Interview Background

Having just started an (MA) in Digital Technologies for Language Teaching, I thought it would be fitting to enquire about how new technologies have impacted my mother’s teaching career. Mum has worked within Adult Education, at University level and in the Further Education system,  going from teaching Fitness Training to devising an Exercise Prescription Programme for disease prevention and rehabilitation, to specialising in the psycho-social aspects of Health Care. (Read the full transcription of the interview here).

Describe your Teaching Approach

“Only in the last, say, maybe 7 years of my teaching experience have I noticed a complete shift in Teacher-Centred to Student-Centred. And in fact, we’re not allowed to call them students anymore, we’re told they’re not students, they’re learners…”

My thoughts – Having only started my professional teaching career 4 years, I’m surprised to hear that the Student-Centred Approach is a relatively “new” thing. That said, my experiences of learning Chinese here in China, indicate that the Teacher-Centred Approach is indeed widespread.

What’s the difference between a Student and a Learner?

“Does it really matter what they’re called? They’ve come along to get something from you, that you have, that you know, and you want to give it to them: which is your knowledge and experience to help them through their course.”

“In my last role we were told they weren’t students, they weren’t learners, they were ‘customers’! They’ve turned now into customers! And I’m like: a customer? No! I certainly don’t get they’re customers.”

My thoughts – Ironically, I had just myself considered students as customers, and wrote as such in a previous post! Sometimes appropriation of new terminology can de distracting. However, my reasoning was that if companies satisfy the demand of its customers by responding to its need, then we, teachers, too, are about satisfying the needs of ours students.

Describe your introduction to technology/computers

“There wasn’t training. There was training telling us what to produce, but not telling us how to do it. I taught myself how to use a computer while I was at university. This was between 1991-1994. It was really difficult, it was a completely new entity, this computer thing. I just got on it and had a go!”

“Yeah, I just taught myself”

My thoughts – Mum’s experience mirrors my own, where a ‘can do’ attitude to using technology, and a lack of formal training supersedes technical ability. Indeed, it is my own individual desire for self-development that has led me to pursue this Masters course. To use a language-learning analogy, then, I have ‘noticed’ a gap in my knowledge and, through ‘negotiation strategies’ I hope to acquire and internalise new skills.

What impact has using technology had on your role as a teacher? Has it added value?

“On the surface the use of IT is great, especially when you talk about using webinars, using, you know, the latest ppt for teaching, YouTube clips for teaching…but technology, and the use of technology has run away with itself, in that they now expect for too much of a human being. There’s now far too less one-to-one interaction with the students. Now it’s all about on the computer.”

My thoughts – What is clear from mum’s comments is that continuous training is imperative – not just in terms of general technical competence, but also in the selection and application of tools in the classroom. This is also suggested by Levy in this week’s readings, “In this new and evolving technology-rich environment, teacher education and learner training are paramount” (Levy, 2009:777).

Tell me about your online course experience

“I was apprehensive. What I learnt was, if you fully engage in it, engage in the Facebook groups and actually put yourself out there and speak to people: you get back what you put in.”

“The culmination of the course was meeting the lecturers and fellow learners in person. In real life, the icing on the cake, very deep and very powerful, meeting people.”

“I like to be with the teachers, but I do see value in distance learning.”

My thoughts – From Fitness Trainer to Exercise and Health Expert, mum has seen a lot of technological changes throughout her 25 years in service. Starting off with secretarial skills, she taught herself how to use a computer for academic, and then professional , purposes. Having initially been sceptical of the merits of online learning, she now proclaims that a part-online and part-offline course, is an ideal combination. This resonates strongly with me as it is a statement I shared just last week as to why I am participating in an distance Masters course. Blended learning, it seems, just might be the logical way forward.