Taking digital risks in the language classroom

New technology has become important in the classroom and will continue to be so as major advances are made with increasing frequency. Some teachers, however, remain cautious about integrating digital tools into their teaching practice. In a new Cambridge English webinar you can learn strategies for moving teachers o ut of their ‘comfort zone’ and into a place where they can expand their range of skills in the classroom.

Teachers have shown varying degrees of reluctance to use technology, and research has shown that many teachers eschew its use. So why is this the case?

The technosceptics are wary of technology because they feel there is not enough proof of the pedagogical benefits. They believe teachers need to actually see concrete benefits and that technology should be used as support for teaching and not as a way of reducing the role of teachers in learning.

Some challenges from early attempts at moving technology into the classroom revolve around reliability of media and platforms, and that experience has led some teachers to avoid its use. Other teachers are reluctant because they lack confidence in their own ability to use technology well.

Technology can, in fact, be a useful tool and if it is exploited appropriately good teachers can reap benefits for their learners. The range of accessible tools is numerous and there is good evidence to support their use. Putting the learner at the centre of exploring the tools is a good starting point for the Cambridge Digital Framework.

For more information, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1TbWUrkwG4

Presenter: Tilly Harrison. (2017, Dec 14). Taking digital risks in the language classroom [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1TbWUrkwG4