What I've learned

Technology if wisely used, can be very helpful for us as teachers, and for students.  We really need to be updated according to the tendencies of technology, so students do not leave us behind, and we can demonstrate them that we have a lot to teach them in many different ways. This is what I've learned from this course: to realize and raise awarness that teaching is not just taking a chalk and write and talk for hours. We can make our classes very interesting and help our students to acquire knowledge in an easier and funnier manner.  And although many times we know this, we don't know many tools that exist for a teaching purpose, this is another thing I leaned.... I discovered many things that I didn't know they existed or how to use them, for example: a blog, hot potato, inspiration, wikispaces, slideshare, moviemaker... practicly everything we did, was new for me, I knew youtube existed but I never uploaded my own video, this is what I loved from the course, seeing new things, using them, get creative them. I have to say, it wasn't so easy for me, but I didn't take this course because it may be easy, I took it because I really wanted to learn new stuff and that's what I got.

 

This is a Power Point Presentation of an Educational Software called Backpack, which is of great help, is very complete for teachers and students as well. Check it out, and you may want to add it to your future courses.

Backpack walkthrough

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Teaching with videos

Check out this video and get some ideas of what you can achieve by implementing videos by the time you teach. This an amazing tool to use, it is suitable for all ages and all topics.

e-ducativa

This is a document in which we explain the use of e-ducativa web site, where you can buy e-learning courses and learning or teaching in a virtual environment.

Technology has changed everything!

Is amazing to mentally go back in time and remember when cell phones were an unknown device for most of us. They were as heavy as a brick and no one knew how to use them. Today, is weird to see someone that doesn't have a cell phone! some people change it every six months to keep updated with technology.

It has changes everything around us, it has become essential, and an awesome tool for teaching. We have to do our best effort to incorporate it to our classes, but if the school or high school doesn't have it, well it's time to get creative. Try to get your own tape recorder if necessary, your own speakers, try to find a way to show them interesting pictures... when the art of teaching becomes a passion, creativeness just come on its own. 

Multiple Intelligences according to Howard Garner

Writing and grammar

• Teach it world is my favorite website to find different activities and games. It’s great for every level and every skill in the language but especially for grammar. And it’s even categorized by ages!
• • In Teaching English Games you can register and they will send to your e-mail nice dynamics to make your students write.
  
  
  • At Kim’s Korner you’ll find some ideas for activities that you can use. This is not so friendly to use for me, but you may take some good examples and modify them to your needs.
  
  
  • Rong-Chang is very interesting because the games are on-line. You register and choose the topic of what you want to practice and there will be a fun game for you!
  
  
  
  
  • At the website mes-english you’ll get some handy worksheets and flashcard to use in you lessons.
  
  
  
  
  Listening
  • Teaching English in Asia is a nice site to find games especially for ESL students. Is created for Asia population but it does not matter, you can take some good stuff from here.
  
  
  • A few nice ideas for listening games will be found on E-how. Here you’ll find a little bit of almost everything. Take a look and get the best out of it!
  
  
  • Another one to practice on-line is esldesk, where you can choose the vocabulary you are interested in, and the pronunciation will sound. This is very useful for practice and for study.
  
  
  • English Media Lab also has on-line exercises but with more complex structures and practices like job interviews.
  
  
  • Again, you can practice listening from this web site (123 listening), from easy vocabulary, to more complex structures. Make sure you have speakers or headphones to work with listening activities.
  
  
  
  
  Speaking
  • Tefllogue shows us a Top 10 of games and speaking activities very useful to apply with students.
  
  
  • One more time ehow has suggestions and simple but great ideas and this time contribute with the teaching audience giving us games to make our students speak.
  
  
  • There are some Interactive on-line games in English-4kids to practice many skills, and also they offer flash cards, power points and worksheets.
  
  
  • Some game ideas to use with students. You can check them out at the University Center for Intercultural  Education.
  
  
  • Use these great ideas from eslflow for higher level of ESL speakers!
  
  
  
  

How People Learn and what might technology have to do with it

Using technology as a tool for learning in class or at home is that as easy as it seems to be, but there is no reason to be afraid of implementing it in your class.  To do this succesfully there are many things to consider before you present this great aid to your students.

There are four pilars to know by the time we teach, especially with this type of means.

·         Learning occurs in context: try to look for activities that make sense with familiar experiences and knowledge and that can be used to learn in class. This is something we have to plan before teaching the lesson.

·         Learning is active: students are your audience, this is your target, involve them in the learning process in order to accomplish the class’ objectives.

·         Learning is social: form groups with your students and let them work, pupils can learn a lot from their own peers.

·         Learning is reflective: take some time for feedback, this is useful for you as a teacher, and useful for them as students.

In the other hand you should consider that technology is so powerful, that it can be used against you. How? Well, children are extremely intelligent and they have great skills for technology use, also computers, and iPods and all these devices get pupils’ attention so good that they can get lost and use them for playing instead of learning. Some of them even find softwares of game that are funny for them and apply those to interrupt the class.

Therefore, when you decide to use any technological machine in your classes, establish rules of usage, also, explain to them how to use it responsably and how to obtain useful information for their learning process. Plus, try to use softwares and techniques to teach while they can have fun with it, because otherwise they will search for other things on the net to get entertained.

Once you achieve order, and discipline in the class, you are ready to use any technological device to want to use.

Some techno concepts

Technology:

Is the practical application of human knowledge to solve real problems through the design of tools and machines.  Technology is supposed to be used for positive and good purposes, not to harm people.  For teachers, the idea is to take the best out of it and apply it as a tool to make your classes more interesting, especially if you are working with teenagers.

Technology for learning:

The use of technological means to support learning. In other words, it is the usage and application of the technology we have available in order to teach or to learn.

Instructional Technology:

Is the compilation of hardwares and softwares we can use to instruction. It is also defined as getting trained to use technology to teach others.

Educational Technology:

The study of an ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropiate technological processes and resources. Some of the benefits are:  Easy-to-access course materials, student's motivation, wide participation, and improved student's writing skills.

Elements of the Rational for Teaching with Technology:

• Motivation
• Unique instructional capabilities.
• Increase teaching productivity.
• Support for new instructional approaches.

The Seven principles:

• Encourage contact.
• Develop reciprocity and coooperation.
• Encourage active learning.
• Give prompt feedback.
• Emphasize time on tasks.
• Communate high expectations.
• Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.

Sources:

A. Januszewsky, Educational Technology, the development of a concept.2001

edtech.twinisles.com/rb/

HOW TO USE THE INTERNET EFFECTIVELY

This is a presentation of how to use the internet effectivly, since many time we get lost, and spend hours looking for what we want. So, here are some strategies to solve this little problem. It is specially made for teachers but it can be useful for anyone.

How to use internet effectively

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Here are three interesting websites with the advantages and disadvantages of using techonology for education, because nothing is perfect. By the time we decide to use this type of tool in our classes we have to consider all the negative and possitive consequences for our students.


Ehow
This website shows some pros and cons regarding to the use of technology with students, and it explains that students tend to lose face-to-face communication skills, but it also tells us some good aspects. It is very interesting.

Also this same page, with a video explains us some disadvantages of having computers in the classroom. If you have them in your class you  may want to check it out!

Humanising Language Teaching

This is a great site focused on the advantages and disadvantages of using internet in ESL Learners. For this great community of ESL teachers, this useful article might help us know our options.