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The Computer –The Computer –facilitator in facilitator in

language teachinglanguage teaching

Marie Blomkvistlanguage teacher and webmaster at

Elof Lindälvs gymnasiumKungsbacka

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Elof Lindälvs gymnasiumElof Lindälvs gymnasiumKungsbackaKungsbacka

www.lindalvsgymnasiet.kungsbacka.sewww.lindalvsgymnasiet.kungsbacka.se

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How can we use ICT – information How can we use ICT – information and communication technology – to and communication technology – to enhance teaching and learning enhance teaching and learning abilities?abilities?

””Any teacher that can be Any teacher that can be replaced replaced

by a computer, deserves to beby a computer, deserves to be”” David ThornburgDavid Thornburg

Is the computer just a ferocious Is the computer just a ferocious time eater or can it make life easier time eater or can it make life easier for language teachers and students? for language teachers and students?

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The teacher’s The teacher’s multi-faceted jobmulti-faceted job

resource

trainer student

facilitator

collaboratorobserver

team coordinator

enabling advisor

silent partnermonitoring and assessment

specialist

knowledge navigator instructional designer

transmitter of knowledge

guide

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And …And …

Computer technology can helpus provide multiple paths tolearning

There is no model that suits all!

However …However …

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Basic tools:Basic tools: computer with Internet connectioncomputer with Internet connection

Can be developed intoCan be developed into store spacesstore spaces interactive spaces interactive spaces (communities, chat (communities, chat

rooms, bulletin boards, etc)rooms, bulletin boards, etc) web pagesweb pages mulimedia language studiosmulimedia language studios

What do we need?What do we need?

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From the teaching point of viewFrom the teaching point of view

course building: digital archives, study plans, and course building: digital archives, study plans, and documents on the Internetdocuments on the Internet

interactivity: students’ hand-ins, e-mails, chat, interactivity: students’ hand-ins, e-mails, chat, message boards, discussion fora, questionnairesmessage boards, discussion fora, questionnaires

From the learning point of viewFrom the learning point of view useful software: both free and costlyuseful software: both free and costly

Multimedia Language Studio (Tandberg)Multimedia Language Studio (Tandberg)

Two approaches Two approaches – with growing degree of interactivity– with growing degree of interactivity

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From the teaching point of From the teaching point of viewview - what can I do and how? - what can I do and how? digital archivesdigital archives

spaces on the Internet with a variety of spaces on the Internet with a variety of webtoolswebtools

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Digital ArchivesDigital Archives

forget about analogue binders and files and learn file handling properly (build structures, create folders, learn how searchways work)

keep archive on hard disk and online (update on hard disk and send to server)

easy to search for lost document on hard disk

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Start –Search Result

Where did I put my document?

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File Hosting by Savefile.com50MB filesize, unlimited uploads and downloads. After uploading you will be given a link, that others can use to download your file. "Savefile File Hosting" is completly free.

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Course planning Course planning on the Interneton the Internet

Where shall I put it? free space on the Internet

space provided by the school /municipality

private space offered by your Internet access provider

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Free space on the Free space on the InternetInternet

- combined with free e-mail address- combined with free e-mail addressPros free built-in web tools accessible everywhere some of the spaces easy to handle – a ”Word-like” environment possibility to choose access level

Cons contains ads and irritating pop-ups limited layout possibilities no hand-in tool no archive some of the spaces less easy to handle …

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If the msn space or the Hotmail account is not accessed in a 30-day period, it is temporarily deactivated and finally removed!

