Thursday, July 24, 2003
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
From Marcus Bode
1) Do I think that network-based technologies come with a specific teaching approach? No. I think that they probably lend themselves better to a constructionist approach, but even the simple web-worksheet program has interesting aspects for the elementary user in a grammar/translation. (I know, because I recently took an elementary French course at a local university and appreciated the worksheet programs there.)
Since I like to think of myself as being somewhat eclectic in approach to my classroom, it is very important, as the Chun-Plass article indicated, to guide the activity in a way that produces meaningful results.
One of the difficulties not discussed to a great extent is linking the technology in with required syllabi and desired results and linking what’s been learned to the goals of future course work.
2) Relate the two quotations: Learning environment is often controlled or, at least, directed by the teacher. The teacher can use any technology to fit his course—to varying degrees of effectiveness. The teacher therefore has to answer for himself (make another decision) whether and to what degree he must modify his principles to most effectively use the technology.
Discussion ideas? --How do you evaluate web-work?
--What goals do you set for web-work?
--How do you deal with quantifiable goals set by others?
1) Do I think that network-based technologies come with a specific teaching approach? No. I think that they probably lend themselves better to a constructionist approach, but even the simple web-worksheet program has interesting aspects for the elementary user in a grammar/translation. (I know, because I recently took an elementary French course at a local university and appreciated the worksheet programs there.)
Since I like to think of myself as being somewhat eclectic in approach to my classroom, it is very important, as the Chun-Plass article indicated, to guide the activity in a way that produces meaningful results.
One of the difficulties not discussed to a great extent is linking the technology in with required syllabi and desired results and linking what’s been learned to the goals of future course work.
2) Relate the two quotations: Learning environment is often controlled or, at least, directed by the teacher. The teacher can use any technology to fit his course—to varying degrees of effectiveness. The teacher therefore has to answer for himself (make another decision) whether and to what degree he must modify his principles to most effectively use the technology.
Discussion ideas? --How do you evaluate web-work?
--What goals do you set for web-work?
--How do you deal with quantifiable goals set by others?
From Evelyn Ruiz
l. Yes, CALL has traditionally been associated with grammar-based
instruction, but NBLT's focus is on human communication--that is, communication that is
expressed, interpreted and negotiated. There are not correct/incorrect
answers in the latter, but rather meaning which is either understood or not
understood.
2. The first quote tells us that we can use technology to continue
delivering instruction in the same way (i.e., teaching concepts or content for the
student to learn or master). The second quote contends that we must design
activities which are compatible with SLA research. Both of these quotes have some
validity, in my opinion. There is value to drill work, I believe; but there is
more instrinsic value in a constructivist approach (i.e., a process-oriented
approach). The students will likely be more motivated in their work and will
remember better what they've learned.
l. Yes, CALL has traditionally been associated with grammar-based
instruction, but NBLT's focus is on human communication--that is, communication that is
expressed, interpreted and negotiated. There are not correct/incorrect
answers in the latter, but rather meaning which is either understood or not
understood.
2. The first quote tells us that we can use technology to continue
delivering instruction in the same way (i.e., teaching concepts or content for the
student to learn or master). The second quote contends that we must design
activities which are compatible with SLA research. Both of these quotes have some
validity, in my opinion. There is value to drill work, I believe; but there is
more instrinsic value in a constructivist approach (i.e., a process-oriented
approach). The students will likely be more motivated in their work and will
remember better what they've learned.
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Question 1
As some of the articles we suggested for reading describe, network-based technologies focus on human-to-human communication and enables learners to interact with each other. Therefore, they are not pedagogically pre-determined whereas CALL has traditionally been associated with self-contained, programmed applications. However, there must be a threshold where we can expect learners start to negotiate meaning through interaction among them. As in a good example in Alvares-Torres (2001), written debates in synchronous CMC elicit more complex language than oral debates and produce more elaborate language; but it is important for educators, especially those who are teaching non-alphabet languages, to identify the learners’ readiness to adopt these technologies in our curriculum.
