Vision for Adult ESL Vision for Adult ESL Education 2019Education 2019

Tom Mason Tom Mason

EDU 505 Future of EducationEDU 505 Future of Education

March, 1 2014March, 1 2014

””TheThe key to the future of the world is finding optimistic stories and letting key to the future of the world is finding optimistic stories and letting them be known.” them be known.”

Pete SeegerPete Seeger

Bronx Community College is at the center of challenges Bronx Community College is at the center of challenges

facing the U.S.facing the U.S. • • The U.S. is behind 9 other nations in completion of higher The U.S. is behind 9 other nations in completion of higher

education (education (Winning the FutureWinning the Future (n.d.) slides 10 - 11 (n.d.) slides 10 - 11

• 52% of jobs will require higher education by 201952% of jobs will require higher education by 2019

• President Obama calls for 10 million additional Associates President Obama calls for 10 million additional Associates DegreesDegrees

Bronx Community CollegeBronx Community College Organization Organization

BCC is comprehensive and offers over 30 academic programs on a BCC is comprehensive and offers over 30 academic programs on a beautiful 30-acre campus. Science. Technology and Math are beautiful 30-acre campus. Science. Technology and Math are an increasing emphasisan increasing emphasis

Programs/ Offerings at BCCPrograms/ Offerings at BCC

•• Community Programs/ ESL and GED instruction to adultsCommunity Programs/ ESL and GED instruction to adults• Arts and Sciences/ Associates DegreesArts and Sciences/ Associates Degrees• Center for Sustainable Energy/ Instruction in biofuels and Center for Sustainable Energy/ Instruction in biofuels and

photovoltaicsphotovoltaics• Continuing Professional Studies/ Vocational trainingContinuing Professional Studies/ Vocational training• Office of Instructional Technology/ Workshops and programsOffice of Instructional Technology/ Workshops and programs

ScenariosScenariosUndesirableUndesirable• Many physical colleges will no longer exist in 30 yearsMany physical colleges will no longer exist in 30 years• Educators must prepare students for professions that do not yet existEducators must prepare students for professions that do not yet exist• Educators will not have secure positionsEducators will not have secure positions• Teachers could be replaced by software or robotsTeachers could be replaced by software or robots

DesirableDesirable• Technology will make higher education available to all economic classesTechnology will make higher education available to all economic classes• The achievement gap will closeThe achievement gap will close

•• Technology will allow visual interaction between student to teacher from distanceTechnology will allow visual interaction between student to teacher from distance• Human interaction between teachers and students will be valued in physical and Human interaction between teachers and students will be valued in physical and

virtual classroomsvirtual classrooms• Environmental gains will result from less consumption of natural resourcesEnvironmental gains will result from less consumption of natural resources

ScanningScanning• Public Policy - Immigration reform may increase funding for ESL instructionPublic Policy - Immigration reform may increase funding for ESL instruction• Economic - Affordability of MOOCs may make higher education available to all Economic - Affordability of MOOCs may make higher education available to all

economic classes and create new wealtheconomic classes and create new wealth• Social and Demographic - Increased immigration, globalization and job growth in Social and Demographic - Increased immigration, globalization and job growth in

service fields will increase demand for English instructionservice fields will increase demand for English instruction• Technology – Software can allow students to proceed at individualized levels, as Technology – Software can allow students to proceed at individualized levels, as

in gamingin gaming

The technologically enhanced physical ESL classroomThe technologically enhanced physical ESL classroom

• Students will listen and speak in small groups.Students will listen and speak in small groups.

• Robotic teacher assistant will facilitate and correct.Robotic teacher assistant will facilitate and correct.

• Technology will free students and teachers to be more Technology will free students and teachers to be more creative.creative.

• Technology will enhance, not subsume.Technology will enhance, not subsume.

• Blended physical and online classroom instruction will Blended physical and online classroom instruction will create synergy.create synergy.

The technologically enhanced physical ESL classroomThe technologically enhanced physical ESL classroom DiagramDiagram

Challenges and opportunities of blended educationChallenges and opportunities of blended education

ChallengesChallenges

• • Lack of immigration reform, fundingLack of immigration reform, funding

• • Literacy, education level of culturally and linguistically diverse Literacy, education level of culturally and linguistically diverse populations (CLDs)populations (CLDs)

• • Subsumption in technology, addictionSubsumption in technology, addiction

OpportunitiesOpportunities

• • Opening of accessibility to education to disadvantaged Opening of accessibility to education to disadvantaged populations and CLDspopulations and CLDs

• • Natural language acquisition by traditional human interactionNatural language acquisition by traditional human interaction

• • Creation of wealth, sustainable tax baseCreation of wealth, sustainable tax base

• • End of poverty? End of poverty?

• • Enhanced American global competitivenessEnhanced American global competitiveness

Call to actionCall to action

•• Seek input from community and studentsSeek input from community and students

• Construct technologically enhanced traditional classroomsConstruct technologically enhanced traditional classrooms

• Develop curricula that creates synergy between virtual Develop curricula that creates synergy between virtual and physical classroomsand physical classrooms

• Prepare as quickly as technology is advancingPrepare as quickly as technology is advancing

ReferencesReferencesBetts, K., et al. (2009) Re-Examining & Repositioning Higher Education: Twenty Economic Betts, K., et al. (2009) Re-Examining & Repositioning Higher Education: Twenty Economic

and Demographic Factors Driving Online and Blended Program Enrollmentsand Demographic Factors Driving Online and Blended Program Enrollments

Retrieved from Post University: Retrieved from Post University: https://post.blackboard.com/

Bushnell, D. Future(s) of Education, (n.d.) PowerPoint presentation retrieved from Post Bushnell, D. Future(s) of Education, (n.d.) PowerPoint presentation retrieved from Post University: https://post.blackboard.comUniversity: https://post.blackboard.com

Brown, J.S. (2010) Foreword: Creating a culture of learning. In Iiyoshi, T. and Vijay Brown, J.S. (2010) Foreword: Creating a culture of learning. In Iiyoshi, T. and Vijay Kumar, M.S. (Eds.), Opening up education. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT PresKumar, M.S. (Eds.), Opening up education. Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Pres

Project Tomorrow (n.d.) Learning in the 21st Century: 2009 Trends Update. Retrieved from: Project Tomorrow (n.d.) Learning in the 21st Century: 2009 Trends Update. Retrieved from: https://post.blackboard.comhttps://post.blackboard.com

Winning the Future. (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/meeting-Winning the Future. (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/meeting-president-obamas-2020-college-completion-goalpresident-obamas-2020-college-completion-goal