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Space provided by the Space provided by the school school

- with username and password- with username and passwordPros built-in web tools many useful tools (archive, hand-in function, calendar, bulletin board, chat, inquiry tool, etc)

no ads easy to handle security: only accessible with username and password

Cons limited layout possibilities costs money for your school only accessible with username and password

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Fronter, an exampleFronter, an example

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FronterFronter

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FronterFronter

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FronterFronter

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LuvitLuvit

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Private space offered by Private space offered by the Internet access providerthe Internet access provider

- work with HTML editor (WYSIWYG)- work with HTML editor (WYSIWYG) and FTP clientand FTP clientPros freedom of layout – you can make it look exactly (more or less) the way you want - if you work in tables reliable – if you have a good Internet provider

Cons no built-in tools – you need:

web site building software (eg. FrontPage, Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive) FTP Client (software for uploading files to and from server)

Internet subscription costs money

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Study plans on the Study plans on the InternetInternetan example:an example:

Business English course

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Nota Bene:Nota Bene:

Don’t publish any documents protected by copyright unless you have asked the copyright holder for permission!

Also, it is ethically advisable to ask for permission before you publish names and photos of your students!

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From the learning point of viewFrom the learning point of view

useful software: both free and costlyuseful software: both free and costly

Multimedia Language Studio (Tandberg)Multimedia Language Studio (Tandberg)

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Educational software

free learning material on the Internet on the (grammar and word exercises, quizzes, language courses, etc)

course book software (grammar, vocab, communicative exercises, etc)

interactive language course software advanced like Tell Me More

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Internet tasks – «directed»

information searching: give specified tasks/links to avoid cutting and pasting (violation of copyright law …)

learn how to check sources and quality of pages

Virtual cultural exchanges – communicate with partner schools

e-mail web pages chat & message boards blogs

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Language Multimedia Studio with 20 work places. Computers equipped with Safety Card, TANDBERG Lab 300 och Screen Transfer and interactive language learning software TeLL me More PRO

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Language Multimedia studio

What can be done in a language studio?

• dialogues

• recordings on digital players

• create groups for different activities

• communicate from the teacher’s computer

• observe student computers

• presentations from student computers

• build up archives with training material

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Language Multimedia studio

Pedagogical gains

• individualisation, flexibility, variation • integrating the four key capacities in language

learning: listening-speaking-reading-writing • authentical and current material • motivating – students get feedback • a natural complement to class-room teaching • work in mixed ability groups

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ICT has great potential and to turn this potential into practice is a complicated multifarious task.

The important thing is not the number of computers purchased but how they are being used.

Educational visions and didactical ideas must come first: What goals do we want to reach and how can we use the computer as a tool to reach these goals ?

Pedagogy should lead technology and technology should support teaching and learning. ICT should meet the needs of pedagogy and not vice versa.

ConclusionConclusion

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Computers and Internet are tools, not a panacea, nor a goal

ICT can help make teaching and learning more interesting and engaging

The reverse of the medal: ICT can be used for ”LTP” pedagogy (Let Time Pass) - mindless games, random goalless surfing on the Internet or peer-to-peer chatting …

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Is the computer just a ferocious time eater or can it make life easier for language teachers and students?

Finally …Finally …

YES

yes…but also …

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Thank you for listening!

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Projet franProjet franççaisaisSoyez bienvenus à notre siteSoyez bienvenus à notre site

C'est notre projet de francais que nous faisons C'est notre projet de francais que nous faisons à l'école.à l'école.

Ici vous pouvez lire un peu de nous et notre Ici vous pouvez lire un peu de nous et notre pays, lapays, la

Suède et ce que nous pensons sur certaines Suède et ce que nous pensons sur certaines choseschoses. .

www.fly.to/frenchkisswww.fly.to/frenchkisswww.go.to/franskaprojektwww.go.to/franskaprojekt

back

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ChatChat

www.yahoo.comwww.yahoo.com www.yahoo.frwww.yahoo.fr www.yahoo.dewww.yahoo.de www.yahoo.eswww.yahoo.es www.yahoo.itwww.yahoo.it http://www.icq.comhttp://www.icq.com http://join.msn.com/messenger/http://join.msn.com/messenger/

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Get an account

• e-mail

• access to chat rooms and other services

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