Welcome back to my blog!
Thank you for returning to read more about my professional journey.
In this series, I’m exploring the connections between my roles as a language teacher, educational engineer, and classical singer. Today, I’ll focus on the relationship between language teaching and educational engineering. (Haven’t read Part 1: Language Teaching Meets Classical Singing? Click here!)
Understanding the Role of Educational Engineer
What exactly is an educational engineer? It’s a professional role that sits at the intersection of education, technology, and project management. Educational engineers propose training content based on specific needs, create necessary ICT materials, and support the successful implementation of training programs.
ICT Materials vs. Language Teachers: Friends or Foes?
Recently, with the proliferation of ICT materials like popular language learning apps, there’s been concern about language teachers potentially losing their jobs. Does this mean educational engineers who create these ICT materials are in opposition to language teachers? Not at all!
The Complementary Nature of Technology and Human Teaching
In my view, ICT materials alone cannot teach everything about language. While they certainly have their strengths – for instance, learning vocabulary or grammar through gamified apps is more enjoyable than traditional paper-based memorization – we often hear about learners who have the knowledge but struggle with actual conversation. Language acquisition requires practical application, and that’s where language teachers come in.
The Flipped Classroom: A Bridge Between Technology and Teaching
One particularly interesting method of combining ICT materials with teacher-led practice is the “flipped classroom” approach.
In this model:
Before class: Learners study vocabulary and grammar using ICT materials
During class: They practice what they’ve learned with the teacher
As Lebrun (2015) aptly puts it, “les leçons à la maison, les devoirs en classe” (lessons at home, homework in class) – this approach reverses the traditional format where knowledge acquisition happens in class and practice is assigned as homework.
Real-World Implementation: Challenges and Successes
I’ve personally implemented flipped classrooms in Japanese ateliers at university and created ICT materials for them. While theoretically brilliant, the practical implementation wasn’t always smooth sailing. Some students wouldn’t complete their preparation work, and planning effective in-class activities that had a good connection with the preparatory learning was challenging. However, once the system started working well, I witnessed significant growth in students’ ability to use the language practically. (You can try some of the digital materials I created for these classes right here on this page!)
Looking Forward
My next step is to support language teachers who haven’t yet experimented with ICT materials or flipped classrooms. As an educational engineer with language teaching experience, I hope to explore meaningful practical applications together with these teachers.
In the next post, I’ll explore the connection between being an educational engineer and a classical singer. How might these seemingly disparate professions intersect? Stay tuned!
Reference:
LEBRUN, M. (2015), L’école de demain : entre MOOC et classe inversée, Économie et management, n◦ 156, p. 41-47 https://cdn.reseau-canope.fr/archivage/valid/N-7625-9355.pdf