A Strategy Cube for Business Diversification in Language Learning

- The Surface of the Cube-

Where does
“instruction”
take place?
On-line Blended Off-line
(Row A)

How large One-on-one Small Group Large Group

is a class? Instruction Instruction Instruction
(Row B)

Machine assisted learning Non-paid human assistance Paid Human assistance

Who or what Native

initiates the algorithms speakers Experienced
instruction?
(Row C) Non-native
Content libraries Inexperienced
speakers

Mike B. 2010
 A Strategy Cube for Business Diversification in Language Learning
- R o w A-

Where does
“instruction”
On-line Blended Off-line
take place?
(Row A)

Level
An Educational Philosophy and a Business Model

2a Chief Action- Articulate, Clarify

The Why

3a
The Raw content
Chief Action- Assemble, Define
The What

4a
Digital tools, technologies and methodologies
Chief Action- Cube Out/Prototype
The How

Mike B. 2010
 A Strategy Cube for Business Diversification in Language Learning
- R o w B-

How large One-on-one Small Group Large Group

Instruction Instruction Instruction
is a class?
(Row B)

Level
Profile the Students and teachers

2b Chief Action- Classify

The Who

Match- Students to teachers and/or

3b Students to students
Chief Action- Connect
The Who

4b
Schedule classes and encourage attendance
Chief Action- Coordinate, encourage
The Shining moment- When class meets

Mike B. 2010
 A Strategy Cube for Business Diversification in Language Learning
- R o w C-

Who or what Machine Non-paid Paid

assisted Humans Humans
initiates the
instruction?
(Row C)
algorithms Native speakers Experienced
libraries Non-native Inexperienced
Level
Package content into deliverable Learning Units
2c Chief Action- Analyze and systematize
The How Much

3c
Order learning units and insure delivery when needed
Chief Action- Coordinate
The When & The How quickly/slowly

4c
Evaluate learning outcomes and foster
continuous improvement in the system
Chief Action- Create Feedback
The Truth

Mike B. 2010
 Partial Glossary of Terms
Row C Paid human assistants: Paid human assistants are, in fact, teachers. One of the crowning
achievements of an ELT business is being able to make a useful distinction between experienced and
inexperienced teachers and then assign classes accordingly.

Row C Non-paid human assistants: This category recognizes the usefulness of “interaction partners”
in the language learning process. “Interaction partners” need not be teachers. In the past we called
these people “language exchange partners” or just “kind souls”. Today some ELT businesses have
started organizing these partnerships on a grand scale.

Row C Machine assisted learning (via content libraries): Think of a physical library where we can go
to find the books and you start to get a sense of what I mean by this. Students can find lists of materi-
al (repositories) which they can view, listen to, perhaps copy for personal use, or comment on. But
this material is not imbued with any machine intelligence. It does not interact with the student.

Row C Machine assisted learning (via algorithms): The materials are imbued with limited intelligence.
The content might be able to respond to questions you ask, make suggestions about what you should
do next, or recognize mistakes you make. These paths have been programmed into the computer in
the form of algorithms.

Row 3A Raw Content: Raw content is content that hasn't been organized by level. In lexical terms,
this raw content might be the universe of words you want students to learn. In grammatical terms, it
might be the grammar targets you want students to acquire. In aural terms it may be the kinds of
elision you want the students to study. Raw content is not a fixed entity. It will vary according to the
goals of each business.