James Robson and Mair LloydThe Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).

eLearning and Ancient Languages: Pedagogy, Challenges and App-ortunities

Framing Language Pedagogy Opportunities

 TheoryNature of Language

Structural Functional Interactional Sociocultural

Learnin

g

Behaviourist    

Cognitive    

Constructivis

t 

Social

Constructivis

t

     

Ancient Language Pedagogy

 TheoryNature of Language

Structural Functional Interactional Sociocultural

Learning

BehaviouristGrammar-

translation    

CognitiveGrammar-

translation   

Constructivis

t 

Graded

Reading

Social

Constructivis

t

     

Focus

Computer

Assisted

Language

Learning

(CALL)

Technologypreliminary research, adapting computer hardware and software for language learning

Information

focus on www - presenting information (lesson content) to students and directing them to interact with that content

Communicatio

n

Computer Mediated Communication (CMC)‘encourages … communicative competence … and cultural learning, supports negotiation of meaning’

Social

Networking1

development of multicultural multilingual communities

Fischer, R. (2013), ‘A Conceptual Overview of the History of the CALICO Journal: The Phases of CALL’ in CALICO Journal, 30(1), p. 1-9 1 Not included in Fisher’s framework

Focus Grammar -Translation Graded Reading (CI)

Computer

Assisted

Language

Learning

(CALL)

Technologydrill / testing

flashcards

Information

tables of paradigms / dictionaries /

morphology toolstext hyperlinked to

morphology

Communication

Social

Networking

Fischer, R. (2013), ‘A Conceptual Overview of the History of the CALICO Journal: The Phases of CALL’ in CALICO Journal, 30(1), p. 1-9

Enhancing Learning and Teaching Through the Use of Technology

Benefits may be felt at three different levels:

• efficiency (existing processes carried out in a more cost-effective, time-effective, sustainable or scalable manner)

• enhancement (improving existing processes and the outcomes)

• transformation (radical, positive change in existing processes or introducing new processes)

Enhancing learning and teaching through the use of technology: a revised approach to HEFCE’s strategy for e-learning (Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2009)

Benefits Affordances 

Techn

ology

Efficiency

• Preparatory work (e.g. mastering pronunciation)

• Computer-marked quizzes: instant feedback

• Flipped Classroom

Enhancement

• Computer-marked quizzes: additional, targeted

exercises

• Vocabulary learning, e.g. spaced-repetition flashcard

apps

• Text hyperlinked to morphology

Transformati

on

• Flipped Classroom

• Learning analytics

• Improved success rates

And the pedagogy is …?

• Student expectations• Style over substance?• How do we use the kit?• Tradition v innovation• Active v passive learning

… and other headaches

• Technical issues• Time and Money• ‘Fixed’ resources• Barriers to sharing

So how do we make good choices?

Research

Theories

Evaluation

Implementation

Design

LanguageLearning

PedagogyTechnology

StudentsTutors

Performance

Courses / Modules

Evaluating Resources

What next?

• Encourage more research into ancient language pedagogy and technology

• Engage with and contribute to language learning theories

• Take inspiration from and collaborate with other disciplines

What Next?

• Sharing our successes … and failures• Increasing confidence of instructors and

students• Keep up the conversation about the pedagogy

James Robson james.robson@open.ac.uk

Mair Lloyd mair.lloyd@open.ac.uk

@MairLloyd