From Classroom Teacher to Online Learning Facilitator and back to… Teacher?
Abstract: Years ago someone went on record saying that ‘if a teacher is afraid to be replaced by a computer they should be replaced by a computer!’ While the pun was always unfortunate, we can now vouch that it was also wrong. Since then, teachers honed their skills and now operate successfully in ICT-enhanced and/or virtual classrooms designing and producing their own digital materials. In this presentation I will discuss the role of ICT in FL teaching in the past twenty years with special reference to my professional experience in developing, producing and delivering multimedia, interactive materials in a number of different modes and for target groups in diverse educational settings, with varied backgrounds and learning needs. I will discuss the implications of the above for teacher training within the framework of ‘open resources, open practices and open communication’ and will conclude by briefly showcasing some of the Cambridge University Language Centre’s learning materials.