I use this slide to elicit for a couple of minutes some ideas about changes in the wider environment that are likely to have an impact onwere organisations represented in the room.
I then move on, highlighting the potential impact on education generally and (English) language teaching more particularly of:
I then move on, highlighting the potential impact on education generally and (English) language teaching more particularly of:
- Technology
- The number of adult non-native speakers of English in Ireland
- The potential of MOOCs.
I make brief mention of this recent publication from The Economist; it highlights a number of significant themes that are likely to have a global impact in the next three decades and more.
Daniel Franklin, its editor, provides an overview of the content here.
Daniel Franklin, its editor, provides an overview of the content here.
The purpose of this slide is to focus on significant changes that are occurring, or may need to occur, as we were moved further into the 21st-century.
Influenced by the ideas of Sir Ken Robinson, I make some brief observations on curriculum, class sizes and the role of creativity in the classroom. More here:
Influenced by the ideas of Sir Ken Robinson, I make some brief observations on curriculum, class sizes and the role of creativity in the classroom. More here:
I use the slide to make mention of how technology has changed since I was at school; we were encouraged to use the language laboratory to practise French but discouraged from experimenting with the various knobs on the equipment.
This contrasts with the easy familiarity with which many of our students now use the resources of the internet, apps and their smartphones to practise (English) language skills.
This contrasts with the easy familiarity with which many of our students now use the resources of the internet, apps and their smartphones to practise (English) language skills.
I then move on to make mention of two presentations made at TED several years ago:
- Richard Baraniuk of Rice University, Texas spoke about the impact of print on demand technologies, especially from the perspective of educational publishing
- Chris Anderson, formerly editor of Wired magazine, spoke about the impact of digital storage and delivery on how music can be consumed.
In this slide and the one that follows I observe how Moore's Law has had an impact on the technology available through a range of different devices that are now converging in handheld devices that can be carried everywhere, giving access to a range of social media and other online resources.
You may enjoy this brief clip that raises questions about generational differences - or are there? - in the use of tablets and similar devices.
You may enjoy this brief clip that raises questions about generational differences - or are there? - in the use of tablets and similar devices.
I go on to comment on the extent to which there may be differences in the learning styles, work preferences and social activities in a generation that has grown up digital and never known the world without a keyboard within easy reach.
Find out more about:
Find out more about:
- The One Laptop Per Child project: one of several initiatives to get low-cost but sufficient technology (supported by cloud computing) into education, particularly in the developing world
- David Crystal's views on texting.