5. ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC)

January 30, 2018 | Author: Anonymous | Category: Social Science, Sociology, Globalization
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Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)

Dr. Kuldeep Nagi NEC_2013

August 5-6, 2013

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) About Me

  



Born in India, US citizen Lived in Seattle, WA, USA for +25 Years Fulbright Fellowship Award – 2006 to work at Assumption University Dan Evans Award for Excellence in Teaching

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) About Assumption University- Bangkok

C A M P U S

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)

Agenda 1) 2) 3)

4) 5)

6)

INTRODUCTION COLONIZATION VS. GLOBALIZATION SCENARIO IN THAILAND: WRATH OF NA (T) IVE SPEAKERS RELEVANCE OF e-LEARNING IN AEC ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC): WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER 2015? CONCLUSIONS

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 1) INTRODUCTION  English is currently one of the most widely spoken and written languages worldwide, with more than 400 million native speakers. Through the global influence of English in cinema, music, news papers, books and television broadcasting and the Internet in recent decades, English is now the most widely learned language in the world.  The main language used on the Internet is also English. Internet services such as Facebook, Google, Yahoo, You Tube, MSN Live and LinkedIn are overwhelmingly American in origin, so it is no wonder that the mother tongue of the World Wide Web is English.

Figure 1: Countries with the most English Language Speakers (Source : http://cnrsociety.org/english.html)

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 1) INTRODUCTION Four factors determine the degree to which a given language is used on the Internet: I. The number of users of the language II. The extent of its use as an official language III. The economic power of the language IV. The volume of information disseminated in that language.  Today, English reigns supreme in all the four aspects. It is also studied as a foreign language throughout the world and employed by a majority of Internet users.  Another way to calculate the economic impact of a language may be to examine gross domestic products (GDP) of all the nations where it is spoken. People who count English as their mother tongue make up less than 10% of the world's population, but possess over 30% of the world's Figure 2: Speakers of English Language economic power. Therefore, in terms of the volume and quality of Source: information, English remains a leading language. (http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.htm)  Of the 193 member nations of the U.N., more use English as their official language than any other.

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 1) INTRODUCTION  It is quite evident that successful and fulfilled individuals, workers, and local and global citizens in the future will need new kinds of competences ranging from proficiency in second languages including English, information synthesis to social skills to migrate to places wherever the new jobs may become available. Of special importance is the capacity to draw on one’s communication skills.

 Thai e-Learning programs have little experience in doing this, at least before the e-Learning became an essential part of higher education. It is difficult to see how Thai universities can meet the challenges posed by AEC without promoting learning of English. The main objective of this presentation is to highlight the reasons why change in attitude about learning English is necessary. More so, how e-Learning programs can promote supplement this process.

Figure 3: Top 10 Languages n the Internet Source: (http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats7.h tm)

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2) COLONIZATION VS. GLOBALIZATION  It is an historical fact that in the 17th century the British did not go around the world to impose their language; they went places with an intention to do trade. Later, they forcibly occupied many countries in Africa, Asia, and later North America and Australia.  In more than 300 years of their history British conquered many countries. Occupation of these countries was followed by the creation of their own system of education, transportation, communication and governance.  Spread of English language in colonies did not drastically change the native culture and identity. Stretching from India, Malaysia to Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia, English became an alternate way for communication.

Figure 4: British Empire shown in green color Source :(http://www.breakaway.cc/Europe/UK/UKBritishEmpire.php)

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2) COLONIZATION VS. GLOBALIZATION  Days of colonization are now history. Every country that was part of the British Empire is now free. The whole landscape is changed by the rapid expansion of communication technologies, transport and financial markets.  Colonization is now replaced by much more powerful forces of globalization. English language is no longer a cultural imposition; it is the language of the Internet, Facebook and Twitter. It has become the language of the global markets .  In this context, a common language can become a powerful tool to succeed in globalized economies.  To be able to migrate to other countries and find a better paying job requires knowing more than one language. Knowing English is even better especially when a person wants to go to England, Australia or America to have higher education or explore new options for a better job or a career. Proficiency in English becomes an essential requirement.

Figure 5: Forces of Globalization

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 3) SCENARIO IN THAILAND: WRATH OF NA (T) IVE SPEAKERS 

Thailand English teaching and learning problems cannot be solved by employing the “native speakers”.



It requires a different strategy to expand teaching and learning of English. As mentioned in my paper, Switzerland, and many other European countries where teaching and learning English is a big success, do not rely on what one researcher calls it as “na (t) ive” speakers but on their own teachers of English.



In Asia, a good example is India. Although colonized for more than two centuries India does not employ foreigners to teach English.



Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia has followed the same model. It created its own pool of English teachers.

