Speaker
Description
This keynote will address issues related to innovation and ethics in English language education. Innovation in language education often brings to mind concerns of inefficiency and digital waste, resulting from new approaches to preparation for technology use that is in a constant state of change as well as a constant demand for the newest available forms of technology. The decisions related to these innovative practices involve many ethical challenges. Often using the resources that are already available along with moderately adapted approaches to training can be much more effective than introducing wholly new approaches. By recognizing the valuable components already existing in your teaching ecosystem, you can dramatically improve the potential of innovative interventions while also increasing sustainability. These innovative practices may involve some emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality within established pedagogical practices that should be familiar to language teachers. The presenter will share his thoughts on these topics and provide examples.
Biography
Greg Kessler has published extensively and delivered invited talks around the world. He is a professor of Innovative Learning Design & Technology in the Educational Studies department at Ohio University. His research addresses technology, teaching, learning, culture and language with an emphasis on teacher preparation and curricular design. He has held transformative leadership positions, including president of the computer assisted language instruction consortium (CALICO), president of the Ohio teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and chair of the TESOL CALL interest section. He has been an editor for numerous monographs, special issues and serial publications, including the TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, CALICO Equinox book series, Advances in CALL Practice & Research, and the Language Teaching & Technology forum in the journal Language Learning & Technology among others. He has most recently been Fulbright Canada Research Chair of Digital Technologies and Sustainability in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary.