Question 2
Multimedia and hypermedia materials can play the important role of promoting the dynamics of the communication patterns in SLA. As communicative competence contains linguistic competence as well as other social dimensions, these materials include not only traditional components such as grammar exercises but also effective language learning tools to foster communication and negotiation. Therefore, teachers have to select which tool they could use in their classes while identifying each learner’s background and characteristics. Also, it is imperative for us (as teachers as researchers) to conduct research on how effectively specific tools and technologies are used for each characteristic of learners.
As some of the articles we suggested for reading describe, network-based technologies focus on human-to-human communication and enables learners to interact with each other. Therefore, they are not pedagogically pre-determined whereas CALL has traditionally been associated with self-contained, programmed applications. However, there must be a threshold where we can expect learners start to negotiate meaning through interaction among them. As in a good example in Alvares-Torres (2001), written debates in synchronous CMC elicit more complex language than oral debates and produce more elaborate language; but it is important for educators, especially those who are teaching non-alphabet languages, to identify the learners’ readiness to adopt these technologies in our curriculum.
Question 2
Multimedia and hypermedia materials can play the important role of promoting the dynamics of the communication patterns in SLA. As communicative competence contains linguistic competence as well as other social dimensions, these materials include not only traditional components such as grammar exercises but also effective language learning tools to foster communication and negotiation. Therefore, teachers have to select which tool they could use in their classes while identifying each learner’s background and characteristics. Also, it is imperative for us (as teachers as researchers) to conduct research on how effectively specific tools and technologies are used for each characteristic of learners.
Friday, July 11, 2003
Response to Question 2: Bettina Hoops
2. The idea here is again, the new technologies can be used to serve older,
more traditional language learning models as they can serve more progressive
Second Language Acquisition principles. I think that we as learners have
the responsibility to keep updated on reserach in language acquisition and based
on that form the pedagogy that best suits us and our learners and their
learning environment. The next step is to familiarize us with the capacities of
the network-based technologies and how we can use them in the most efficient
ways. An ideal goal (for me) would be to "create an environment that engages
learners in meaningful activities that are rooted in reality...[presenting
them] with a general problem whose solutions is nontrivial".
2. The idea here is again, the new technologies can be used to serve older,
more traditional language learning models as they can serve more progressive
Second Language Acquisition principles. I think that we as learners have
the responsibility to keep updated on reserach in language acquisition and based
on that form the pedagogy that best suits us and our learners and their
learning environment. The next step is to familiarize us with the capacities of
the network-based technologies and how we can use them in the most efficient
ways. An ideal goal (for me) would be to "create an environment that engages
learners in meaningful activities that are rooted in reality...[presenting
them] with a general problem whose solutions is nontrivial".
Response to Question 1: Bettina Hoops
1. According to the articles that you suggested for reading and from my own
expreience with network-based technologies they are not pedagogically
pre-determinied. These technologies can be used in many differendt ways according
the instructor's teaching philosophy. If we as teachers lean toward a more
grammar oriented teaching approach we can shape the "communicative" activities in
a way that will focus more on drilling a particular grammar concept. The
network-based technologies, however, lend themselves to be used for activities
enhancing communication or even "negotiation" (as defined by Lee).
Alvares-Torres sums it up nicely: "Athough pedagogical decisions determine to some
extent how learners communicate, technology is also deterministic and helps shape
the way learners interact."
1. According to the articles that you suggested for reading and from my own
expreience with network-based technologies they are not pedagogically
pre-determinied. These technologies can be used in many differendt ways according
the instructor's teaching philosophy. If we as teachers lean toward a more
grammar oriented teaching approach we can shape the "communicative" activities in
a way that will focus more on drilling a particular grammar concept. The
network-based technologies, however, lend themselves to be used for activities
enhancing communication or even "negotiation" (as defined by Lee).
Alvares-Torres sums it up nicely: "Athough pedagogical decisions determine to some
extent how learners communicate, technology is also deterministic and helps shape
the way learners interact."
From Luz Fell
The learning process never ends and it is a continued activity in the life of every human being. This process is influenced more often than we think by the advances of the technology, the changes in the life style, and the world in general. Instructional processes are highly influenced by the new technologies and the pedagogical approaches are changing according to the new advances in science.
