Needs and challenges for online language teachers – the ECML project DOTS

The growing use of digital technologies in educatio nal settings, paralleled by a paradigm change in educational theory from an instructivist transmi sion approach to constructivist and sociocultural theories of learning, demands more ad apted teacher training programs, both technical and pedagogical. Looking at factors influ encing teachers’ implementation of ICT in the foreign language classroom and guided by the re sults of a needs analysis survey conducted among twenty six language teachers from twenty five different European countries, the DOTS project aims to develop an online workspace with bi te-s zed learning objects for autonomous Teaching English with Technology – Developing Online Teaching Skills Special Issue, 10(2), 5-20. 6 use by language professionals, particularly freelan ce teachers who frequently miss out on the training opportunities provided for their full-time colleagues. 1. Using ICT in language teaching With the development of digital technologies over t he past decades, the possibilities for learning and teaching languages have changed dramat ic lly, and a plethora of ICT tools allow for a more learner-centred approach and an increase d focus on interaction among students and between students and teachers. This links in with a par digm change in educational theory from an instructivist transmission approach to cons tructivist and sociocultural theories of learning which are informed by pedagogical principl es such as interaction, collaboration, learner control, and community. A report on a Europ e-wide survey on the impact of ICT in teaching and learning foreign languages (Fitzpatric k and Davies, 2003) argues that this change also needs to be reflected in changing teach er/learner roles. Yet while the use of digital technologies in educat ional settings has been growing and teachers increasingly use computer-assisted languag e le rning (CALL) in their classrooms, pedagogical developments have not always kept pace with this. This is particularly true in relation to the use of interactive and collaborativ e Web 2.0 tools such as forums, blogs and wikis. The European Parliament and the Council of Europe r ecommend eight key competences for every citizen of the knowledge soci ety (The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, 2006): 1) communication in the mother tongue; 2) communication in foreign languages; 3) mathematical competence and basic competences in sc ience and technology; 4) digital competence; 5) learning to learn; 6) social and civic competences; 7) sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; 8) cultural awareness and expression. (p. 13). Several of these competences are directly or indire ctly related to language learning and the use of ICT, namely communication in the mother tongue and in foreign languages (cf. points 1 and 2), digital and technological competen ce (cf. points 3 and 4), learning to learn (cf. point 5) and intercultural and social competences ( f. points 6 and 8). Teaching English with Technology – Developing Online Teaching Skills Special Issue, 10(2), 5-20. 7 In the preamble to the language policy of the EU la nguages in particular are seen as ‘a basic building block’ in the European Union’s effor ts to contribute “to the development of quality education by promoting citizens’ mobility, designing joint study programmes, establishing networks, exchanging information, and through a commitment to lifelong learning”, thus enabling its citizens to take advan tage of the educational opportunities created by an integrated Europe.