Can ICT reduce social exclusion? The case of an adults' English language learning programme

Abstract

Strong claims are made for ICT‐based lifelong learning as an effective way of reducing the exclusion of various groups in society, yet, there is very little research to support these claims. Empirical research is needed, including qualitative studies of the experiences of socially excluded learners using ICT. This article reports the findings of such a study in relation to learners from one socially excluded group, adults from ethnic minority backgrounds, who are disproportionately deprived and often excluded by language. The article discusses the study of the experiences and perceptions of adults learning English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) through ICT in seven different learning centres in England. The findings show that technology is insufficient to overcome existing inequalities in access to learning, and to engage learners who would not otherwise undertake formal learning, but ICT‐based learning can reduce some aspects of social exclusion in terms of encouraging minority ethnic group learners to speak more within the host community. ICT‐based learning offers a space for language learning and practice, which is often absent in traditional ESOL classrooms and in the every day lives of these excluded groups. Learning is a social practice in which the level of commitment of tutors to encouraging the use of these media and creating a safe and private space for learning affects the range of learning activities with which learners engage and the impact of these on their everyday use of English.

Notes

1. Ufi, the University for Industry, operates under the brand name of learndirect in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and in a separate form in Scotland. It provides a telephone help line advising people of learning opportunities in a range of institutions as well as providing, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, its own ICT‐based programmes in learndirect centres and associated community‐based centres with UKOnline.

2. ELLIS—English Language Learning and Instruction System (details of which can be found at www.ellis.com/company/index.shtml) is a learning package adapted for the English market and aimed at equipping speakers of other languages with the language skills for work, home and leisure. It consists of scripted video sequences using native speakers in a variety of everyday settings. The software enables the learner to examine the dialogue in these sequences from a range of perspectives. These include the following: vocabulary—new vocabulary is highlighted and explained; grammar—key grammatical structures and verb tenses are highlighted and explained, further examples can be found and there are opportunities to self‐test knowledge and understanding with a variety of tasks and tests; pronunciation—the learner is shown how difficult sounds are made and can practise these; role play—the learner can play one of the roles in the dialogue, record themselves alone or with others and play back the dialogue to check their pronunciation; repetition—the learner can play back any piece of dialogue at different speeds to practise their listening skills; and finally the learner can monitor their progress by completing the end tests both within the package and in take‐home books for each unit and level.

3. The study was funded by Ufi Ltd. The results of the study were used to inform further developments in the design of the package, the pedagogic needs to enable learners to use the package successfully in learndirect centres prior to the package being made available at centres across the country. The research team comprised Pam Cole, Anita Franklin, David Hyatt, Toni Ibarz and Sue Webb.

4. All learners participating in the piloting of ELLIS had sufficient skill with English to be interviewed in this rather than their first language, though care was taken to ensure they felt at ease in this situation.

5. The one workplace site in the Ufi pilot failed to recruit learners. However, the site was analysed and the tutor, who also worked at another centre, was interviewed.

6. It must also be stressed that since this study was based on a pilot introduction of the CD‐ROM, word of mouth recruitment may have increased the recruitment of learners already engaged on a learning trajectory. Gorard et al. (1999) argue that there are four learning trajectories that reflect an overall lifetime pattern of participation of an individual and this is predictable from their socio‐economic and educational background. The four trajectories are: lifelong, delayed, transitional and non‐participant.

7. See de Castell and Luke (1986) for an account of different literacy paradigms. The use of literacy practices rather than skills indicates that literacy is a relative social construct and needs to be understood within its social context.

8. See executive summary of full report (Webb et al., 2003), which identified the need for some specialist ESOL tutoring in open access centres to support the use of workbooks and to give feedback on assessment tests.