ELT and the Crisis in Education: Technology in the

Classroom
Sunday 9 January 2011
by Nik Peachey

In my last posting ELT and the Crisis in Education: Digital Reading Skills I took a look at how I feel the process of
reading has been impacted by digital technologies and suggested that we need to address this and change or at least
expand the way we deal with developing reading skills in ELT.
In this article Id like to question how effectively we can attempt to do that in the language classroom as it appears in its
present state.
One of the most common criticisms leveled at teachers who do attempt to integrate technology into their classroom
environment, is that this often results in a lot of faffing around or time wasted while struggling to get the technology to
work properly. To some extent I feel that this criticism is fair, but I dont think its a criticism that should be leveled at
teachers, but would be better directed at the people who control the way technology is layered onto the classroom
environment, so lets look at that.
These are two of the most common ways I see technology injected into schools. The first is the multimedia classroom /
computer lab.

Computer lab
Im sure, many teachers who have no computer access for their students will look at these images with envy, but is this
really an effective way to implement technology into our teaching practice? You may ask whats wrong with this kind of
arrangement and this would be my answer.
* Having booked a time slot, teachers have to take the students out of their usual classroom environment and get them
reorganised in a new classroom with a new seating pattern. Once in the media lab teachers feel pressured to fill all the
time there with computer use, after all why take 5 15 mins getting students reorganised, getting computers turned on
and students logged in, only to leave and go back to class again a few moments later?
* Many computer / multimedia labs arent in fact multimedia. There are computers there which are capable of delivering
multimedia, but in many cases they dont have headphones or speakers, there are no microphones and very few have
webcams, so much of the multimedia capability and more importantly the part that supports oral / aural communication
and audio visual creativity has been rendered ineffective.
* The arrangement of most computer rooms, with computers in long rows, makes it very difficult for teachers to manage
the class, get students attention and create any kind of off screen communication between students as their attention is
dominated by the computer.
* Most computer networks are jealously protected by IT managers who do their upmost to make sure the computers are
kept free of viruses and not used for unsuitable purposes. This often involves disabling any kind rights to upload,
download or instal programs, software or applications and also often disables many of the browser based plugins that

can be so useful to teachers and students. So in short the protection of the network takes priority over enabling teachers
and students to use the computers effectively.
The second common scenario for technology integration into schools is the interactive whiteboard / single computer and
data projector in the classroom.

Interactive whiteboards

Again many teachers would welcome the opportunity to have these kinds of tools, and they do solve the problem of
having to take students out of class and into a new environment, but they do also create problems of a different kind
when it comes to developing students digital literacies.
The interactive whiteboard puts complete control of the computer in the hands of the teacher. This may make the
teacher feel good and make classroom management easier, but there is no way for the students to develop their digital
literacies in this kind of environment where they dont have hands on access to the technology.
So whats the solution?
There is a third alternative and one that is becoming increasingly more common and that is the wireless classroom. As
more schools are becoming wirelessly connected, this opens the opportunity for much greater flexibility in the way
technology is used in class and which technology is used. Providing classrooms with wireless access can enable
students to use their own devices in class and allows for a greater range and diversity of devices. It solves some of the
problems of keeping school computers up to date with software and plugins and shifts responsibility for protection from
viruses etc. It means that teachers and students dont have to leave the classroom or even their seat to access the
internet. Schools do however have to be prepared to provide adequate bandwidth to make it possible for reasonable
numbers of students to start accessing media rich sources such as YouTube without bringing down the network.
Despite the fact that wireless networks are becoming much more common place in schools and at educational
conferences Im still surprised at how little utilisation these networks get.
Over the last year Ive attended a good number of conferences and done workshops in a number of schools most of
which have a wireless network, and yet still most teachers and students turn up to classes or sessions with pen and
paper and only use the network for checking their email or Facebook between classes. The fact is very few tutors and
trainers take advantage of the network during their sessions. This is something we desperately need to change. We
must try to change the culture of our educational training at conferences and workshops and start to build the
expectation that if students in classes or teachers at conferences bring along an internet capable device they will have
the opportunity to use it in a way which will enhance their learning and participation in that event.
So what do you think about this?
* How is technology being integrated into learning in your institution?
* Are teachers efforts to use technology in your school being supported or obstructed by the institution?

* Is there a wireless network and do teachers and students use it in class?

* Do you have a computer lab? Does it get used?
* Do the computers in your school have microphones, headphones and webcams?
* Is technology something your students use in the classroom or just outside of it?
* Do you take your laptop or mobile device along to conferences and actually get to use it?
Best
Nik Peachey

19 responses to ELT and the Crisis in Education: Technology in the

Classroom
Virginia Allum says:

1.

