Identifying Quality Ditigal Based OER Language Teaching Resources in Higher Education Language or Content Courses

According to Gómez-Parra and Espejo-Mohedano (2020), “second language learning is, for a high percentage of the 21st century individuals, a technology-assisted process that demands the conjunction of linguistic and digital key competences.” Then, second language teaching must also be transformed to be able to adapt to this new learner. The extensive number of Open Educational Resources (OERs) available nowadays requires teachers to develop further digital competence, which the Council of Europe (2018) has identified as one of the eight key competences for lifelong learning. In this regard, Eshet-Alkali and Amichai-Hamburger (2004) conclude that digital competence is not limited to the use of software or digital devices, but it also addresses a wide variety of complex skills (cognitive, motor, sociological and emotional) that users need to command in order to manage digital environments effectively. Then, 21st century teachers need to develop their digital competence to benefit from the immense opportunities offered by OERs, at the same time that they are capable to effectively introduce them into the classroom. In addition, the effectiveness of digital technologies in empowering language learners and teachers may depend on their skills and abilities to use technology properly (Hatlevik & Christophersen, 2013). Furthermore, many OERs do not satisfy all teachers’ needs on a specific language topic / point, so they usually must surf the net to identify enough OERs which can meet their pedagogical needs. It is also frequent that different websites show varied structures which can make them miss the focus. The lack of professional guidance in the language learning process has been identified as a potential danger that can lead to autonomous students’ abandonment (Tuovinen, 2000, among others), so the correct training of teachers towards the identification and selection of quality OERs can be a key area for the training of 21st century teachers.

Online Resources

Eshet-Alkali, Y., & Amichai-Hamburger, Y. (2004). Experiments in digital literacy. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 7(4), 421–429.
https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.2004.7.421
This publication shares the results obtained in a study which dealt with the application of the digital literacy skills conceptual model among different groups of learners. This paper indicates that younger participants performed better than the older ones, whereas the older participants appeared to be more literate in reproduction and information literacy tasks. These research results point toward role of the cognitive skills of users when performing within digital environments. In addition, this study provides lecturers and software developers with guidelines to better design user-centered digital environments.

Gómez-Parra, M. E., & Espejo-Mohedano, R. (2020). A Comparative Study of Open-Access Websites for Autonomous Learning of English. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 10(2), 83-95.
https://doi.org/10.4018/IJCALLT.2020040105
This publication offers the evaluation of a selected set of open-access and institutional websites for the learning of English as a Second Language (ESL) as the result of a research project for which expert-validated tools have been used.

Hatlevik, O. E., & Christophersen, K.-A. (2013). Digital competence at the beginning of upper secondary school: Identifying factors explaining digital inclusion. Computers & Education, 63, 240–247.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.11.015
The aim of this publication was to first scrutinize factors predicting students’ digital competence; second, to acquire and process digital information; and third, to produce digital information.

Tuovinen, J. E. (2000). Multimedia distance education interactions. Educational Media International, 37(1), 16–24.
https://doi.org/10.1080/095239800361473
This publication attempts to synthesize approaches based on distance education theory, cognition research and multimedia development. It provides a useful contextualization to the purposes of understanding the essential role of OERs in foreign language teaching or language teaching for Specific Purposes.