Programme Details: Friday 6 July 2007

Title: Is Technology Changing our Idea of English? A debate between English Subject Centre E-Learning Advocates and the audience

Leader/s: Chaired by Brett Lucas (English Subject Centre)

Theme: E-literacies

Time: 15:30 - 17:00

This panel will provide a lively interactive debate between the speakers and the audience around the subject of whether the new technologies employed in the teaching of English studies in the 21st century are in fact changing the nature of the discipline itself. The panel will be made up of 5 or 6 speakers, each of whom will advocate ways in which English is or isn’t changing with technological interventions. Each speaker will take the floor for a 5 minute plenary introducing the main thrust of their argument the rest of the session will involve interaction with the audience. Speakers would be allowed a right of reply to any points raised against their arguments and the audience will be able to vote on the winning idea (whether for or against) at the end.

Participants would include the 6 practitioners currently working as e-learning advocates within their respective English departments around the country and who, therefore, have had to deal with many of the potential issues which may be raised during the debate.

Dr Christopher Ringrose – Northampton University, Dr Lesley Coote – University of Hull, Dr Rosie Miles – University of Wolverhampton, Dr Lee Horsley – University of Lancaster, Dr Stuart Robertson – University of Central England (UCE), Dr Matthew Day, Bishop Grosseteste University College. Chair: Brett Lucas, Learning technologist -  English Subject Centre

Possible arguments:

• E-learning can improve the quality of the educational experience of English
• Technology/E-learning improves access to a more diverse student body and to resources
• E-learning extends the classroom, enhances collaboration
• E-learning takes a lot of time to do well with very little tangible benefit
• E-learning/technology is just another policy objective thrust onto a busy English Academic with very little reward
• E-learning results in a cognitive loss
• It is the ‘E’ in e-learning that is the problem – computers are involved and they are a problem

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