Motivation & Social Learning: Blended Learning & Making Digital Work for ELT (Talking ELT S11 EP3)

The discussion explores integrating digital and face-to-face learning in the modern classroom, emphasizing the need for clear boundaries and understanding student preferences. Digital tools can democratize participation, offer anonymity, and authenticate communication, but they also present challenges like managing distractions, technical issues, and maintaining teacher control. Speakers advocate for thoughtful, purposeful integration of technology, seeing it as part of the “2020s classroom” rather than a separate world. The goal is to enhance learning and engagement appropriately, ensuring technology serves educational objectives and diverse student needs, not just for novelty, and recognizing when a “digital detox” or analog methods are beneficial.