Innovations in language curriculum

Technology in support of pedagogy

2009-2010 semester 2 TESL 3240 Lecture

Outline

• Innovation

• CALL: Computer Assited Langauge Learning

• Case studies of how technologies are used in L2 teaching and learning

• Technology: a blessing or a burden?

Innovation

• Innovation is the introduction of new ideas, methods, or things.(Colins COBUILD)

• It can be incremental (small steps), or it can be radical (large change)

• Through innovation, new ideas are given life and other things that were labelled as impossible are even closer to reality because of this practice.(Computer world blogs. “Innovation: Does it really matter or is it just a fuzzy buzzword?”[Online] 27 April 2009. http://blogs.computerworld.com/node/2288)

Computer-assisted language learning(CALL)

• CALL is a form of computer-based assisted learning which carries two important features: bidirectional learning and individualized learning.

• The focus of CALL is learning, and not teaching.

• CALL materials are tools for learning.

• Others may call CALL an approach to teaching and learning foreign languages whereby the computer and computer-based resources such as the Internet are used to present, reinforce and assess material to be learned.

• CALL can be made independent of the Internet. It can stand alone for example in a CD-ROM format.

• Except for self-study software, CALL is meant to supplement face-to-face language instruction, not replace it.

Teaching English using…?

• Projector

• Tape recorder

• Video

• CD ROM/Software

• Internet

Internet based language learning

• Podcasts

• Blogs

• Wikis

• Youtube

•Courseware

• Interactive whiteboards.

• Online corpora and dictionaries

Free technologies to support teaching and learning

• Reading assistance software

Reading text aloudWordTalk www.wordtalk.org.uk NaturalReader www.naturalreaders.com.Reading text aloud with MP3 conversionDSpeech http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/

(Further information is available from TechDis at www.techdis.ac.uk/getfreesoftware)

Screen capture software

• Camstudio (http://www.camstudio.org) is a screen capture software which will record any activity that is occurring on a computer screen.

• Camstudio also synchronises the audio.

• This software can enable resources to be produced very quickly and easily without expensive software.

• Camstudio can also be used by learners to create interactive learning resources themselves.

Sound recording and manipulation software

•Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net is a free audio editor and recorder.

•Audacity can record live audio (either through human voice or audio direct from a computer), and edit saved audio (including cutting, copying, adapting pitch, volume etc).

•Audacity can save any imported audio as an MP3 file, which is an excellent tool for producing audio files of resources and materials.

Online discussion tools

• Gabbly www.gabbly.com is an instant messaging application that can be used in conjunction with any website. For example when entering the URL www.gabbly.com/www.techdis.ac.uk a chat pane will automatically appear over the homepage, whilst still enabling navigation through the site. All users who enter will be added to the same chat pane.

• You can involve learners in evaluating a specific website or section as everyone can add comments without having to use a proprietary system, such as MSN Messenger, which you would require administration rights to download.

NOT ONLY TECHNOLOGY BUT ALSO PHILANTHROPY

• FREERICE

Can technology replace teachers?

• Technology can replace the teachers in near future however process of learning and teaching will no longer be the same.

• Being a teacher, you are able to adopt and adapt the lesson according to the students proficiency in the subjects.

•Besides, human touch is very important in order to understand your students well.

•Even though technology can replace the place of a teacher but technology will always be lacking in human touch, which is very important in the learning teaching process. (continued)

• To me, the most effective lesson must be conducted by an experience teacher and with the use of technology and therefore teachers in future must equip themselves abreast with the latest technology.

• The teachers must be ready to face tomorrow's challenge in education system. Video conferencing between countries and nation is a toy for students in the future.

•Chalk and talk is something of yesterday. Therefore, teachers must be ready top face new technology.

• I am sure that technology will replace teachers. It is true that human touch is needed but I think interests is more important because if the class is boring, the students will not learn much from it. Technologies make interactive learning interesting which improves students learning ability. If a good enough Artificial intelligence technology is developed, it can even interact like humans. (continued)

• Besides that, most schools always look for ways to minimise their expenses and a virtual teaching system might be their solution if they are willing to do a huge investment for the first few years. After that, it will pay for itself. Even though it is possible, it will not happen in our life time since scientists have not perfected the artificial inteligence programs yet.

• More interesting discussions can be found online at http://praxislanguage.com/2007/05/07/can-software-replace-teachers/