Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Unit 1
Unit 1
In this first unit, as a brief introduction to the course, we are going to remember the
importance of information and communication technology (ICT) in our daily life and in
our teaching practice.
We are also going to define, in a few lines, what ICT is and revise the story of the use of
technology in language classes at school.
ICT (Information and Communication Technology) refers to technology which enables users
to access, store, manipulate, create and transmit information
As you can see, ICT implies much more than just the Internet, although it is the most
important tool.
The internet is an essential part of ICT, it is very important and actually it is the most
important of ICT.
But ICT is much more than just the internet. The Internet is essential for communication
and information nowadays; and for teachers, it has also become the most important
source of resources and teaching tools for their work.
So the Internet is the most important tool but is not compulsory, there are other types of ICT
that are involved in the internet.
IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY
The Internet is almost everywhere and in order to do that, teaching and learning is affected
by technology.
And in this technological society, it is a fact that teaching and learning have also been
affected by the use of technology.
Technology is a basic element in our personal and professional lifes. It is used for everything
even in the most common tasks. Nowadays instead of going to the physical bank we do
everything by the mobile phone app or shopping online. We also use technology for silly
things.
English teachers as users of technology have to use it to helo and a tool to create material.
Our work as educators has been flooded with so many resources and tools to be used in
the classroom that we are sometimes overwhelmed and feel confused about how, when and
where to use them. Do you agree? Do you think there are too many materials for teachers or
do you think teachers should actually be up to date with technology a bit more?
It’s true that in our daily teaching practice we are sometimes a bit reluctant to use
technology. Nevertheless:
All teachers have used technology in their classes at a given moment, not only as a help
in their teaching but also as an invaluable tool to create materials.
What tools were used in English class in the past? (Many of these tools can be used in any
subject, but obviously were focused on English as a second language).
At first, CDs, videos, recording tools and language labs helped teachers to practice
English listening and speaking, and slide projectors to practice reading or grammar.
Video/movies could be used, for example, for split viewing.
Then, the computer and the use of Word and Power Point made the elaboration of teaching
materials and exercises a bit easier for the teacher. For example, 3 activities created by
word were: drag and drop, dictation and collaborative writing.
Traditional ICT tools nowadays are so basic. They can still be useful but we can replace
someones. The important thing here is that learners have to feel comfortable. For example,
we need more interactive material for them, to make the class more interesting.
With the passing of time, software appeared for learning languages. The aim was to make
our school more enjoyable and easier, because at the end of the day all these tools wanted
to be used in a comfortable way. The process of learning for children has to be easier. So,
the objective is to have a more dynamic and enjoyable learning process.
And finally reached the Internet and it entailed a revolution. We know that everything on the
internet is free but teachers have access to many resources and many tools that are easier
to class for much less money that help in teaching.
Technology has always been of big help for us in our daily teaching and for the
children in their learning.
This appeared in the early 1980s. These are the types of tasks (gap-filling, text construction,
multiple-choice exercises…) that were included. These tasks are basic, if we compare them
with nowadays possibilities.
These tasks were among the typical tasks the learner needed to carry out. The English
teaching was focused on these tasks. These types of tasks are necessary for practising for
example grammar but at the end of the day we want a communicative outcome. We want to
be able to write, to speak, to do things naturally like read and listen. So these types of tasks
are necessary but we don't have to focus teaching and learning on them.
These tasks are still useful, but we need to adapt them in order to foster creativity.
After this CALL activity something else came up that was called TELL in the early 90s by
Nicky Hockley. TELL means Technology Enhanced Language Learning.
This is the combination of CALL activities or format + web-based tools. This refers to the
application of technology in language learning. Apps began to appear.
Do you need a computer in the classroom in order to implement ICT tools? You don’t even
need a computer in school. Not every school has an informatic room.
Implementing means using the internet and other ICT tools to create material, perform
tasks and make students participate in the learning process.
How do we implement ICT tools in the classroom? Implementing doesn’t mean having a
computer in the classroom, nor having a room with computers in the premises where to go
and practice once in a while.
The thing is that what we have nowadays with the resources and the tools that we have , the
teacher’s participation in its usage and implementation into our teaching planning is quite
different. Now the teacher has to be more active. As teachers we have to get involved in the
process.
BUT:
Using Internet and other ICT tools to create material, perform tasks and make students
participate in the learning process.
Our active participation in its usage and its implementation into our teaching planning.
Technology and teachers complement each other.
Technology doesn’t mean neither the tool to fill time in our lessons nor a source to know
about the world with no links to our classes anymore. Technology has become an integral
part in today’s schools and we need to be the catalysts to implement it in the classroom.
Technology and teachers are not interchangeable but complementary. Both play
different roles in the teaching experience.
Why is applying technology in our teaching practice so important? On the one hand, it is an
essential tool for students’ and teachers’ feedback and assessment; on the other hand,
Internet provides with resources like authentic material for classroom use and develops
collaborative tasks.
- Feedback
- Assement
- A source of authentic material for classroom use
- Develops collaborative tasks
"En Internet existe el mayor encuentro multicultural y la mayor coincidencia tecnológica de todos los
tiempos" (C. Alonso, D. Gallego, 2003)
"Hay que evitar que con el uso de Internet y las TIC en general, los estudiantes sigan siendo
espectadores, y ahora además dependientes de la tecnología”
Este texto habla sobre cómo la sociedad está experimentando cambios significativos debido
al rápido avance científico y al uso generalizado de las Tecnologías de la Información y
Comunicación (TIC). Estos cambios afectan a todas las áreas de la vida, especialmente en
el trabajo y la educación.
Destaca tres formas en que las instituciones educativas están reaccionando a esta
transformación:
Aspectos positivos:
Desafíos y cambios:
El texto también destaca la necesidad de adaptar el sistema educativo para aprovechar las
oportunidades de las TIC y garantizar el acceso universal a la educación en el entorno
virtual. Además, señala la importancia de nuevas destrezas, procesos de enseñanza y
aprendizaje, y la demanda de un nuevo sistema educativo que incorpore plenamente las
TIC.
El nuevo enfoque del currículo propone que la información esté en el centro del estudio de
los estudiantes, destacando la importancia de utilizar la tecnología para buscar información,
desarrollar ideas y colaborar en la creación y publicación de trabajos. Se enfatiza el papel
de la tecnología como una herramienta para el aprendizaje, no solo el uso de aplicaciones.
Además, se establece que el uso de ICT debe estar integrado en todo el currículo. Se
destaca que ICT prepara a los estudiantes para un mundo en constante cambio, donde el
acceso a la tecnología es fundamental. Se promueve el uso responsable y creativo de las
herramientas de ICT para el intercambio de información y la presentación de ideas.
El texto también subraya que ICT abarca todas las herramientas de almacenamiento y
recuperación de información, así como los sistemas de comunicación. Se enfatiza que el
uso de la tecnología debe contribuir a los resultados deseados y no subordinar los estudios
de inglés a la tecnología.
Herramientas de hardware:
CD-ROMs Educativos:
Internet:
● Acceso a Recursos de Investigación: Facilita el acceso a información de
investigación, revistas, proyectos y organizaciones educativas.
Intranet:
● Velocidad y Confiabilidad: Ofrece una conexión más rápida y confiable en
comparación con depender de la conexión a Internet.
● Control de Contenido: Permite un control más preciso sobre el contenido
almacenado, ya que está restringido al ámbito interno de la institución
educativa.
El texto enfatiza que los maestros deben adaptar estas herramientas según sus
necesidades y destaca la importancia de la formación en TIC para el personal docente.