All interesting questions! So many times I would encourage students to follow up my lesson using websites with interactive material at home
because it was a nightmare to try to use the sites in the school (not enough computers, slow speed ,in fact all the issues you mentioned).
Having said that, I felt that most students did have access to online materials at home; what they didnt have access to was the face-to-face
communication and practice with a teacher which they had in the classroom.
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

o
Hi Virginia

Yes, technology should make life easier not more difficult, but using tech in most schools is a really high risk activity. This is totally wrong
and doesnt need to be the case.
I agree about the importance of face to face interaction time in the classroom, but I feel that technology can be used to enhance the face to
face experience and make lessons more useful for enabling students to use teachnology outside the classroom too.
Best
Nik
REPLY

Phil says:

2.

We have a few old labs and wireless but we dont use it enough. I think many of us are still stuck in the old lang lab mentality of use X
program for 30 mins. Ive had some success with DOKEOS and WHITEBOARD but the students still find it strange as it really needs to be a
whole school movement. I also did a DISTANCE course myself which could have been more interactive with webcasts and interactuve
exercises.
We need to keep up with the times so the more of us who incorporate IT in the class the better for the students who use it out of the class.
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

o
Hi Phil

Yes, its surprisng how many teachers still have the impression that computer based learning is about those kind of digital work book type
tasks such as gapfilling, drag aand drop matching etc that characterised a lot of CALL software of the last century. That seems to still be
reflected in the way computer rooms / media labs are designed. We need to get a way from that a bit and see the computers as a means of
real communication.
Best
Nik
REPLY

Phil says:

3.
Hi Nik

Exactly. In fact, thaks to you I am trying out a class project which students accessed on their mobiles and set to work on in class. It seems
more natural to them as this is how they access info normally and communicate with their friends. Im going to try more of your ideas next
term but using the net constructively has really freshened up my classes, even TOEIC which seems impossible.
Thanks for all the tips and keep up the inspirational ideas.
Phil
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

o
Hi Phil

Thats really great. Id love to hear a bit more detail about the kinds of things you are doing, particularly with mobile.
Best
Nik
REPLY

Phil says:

I uploaded a document with details of a team task/project to the Uni online platform which I then asked the students to access as the intro.
Within 5 mins there were mobiles, notebooks, blackberries and strawberries (?) being pulled out and battling over who could get a signal
first. I then answered any questions and told them that near the end of the class there would be a recorded presentation based on a single
PP slide. They then recorded and perfected their talks onto voicethread, emailed around links and commented with 1 min speeches on each
video. finally I opened up the Chat page on the Uni platform and I began a discussion on the videos. It worked well as it was like messaging
but actually has icons for ask permission to speak, hand over the floor etc.
I came up with this following what Ive read on your blogs. It is the same lesson and activities as I normally use but using integrated
technology. However, my hi-tech lesson clashed a bit with the blackboard and chalk I had to use to write with but you cant win them all.
Thanks again for the inspiration.
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

Hi Phil

That sounds like a great response from your students and it also sounds like you have a lot of support from your school / Uni.
When your students accessed the online platform through their mobile devices, were they doing it through a local wireless network or
through their own mobile network?
Do you have any resistance from students who dont want to use or havent got a mobile to use?
Thank you so much for sharing your experience here.
Best
Nik
REPLY

Phil says:

4.
Hi again

We have Wifi and the learning platform but as you have noted few people venture down that road. The old lamp projector, chalkboard and
VHS tapes are still in use.
Resistance?
Well, some connection problems but most students have a laptop which was easier for project work. The mobile devices are a bit eye
straining after a while but good for quick messages.
In one place we changed the delivery method of weekly tasks. Students were emailed, SMSed it or even called by the teacher.
One thing I have noticed is that with this kind of integration the boundaries of the class shift. It is no longer 2 til 4 then finish as the devices
and communication means match their outside actvities. What I mean is that the lesson becomes alive and when it finishes students are
willing to continue a homework chat or voicethread. If we can create this passion and interest then the next lesson will also tap into it. We
will then have a living breathing course rather than just a series of classes.
How would you encourage other teachers/depts to embrace WIFI and mobile devices? Especially given that many may have been doing the
same classes for 50 years?
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

