Adoption of the PICRAT Model to Guide the Integration of Innovative Technologies in the Teaching of a Linguistics Course

Abstract

Due to the pandemic, more and more innovative technologies have been integrated into language education for blended and online learning. However, teachers often feel overwhelmed by various available technologies, and they need a framework that will guide them to integrate innovative technologies into their teaching effectively. This paper reports on the adoption of the PICRAT model that guided the integration of innovative technologies in the teaching of an undergraduate level linguistics course. The PICRAT model is a pedagogical framework for technology integration in education: students’ relationship with technology can be passive, interactive, and creative (PIC), and teachers’ use of technologies may replace, amplify, and transform (RAT) traditional practices. Guided by the PICRAT model, a wide range of innovative e-learning tools/resources were adopted in the course, such as VR applications, Flipgrid video sharing, EdPuzzle interactive video lectures, and Wikibook project. A total of 105 students participated in the course, and a questionnaire survey and follow-up interviews were conducted to collect students’ feedback regarding the adoption of the PICRAT model in the course. The findings suggest that by systematically adopting various technologies to replace, amplify, and transform traditional practices, the teacher managed to turn students from passive learners into interactive and creative learners, leading to enhanced student performances and satisfactory learning outcomes.