Figure 6: Native Speakers

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 3) SCENARIO IN THAILAND: WRATH OF NA (T) IVE SPEAKERS  The current crisis in Thai educational system is somewhat captured in the Figure 7. 

In Thailand, the nationalistic, single language based one-size-fitsall educational system is a big impediment to any progress. If the Thai Ministry of Education is genuinely interested in improving English education, then they have to do the following: I.

Improve the quality of Thai English teachers. Thai teachers of English have to be good; they have to be an inspiration for their students. Figure 7: Thai Educational System - One size fits all

II.

If Thailand really wants to employ a foreign teacher, then he/she must be a real qualified language teacher, not just a na (t) ive speaker. It has to be one who has a high degree in language or linguistics, and who has also learned at least one or more foreign languages.

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 4. RELEVANCE OF e-LEARNING IN AEC 

e-Learning programs offered in English can enable students residing in AEC to pace their learning in their own ways.



It can bring information and data in various formats and can be easily interpreted with click of a mouse. With enhanced translation capabilities provided by the Internet browsers all information can be translated into any language spoken within AEC.



In e-Learning, if instructionally designed by an expert team, can support learning objectives and outcomes in a more scientific manner than the traditional teaching then in F2F teaching.

Fig 8: E-Learning in AEC

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 4. RELEVANCE OF e-LEARNING IN AEC 

e-Learning programs for teaching and learning English language can bring high levels of interactivity and engage students in an active learning process suited to their needs and abilities, hence, giving them an immersive learning experience.



e-Learning has flexibility, it provide choices and can help in analysis, evaluation and improvement of key factors of teachinglearning process.

Fig 9: E-Learning Outcomes

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 4. RELEVANCE OF e-LEARNING IN AEC There is tremendous opportunity in AEC to focus on the following three sectors of e-Learning. i. Content -Courseware, multimedia, simulation, and evaluation ii. Technology/Infrastructure-LMS, LCMS, CMS, content authoring tools, virtual classroom. Along with regional platforms some dominant LMSs such as Netex, Desire2Learn, Blackboard, Moodle, Skillsoft, and Successfactors (now owned by SAP) can be utilized. Mobile phones and Smart devices are new and emerging markets for on-line learning iii. Services- HRM, Educational consulting, learning strategies, development, maintenance and many others

Fig 10: E-Learning Infrastructure

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 5. ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC): WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER 2015? 

The world is moving from a competitiveness model based on cheap manpower to one based on brainpower. In total, India, China and Russia educate + 20 million university students each year, as many as in the USA.



Through Internet technologies these brains can be accessed from all over the world. Thai universities have yet to recognize these trends. To participate in the increasingly competitive market of higher education Thai universities need to recognize new and emerging forces shaping the AEC job markets.

Figure 11: AEC Economic Community (AEC)

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 5. ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC): WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER 2015? 

Although there may be some similarities between AEC and the European Union’s Bologna Process which seeks to harmonize the region’s higher education system.



But in comparison to Europe the diversity in education systems and economic development across AEC presents many more difficult challenges.



AEC is a very diverse regional bloc encompassing more than 600 million people. Along with different cultural and social differences, higher education landscape also varies greatly. From highly developed Singapore, which has few universities that often place well in international university rankings, to countries like Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia which only established their first national universities a decade ago?

Figure 12: EU Vs. AEC

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 5. ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC): WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER 2015?  However, it is quite unclear whether 2015 deadline to establish a well integrated educational system will come to fruition. 

Some efforts are being made to providing more opportunities for student exchanges, credit transfer systems (CTS) and improving quality assurance (QA) mechanisms. But so far, the progress has been very slow.



As a small effort to raise standards, the ASEAN University Network (AUN) began operating a regional quality-assurance (QA) system to assess undergraduate programs at its member universities in 2007.



Since 2009, national QA agencies from various countries have been meeting regularly to learn from each other. While there are no attempts to standardize curriculum or grading across the region, there is awareness of the need to align different academic calendars of various countries. Figure 13:: AUN

Importance of English in eLearning Programs in Context of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 6) CONCLUSION 

In AEC only few countries have risen to the challenge of seeing English language relevant; most others have hardly progressed beyond the education system that was introduced a century ago.



What might it take for slow-to-change mind set in some countries is to embrace the economic benefits, and manage the risks, associated with mandating English as a compulsory subject as well as an alternate medium of instruction in schools and colleges and cultivate broader competences for the future beyond AEC 2015?



Part of the answer to future changes in AEC lies beyond the walls of schools, colleges and universities. Parents, governments, the professionals, popular media and even the free marketplace, are all important stakeholders in promoting English.



For eLearning to take hold as a forceful alternate to on-campus learning it is essential to create state of the art e-Learning degree programs that cater to the growth of AEC.

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