How can we make CALL more effective? Towards normalisation

1. How can we make CALL more effective? Towards normalisation Stephen Bax Canterbury Christ Church University England University of Cyprus, 27th May 2006

2. Background Stephen Bax s.bax@canterbury.ac.uk

3. Questions for this session • How can we make more effective use of computers (and other learning technologies) in language education? • How can we achieve normalisation of these technologies in language education?

4. Some questions • Look around you – note three examples of technology

5. What is normalisation? • See handout

6. Why is it a useful concept? • It connects CALL with the wider research concerning educational change • It connects CALL with the even wider research on the ‘diffusion of innovations’ (see Rogers 1995) • It therefore helps us to set an aim and an agenda

7. The agenda of normalisation • Seamless integration of technology with pedagogy (cf. the pen and the book) by putting pedagogy first (Handout) • CALL specialists: to make ourselves redundant • “The change agent should seek to put him or herself out of business by developing the clients’ ability to be their own change agents” (Rogers 1995:337)

8. So - how can we make CALL more effective? • Answer 1: Aim for normalisation in your own practice How can we do that? Start with students’ needs, then try to use technology naturally, simply and in tandem with other teaching tools and activities

9. Example: teaching reading Skim reading Task: Skim the texts and find X -Ss read a text on paper -Ss then read a text on the same topic on the WWW. -Ss then discuss with a partner and compare the two texts. -Ss then do an online task….etcetera

10. So - how can we make CALL more effective? • Answer 1: Aim for normalisation in your own practice • Answer 2: Aim for ecological solutions rather than technological ones Tudor (2003) argues that in language education we are obsessed with technological solutions instead of ecological ones Try to accept the complexity instead of ignoring it. Don’t be satisfied with ‘golden bullet’ solutions

11. Blended learning • “The term is commonly associated with the introduction of online media into a course or programme, while at the same time recognising that there is a merit in retaining face-to-face contact and other traditional approaches to supporting students” • “Blended learning seems to have arisen from a general sense of disillusionment with the stand-alone adoption of online media. Many people felt that the promise of online media was somehow unfulfilled” MacDonald 2006:2-3

12. How can we make CALL more effective? • Answer 1: Aim for normalisation • Answer 2: Aim for ecological solutions rather than technological ones • Answer 3: Be a model for others

13. Stages of normalisation in CALL • 1. We see ‘Early adopters’ doing it • 2. Ignorance / scepticism • 3. Try once (‘no relative advantage’ Rogers) • 4. Try again • 5. Fear/ awe • 6. Normalising • 7. Normalisation HOWEVER: This is not automatic

14. The tipping point • 1. We see ‘Early adopters’ doing it Who are these? Gladwell: The tipping point -Mavens: ‘the data banks’ (techies) -Communicators: ‘social glue’ -Salesmen: ‘persuaders’

15. How can we make CALL more effective? • Answer 1: Aim for normalisation • Answer 2: Aim for ecological solutions rather than technological ones • Answer 3: Be a model for / encourage others • Answer 4: Research: do it and/or read it

16. What kind of research? (1) • Note: Each context is different (the issue of particularity) • 1. Research each context • 2. Identify factors which are impeding normalisation • 3. Work towards dealing with them

17. What kind of research? (2) • A particular focus: the context in which CALL takes place. • “CALL research currently does not address … differences in context well” (Egbert 2005:4) • “in addition to rigorous, theory-based studies of multiple instructional contexts, [future] research should focus on CALL contexts and the variables at play within them. The field could benefit from more description of the learners, settings, and events in these contexts” (Huh and Hu 2005:17, my emphasis)

18. What kind of research? (3) • Sociocultural factors: • “Educational technology reform programs that have been more successful ...have devoted only a small portion of their attention to purchase and placement of equipment, and have placed much greater emphasis on human and social development through formation of school-community coalitions, implementation of long-term teacher training programs, and promotion of local autonomy for teachers, schools, and districts”. (Warschauer, 2003:303, my emphasis)  Ethnographic approaches, action research

19. Illustration: Research project • Chambers (2000) • Chambers and Bax (forthcoming) • See handout

20. How can we make CALL more effective? • Answer 1: Aim for normalisation • Answer 2: Aim for ecological solutions rather than technological ones • Answer 3: Be a model for / encourage others • Answer 4: Research: do it and/or read it • Answer 5: Do your own action research

21. How can we make CALL more effective? • Answer 1: Aim for normalisation • Answer 2: Aim for ecological solutions rather than technological ones • Answer 3: Be a model for / encourage others • Answer 4: Research: do it and/or read it • Answer 5: Do your own action research • Answer 6: Aim for syllabus integration

22. Where next? • The use of computer and other technology in most institutions is not normalised • However, I suggest that if we a) frame the problem in terms of normalisation, then b) research the reasons which impede normalisation c) we can start to identify targets and strategies • These will have a local relevance (particularity) and also perhaps a wider relevance • We can speed up the process of change

23. Thank you Stephen Bax Department of Language Studies Canterbury Christ Church University s.bax@canterbury.ac.uk