The use of digital tools in early instructed language learning

by Lenka Garshol & Susan Erdmann (University of Agder, Norway)

______________________________________________________________________

The increased availability of language learning tools in educational settings has been both praised and feared by teachers and parents alike (Romero 2014, Parsons and Adhikar 2016). There is currently very little research on the effect of the use of various digital tools such as learning apps and gamified instruments (e.g. quizzes) on language learning in the classroom, especially for the youngest learners.  A friction between the desire to provide efficient language instruction using modern digital technology, and the fear of introducing innovations for innovation’s sake characterizes many formal learning environments. This friction exists even among teacher students, whose own experiences with digital learning tools may be mixed. Norway currently has close to one-to-one coverage of digital devices (tablets or personal computers) in the majority of primary schools and many schools opt for digital textbooks as well. This naturally encourages the use of these digital devices and accompanying learning apps, games orplatforms, often without a sufficient evaluation of the learning outcomes provided by these tools. In order to better gauge the motivations for the use of these tools, and the teacher reflections upon their efficacy, this current study observes classroom practices surrounding the use of digital tools in EFL classes in Norwegian primary schools (age 5-13).

In the first phase of the project, teacher students’ reflections regarding the use of digital tools (apps, games and digital aids) were collected and analyzed. The preliminary findings show that the most frequent reasons to use digital tools are to provide variation in teaching and to make the learning activities more interesting. Teacher students largely do not consider if the tool or digital activity provided added value over the use of tradition learning procedures. Practice teaching observations confirm this type of digital tool use. Learning apps and digital games are used as a reward, a break from the “traditional” teaching or simply as a time filler and the learning outcomes are usually not assessed.

In the second phase of the project, experienced teachers are going to be observed and interviewed about their use of digital tools in EFL classrooms with very young learners.

______________________________________________________________________

References:

Parsons, D., & Adhikari, J. (2016). Bring Your Own Device to Secondary School: The Perceptions of Teachers, Students and Parents. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 14(1), 67-81.

Romero, M. (2014). Digital literacy for parents of the 21st century children. E-learning Papers, 38, 32-40.