In their keynote article, Li and Lan (Reference Li and Lan2021) outline a theoretical framework to understand the role that new and emerging digital technologies’ current and novel applications to second language (L2) learning can play in integrating multiple dimensions of L2 learning for an enhanced and more effective acquisition. While sharing the authors’ excitement about the enormous potential of digital language learning (DLL), we would like to draw attention to an issue raised in the article which we believe should be addressed in order to fully realize that potential and to properly meet the needs of all segments of society.
So far, the language learning innovations developed by the tech industry and most research in the field of DLL have targeted or focused on younger learners, typically ‘digital natives’ with high levels of digital literacy, thus overlooking the real needs, aspirations, and capabilities of people aged over 60, who were not raised with digital technology and whose late-life circumstances make them a specific group of learners. This gap is unfortunate, as older adults constitute a large and fast-growing population segment that is increasingly turning to digital technology to fulfil its learning goals. Older adults can benefit greatly from using digital technology, particularly for L2 learning. On the one hand, DLL technology can (in principle) satisfy older learners’ multiple demands (if appropriately designed, geragogically-informed, user-friendly, and accessible), by enabling crucial aspects for late-life learning – such as autonomy, self-direction, self-reflection, learner-centredness, and self-regulation – as well as providing opportunities for informal, authentic, contextualised, social, interactive, and collaborative learning (Jin, Kim & Baumgartner, Reference Jin, Kim and Baumgartner2019; Lai, Reference Lai2017; Ramírez-Gómez, Reference Ramírez-Gómez2016). On the other hand, however, DLL products that fail to accommodate older learners’ needs and requirements can easily generate feelings of frustration and incompetence, negatively impacting older adults’ attitudes and perceptions towards DLL technology, and resulting in low adoption or poor use of DLL tools among them – thus limiting their access to language learning opportunities and putting them at risk of being left behind due to ‘digital Darwinism’, a trend that has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic (Magsamen-Conrad & Dillon, Reference Magsamen-Conrad and Dillon2020).
Indeed, the problem of low adoption and negative perceptions of DLL products among older users does not necessarily arise from a lack of interest in technology or lower digital abilities as compared to younger generations (Puebla, Fievet, Tsopanidi & Clahsen, Reference Puebla, Fievet, Tsopanidi and Clahsen2021). The older customer segment is rarely targeted by the younger tech designers in the development of language learning products. On the one hand, this is partly because older people display a greater heterogeneity than younger adults in terms of capabilities, limitations, digital literacy, and attitudes towards technology, and may moreover have lower purchasing power.Footnote 1 On the other hand, to be able to design suitable products for older adults, designers need specialized knowledge about age-related changes: in cognitive and physical abilities, goals, expectations, requirements, (language) learning practices and strategies, for example (Fisk, Rogers, Charness, Czaja & Sharit, Reference Fisk, Rogers, Charness, Czaja and Sharit2009). This requires having access to scientific research and/or the ability to conduct rigorous studies, which only big companies can afford. The rapid tempo imposed by the market often requires taking shortcuts (e.g., the use of trial and error as a development tool), to avoid decapitalisation and outperform competitors. At the same time, empirical studies investigating the characteristics on DLL in older adulthood are scarce. A deeper understanding of older learners’ needs, aspirations, capabilities, attitudes, behaviours, learning practices – as well as the factors leading them to different forms of technology (non-)adoption and (non-)use – is warranted to properly inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of DLL tools and platforms.
Adopting user-centred design approaches (e.g., design thinking) that involve older adults as potential target users in the development of DLL innovations, including them in the products’ value propositions, or conducting participatory research with older adults as active co-researchers to design and/or evaluate emerging DLL applications may be promising ways to address older learners’ multiple demands in DLL products. However, researchers and designers should be open to older adults’ views, experiences, and values – even if this means, in some cases, abandoning pre-conceived or overly technocentric ideas (Barbosa Neves & Vetere, Reference Barbosa Neves and Vetere2019).
In sum, ensuring the full inclusion of older language learners in the digital era requires joint efforts from the industry and the academia. We believe that Li and Lan's DLL approach constitutes a valuable contribution to understanding the interdisciplinary nature of DLL and to shaping future directions in the field that fulfil essential components of language learning. In our view, future DLL applications should also give voice to older learners and their contributions in order to exploit the great potential of DLL for lifelong learning.
Competing interests
The authors declare none.
