In this era of technology-oriented instruction, it is important for Language teachers to create what Mantiri et al (2019) refer to as 'critical pedagogy' for the digital age. They contend that students’ digital literacy is not solely the ability to use a computer or to incorporate technology in the classroom, nor is it limited to using a smartphone or multi-tasking through different social media platforms. According to them, it entails “having the knowledge and ability to use a wide range of technology tools for a variety of purposes”. They further argue that “a digitally literate person can use technology strategically to discover and evaluate information, connect and collaborate with others, produce and share original content, and use the Internet and technology tools to achieve many academic, professional, and personal goals”. We note here that DL goes beyond teachers’ competencies in the CALL classroom and implies helping our learners to develop the required skills, and to use technology enhanced resources for different purposes. While our primary concern remains our learners’ second language needs, it is essential to consider DL as life skills that students will need in their academic, professional, and personal lives. Doug Belshaw shared eight essential elements which are closely related to students’ learning strategies in real life. These encompass a cultural, cognitive, constructive, communicative, confident, creative, critical, and civic elements. Incorporating these elements in a technology-enhanced learning mode requires gamifying learning, and enabling learners to communicate via discussion boards, evaluating and synthesizing information to fit their needs, and then making cultural connections beyond the classroom.
There is a wealth of online resources designed for classroom use. However, teachers may want to customize, personalize, and contextualize these resources to fit their context and/or their students’ needs. In this light, I personally find the final recommendations in Son (2018) very pertinent for teachers: - Be adaptable towards technology use;
- Be open-minded and willing to learn from the students, the digital natives;
- Be up-to-date with technological advancements.
- Use self-directed learning methods to enhance your digital literacy skills
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
The concept of DEI represents the building block of education, particularly in online-based instruction. Classrooms are mini societies with diverse socio-cultural and linguistic backgrounds, hence the need to consider each student as a particular individual with different beliefs, customs, thoughts, education, and culture. In technology-enhanced language teaching, teachers may fail to achieve their educational goals if they do not look at pedagogy through DEI lenses. The policy 'no child left behind' that is implemented in many educational settings uses DEI as a driving engine to give all children equal chances to benefit from an inclusive education. In low-resource areas where the digital divide is yet to be bridged, integrating technology demands a certain number of considerations such as students' access to the necessary resources (laptops, smartphones, tablets, computers, Internet...). Online instruction may be daunting for students who cannot afford the price of technology. For this reason, DEI should be at the front door of educational technology to avoid leaving behind learners who have the right to education.
The concept of DEI represents the building block of education, particularly in online-based instruction. Classrooms are mini societies with diverse socio-cultural and linguistic backgrounds, hence the need to consider each student as a particular individual with different beliefs, customs, thoughts, education, and culture. In technology-enhanced language teaching, teachers may fail to achieve their educational goals if they do not look at pedagogy through DEI lenses. The policy 'no child left behind' that is implemented in many educational settings uses DEI as a driving engine to give all children equal chances to benefit from an inclusive education. In low-resource areas where the digital divide is yet to be bridged, integrating technology demands a certain number of considerations such as students' access to the necessary resources (laptops, smartphones, tablets, computers, Internet...). Online instruction may be daunting for students who cannot afford the price of technology. For this reason, DEI should be at the front door of educational technology to avoid leaving behind learners who have the right to education.
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