Digitization has become one of the linchpins of modern society. The use of various types of devices, methods and learning environments applying recently developed information and communication technologies has also significantly increased in the educational sector, including language teaching. Digitization has opened many new possibilities and added new facets to the field of language teaching, and one could argue it has enriched the field overall. Aside from acknowledging the benefits, however, it is important to consider the challenges and concerns involved with the utilization of technical applications.
Increased digitality has brought about higher requirements for multiliteracy, as well as general concentration skills and the ability to understand multimodal texts, among learners at all levels (see, e.g., Matveinen et al. 2021). Multiliteracy is one of the seven broad-based areas of competence included in the Finnish National Core Curriculum for Basic Education (2014). However, views on what exactly constitutes multiliteracy vary, and it is possible that the demands for multiliteracy may blur learners’ own understanding of how to apply their knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes. Do language learners understand what is meant by multiliteracy, and what kind of skills are they required to have? What are learners’ attitudes towards the use of digital technology and electronic materials in language teaching? Does digitality and the increased use of technology burden language learners, causing so-called digital dementia (Spitzer 2012), which adversely affects memory, concentration and problem-solving abilities, as well as learning new things?
Researchers:
Johanna Koivisto
Dinah Krenzler-Behm
Mark Kaunisto
Contact person:
Mark Kaunisto, mark.kaunisto(at)tuni.fi