DigiLab
As part of the project, a digital laboratory (DigiLab) was set up for the development and application of Open Educational Resources (OERs). In view of increasing networking and the introduction of digital media into everyday school life, pupils must not only develop subject-specific skills in English, but also acquire critical and functional media skills. This requires modern training enviroments for future teachers who integrate interdisciplinary digital teaching and learning formats into their lessons (cf. KMK 2016, 2021).
Field of research
Mobile Enhanced Language Learning and Teaching (MELLT) is an important research field in language education in the 21st century. In theoretical pedagogical frameworks of mobile learning, the active role of the learner and the mobility included in the learning scenario are of particular importance as they can increase the productive time spent on a specific task both inside and outside the language classroom. The general concept of “mobility” can be subdivided into different kinds of mobility, not only encompassing the “mobility of technology”, which seems rather self-evident when using mobile or handheld digital devices in the classroom, but also “mobility in physical space”, “mobility of social space”, and “seamless mobility”. An awareness of the latter three “mobilities” is helpful for language teachers in their lesson planning and design as it helps them to evaluate for themselves the added value of different digitally enhanced language learning scenarios before implementing them in their classrooms.
What is the DigiLab?
The DigiLab of the English didactics department at Kiel University offers prospective teachers a modern simulation room in which they can research and test digital teaching scenarios. By illustrating a wide range of technical implementation options, such as the use of digital whiteboards, tablet classes and hybrid settings, innovative teaching and learning research for media-savvy foreign language teaching is carried out here. The focus here is on the critical evaluation of the didactic potential of digital and non-digital teaching and learning formats, which flows directly into the development of materials.
The DigiLab was set up by Prof. Dr. Susanne Heinz, Dr. Ingrid Paulsen and Sean Holt, M.Ed.
What approaches are being pursued?
On the one hand, the DigiLab follows a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) approach, in which teachers and students bring and use their own devices. In this format, it is not necessary for devices to be purchased by the school itself. Although compatibility between the different devices and operating systems (e.g. Android, Chrome, iOS) is difficult in practice, the DigiLab was designed in such a way that personal mobile devices can still be used seamlessly. In this way, the DigiLab can show how digital teaching can be implemented effectively and in a targeted manner without focusing on a specific manufacturer or device type. The DigiLab can also realistically simulate and depict a modern tablet class (here designed as an iPad class). As a result, students can be prepared for numerous forms of digitally supported English lessons. At the same time the training of foreign language-specific digital competence and text and media competence (KMK 2023) can be promoted in project seminars.
Possible uses of mobile devices
The mind map below follows an ecologic-semiotic approach to language learning (cf. Leo van Lier 2004; 2011). It wants to highlight for language teachers and their students the multiple ways in which mobile multifunctional digital devices such as smartphones, tables and notebooks – to list the most commonly used ones at present in the school context – can be used for different language learning purposes and scenarios in the competence-based language classroom. The acronym MELLT puts a special emphasis on the important expert role of the teacher for implementing digital enhanced language learning scenarios with an additional surplus value for fostering/supporting/enhancing the students’ work on the different language learning competences.
(cf. Heinz 2014a; Heinz 2014b)
The devices and formats used in the DigiLab are compatible with common school systems and offer teachers an extensive repertoire of digitally supported learning scenarios. These support teachers in supplementing traditional methods and opening up new possibilities, such as the production of explanatory videos or the creation of MOOCs.
Devices in the DigiLab
The DigiLab integrates fixed and, in particular, portable devices such as tablets with foreign language-specific applications, e-dictionaries and videoconferencing systems to enable student teachers to test and reflect on the added value of different settings for digitally supported teaching and learning scenarios.
More detailed information and instructions for the devices used can be found in the following overview – click on the image for the relevant device.
Checklist
Teacher checklist: How mobile is my language classroom?
- Mobility in physical space
- Do I give input to my students on how they can best make use of their time on the move to enhance their language learning e. good websites of online dictionaries to look up words, working with digital flashcards, websites of online material for language learning such as suitable podcasts or video archives)?
- Do I encourage my students to bring their digital “language acquisition experiences and strategies” practiced in their leisure time (i. e. English websites, social networking communities, video channels, language help pages) to the classroom?
- And do I thereby give my students the possibility to critically evaluate the language learning potential of the digital tools or language learning strategies (as suggested by individual students) while possibly also adapting some of these for their own language learning?
- Do I make use of the learning environment on excursions with my students or for home study tasks?
- Mobility of technology
- Does the tool fulfill the following criteria to guarantee mobility of technology: portable, handheld, personalized, anytime and anywhere access to learning content?
- Can the learning process be enhanced with different handheld devices and/or systems (e. g. iOS and Android), ideally integrating the different handheld devices available to each student (concept of BYOD (= Bring Your Own Device))?
- Does the learner have a say in the choice of medium or technology?
- Do I train my students’ media literacy by critically reflecting with them from time to time on the advantages and disadvantages of digital and non-digital tools for their individual language learning?
- Does the tool fulfill the following criteria to guarantee mobility of technology: portable, handheld, personalized, anytime and anywhere access to learning content?
- Can the learning process be enhanced with different handheld devices and/or systems (e. g. iOS and Android), ideally integrating the different handheld devices available to each student (concept of BYOD (= Bring Your Own Device))?
- Does the learner have a say in the choice of medium or technology?
- Do I train my students’ media literacy by critically reflecting with them from time to time on the advantages and disadvantages of digital and non-digital tools for their individual language learning?
- Mobility in social space
- Do I make use of the possibility to get different sets of students in the classroom to interact with one another (i. e. in partner or group work or cooperative writing scenarios such as EtherPad)?
- Do I make use of the possibility to transcend the physical barriers of the classroom by integrating different speakers from all over the world (e. g. video conference tools) during the lesson or by initiating virtual exchanges with my students and another group of students?
- Timeless time or seamless mobility: learning dispersed over time
- Do I consider the seamlessness of teaching designs and how tasks could be worked on by the students beyond the classroom, for example, encompassing formal and informal learning, personalized and social learning across times (cf. Wong & Looi 2011)?
- Do I also take into consideration that I have to help my students to structure their increasingly digital and online lives by thinking about clear time limits and deadlines of online tasks (i. e. time limits to hand in homework for teacher feedback at night etc.)?
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