ICT language teaching

How do we move from learning from technology to learning with it to learning in it in English language teaching and learning?

Undoubtedly, every successive government had worked hard to bring up our literacy rate. We have consistently allocated resources to reach these levels. However, the age of literacy improvement is now no more relevant as we want to be reckoned with other developed countries.

We can easily understand why normal literacy is important. Similarly, we should be able to comprehend why ICT is important to us as a developing nation. Computers or other IT related equipment have invaded our busy lives in all aspects.

Whether it is television, telephone, refrigerators, or any other household equipment, operation of some of these requires some kind of understanding of the operational procedure. Some of these have ICT components. It is obvious that we have to intergrate ICT and teaching Language arts in classroom. We can never move away from technology in language teaching but instead we have integrate so that we are able to gain from it. The word is intergral.

In some private and international schools, kids at pre-grade I and grade I levels are exposed to playing with computers thus allowing small children to acquaint themselves with IT equipment. Children are gradually introduced to ICT and its innumerable marvels.
These children who are fortunate enough to be exposed to IT obviously will have a great advantage over some of the government run schools most of which would not have enough computers in their premises.

Quite contrary to the situation above, of the schools, may be having 5-10 computers in an ICT laboratory or an IT room. However, even in these schools IT is not a part of the normal curriculum, and children would be lucky if there is a teacher who could impart the skills at least as a benevolent act.

If we are to increase IT literacy of the population, the school system is the best lace, because there are many children in it. During the years a child spends in this system, surely there are many opportunities that the system can grab to impart IT skills to children.

If children are introduced to computing at early or late primary levels, then it is very likely that these children will develop an interest to further their IT skills. Then, there is the possibility of introducing computing at grade 6.

MOE has a mandate to check on the standards of any categorised courses offered by institutions be it public and private. As outlined above, the road to ICT literacy is already carved out.

Pedegogy of ICT in Language teaching

New technologies of information and communication are providing greatly increased access to material in all languages.

In the ‘knowledge society’ language competence is becoming a key factor in social inclusion and indeed, exclusion. Education is deeply rooted in the social and political context, responding to the changes taking place and also helping to shape the pattern of change. The training of teachers has therefore a strategic role in preparing education systems to meet the challenges of change, and to equip students to respond effectively to those challenges.

Language teachers have the particular task of developing their students’ knowledge and skills in the domain of languages and cultures. Their aim is to enable their students to understand the world around them, to communicate across linguistic and cultural boundaries, and to play an active role at many levels in the world.

This is a complex and challenging task, which requires teachers to be trained in a wide range of methods and approaches, to keep abreast of effective practices developed elsewhere, and to share their own ideas and practices with others. Teacher trainers, educationalists and decision makers must in their turn identify the wider needs of society, and establish institutional and organizational frameworks that will improve the way the needs of teachers and students can be met.

Net Generation

I may have never known life without the Internet, but that does mean I am not “net savvy.” Being exposed to huge quantities of information on the Web—in text, audio, image and video formats—sorting valid information from misinformation is a constant challenge for me.

The Net Generation—today’s students, who have never known life without the Internet—seem completely at home in the digital world. They are able to adopt or drop technologies rapidly, never needing an instruction manual to understand how to run an application or operate a device. I can see my students who are seven year old able to handle computer gadget with ease. My 10 year old daughter whom I consider not internet savvy at all is increasingly digital, whether instant messaging or e-mailing photos. Finding her friends isn’t limited to meeting people in class; I have to constantly watch her making sure that her friends are limited her school. I am not surprise that she is also able to download collections of music, movies, and ring tones soon.

Students are empowered. When they want information, they don’t ask an expert or go to the library. They use the Internet to find information for themselves. Whether through a search engine, a chat room, or a network of friends, abundant information is readily available. Students are not only consumers of information but also active information creators—including text, images, audio, and video. It would seem, then, that the Net Generation is net savvy.
Despite students’ skills and do-it-yourself confidence, however, concerns have arisen about their information gathering, technology use, and critical thinking approaches.

I need to also educate my kids at home as well as in school that when they download a resource, I will ask them whether have they assessed the source quality? Do they understand the ethics surrounding use of others’ intellectual property? Did they conduct an effective search, or did they simply grab the first result from Google?

Other concerns have recently emerged in my school , such as student understanding of privacy, security, and how the Internet works. Just as the Internet is a force for great good, it has also proven to be a vehicle for mischief and abuse. They have recently abuse the usage of you tube. They have posted information that might better be kept private. We should never assume that students are not as net savvy as we might have assumed.

The ways in which all this information is used have also expanded. Beyond search and retrieval, information is contextualized, analyzed, visualized, and synthesized—complex skills that require critical thinking.

I have done some reading on the internet and and these two questions strike me. I do hope to hear some comments from any of you guys.

Two questions become particularly important to educators: “How can students become skilled at finding, evaluating, creating, and effectively using information from the rapidly expanding resources available to them?” and “How can these skills transfer to the workplace and personal lives of students once they leave campus?”

Blog Entries 1 from page 21

How is the digital age shaping the way young people grow and act?

The digital age has grown tremendoulsly and has shaped the kids grow and think. Today's kids are multi-processing as they are able to do many things simultaneously from listening to music, watching TV, talking on the phone and using the computer. Computer literacy has evolved significantly. Today, literacy involves more than just text but also involves image and screen literacy. The ability to read such texts and to be able to pick up and feel comfortable with these new rapidly evolving genres is considered non-trivial. In fact, in oreder to master such skill is considered the norm. Many young people do have to face the presure to undertand the litercay and apply particular skill so that they can be accepted in the digital age. Many young people depend heavily on computers. They use computer to do just about everything from playing games to running their own business. Running a business, publishing a Web page and belonging to an Internet community are not atypical. Therefore it essentially important to stay on touch with the digital world. Community needs to be there for the young people, top educate them and not shut them. They need to be involved with so that the young people are able to grow and act apprpriately.

Are you hopeful or concerned about the way ICT is influencing the way young people think and learn?

Young use computers for activities that seem to go hand-in-hand with our understanding of what constitutes a traditional childhood. They use the technology to play, learn, communicate and form relationships as children have always done. On the other hand, the digital media is creating an environment where such activities of childhood are changing dramatically and may, for better or for worse, accelerate child development. I am concerned with the evolution of motor skills, language skills and social skills. ICT has involved the development of cognition, intelligence, reasoning, personality and through adolescence the creation of autonomy, a sense of the self and values. Children becomes very passive and less active physically as they spent their time infront of the computer. There are problems which require management by children and adults. Children can become enthralled with their new worlds and tools, at the expense of other healthy or important activities - like homework. Most children correct such imbalances in their lives themselves, but parents need to be vigilant. Children may have multiple selves in cyberspace - something probably positive but warranting further research. What we know for certain is that children without access to the new media will be developmentally disadvantaged.

Video lesson 2

The Video shows that technology is a great tool to intergrate with the curriculum. I realised that in order for students to have a meaningful learning experience, teachers need to be ready to accept that students will sometimes know more than them. I was very impressed that the students are able to share what they have learned in school to the rest of the university faculty.

The key phrase for today is “we need to break the wall of technology”. I must say that I have to agree with the statement. In order to for us to survive in the digital world we need to be well informed with the technology. As teachers we have to know computer literacy as it will equip us with the tool to handle challenges that students face.