Language teaching is necessarily a multi-modal process requiring learners to exercise the skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, interaction and mediation. Technology has long played a central role in language education and today HE language educators must continually develop their own digital skills to create affordances for language learning through digital tools, such as, social media, online language exchanges and target language materials. The domain focusses on the development of personal confidence and professional competence in using digital skills for language learning, teaching and assessment.  The domain also encourages the identification of opportunities for technology to support and empower language learners in higher education.  Digital tools and media offer considerable potential for the enhancement of the language learning experience. However, we are convinced that these can only be exploited appropriately by a language educator with relevant competences in all the domains. Digital competences for teaching languages cannot replace, for example, the pedagogical skills, subject knowledge or values of a language educator.

In some language teacher competence frameworks, digital competences are viewed as transversal skills. However, we consider all of the competence domains to be interconnected and at times overlapping and for the sake of clarity and coherence we treat these as a discrete domain. We are also aware that the DigiCompEdu Framework (https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/digcompedu) outlines myriad competences for educators in all levels of the system and with respect to all subjects. Here, we concentrate on those competences that are specific to language education in HE.  

Practitioner

Can use digital tools as part of the HE language lesson.   

Can use digital tools for communicating with HE language students.   

Can assign digital language learning activities for students to work on outside of the language classroom.   

Can assign digital language learning activities for collaborative student work (team work, group projects, etc.).   

Expert

Can identify and adapt existing relevant digital content for use in the language classroom.    

Can adapt, design and develop language learning activities and materials for online and blended learning.   

Can use technology for assessment and feedback as/of/for learning.   

Can curate digital spaces for the purposes of language learning in HE.   

Can exploit various approaches to online/blended learning to enhance language curricula and foster language learner autonomy.   

Can use digital tools to enhance student engagement in synchronous and asynchronous language learning.   

Can demonstrate knowledge of current developments in online/blended HE language teaching, learning and assessment.   

Leader

Can develop online/blended modules for language learning integrating principles of, for example, Universal Design for Learning.   

Can contribute to HE language educators’ digital knowledge and skills on a national level through research dissemination, training and/or the creation of OERs.      

Can critically evaluate and apply current approaches in online/blended HE language teaching, learning and assessment.