Blog Post Unit 4

I think one of the many things that I have learned throughout this journey is being open to criticism and new advancements.  I think it is really important to have an open mind since there are many tools that would be available for us.  With advancements in the field, the way that we typically do things may change and what we see as best practices may become outdated at some point.  Of course, immersion and having the pressure of needing to use the language cannot be substituted with technology or individual plans, but it is important to acknowledge that technology can become a big part of what we do as educators.

For example, Google has developed a technology that can understand the nuances of our language (see here).  This is interesting to me as an instructional designer and educator, as it means that there will be more ways to incorporate technology in language training or learning.  Again, I do not think that educators will be replaced by the technology, but there is room for those who do not have the resources to go to classes or have access to English classes learn the basics of the language in their own homes.

Another thing that I learned is that we have to start asking questions on what learning would look like and what would we like to have the learners be able to do when learning has taken place.  The purpose of the module and the goals of the training are some of the things that we should also keep in mind when we are developing lesson plans, and plans should make considerations regarding the demographics and skill levels within the classroom.