News
Access is still a problem for mobile learning in the Business English classroom, say experts
26 May 2010
Although proving effective, new technologies in the business English classroom still have many challenges associated with access in some parts of the world according to leading experts in business English.
Speaking earlier this month at Cambridge ESOL's annual business English World of Work forum - held for the first time as a virtual conference - consultant Gavin Dudeney, a specialist in online teacher training commented: “We hear a lot about interactive white boards and other classroom technology, but it's still a fact that most teachers around the world do not have access to these kind of things, so we're referring to a minority of teachers and learners”.
Teacher trainer Dudeney - who has written extensively on the subject - attributed the speed of change in classroom technology to the advent of smart phones and increase wireless networks. He said: “Traditionally technology and learning in the workplace has been focussed on fixed appliances but the biggest change in the last year has been the rapid switch in focus to mobile devices. Being able to read a web page on a mobile phone has made it very feasible to move around at the same time as we're learning.” However, he said access is still “the big issue” for some countries around the world.
Mobile learning for business English is “exciting as it offers up digital classroom we can all carry around with us in our pockets,” explained teacher trainer Carl Dowse. In his talk on the digital business English classroom, he explained how the advent of smart phone technology has given language students access to dictionaries, learning applications and games that can all help to improve language learning ability but agreed access was still an issue in some parts of the world - a challenge also identified by one forum participant from Argentina.
Business English expert Pete Sharma, who regularly lectures on the technology in the classroom, said: “Technology has given us a great deal of new knowledge about language and some fantastic virtual learning environments and teaching tools; however, there are still a lot of challenges ahead mainly fuelled by the fact that some still see technology as a threat in the classroom. Technology has given us more freedom from the four walls of the classroom but it does mean we have to approach teaching in a different way to get the full benefit. Our role as teachers has changed from providers of knowledge to a much more of a facilitator role.”
Other speakers included Cambridge ESOL's Deshini Chetty who explained how they were helping to overcome the problem of access by offering their Business English test BULATS as a paper based and online test.
