audience
The learners for this project are adult English Language Learners (ELLs) studying in the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program at Bow Valley College in Calgary, Alberta. There is a range of ages in a typical LINC classroom between 18-65 years old, but the majority of the participants using this project will be between 30-50 years old. Learners in this program must be permanent residents of Canada or in the process of becoming permanent residents. Learners in the LINC program are assigned to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level, and the audience for this project will be intermediate ELL learners in a CLB 6 class. The class is face-to-face, and the learners have access to computer labs during class time three times a week.
rationale
The goal of this project is to give learners the opportunity to develop their computer literacy skills while engaging in meaningful content. As this project will integrate technology in a classroom environment, it will be using a blended learning approach, described as “the use of technology with face-to-face teaching” (Torrisi-Steel & Drew, 2013, p. 372). Harris and Hofer (2011) state teachers must consider the types of technology to use in a classroom based on learners’ needs and preferences. As there is a large range of computer literacy skills in this CLB 6 class, having one website with access to links, collaborative writing documents, and resources a learner will need can provide an accommodating platform for learners who are new to navigating websites. Hajer and Kaskens (2012) state that using communicative real-world language tasks are essential to the CLB curricula. Therefore, the topic of buying a home is appropriate and lends well to real-world tasks that a learner may need to accomplish, such as searching online for property and calculating mortgage expenses. Chambers, Gnida, Messaros, Ilolt, and Dawson (2011) state ELL learners “benefit the most from e-learning when educational technologies are intentionally integrated and articulated into language curriculum in ways that support the program goals and learning outcomes” (p. S8-7). As such, the technology used in this project will provide extra support to real-world tasks.
As this project will use technology to support and enhance content learning, it is important that instructors be confident in their use of technology. As technologies are used and incorporated in the classroom, teacher and learner technical competence and higher-order thinking skills increase (Baylor & Ritchie, 2002). By creating a Weebly site to house content and instructions, learners can assume the teacher is confident in her use of technology. As Baylor and Ritchie (2002) state, demonstrating confidence and openness can help learners develop more confidence in their own skills. The use of technology for this module is purposeful as Black (2009) discusses the need for schools to develop ELLs’ technological skills. Black (2009) describes 21st century literacy as including digital skills building off traditional literacy skills. As ELLs are typically in classrooms with traditional print-based texts, it is important that ELLs are given opportunities to develop “proficiencies that are aligned with many 21st-century skills through voluntary participation of online spaces” (Black, 2009, p. 690).
Tafazoli, Parra, and Abril (2017) also discuss the importance and prevalence of computer literacy skills and the development of new skills needed in the 21st century. Tafazoli et al. (2017) define digital literacy as skills that include “an ability to interpret, manage, share and create meaning in the growing range of digital communication channels” (p. 716) and attempt to redefine the word literacy to include digital and electronic texts. Developing the skills necessary to find information online can be a challenge for ELL learners due to the sheer volume of data available (Tafazoli et al., 2017). As such, this module aims to support learners as they encounter technology. The lessons have been designed in a scaffolded fashion to provide support. Searching websites is part of the LINC curriculum through the CLB 6 reading competencies (Hajer & Kaskens, 2012) and adds to the rationale for the development of these lessons.
As this project will use technology to support and enhance content learning, it is important that instructors be confident in their use of technology. As technologies are used and incorporated in the classroom, teacher and learner technical competence and higher-order thinking skills increase (Baylor & Ritchie, 2002). By creating a Weebly site to house content and instructions, learners can assume the teacher is confident in her use of technology. As Baylor and Ritchie (2002) state, demonstrating confidence and openness can help learners develop more confidence in their own skills. The use of technology for this module is purposeful as Black (2009) discusses the need for schools to develop ELLs’ technological skills. Black (2009) describes 21st century literacy as including digital skills building off traditional literacy skills. As ELLs are typically in classrooms with traditional print-based texts, it is important that ELLs are given opportunities to develop “proficiencies that are aligned with many 21st-century skills through voluntary participation of online spaces” (Black, 2009, p. 690).
Tafazoli, Parra, and Abril (2017) also discuss the importance and prevalence of computer literacy skills and the development of new skills needed in the 21st century. Tafazoli et al. (2017) define digital literacy as skills that include “an ability to interpret, manage, share and create meaning in the growing range of digital communication channels” (p. 716) and attempt to redefine the word literacy to include digital and electronic texts. Developing the skills necessary to find information online can be a challenge for ELL learners due to the sheer volume of data available (Tafazoli et al., 2017). As such, this module aims to support learners as they encounter technology. The lessons have been designed in a scaffolded fashion to provide support. Searching websites is part of the LINC curriculum through the CLB 6 reading competencies (Hajer & Kaskens, 2012) and adds to the rationale for the development of these lessons.