o
Hi Phil

You asked, How would you encourage other teachers/depts to embrace WIFI and mobile devices? Especially given that many may have
been doing the same classes for 50 years?
This is a really tricky question and one to which there is no simple single answer. There are going to be some people in that situation who
never will and I think you have to be prepare to accept that, but for the ones that can change I think you have to start very slowly and gently
and look carefully at the way they already teach and the things they feel comfortable doing in the classroom, then look at how and where
technology can help to make things easier for them or help them accomplish the things they do in a more effective way.
One thing to avoid is trying to use technology too much and to do every single thing using a clever app or website. Technology should
enhance, support and enable learning.
One thing Id like to pick up on from you comment is the shift in the boundaries of the classroom and how technology has enabled you to
extend the lesson / learning beyond the time spent in class. I think this is really important and its a shift we need to make in the way we
think about education both as teachers and students. Learning needs to be a constant and ongoing process, not something that ends with
the bell, but for this to happen I think that schools need to rethink the role of teachers and how this extends beyond class time and into being
constantly available to their students and I think teachers need to be supported (and I do mean financially) in this extension of their role.
So I think that goes back to your original question. Its not just the teachers that need to change its also the schools and the way they think
about the role of the teacher and how and where learning takes place.
Hope that goes some way towards answering your question.
I wrote an article a while back called The Web 2.0 School of the Present
http://quickshout.blogspot.com/2009/11/web-20-school-of-present.html
This goes into a bit more detail about how to transform the language school environment. I also wrote a short article about tools that can be
used to exploit wirteless 3 Tools for Exploiting the Wifi During Presentations
http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/2010/05/3-tools-for-exploiting-wifi-during.html
These might also help.
Best
Nik
REPLY

Tracey says:

Nik, Phil,

I have been reading your thread with great interest. I am currently in the second year of my PGCE course. I teach ESOL but at the moment
just 2 evenings a week due to time constraints of a young family. I am writing a conference paper as part of my course A study of the
efficacy of a class blog in my ESOL class to extend the teaching and learning beyond the weekly session. I, too, am excited about the
opportunities and possibilities to continue the learning outside the time constraints and physical boundaries of the classroom.
Its been great reading your comments and thoughts, really interesting and inspiring.
Tracey
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

Hi Tracy,

Thats great. Which blogging platform are you using? What kinds of things are you getting your students to do? Are you getting them to do
any of the blogging?
Tell us more and share what you are doing. Im sure other people are interested.
Best
Nik
REPLY

Phil says:

5.
Hi Nik

Thanks for the links. Some great ideas, as always.

I really agree about going overboard with IT which is tempting as there is so much great stuff available. The British Council and BBC to
name just 2 sites.

I also liked what I read about student blogs and wikis where we visit their sites, not the other way round. In my current school (probably the
same as many), students access our links/sites so just rent the knowledge rather than interacting with sites and linking them to their blog
etc. This opens up new dynamics such as lets all do a chat on X students blog or write a blog post to X student about todays topic. I
suppose this harks back to the teacher as facilitator idea.
I will certainly try more interactive and open lessons which move away from the 2 til 4 books open page 22 style. Personally, I am happy if
the students achieve my lesson objectives. This could be in a class or via a web conference or even through an adapted blog/wiki exercise.
For this reason schools and higher ed need to embrace the more open view of education you talk about. Why isnt an interactive videobased listening and grammar activity from the net as good as a dull teachers grammar lecture? I know which Id prefer and which Id
remember.
Oh, that last site is http://www.english-attack.com which is still being tested but looks great.
Thanks again.
REPLY

Tracey says:

6.

In my teaching establishment we encounter many of the problems outlined by Nik above.

In order to counteract the negative attitude sometimes expressed by managers regarding the use of technology in the language class, it is in
our best interests to do our research first to ensure that we use technology in the best way possible in order to win over these people. Geoff
Petty made a very salient point about efficacy when he remarked along the lines of it not being about what the technology does, but what
the student does.
Tracey
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

o
Hi Tracy

Thats very true, but we also need to start hassling administrators and managers to make sure they provide the right tools and sufficient
connectivity so that when we get students doing things they aresuccessful. When things fail because of bad connectivity or poor hardware,
its the teacher who is in the firing line and the perception is that the teacher has got something wrong, and this shouldnt be the case.
Teachers should not have to put themselves on the line everytime they log in to a computer.
Best
Nik
REPLY

phil says:

7.

Very well put.

A Russian student recently told me that at his school everyone has ereaders and he was shocked that in Europe we are far behind. The
French students responses were that they liked real books and they would never use ereaders. They also said they print their emails as
they are easier to read and they can collate them. For them the internet and computers are nothing to do with learning English, just for
checking email and for facebook.
With these kinds of opinions from students how can we move them into using technology, especially when their only experience in
school/Uni is often of old computers and slow internet access?
REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

Um. Yes I was recently at a meeting of quite high level educators. Out of about 12 people I and one other had iPads, the rest were carrying
around large bundles and stacks of paper. Have to say I felt a bit conspicuous.
Best
Nik
REPLY

David says:

8.
Hi Nik,

Ill just throw this thought out there given the proposal that students have their own devices (but not dealing with the issue of how this
might cause inequality in the classroom).
Why even bother going to school? If online is the meeting place or the device is the meeting place why the need for school at all?
David

REPLY

Nik Peachey says:

9.
Hi David

To some extent you have a point, but I dont think EVERTHING is best done a device. Id prefer to see a shift in the nature of schools and
classrooms into much more social learning areas that foster much more autonomous guided learning.
Best
Nik
REPLY