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Do you know that William Gadoury, a 15-year-old boy, has acquired photos of the Earth taken by Japan and NASA satellites to discover new Mayan cultural sites through the Internet? Do you know that having digital literacy means that children can access the best academics and content of any discipline from anywhere in the world and apply it to real world problems? Do you think that because your child can skillfully recite the multiplication formula and can quickly complete three-digit calculations means that he/she is outstanding among his peers? Educational researchers and institutions around the world are deeply concerned that schools are not teaching students what they need to know for the future. Governments expect that many job sectors will disappear as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics change the nature of work. Therefore, it is extremely important that we use the most innovative ways possible to stimulate the technological understandings and creative mindsets that students will need in the future.
The International Academic Forum hosted the Asian Conference on Language Learning in Kobe, Japan in April this year. The Aidi Teaching, Learning, and Innovation team was invited to present their research into the development of digital literacy in our students through our unique English language programming. This programming is ever-evolving and designed to help students have the skills they will need as technology changes our societies over the next 10-20 years.
Developing Digital Literacy Critical digital literacy is a core 21st century skill that increasingly seen to be an essential education outcome. The article“The Changing Face of Literacy” report of the US “Education Weekly”pointed out that children under the age of 8 use smart mobile devices to play games, watch movies, and operate various apps, but this does not mean they have digital literacy. Rapidly transforming digital technologies confront users with the need to master a wide range of technological, cognitive and social competencies-collectively termed “Digital Literacy”. These skills are not only for navigation and location of information, but for understanding how to create digitally, how to think critically in digital spaces, and how to become a lifelong digital citizen.
The Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Center works to support the acquisition of a range of digital literacy competencies. Among these many competencies, the cultivation of technological skills in coding and robotics are becoming increasingly important and are not only useful for future job prospects but can also help to improve logic and support development in other subjects. To this end, the Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Center helps to facilitate enhanced technological curriculum and extra-curricular activities. This includes support for a fully integrated technology curriculum as well as embedding digital literacy skills through a range of subjects. An Innovation Lab and enhanced computer-based learning capacities are in current development. As part of our commitment to being on the leading edge of innovation we also invite EdTech start-ups into our school to utilize new systems as they emerge.
Education Research and Practic Innovation in teaching and learning is about more than technology. The Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Center works to distill the best in global educational research and use it to support both our students and our teachers. Keeping abreast of best practices from key education organizations such as UNESCO and with advanced university teaching and learning research centers such as Harvard’s Project Zero helps us to make constant improvements to curricula, professional development, and teaching practices. We also act as a research and development center for our own innovative practices and work to contribute to global education improvement by presenting our work at peer-reviewed educational research conferences internationally. We have an excellent track record of success including presentations at UNESCO TECH, JALT, IAFOR, Mount Kenya University, and the National Institute of Education in Singapore among others. Research presentations generated by the Teaching, Learning, and Innovation team include: (2018). English for Academic Purposes: Enhancing Critical Digital Literacy Outcomes. International Academic Forum Asian Conference on Language Learning, Kobe, Japan. (2017). Upgrading 21st Century Skills and Education for Sustainable Development though Digital Changemaker Speaking Projects. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Transforming Education Conference for Humanity, Visakhapatnam, India. (2017). Building Staff and Student Capacity for 21st Century Skills in the Language Classroom. iELT-Con International English Language Teaching Conference, Penang, Malaysia. (2017). English Language Education and National Development: Strategies for Maximizing Positive Impact. English Language in Education and Research Conference, Kigali, Rwanda. (2016). Transforming Lives via Leadership and Language. Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) International Conference, Nagoya, Japan. (2016). Empowering Students and Communities: Glocalized TESOL Curriculum for Sustainable Development. Thailand TESOL Conference, Khon Kaen, Thailand. (2015). Enhancing EAL Programs with the Education for Sustainable Development Initiative. TESOL International Conference, National Institute of Education, Singapore. In the upcoming semester, the Innovation Lab will be launched and students will be offered courses in higher level coding and robotic science, which will empower them to pursue their dream.
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