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In their keynote article, Li and Lan (Reference Li and Lan2021) outline a theoretical framework to understand the role that new and emerging digital technologies’ current and novel applications to second language (L2) learning can play in integrating multiple dimensions of L2 learning for an enhanced and more effective acquisition. While sharing the authors’ excitement about the enormous potential of digital language learning (DLL), we would like to draw attention to an issue raised in the article which we believe should be addressed in order to fully realize that potential and to properly meet the needs of all segments of society.
So far, the language learning innovations developed by the tech industry and most research in the field of DLL have targeted or focused on younger learners, typically ‘digital natives’ with high levels of digital literacy, thus overlooking the real needs, aspirations, and capabilities of people aged over 60, who were not raised with digital technology and whose late-life circumstances make them a specific group of learners. This gap is unfortunate, as older adults constitute a large and fast-growing population segment that is increasingly turning to digital technology to fulfil its learning goals. Older adults can benefit greatly from using digital technology, particularly for L2 learning. On the one hand, DLL technology can (in principle) satisfy older learners’ multiple demands (if appropriately designed, geragogically-informed, user-friendly, and accessible), by enabling crucial aspects for late-life learning – such as autonomy, self-direction, self-reflection, learner-centredness, and self-regulation – as well as providing opportunities for informal, authentic, contextualised, social, interactive, and collaborative learning (Jin, Kim & Baumgartner, Reference Jin, Kim and Baumgartner2019; Lai, Reference Lai2017; Ramírez-Gómez, Reference Ramírez-Gómez2016). On the other hand, however, DLL products that fail to accommodate older learners’ needs and requirements can easily generate feelings of frustration and incompetence, negatively impacting older adults’ attitudes and perceptions towards DLL technology, and resulting in low adoption or poor use of DLL tools among them – thus limiting their access to language learning opportunities and putting them at risk of being left behind due to ‘digital Darwinism’, a trend that has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic (Magsamen-Conrad & Dillon, Reference Magsamen-Conrad and Dillon2020).
Indeed, the problem of low adoption and negative perceptions of DLL products among older users does not necessarily arise from a lack of interest in technology or lower digital abilities as compared to younger generations (Puebla, Fievet, Tsopanidi & Clahsen, Reference Puebla, Fievet, Tsopanidi and Clahsen2021). The older customer segment is rarely targeted by the younger tech designers in the development of language learning products. On the one hand, this is partly because older people display a greater heterogeneity than younger adults in terms of capabilities, limitations, digital literacy, and attitudes towards technology, and may moreover have lower purchasing power.Footnote 1 On the other hand, to be able to design suitable products for older adults, designers need specialized knowledge about age-related changes: in cognitive and physical abilities, goals, expectations, requirements, (language) learning practices and strategies, for example (Fisk, Rogers, Charness, Czaja & Sharit, Reference Fisk, Rogers, Charness, Czaja and Sharit2009). This requires having access to scientific research and/or the ability to conduct rigorous studies, which only big companies can afford. The rapid tempo imposed by the market often requires taking shortcuts (e.g., the use of trial and error as a development tool), to avoid decapitalisation and outperform competitors. At the same time, empirical studies investigating the characteristics on DLL in older adulthood are scarce. A deeper understanding of older learners’ needs, aspirations, capabilities, attitudes, behaviours, learning practices – as well as the factors leading them to different forms of technology (non-)adoption and (non-)use – is warranted to properly inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of DLL tools and platforms.
Adopting user-centred design approaches (e.g., design thinking) that involve older adults as potential target users in the development of DLL innovations, including them in the products’ value propositions, or conducting participatory research with older adults as active co-researchers to design and/or evaluate emerging DLL applications may be promising ways to address older learners’ multiple demands in DLL products. However, researchers and designers should be open to older adults’ views, experiences, and values – even if this means, in some cases, abandoning pre-conceived or overly technocentric ideas (Barbosa Neves & Vetere, Reference Barbosa Neves and Vetere2019).
In sum, ensuring the full inclusion of older language learners in the digital era requires joint efforts from the industry and the academia. We believe that Li and Lan's DLL approach constitutes a valuable contribution to understanding the interdisciplinary nature of DLL and to shaping future directions in the field that fulfil essential components of language learning. In our view, future DLL applications should also give voice to older learners and their contributions in order to exploit the great potential of DLL for lifelong learning.
Competing interests
The authors declare none.