You can be 100% sure that I will be watching for the rest of my life. Maybe one day we will meet and we can discuss them in detail. I would love to come to one of your seminars, let me know.
Thanks Tim, good response!
Fair point re: confirmation bias – although I would still say that if you ask a bunch of like-minded individuals for their thoughts, you will get a similar response on these issues. So while it may not confirm *your* bias, I wonder if they are confirming each others’. But that’s probably too much thinking about the detail!
It’s good to debate, and thanks for confirming “that these views do not speak for the ELT industry as a whole and that generalisations should not be made. However, these are views of ELT ‘agents’ across a wide spectrum and with a range of experiences/contexts/beliefs/motivations. I would suggest that their views are worth paying attention to.” You are quite right to say that they should be listened to, indeed.
Thanks again.
Cheers, Carl!
Thanks for your input and, as you say, it’s always good to knock these ideas around.
Hopefully, as eltjam continues to grow, we’ll start including more and more ELT players and capturing what they have to say.
All the best,
T
I think it is great that a new entrant can access a wide(ish)range of opinions so swiftly and actually synthesize them into a statement of where the current ELT industry might be heading. We all know the route is still not clear, the business models aren’t established, the role of the current players is blurring but do keep up the the thinking and the dissemination of those thoughts.