Get a Voki now! ¿Creen ustedes que la tecnología es solo interesante o también muy útil para la enseñanza de cultura en las clases de lengua? ¿Cómo podemos evitar que el uso de tecnología sea solo un gimmick?
It obviously depends on the technology you're using and for what you're using it. I think there are some things that you can more effectively (or maybe only do) through the use of technology.
For example, If I want to my students to talk to someone from Venezuela, I can go to sharedtalk.com and find someone who is anxious to talk to my students and have it done without much trouble, whereas finding someone on campus or in the community that is from Venezuela that has the time or the interest in talking to my students could be extremely difficult. There may also be other benefits in this scenario such as a lower anxiety level, more corrective feedback, and so forth in the online chat situation.
In summary, I think it's an issue of how you use technology. Using it for the sake of using it is pointless. You need to have a real purpose for it that helps learning.
I agree with Andrew that our use of technology should depend on our objectives. Obviously there are some things that our students can't get from technology, like one-on-one interaction in person. However, technology can make things feasible that wouldn't be otherwise to our students. For example, we would love to bring our students to a foreign country, but even though that would be difficult, we can show our students a video clip, pictures on a powerpoint/on-line, have them do research on the internet, etc. Technology makes a lot of things very accessible to our students.
And to be honest, I think that a lot of our students are so used to technology, that they expect it in the classroom. Not that technology will help hold anyone's attention, but I think that it can vary the way things are taught and help students be engaged if used properly.
Technology can save hours and hours and quickly bring images, sounds, etc. into the classroom.
Technology is definitely useful in the classroom. The best way to learn culture, of course, is to be immersed in it. However, since that's never going to happen for the majority of our students, technology helps bring the culture to them. Not only can you learn about facts and things, but you can also chat with people from the target culture. Technology is a tool that, if used well, can enhance a student's learning experience.
I wasn't really into using technology into my teaching until I had a tech room (this semester is the first time). Before, I would have said that technology isn't necessary at all in the teaching of culture. Now, however, I find myself noting websites that I want to show my class, or looking through articles in online Puerto Rican newspapers in hopes of finding authentic fodder. I don't know that this is the way it SHOULD be, but if technology is convenient and its use comes naturally to me, I will bring it to class. If not, it feels awkward and distracting.
Whether or not I ever have a tech room again, though, I will keep using technology in the planning/material gathering part of class, even if I'm not online during class.
I'm not against using "gimmicks"--just as long as the whole class period isn't spent messing around with them. If a gimmick motivates students to study, I think it is beneficial to use it. Therefore, I guess I agree with all of you. By the way, the voki thing is great!
I use power points every day in class, with all the grammar principles and exercises on them. This frees up a lot of class time that I would use writing things on the board (which can, as you all know, add up). The PPs are also useful for learning vocabulary, because all the new words are accompanied by images. I find that when I can use PPs, class time tends to focus on exercises and practices more than explanations.
As far as the internet goes, I often mine the internet for authentic sources and have found that pretty effective. I love the idea of instant messaging, email penpals, etc. with native speakers in other countries. The only drawback I see to such communication is the homogenization that tends to happen online; people from all over the world are gravitating to a more centralized culture and language. I'm really interested in how to understand this trend, and how to resist the negative aspects of it.
I believe it is an extremely useful tool. Like Andrew said, it all depends on how you use it, but I think most uses that I have seen/used are beneficial and contribute to closing the gap between the learning/in-class experience and the "real" world of Spanish-ness. How can we avoid gimmickiness? Don't be idiots, I think would be the first and best answer. I think it's really just a question of common sense. Ok, that's all.
7 comments:
It obviously depends on the technology you're using and for what you're using it. I think there are some things that you can more effectively (or maybe only do) through the use of technology.
For example, If I want to my students to talk to someone from Venezuela, I can go to sharedtalk.com and find someone who is anxious to talk to my students and have it done without much trouble, whereas finding someone on campus or in the community that is from Venezuela that has the time or the interest in talking to my students could be extremely difficult. There may also be other benefits in this scenario such as a lower anxiety level, more corrective feedback, and so forth in the online chat situation.
In summary, I think it's an issue of how you use technology. Using it for the sake of using it is pointless. You need to have a real purpose for it that helps learning.
I agree with Andrew that our use of technology should depend on our objectives. Obviously there are some things that our students can't get from technology, like one-on-one interaction in person. However, technology can make things feasible that wouldn't be otherwise to our students. For example, we would love to bring our students to a foreign country, but even though that would be difficult, we can show our students a video clip, pictures on a powerpoint/on-line, have them do research on the internet, etc. Technology makes a lot of things very accessible to our students.
And to be honest, I think that a lot of our students are so used to technology, that they expect it in the classroom. Not that technology will help hold anyone's attention, but I think that it can vary the way things are taught and help students be engaged if used properly.
Technology can save hours and hours and quickly bring images, sounds, etc. into the classroom.
Technology is definitely useful in the classroom. The best way to learn culture, of course, is to be immersed in it. However, since that's never going to happen for the majority of our students, technology helps bring the culture to them. Not only can you learn about facts and things, but you can also chat with people from the target culture. Technology is a tool that, if used well, can enhance a student's learning experience.
I wasn't really into using technology into my teaching until I had a tech room (this semester is the first time). Before, I would have said that technology isn't necessary at all in the teaching of culture. Now, however, I find myself noting websites that I want to show my class, or looking through articles in online Puerto Rican newspapers in hopes of finding authentic fodder. I don't know that this is the way it SHOULD be, but if technology is convenient and its use comes naturally to me, I will bring it to class. If not, it feels awkward and distracting.
Whether or not I ever have a tech room again, though, I will keep using technology in the planning/material gathering part of class, even if I'm not online during class.
I'm not against using "gimmicks"--just as long as the whole class period isn't spent messing around with them. If a gimmick motivates students to study, I think it is beneficial to use it. Therefore, I guess I agree with all of you. By the way, the voki thing is great!
I use power points every day in class, with all the grammar principles and exercises on them. This frees up a lot of class time that I would use writing things on the board (which can, as you all know, add up). The PPs are also useful for learning vocabulary, because all the new words are accompanied by images. I find that when I can use PPs, class time tends to focus on exercises and practices more than explanations.
As far as the internet goes, I often mine the internet for authentic sources and have found that pretty effective. I love the idea of instant messaging, email penpals, etc. with native speakers in other countries. The only drawback I see to such communication is the homogenization that tends to happen online; people from all over the world are gravitating to a more centralized culture and language. I'm really interested in how to understand this trend, and how to resist the negative aspects of it.
I believe it is an extremely useful tool. Like Andrew said, it all depends on how you use it, but I think most uses that I have seen/used are beneficial and contribute to closing the gap between the learning/in-class experience and the "real" world of Spanish-ness. How can we avoid gimmickiness? Don't be idiots, I think would be the first and best answer. I think it's really just a question of common sense. Ok, that's all.
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