ICT in ELT : Learning to eLearning

Due to privatization and globalization in the last decade, though India has emerged as the fastest developing country in terms of technological enhancements, education and employment, poverty, unemployment and resultant backwardness have been crucial issues in the creation of knowledge economy in India. The reasons are many, but the crucial ones are illiteracy and very little or no access to technology and technological resources. It cannot be denies that technology in general and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in particular have enabled self-learning among all wired areas of the world. The area of language learning is no exception in this movement. And hence there is some amount of employment, knowledge creation and, thereby, development. In fact, in India, the government has also taken the initiative (in cases with the help from private institutions). Thus, looking to the learning opportunities made available by technological resources, it cannot be denied that in a very short span of time all learnings whether inside the classroom or outside the classroom, will be eLearnigns. The change has already taken place. Though we may be late, but it is not too late to adopt technology based language learning and specifically ICT based English Language Learning/Teaching. Herein the concern is to give a new formula i.e. Computer Internet = Learning Junction. Our paper entitled ICT in ELT: Learning to eLearning makes an attempt to suggest implementation of ICT based ways, methodologies and approaches to language learning with reference to English Language. Some of the ways suggested are: - Online groups - Blogs - Wikipedia - Webinars/Teleseminars/Podcasts/Webcasts - SecondLife - YouTube