The Modish-EDI Project: An Introduction
The English language is changing. The drivers of change include digital/mobile technology (DMT), social media facilitated by DMT, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and the emergence of local Englishes (or World Englishes, WE). The first two decades of the 21st century witnessed dramatic changes in the use of the English language and its teaching, learning and assessment. Judging by the sharp rise of digital technology, artificial intelligence, and the ecological perspectives in language education, it appears that the future of English is far from settled. English is set to experience tumultuous changes in its form, function and status globally in the years ahead.
The Modish-EDI project examines interconnected drivers of change, along with some predicted trends concerning the impact of the growing use of digital/mobile technology on regional and local ecologies of teaching, assessment and learning of English (TALE) in the four most populous countries in East and South Asia – Bangladesh, China, India, and Indonesia. These include (a) how technological innovation, which drives contemporary learning and communication in English, is shaping the future of the language in education, particularly higher education; (b) whether issues of gender, equality, diversity and inclusion will be an important consideration in the future of English; (c) the role that English plays as a linguistic resource alongside other languages; and (d) policy and practice implications for the development of English in East and South Asia. Since these changes cover diverse concepts such as technology, demography and multilingualism, with different theories attached to each of them, the project is studying these phenomena through multiple theoretical lenses – namely the technological lens, the demographic lens, and the multilingualism lens. Drawing on the British Councils’ predictions, the project studies the future of English through (a) the technological innovation sweeping through English language teaching, learning and assessment, (b) people’s changing motives and expectations of English, and (c) the ecological perspective in language education in which English is situated in the existing linguistic landscape of a nation-state.
The Principal Investigator of the Modish-EDI project is Prof. Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Professor of Learning Technology & Communication, The Open University, UK. The Open University is also the host institution of the project which is funded by the British Council, UK.
The research team comprises the following members:
| Name | University | Country | |
| 1 | Professor Agnes Kukulska-Hulme (Principal Investigator) | The Open University | UK |
| 2 | Dr Philip Seargeant | The Open University | UK |
| 3 | Dr Saraswati Dawadi | The Open University | UK |
| 4 | Dr Julian Edwards | The Open University | UK |
| 5 | Dr Ram Ashish Giri | Monash College/Monash University | Australia |
| 6 | Prof. Amol Padwad | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi | India |
| 7 | Prof. Jinlan Tang | Beijing Foreign Studies University | China |
| 8 | A/Professor Mian Md. Naushaad Kabir | University of Dhaka | Bangladesh |
| 9 | Dr Imroatus Solikhah | State Islamic University of Surakarta, Central of Java | Indonesia |
With a focus on higher education, the project comprises a two-phase longitudinal study which develops and validates an ecological research approach for tracking and assessing predictions and trends for English and TALE practices. Data for the study is being collected through surveys, interviews, focus groups and Padlet discussions. The ecological framework is then applied to the analysis of qualitative data (students’, teachers’ and other stakeholders’ experiences and views) on the use of DMT in TALE, with gender in focus. The study aims to provide comprehensive analysis of current practices surrounding English and its future trends in East and South Asia which will contribute to the British Council’s global initiative on the Future of English.
Project duration: 1st June 2022 – 30th May 2025
To find out more: contact the project lead, Prof. Agnes Kukulska-Hulme