The document discusses a workshop on using digital media to boost interaction in the 21st century classroom. It describes how the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has incorporated online interaction and mediation. The workshop exercise has groups watch video samples of classes using online platforms like Tricider and Classtools Fakebook to analyze how they facilitate interaction and mediation. Participants discuss their experiences using digital platforms in class and potential benefits like increased engagement, efficiency, and opportunities for language practice and feedback.

1. Riga International Conference 2017
Using Digital Media to boost interaction
in the 21st Century classroom
John Haagensen, Eurocentres Head Office
Nareene Kaloyan, Eurocentres London Central
©Eaquals Eaquals International Conference, Riga, 27 – 29 April 2017 www.eaquals.org 1

2. Workshop: Using Digital Media to
boost interaction in the 21st
Century classroom
WELCOME! While you are waiting,
join our online discussion at:
tinyurl.com/lunae3q
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3. The rise of online
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The Daily Telegraph May 2015

4. Online interaction by
nationality
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5. CEFR extended version
project 2014-16
Amongst its aims..
…has developed descriptors for
mediation, and..
“taken account of technological changes
by providing illustrative descriptors for
interaction [including online interaction]”
(page 10 of the Introduction to the pilot version)
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6. Mediation & Interaction
cross over..
New scales for Interaction Strategies:
• Relational/collaborative: Facilitating
Collaborative Interaction with peers (also
Relational Mediation)
• Cognitive: Collaborating to construct meaning
(also Cognitive Mediation)
New Online Interaction scales:
• Online Conversation and Discussion
• Goal-oriented online transactions and
collaboration
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7. CEFR ‘extended set’
project 2014-16
• Due to Eurocentres’ consultancy role to
the Council of Europe we have been
investigating the implications of the CEFR
extension for teaching and learning
programmes
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8. Is language training
keeping up?
• Are we updating second language training
adequately to remain relevant to learner use of
digital media in multiple contexts, and CEFR
recognition of this?
Q1 Can the use of digital media enhance
interaction (on and off-line) in our language
classrooms? If so, how?
Q2 Is there potential for digital media to add value
in the language classroom? If so, how?
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9. Workshop exercise
Handout, page 2:
In groups, watch the video samples of
classes using online platforms
As you watch, note your impressions
and thoughts, afterwards comparing
and discussing in your groups
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10. www.chatzy.com
www.tricider.com

11. www.classtools.net/FAKEBO
OK

12. Workshop exercise responses,
not exhaustive..
“Tricider” lesson
Group discussion - Forum
(Online interaction - conversation and
discussion)
“Fakebook” lesson
Biography research and writing
(Mediation - online source to online platform)
1 Your
observation
s and
comments
regarding:
Interaction
(on and off-
line) and/or
Mediation
in the
lessons
using this
platform
• Students interact face-to-face in
small groups, but at the same time,
they also interact online with the
whole class by posting and
commenting on each other’s posts.
• Challenges traditional perceptions
of classroom ‘space’: two students
on a road-trip to Scotland join in
the discussion.
• Before their final vote, students are
seated in a circle, reading from
their phones and giving their
opinions on what they read.
Reflects what we do in real-life:
using online information as a point
of departure for face-to-face
discussion.
• Mediation: students relay and
creatively rephrase information
from Wikipedia and other online
sources.
• Collaboration and shared
responsibility: students work
together to produce
grammatically correct language
chunks, first in groups, then in
pairs.
• Interaction: learners visit each
other’s pages and post
comments and questions in
response to the original posts.
©Eaquals Eaquals International Conference, Riga, 27 – 29 April 2017 www.eaquals.org 12

13. Workshop exercise responses, not
exhaustive..
“Tricider” lesson
Group discussion - Forum
(Online interaction - conversation and
discussion)
“Fakebook” lesson
Biography research and writing
(Mediation - online source to online platform)
2 Is there
apparent
potential to
add value to
the
language
class?
• Learner engagement and enjoyment.
• Efficiency: the class’ ideas are
simultaneously and instantly collated
in one place for all to see.
• More language is produced than in
conventional brainstorming tasks.
Encourages in depth exploration of
themes and topics.
• Can be exploited for use both inside
and outside the classroom, as class
work and as homework, for blended
and flipped learning.
• Opportunities for error correction,
feedback and language processing:
the debate can be saved and printed.
• Learner engagement and enjoyment.
• Provides practice of 3 of the ‘4 Cs’ of
21st Century learning - (creativity,
communication, collaboration).
• Encourages learners to mediate
information in their own words, rather
than ‘copy & paste’, which is common in
more conventional biography-writing
tasks.
• Encourages in depth collaboration:
students work together to create a joint
piece of work which is shareable and
naturally invites comments from peers.
• Opportunities for error correction,
feedback and language processing: the
profiles can be saved and are printable.
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14. Discussion
Please share with your group members
your own experiences, as practitioner or
observer, of classroom use of digital
platforms
Any Pros or Cons to mention?
tinyurl.com/lunae3q
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15. Thank you for your input
tinyurl.com/lunae3q
Please stay in touch and share your ideas
and discoveries for effective use of digital
media
©Eaquals Eaquals International Conference, Riga, 27 – 29 April 2017 www.eaquals.org 15