2013

Technology in the classroom

Technical English Applied to Computes

Universidad Gerardo Barrios

Alma Mariela Salgado Jandres

02/12/2013

1- In a chart, describe the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in your professional development taking into account Blended Learning, Education 2.0, Web 2.0 and IT.

Categories of Technology for educational purpose

Advantages Interaction among students and teachers. There are a lot opportunities to interact with other learners and teachers either in class or online. Flexibility by working. The learners have convenience because the most time they are working online from home. Participation in class discussion. The environment to develop class discussion can be face to face or online this depends about the students. The interaction with students from different regions. Through those technological tools the students can met or interact with other learners around the world with different ideas and exchange experiences.

Disadvantages Lack of routines studies. The students may lose the habit of study because there arent a specific time to read or study. Teachers may not always be available. Sometimes the teacher dont have the time to be online all the time. Lack of personal connection. Students and teachers prefer the interaction through the technological devices thats avoid the interaction face to face. Lack of technological skills. Some student dont have the capability or ability to use some technological devices thats why the learning can be disrupted.

Blended Learning

Education 2.0

Dynamism and class participation. The developing class with the use of web 2.0 can be more interesting or fun thats why the learners could participate in an easier way.

Low internet coverage. There are some regions without the internet coverage and all this would be a big problem to students because some tasks are focused on this.

Web 2.0

The students can interact with many teachers at the same time. There are a lot opportunities to learn in an easier way, because with the web 2.0 the students can interact with other teachers outside the classroom and so they can know other ideas about the topic. Instant message. The teaching isnt personalized. The users can send and receive messages with other users at the The uses of technology dont same, and so create an allow the interaction with each student at the same time interaction among the users. because the time is limited.

Dependence on the web. There are some students that prefer the interaction online and avoid the interaction face to face with their classmate and teachers inside educational process.

Exchange information and experiences. The web 2.0 allows share and exchange any kind of information among the users, also the users can know acquire experiences and knowledge about some topics. Feedback immediately. When the learners have some problems in their learning the teachers can offer feedback in an easier way with the use of IT.

Bad use of technology. Some people use the technology in an incorrect way because sometimes it is used to commit crimes online.

IT

Lack of innovation. Some websites dont have the innovation to call the attention to the users thats why the use of IT down.

More Practice. The IT the opportunity to practice either at home or at the school at the same time, also through this the students can improve their learning.

Lack of effectiveness of the instructions. There are many kind of people and each one of them understands the instructions in different way, in those cases the message can be changed.

2Explain how you are going to design a lesson plan online by using Web Quest and what are the real propose using this kind of technology in your professional development. A Webquest is an important tool to teachers and students at the same time, thats why a Webquest were introduced as an inquiry oriented activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the Internet (Dodge, 2009) , in a Webquest design is necessary integrate the technology as an educational purpose because through this a teachers can promote inquiry-based learning, thats why I designed a Webquest that supports the participation to my learners in an individual or group process, with the use of some resources on the internet my learners can develop the use critical thinking skills and motivate them, because a Webquest are often preferred by students as a way to engage their curiosity. There are critical elements of a Webquest: Introduction: In this parts is necessary capture the attention to my learners thats why in the introduction of my lesson plan online I provides some information about the activity that my learners must develop in the Webquest in an interesting language. In this part I chose a tutorial video about the topic and then I posting the link below, all this is necessary to introduce the topic that I have chose before. Taks: In this section I assign some assignments to my learners and in some cases I describe what kind of technological tools they can use to develop the activity, in the taks part I will choose an interesting topic

like SNSs and what is the main purpose to this, but is important choose an interesting topic obviously according with the educational level.

Process: It is necessary provides a brief explanation about what are the steps the learners have develop in the activity thats why I give them some guidance about it, also I posting a document or a tutorial video, all this can help to my learners in the development of the taks that I have assigned before on this way my learners have a lot tools or resources to do a better job thats why the resources can be embedding in this section of the lesson. Evaluation: In the evaluation part usually I include a rubric to evaluate the whole process and the development to my learners and the requirements of the Webquest, in this section I use a website Rubistar for some researchers there are some educational purpose to use this website Provide students with more informative feedback about their strengths as well as areas in need of improvement (Wikispaces, 2008) thats why with this rubric I can evaluate to my learners in an easier way and then I provide a feedback in some areas that need improvement all this depends what is the results to the final process. One of the more popular reasons for using the Webquest strategy is that it is a mechanism for integrating technology into teaching and learning; this is the main purpose because I design a lesson plan online by using Web Quest.

