I Understand What It is but do We All?
We are now approaching an alien called the 21st century learning. Be quiet and don't make a sound; it is quite sensitive and the last of its kind. Listen to me and you will be fine.
21st century learning is a bit “French” for us, considering although we are involved in it, we do not fully realize what it is. From my point of view, we can define it as “Education in anytime, anywhere” considering the aspects of life learning has reached out to. Since it includes the term learning, the concept itself is not confined only to some domains of learning but the overall phenomenon. One of these domains is language teaching, and it is probably one of the quickest ones to adapt itself to the novel approaches the 21st century has brought. Considering the opportunities technology brings about, such as interactive quizzes, vocabulary puzzles, etc., the tenets of 21st century learning hold a crucial part in language teaching. I genuinely believe that, in accordance with what I previously mentioned, with the new generation being ever more engaged with the technological devices, it becomes rather obligatory for education practitioners to adopt such devices and make use of them during language teaching. Especially the kids’ interest in video games, for instance, and that it results in a rather persistent understanding of what they are engaged with, it is most likely to be the same if a program with such attributes is used while teaching a foreign language. To summarize, pen and paper became obsolete as technology advanced onwards as the years passed and the interest of learners (regardless of the age groups) shifted to more technology-based practices. By making use of such advancements or at least by following the recent ones, education can fully adapt itself to the current century, and we should pursue it!