Consequently, every activity in the classroom reflects somehow a particular approach or a combination of several of them. Unconsciously, as teachers, we adopt a particular view of learning and at the same time a particular theory that characterize the learner, the teacher and of course the methods that we use to process and access knowledge.
Response to Question 1:
The network based technologies change teachers and students´ roles. There is a decrease of teacher-centered discourse and an increase of students' production. Also, it is clear that networked communication benefits the freedom to L2 learners in terms of choices, priorities, and negotiation. It preserves collaborative and interactive techniques.
I think that network-based technologies may suit the task and interaction driving approach and through the use of the new technologies in the L2 classroom we emphasize the constructivism approach in some ways since it facilitates the interactive nature of writing, class discussion, comprehensive output and input, the increase of learners productivity and the use of authentic contexts.
The learning process never ends and it is a continued activity in the life of every human being. This process is influenced more often than we think by the advances of the technology, the changes in the life style, and the world in general. Instructional processes are highly influenced by the new technologies and the pedagogical approaches are changing according to the new advances in science.
Consequently, every activity in the classroom reflects somehow a particular approach or a combination of several of them. Unconsciously, as teachers, we adopt a particular view of learning and at the same time a particular theory that characterize the learner, the teacher and of course the methods that we use to process and access knowledge.
Response to Question 1:
The network based technologies change teachers and students´ roles. There is a decrease of teacher-centered discourse and an increase of students' production. Also, it is clear that networked communication benefits the freedom to L2 learners in terms of choices, priorities, and negotiation. It preserves collaborative and interactive techniques.
I think that network-based technologies may suit the task and interaction driving approach and through the use of the new technologies in the L2 classroom we emphasize the constructivism approach in some ways since it facilitates the interactive nature of writing, class discussion, comprehensive output and input, the increase of learners productivity and the use of authentic contexts.
2. Quotations from Ortega and Chun& Pass -Response by Luz Fell
a. How can you relate these two quotations?
The philosophies of language teachers are based on the principles of the second language acquisition and the ideas that they have about how an individual learns a second language. It is essential that every language teacher look for the best method to provide the students with a variety of activities to learn the second language.
Both ideas have an emphasis on the use of the new technologies and the design of new materials in order to provide a learning environment that improves the development of the language skills.
Essentially these ideas aim to the importance of an active role of the learner, the teacher and of course the environment that is generated in order to use the advances on the technology to better the acquisition of a second language.
b. What idea comes to mind for discussion?
- It will be interesting to know if the use of the new technologies and the design of new learning materials will furnish the behavioristic view of learning and how to avoid preserving the approaches that have been reevaluated. In other words, how can we avoid using the new technologies just as another path to serve traditional pedagogies?
- How the use of new technologies is related to the national standards and to our own goals in the classroom?
- The role of oral interaction. In network based discussions the students do not have to be concerned with pronunciation issues. (It is not mentioned a specific technique to improve the oral competency)
c. Does it bring to mind any recent experience in the design of materials with technology?
Yes! :-)
a. How can you relate these two quotations?
The philosophies of language teachers are based on the principles of the second language acquisition and the ideas that they have about how an individual learns a second language. It is essential that every language teacher look for the best method to provide the students with a variety of activities to learn the second language.
Both ideas have an emphasis on the use of the new technologies and the design of new materials in order to provide a learning environment that improves the development of the language skills.
Essentially these ideas aim to the importance of an active role of the learner, the teacher and of course the environment that is generated in order to use the advances on the technology to better the acquisition of a second language.
b. What idea comes to mind for discussion?
- It will be interesting to know if the use of the new technologies and the design of new learning materials will furnish the behavioristic view of learning and how to avoid preserving the approaches that have been reevaluated. In other words, how can we avoid using the new technologies just as another path to serve traditional pedagogies?
- How the use of new technologies is related to the national standards and to our own goals in the classroom?
- The role of oral interaction. In network based discussions the students do not have to be concerned with pronunciation issues. (It is not mentioned a specific technique to improve the oral competency)
c. Does it bring to mind any recent experience in the design of materials with technology?
Yes! :-)
