See You on the Flip(ped) Side – Fostering Digitalization for Future English Teachers via Spotlights in a Digital Learning Environment
Projectleader: Prof. Dr. Frauke Matz & Prof. Dr. Julia Reckermann
Coordinator: Dr. Karoline Wirbatz
The project has been funded by:
Förderlaufzeit (1. Förderphase): 01.11.2021-30.09.2022
Curriculum 4.0 - A new way of learning
The project “See You on the Flip(ped) Side – Fostering Digitalization for Future English Teachers via Spotlights in a Digital Learning Environment” has officially started. It will offer our pre-service teacher trainees a digital learning environment in which they can engage in self-directed and independent learning. In this flipped classroom both Bachelor and Master of Education students will be able to work with video-based learning modules on various aspects of digitalization within the field of English language education.
The videos are available as open educational resources (OER) on ORCA.nrw so that lecturers and students from other universities located in the federal state of North-Rhine Westphalia can also access them.
You can find all links below in the lecture descriptions.
The Lecturers
We are proud and thankful to announce that the following experts have supported us in this project:
© PH Wien Prof. Dr. Thomas Strasser
Prof. Dr. Thomas Strasser (University of Teacher Education in Vienna): Mind the App Reloaded. Edu-Apps in the EFL-Classroom. From technical complexity to methodological versatility.
The first addition of Prof. Dr. Thomas Strasser to our Curriculum 4.0 project dealt with Edu-Apps that are on the rise in the everyday language teaching practice. He presented several different apps that fulfil various purposes and can therefore be used either by themselves or combined in a series of tasks and learning phases. His presentation also critically discusses the relevance of such programs in comparison to rather „conservative“ methods like textbook-based learning.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw
© BCIT Dr. Nathan Devos
Dr. Nathan Devos (British Columbia Institute of Technology): Online Language Assessment for the Classroom
In this online lecture Dr. Nathan Devos delighted us with an overview of the increasingly important matter of online language assessment for the classroom. The most important fields of expertise that were presented were the practical usability of online assessment programs and the potentials that teachers can expect for their classroom practice.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw
© zfsl Miriam Nienhaus & Monique Lauströer
Miriam Nienhaus (ZfsL Gelsenkirchen) & Monique Lauströer (ZfsL Paderborn) : Digitale Medien im Englischunterricht der Primarstufe
Miriam Nienhaus and Monique Lauströer gave an overview on the topic of digital media and application usage in the EFL classroom practice of the Primarstufe as an example. Their lecture did not only touch the field of app-usage, but also included the practicability of videos, audio-recordings and similar mediums that can enable an authentic language experience for the students.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw Spotlight Lecture 3, Part 1 Spotlight Lecture 3, Part 2
© Uni Wien Prof. Dr. Christiane Dalton-Puffer
Prof. Dr. Christiane Dalton-Puffer : Pluriliteracies: languages for learning in multilingual contexts
In her presentation Prof. Dr. Christiane Dalton-Puffer presented the possibilities of going beyond the classic textbook-task and using plurilitarcies to access educational topics in the foreign language classroom. She introduced us to the “principles of pluriliteracies teaching in deeper learning” as a concept for the beneficial use of different teaching methods in the same topical context. These practical advices can show future teachers how and when to use different mediums and literacies in their classroom practice.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw
© C. Blume Prof. Dr. Carolyn Blume
Prof. Dr. Carolyn Blume : How to Make the EFL Classroom More Inclusive?
Professor Carolyn Blume, TU Dortmund, supported our Curriculum 4.0 project with her inspiring presentation on “How to Make the EFL Classroom More Inclusive?”. In this wonderful spotlight lecture she speaks about different possibilities on making texts more accessible for all learners. She also touches the topics of diversity of gender and religion. It was wonderful having her and we would love to thank her again for her participation.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw Spotlight Lecture 4
© PH Wien 
© Leuphana Universität Prof. Dr. Thomas Strasser and Prof. Dr. Torben Schmidt
Prof. Dr. Thomas Strasser (University of Teacher Education in Vienna)
Prof. Dr. Torben Schmidt (Leuphana Lüneburg)
"I'm going DeepL underground... AI-powered learning. Potentials and limitations.
In this lecture the two speakers gave an overview of the genesis of AI technology in general and the influences it has had already and will inevitably have on language learning and language teaching in the future. Apart from that a light was shed on the rather philosophical question of how the improvement of AI will reduce or enhance the importance of human professions such as the English language teacher.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw
© EDU Arizona Prof. Dr. Jonathon Reinhardt
Prof. Dr. Jonathon Reinhardt's Spotlight: Digital Games in ELT - Exploring the potentials
On Monday, Jonathon Reinhardt (Universtity of Arizona) recorded his spotlight for our Curriculum 4.0 project. In this wonderful and inspiring lecture he speaks about the potentials of digital games in language education. As one of the most amazing pioneers in this new field of research he thus gives valuable insights into this new classroom practice. It was wonderful to have him as a guest and we cannot wait to see him again in early summer 2023.
Enjoy this lecture now ORCA.nrw
© UCLA GSEIS Dr. Jeff Share
Dr. Jeff Share: Critical Media Literacy: Engaging Media & Transforming Education
Dr. Jeff Share of the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California in Los Angeles complemented our Spotlight Series program with his take on Critical Media Litercacy in the English language classroom. He managed to combine both his personal viewpoints from prior career steps as a professional journal photographer and a primary school teacher with the conceptual work of his earlier past in the scholastic field. The lecture gives the student an overlook over various important terms and theories surrounding Critical media literacy as well as some practical advices of how to implement those concepts into the English language classroom.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw
Please also see Dr. Jeff Share's extensive collection on materials which can be used in the classroom: Critical Media Literacy research
© M. Rogge Michael Rogge
Michael Rogge: Agile Learning in the foreign language classroom
Michael Rogge (ZfsL Gelsenkirchen) inspired us with a lecture on new teaching techniques in the EFL classroom. He explained possible teaching scenarios in which team learning strategies used in private companies can be integrated. The shift in educational value from factual knowledge to human competencies is a change that the modern foreign language teacher must face. Our guest speaker presented practical ideas on how to foster social and technical skills to adapt to the digitised environment they will soon be working in.
Enjoy this lecture now on ORCA.nrw Spotlight Lecture 9