3- Explain how you are going to deal if you want to use technology in a school or place of work but there is not Tech in the classroom. What are you going to do? How are you going to solve the problem? Provide resources that you will use and the procedures. The use of technology in the classroom is important and useful, because through this the class is more interesting and the teachers can capture the attention to learners in a better way. Some researchers about it are focus in this point: The proliferation of social media and technology has changed the way educators teach, how students learn, and the way teachers and students communicate (Compass, 2013) thats why is necessary change the ways of teaching with the use

of technology in the classroom, but there are a big problem in some school without technological devices or tool. If I need to use technology in my classroom but I dont have those devices; I wou ld do the following procedures: I will carry my own technological devices. I will carry my computer and my overhead projector to the classroom in each class or in the classes that I need to use it, because with those advices I can develop my class in an easier way, but is necessary to prepare the class before and then transmit this information by Slideshare presentation to my learners in each class, but if required I will make groups to develop a specific topic including the Presentation that I provides them, also I give to my learners a working guide with some questions about the topic that I develop in the class, with this process, if my learners dont understood the information or the topic they can search on the internet outside the classroom. I will assign some taks outside to the classroom. This is a good option to use the technology in an educational process, as there are some students without those technological devices in their home thats why they can access to the internet in other places like Cyber this is the main reason because I will assign taks outside to the classroom, but always my learners are always under my supervision to review their development for this I would convene a meeting in a specific time to revise their activities. Those are the better option to solve this problem about the use of technology in a classroom without those technological advices.

4- Choose digital resources you will include and describe how those digital resources you are going to improve you PLE and PLN. It is necessary includes some digital resources into PLE and PLN as in both are important the interaction among the users, the PLE is consider a digital learning that includes and integrate all tools and SNSs that the users use to improve their knowledge and the learners can create a PLN that is an informal learning that

allows maintain an interaction among the users through some apps or SNSs, thats is why I chose VOCABSUSHI to improve it. According some researchers about this website Using VocabSushi, students learn the meanings of words faster, more accurately and more efficiently than relying on rote memorization. (Novich, 2009) I can improve my learning process or improve my PLE and PLN because with this website I acquire a lot English vocabulary with their meaning through some exercises or games, thats why I maintain an interaction with other users that speaks English too. VocabSushi are divided in 3 parts or categories: WORDS: In this part I can learn new vocabulary that have their written definition through this I improve my interaction and connections with my contacts that I have included in my PLE and PLN, other option that VocabSushi have in this part is I can heard the pronunciation about that words, and I practice those words when I communicate or chat with my friends. Finally when I think that I have learnt those words I can report as learned.

LEARN: this category contains some exercises about the words the I have learned before, also this part includes some articles where the word has been used, and I can practice with my friends in the different SNSs or websites and so I learn a lot vocabulary. GAMES: Here I have the opportunity to practice with my contacts because VocabSushi gives you the chance to compete with your users in a particular level of ranking for, this is a funnier way to practice and learn new English vocabulary. Those are the reason why I chose this website VocabSushi to improve my English vocabulary.

References
Compass, N. C. (24 de 02 de 2013). U.S New. Recuperado el 01 de 12 de 2013, de U.S New: http://www.usnews.com/education/technology-in-the-classroom

Dodge, B. (16 de march de 2009). Keys to inclusion. Recuperado el 30 de 11 de 13, de The Frank Lloyd Wright of learning environments: http://njcie.net/pdf/resources/webquests.pdf

Novich, J. (1 de june de 2009). Vocabsushi bitesize learning. Recuperado el 01 de 12 de 2013, de Vocabsushi bitesize learning: http://www.vocabsushi.com/media/press/VocabSushi_Press_Release.pdf

Wikispaces. (24 de 10 de 2008). Williamson Perez. Recuperado el 30 de 11 de 2013, de Williamson Perez: http://bass573su11.wikispaces.com/wiki/members?responseToken=e467a60c80e3e2749e c33cd87ba1754e