TeachingEnglish
Using technology in the classroom
Submitted by carladelia on 3 November, 2008 - 18:23
I find the use of technology in the classroom amazing. It offers great visual aids as well as listening and reading inputs through powerpoint presentations, for instance. For small groups, I think using a laptop is a great resource. It offers you the possibility of playing audio and video files, showing images, recording voice for pronunciation practice and internet site contents to add relevance to the class. For larger groups, the interactive whiteboard is ideal. However, a great teacher should be able to teach a great class with and without any resources at all. I believe technology offers tools to teachers if it's well used and we must not forget that tools without great content and interaction do not offer good quality teaching. What do you think about it? What's your experence with technology in the classroom?
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Comments
Nik Peachey | Learning Technology Consultant, Writer, Trainer
http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/ http://quickshout.blogspot.com/ http://daily-english-activities.blogspot.com/
Hi Nick! How are you? I've just taken a look at your site and saw some the activities and I must confess I simply loved it! I see your point when you say that maybe you should have targeted the activities at teachers, which could also be positive, though I think that targeting them at students and people interested in improving their English is the best approach. I believe English professionals should always go after new ideas and tools for teaching and many times they have good access to technology and simply refuse to use it. I'm totally in favor of teaching high quality classes and the Internet and many devices have made it all more feasable. Be sure I'll be visiting your site quite often to borrow some of those nice ideas. I'd love to give some contribution... ideas for activities using technology and so on (if you allow me to, of course!)
Best Regards
Carla D'Elia - English Teacher
Hi Carla,
I use to live in Toronto where technology was always in use. We had computers in classrooms, and even computer labs. I moved to the Caribbean June 2000, an I am surprised how many of my students are so engrossed in the New technology that exists. I do However notice that teachers are not receptive in having students using their laptops in class or even tape their lectures. Even if technology is within the schools it is not being maximize to the fullest potential. Now, as a Lecturer I believe it is important to have a balance between technology within the classroom. There are some schools that actually still write their report cards by hand. TERRIBLE!! I want to be a teacher that facilitate learning and the only way I find that I can do this is to be up to date with the latest technology and try to integrate it within my classes.
I have also been through a similar experience. I currently live in the largest city in South America, so the access to technology is easy and people are very adaptable to new technologies. However, when I lived in a much smaller town, I had to adapt myself to what they had there, always trying to bring new things to the classroom, implementing as much technology as I could, always doing my best to focus on the quality of the class I was teaching.
Carla D'Elia - English Teacher
Hi All
Indeed, I think one of my first concerns as a teacher trainer is to help teachers to feel more confident using technology, not only in class with their students, but also for their own professional development. I also have contact with teachers in Latin America and it is not unusual to find teachers who cannot use a blog or a wiki, or are even insecure to post in forums like this one.
I think in some contexts there is still a long way to go.
Cheers - Chris
For sure, technology is very importante in classes!! I´ve been using it with my students and they just love it! The classes are much more interesting!! I´m working on a new project and as soon as I finish it I´ll pass to you.
I really glad to hear that! And I'd love to see this project of yours.
Best,
Carla D'Elia - English Teacher
Well using technology in the classroom is always good for students. Education can benefit from it. Great way to educate.
Thanks,
Roy Peter
I think that technology can help aide learning by providing a great visual, especially for what I teach, Math. Many times I can show a video after a lecture to help students to see a visual of what I had just went over verbally.
Madam, I agree with you totally. In our class rooms it is not possible to use technology all the time. Using technology in government rural schools that exist in India is almost a rarity. At best we may use a radio or a tape recorder. The latest educational devices like power point presentation, using lcd etc is almost impossible since most government schools in India are not furnished with electricity. As you have rightly pointed out for a great teacher all these things are not a must.the black board, still, is the best teaching tool in the class room. Technology may supplement a teacher but it will never supplant a teacher. A great teacher must be ready to teach without any technical support. In certain teacher training programs it may be useful to enrich the quality of teaching as it sustain the interest of the trainees.
with kind regards,
yours sincerely,
jvl narasimha rao.