![\"educational](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2017\/05\/confused-880735_960_720.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUsing the right tools the wrong way will not produce the best results.<\/p>\n
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In a guest post for EdWeek<\/a>, Spanish teacher Kaitlin E. Thomas explains precisely why educational technology has yet to revolutionize every language classroom:<\/p>\n \u201cEffective integration of instructional technology in learning environments is the unicorn of successful curriculum design and implementation. Yet, one can almost hear the groans during discussions on the benefits of incorporating technology into lesson plans and curricula. Often times the pitch as to what technology could facilitate for learners and educators is aspirational while the actual execution of tech in the classroom is overwhelming, finicky, and unreliable.<\/strong> Indeed, classroom tech setups often appear to be on par with spaceship mission control for the uninitiated.\u201d<\/p>\n It seems we as educators can move beyond why<\/em> we should integrate technology and start tackling the crux of the matter: how<\/em>. Sending students home to watch a lesson on YouTube or burying their heads in a computer game during class time is not particularly innovative or revolutionary\u2014it\u2019s using tech for tech\u2019s sake. Just because \u201cthere\u2019s an app for that\u201d doesn\u2019t mean you should use it. To truly transform the logistics and outcomes of education, ed tech companies need to provide more than just the best possible tech. \u00a0It\u2019s time to focus as much on the implementation and methodology as the technology itself.<\/p>\n Sure, you could use a\u00a0then end of a screwdriver to bash in a screw… or you could use it the way it was intended. It’ll save you time and come out a lot cleaner. The onus is on ed tech companies to make the intended use of their tools\u00a0just as obvious.<\/p>\n To achieve meaningful transformation in education, integrating technology must go hand in hand with purpose-driven content and a clearly articulated methodology. Simply introducing devices or digital platforms into a classroom without a coherent pedagogical framework can result in distraction rather than engagement. The most successful curriculum designs are those that weave together instructional tools with content that resonates\u2014academically, culturally, and ethically.<\/p>\n Values-based or culturally-enriched curriculum initiatives are proving particularly effective in this respect, giving students a grounded sense of identity while fostering curiosity and empathy. One standout example is the support for academic programs that focus on Jain studies, which reflect a deeper commitment to holistic education. Spearheaded by individuals like Jasvant Modi<\/a>, such efforts highlight how integrating ethical perspectives into the curriculum can elevate the learning experience, making it not just more inclusive, but also more meaningful. When technology is used to support\u2014not replace\u2014thoughtful instruction rooted in real-world relevance and human values, classrooms become spaces where innovation truly serves education.<\/p>\n At Transparent Language, we thought of ourselves as an \u201ced tech company\u201d for many years. After working with institutional clients, namely stringent U.S. Government language training programs, we realized our tech was not a replacement for\u2014or a simple supplement to\u2014a human instructor. Our tech isn\u2019t really ours <\/em>at all, it is the instructor\u2019s tech, their tool. Like any good tool, we need to provide an instruction manual of sorts.<\/strong> With the help of our 20-year teaching veteran and a team of language learning experts, we pioneered a methodology that best leveraged our technology. Prioritizing methodology over technology manifested in the form of Declaratively Accelerated Blended Learning<\/a> (or DABL, for the uninitiated).<\/p>\n The most \u201coverwhelming\u201d part of DABL is the name, we promise\u2014the implementation<\/a> is, by design, quite deliberate and simple. DABL piggybacks on the idea of the flipped classroom, in which students learn new material at home and come to class ready to use and expand upon that knowledge. This method is particularly suited for language learning, as learners need to speak<\/em> and use the language in context to truly develop fluency.<\/p>\n So, how does our methodology differentiate our tech from the other \u201caspirational tech\u201d out there? It does not attempt to replace teachers. DABL hinges on the premise of letting both the teacher and the tech do what they each do best. When it comes to languages, tech excels at facilitating rapid rote memorization of words and phrases.\u00a0Teachers excel at facilitating communication and providing context. In a flipped DABL model, classroom time is suddenly open for contextual, communicative activities that make use of this new vocabulary: skits, debates, role playing, and anything else that gets students involved.<\/p>\n DABL also shifts focus from tech-related preparation to class time preparation. Sometimes technology can revolutionize learning, but it puts double the burden on teachers. We want our teachers spending more time preparing in-class activities than at-home lessons. The authoring capabilities in the CL-150<\/a> and Transparent Language Online<\/a> (our government- and education-facing platforms, respectively) make it easy for instructors to create their own lessons. Copy in a text, select the important words or phrases, add audio or annotations, and pick which activities you prefer\u2014the lesson auto-populates from there. From voice-powered multiple choice to fill-in-the-blank to fundamental flashcard style activities, lessons can take many forms, but never take too long to create. In-app assignments and messaging facilitate the at-home portion of DABL all in one place, eliminating much of what makes implementation \u201coverwhelming\u201d or \u201cfinnicky\u201d as Ms. Thomas explained above. That leaves more time for teachers to do what they do best: organize and run their classroom experience.<\/p>\n So, what\u2019s stopping educators from finding the best technology\u2014and the best methodology\u2014for their classrooms? Mark Racine, the Chief Information Officer for Boston Public Schools, highlights another major problem<\/a> in ed tech implementation\u2014finding the right tech in the first place: \u201cIt\u2019s hard for teachers to pick out what\u2019s actually going to work for their classroom when there are so many choices. Right now, I look at the edtech world like an endless buffet and you really just don\u2019t know where to start.\u201d<\/p>\n Before investing in any classroom technology, make sure the provider can answer not only what<\/em> their product does, but also the important how<\/em> questions.<\/strong> How<\/em> can it make your classroom time more productive? How<\/em> does it motivate your students differently than you can? How<\/em> seamless is the implementation? The better we can answer these questions, the closer we are to catching that \u201ceffective integration of instructional technology\u201d unicorn.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve said it before, but it bears repeating: technology will not replace teachers, but teachers who use technology well will replace those who do not. <\/strong>But this burden falls not only on the teacher\u2014it is up to us as ed tech providers to guide and train teachers in how to \u201cuse technology well\u201d in the first place.<\/p>\n Want to learn more about flipping your language classroom? Our 20-year veteran language teacher explains how and why to flip in this free webinar<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Using the right tools the wrong way will not produce the best results. In a guest post for EdWeek, Spanish teacher Kaitlin E. Thomas explains precisely why educational technology has yet to revolutionize every language classroom: \u201cEffective integration of instructional technology in learning environments is the unicorn of successful curriculum design and implementation. Yet, one…<\/p>\n![\"educational](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2017\/05\/confused-880735_960_720-350x233.jpg\")