Tag: Kessler

Developing Targeted Technology Standards for Avenue language instructors, programs, and learners: an initiative of New Language Solutions

Allan, J., Healey, D., Hubbard, P., Kessler, G., McBride, R., Rajabi, S., and Sturm, M. (2024) Developing Targeted Technology Standards for Avenue language instructors, programs, and learners: an initiative of New Language Solutions. TESL Ontario Contact Magazine, 50 (1) 16-30.

Authors of this report in TESL Ontario’s Spring 2024 Contact magazine provide insight to New Language Solutions’ (NLS) approach to developing technology standards specifically targeted to instructors in Canada’s settlement language sector and that will be integrated into NLS’s online teacher training and leadership training. It describes the ongoing activities related to the standards that are intended to create a culture of continuous improvement around technology in learning environments. This includes regular reviews and updates of the standards as needed.

The report gives examples of the collaborative, online process the team used to trim the language in the standards and the performance indicators so they are as direct and clear as possible. The report links to a request form for the full set of standards but it also gives a brief overview of the seven standards along with a fuller example of “Standard 4, about digital literacy and digital citizenship for yourself and your learners.”.

The report outlines the evaluation process the standards followed, lays out the plan that will integrate the standards in instructor training and microcredentials, with the aim of sector-wide, consistent, deep understanding of the standards; and emphasizes ongoing initiatives that will generate data about the impact of the standards on programs.

A list of references is followed by a sample vignette that describes an instructor’s thoughts and experiences as she incorporates the standards into her instruction.

TESOL Technology Standards: Description, Implementation, Integration.

Healy, D, Hanson-Smith, E, Hubbard, P, Iannou-Georgiou, S, Kessler, G, and Ware, P. (2011). TESOL Technology Standards: Description, Implementation, Integration. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL).

The TESOL Standards address the importance of incorporating technology into language teaching by emphasizing that as standards they are not optional add-ins to teacher training or language programming. The target audiences for this manual are learners, teachers, teacher educators and administrators. The Standards deal with well-documented differences in readers’ available level of technology and their access to technology by providing vignettes to illustrate programs with little access and few resources as well as others that are richly resourced and have anytime access. One of the important topics addressed in the standards is teacher education. The authors are frank about the impact of a lack of understanding of the role of technology in language learning, a lack of willingness to change and a lack of technical expertise on the use of technology in language teaching. Some of the barriers candidates in teacher training face are resistance and fear of technology and the belief that knowledge from personal computer use will suffice for language teaching. The standards include theoretical frameworks and background in each part of the manual. The information and layout is clear and helpful. This is a positive and practical resource.

Retrievable from: http://www.tesol.org/advance-the-field/standards/technology-standards