New technologies, blended learning and the ‘flipped classroom’ in ELT

New Technologies in ELT
This document summarizes key themes and ideas from the chapter "New Technologies, Blended Learning and the 'Flipped Classroom' in ELT" by Gruba, Hinkelman and Cárdenas-Claros.
Main Themes:
Evolving Role of Technology in ELT: Moving from Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) to blended and flipped learning approaches, technology is becoming increasingly integrated and normalized within ELT programs.
Reconceptualizing Teaching, Learning, and Assessment: New technologies necessitate shifts in pedagogical practices, recognizing the importance of new literacies, learner autonomy, and multimodal communication skills.
Blended Language Learning: The integration of technology into face-to-face settings offers opportunities for flexible learning, diverse groupings, and the utilization of multimodal texts and tools.
The Flipped Classroom: This approach inverts traditional teaching sequences, with content delivery happening online prior to class, allowing for increased in-class interaction and collaboration.
Teacher Training and Professional Development: Effective technology integration requires adequate teacher training to address pedagogical shifts, technical skills, and collaboration in using new technologies.
Future Directions: The field of ELT needs to embrace emerging trends like gamification, gaming, and mobile learning while focusing on research that is grounded in strong theoretical frameworks.
Key Ideas and Facts:
New technologies are not merely tools but rather complex blends of digital technologies, practices, and social arrangements that shape communication and meaning-making.
Blended learning utilizes an ecological framework where technology is integrated purposefully, appropriately, sustainably, and multimodally.
Flipped classrooms can enhance learning gains, student participation, and provide teachers with more opportunities for individualized support.
Traditional language assessments need to adapt to encompass multimodal communicative competence as proficiency is redefined in the digital age.
"As predicted by Bax (2003), computers in language learning are set to ‘disappear’ into ELT programmes and become a normal, routine part of everyday language teaching." This signifies the need for technology to become seamlessly embedded within teaching practices.
"The authority of teachers is disrupted when freely available video and audio materials are available directly from the Internet." This highlights the shifting power dynamics in education and the need for teachers to adapt their roles.
Challenges:
Teacher resistance and the need for continuous professional development.
Equity issues and ensuring access to technology for all learners.
Developing robust research agendas that go beyond describing technological affordances.
Opportunities:
Creating more engaging and interactive learning environments.
Promoting learner autonomy and self-directed learning.
Expanding access to language learning resources and opportunities for collaboration.
Quotes:
"Defined as “the full integration of technology in language learning”, CALL is now evolving to be “a dynamic complex in which technology, theory, and pedagogy are inseparably interwoven” (Garrett, 2009: 719-720). This emphasizes the interconnected nature of technology, theory, and pedagogy in modern ELT.
"For the learner, new technologies also pose a range of challenges brought on by a need to be more autonomous, more critical and more able to communicate across a variety of world Englishes." This highlights the evolving skillset required for language learners in a digitally-connected world.