How do you think the technology might change teaching and learning

 

Classroom Discussion:

 

Topic: How do you think the technology might change teaching and learning

Positive:

• Learning will be more autonomous
• It can be free life-long learning achieve distance language teaching or on-line learning
• offer more or less equal opportunities for education
• Modernizing language learning (up-to date)
• Much greater potential for a 'connected classroom' ie the learning doesn't stop at the classroom door enrich the learning style
• Learning for multiple intelligences applies to learners' different styles
• It can motivate the students by offering the update information.
• easier access to other learner or teaching communities
• We think it will be the basis and drive for changing pedagogical approaches and sprucing them up!
• Broadens the field of opportunities for language learning and its application
• Make the learning process more motivating
• No more boring lessons!!
• It enables students to communicate in English within the whole world.
• really learner-centered language teaching
• will enhance interdisciplinary studies
• Development of technology awareness and skills becomes available through language learning
• Ss are more exposed to authentic language environment.
• Technology helps language learners develop more efficient learning strategies.
• Learners can have access to any materials. Also, learners can listen to an English story while watching 3 dimentional play just in front of

Neutural:

• Learning might not take any in any one place
• May increase divide between haves and have nots
• No text books are needed There might not be traditional classrooms anymore as anyone would have access in the resources any time.
•  handouts and coursebooks may no longer be used
• If technology reaches the level of AI, maybe we won't have to learn any foreign languages anymore. For example, we can talk in any language

Negative:

• distract the students
• students may rely on the technologies too much
• Less face-to-face communication
• There might be the danger of how to utilise all this knowledge.
• Danger of adapting lesson to technologies than the other way round.
• harmful to physical heath eg. eyes, muscle
• too much overloaded input will add pressure on students' mind which distract students' selection of the valuable information
• Multi-tasking might not be appropriate for variable learning styles. The beginning of another digital gap?
• overload psycho- cognitive processes- might be too much
• Less teamwork

CNN Student News

What is this?
This is a news website that contains news videos, transcripts, discussions, newsquiz and daily podcast. All the videoes and relevant PDF files can be downloaded and be regularly updated. It is really a good learning source that can be widely used in language learning context.
Why is the content good for language learning?

• It provides latest news and reports as authentic listening materials.
• The news topics are diverse and have a strong association with learners' daily life and concerned issues.
• The speakers in the videoes from different parts of the world and speak different accents which provides learners a 'pure' English  world.
• The news are categorised by topics, some by areas. Learners can choose what they are interested in easily.
• The transcript can help students understand the news much better.
• The newsquiz allows learners to review what they watched and understood by doing some relevant quizzes. It can be also used as a homework or post-task to do, which will probably foster learners' autonomy.
• Podcast can be downloaded into personal itune or iphone. Learners can get the updated news without accessing computer.

How might you use it in a language teaching context?
 
For example,

•  Firstly, teacher may ask students to search and choose a piece of latest news related to a same topic , say Janpan earthquake.
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• Then watch the news video individually, and then retell the news or describe the main meaning of the news to their parterner.
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• If students hardly understand the news, they are allowed to refer to the transcript.
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• Based on the same topic news:  1.Teacher can arrange a group discuss , for example, ask students to make suggestion about how to help the people in Japan, how to donate money, goods and materials, what will you say to the people in earthquake area. 2.Students can comment on the video and give their feedback. 3.Teacher can ask students to write a reflection passage about earthquake or natural disaster.4.Teacher can ask students to recall what they did and thoughts when Sichuan province suffered earthquake. 5.Teacher can divide students into different groups and ask them to prepare a short news and report it in class. 6.Teacher can ask students to brainstorm how to protect yourself during earthquake.
• Finally, students can do the newsquiz to review the news and relevant topic.

Limitation

• The transcripts are too long and  key words or topic-related words are not highlighted.
• Some videoes are lacking of transcript.
• No subtitle in the video. Only suitable for advanced learners.

TED Ideas worth spreading

What is this?

• TED(Techonology, Entertainment and Design) is a collection of hundreds of award-winning talks videos, the open translation projects and conversations. It can be widely used in language learning context as authentic learning materials and extend training.
• Why is the content good for language learning?
• Learners can access these videos for free.
• TED provides learners abundant authentic English listening and speaking materials, which allows learners to get in touch with English speakers from all over the world regardless of the time and space limitation.
• The videoes are categorised by themes. Learners can search videoes based on the topic they are interested in.
• Most of the videoes are tagged.
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• The content of the talks might associate with learners' main subject or major, which will motivate them to enchance not only English proficiency, but also facilite specific professional knowledge learning.
• Learners can regulate the time bar of a video based on their understanding, which enables them to keep their own learning process.
• Some newest releases videoes will be posted on the homepage. Learners can asscess the updated materials.
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• The topics of the talks per se are good resources for speaking and writing.
• Through observing the speekers' spoken language, behaviour, anddressing, learners will strengthen their presentation skills.
• Language beginners can choose to add subtitle of their L1. In this way, they may feel comfortable and understand easily when they watch it.

How might you use it in a language teaching context? 

• Teacher firstly select an interesting video that can resonate with students interest and concerned topic.
• Then play the video as a pre-task activity.
• Teacher asks students to discuss about the main meaning of the speech.
• If the students can hardly understand the main meaning of the speech, teacher may add L1 subtitle in the video and play it again to help them to understand.
• Teacher can express his/her own opinion towards the topic of the video, and demonstrate how to talk about a topic in an appropriate way.
• Then divide students into different group and ask them to discuss or write a short passage.

Limitation

• Chinese students may hardly understand western jokes in the talks, therefore, they may feel embarrassed when the audience in the video laugh.
• Some topics of the speeches are too technical and professional.
• Not very suitable for young learners.