Hello all,
This is a great pleasure to be here. Although it seemed quite easy to complete the tasks, I now realize that it takes time!! I want to add something about this course: Some of my collegues had partcipated in this program in the previous years. I used to ask them what they did, what to do to participate in it etc. So I am quiet happy now.
Information Technologies is gaining more and more importance for sometime. In my classroom at university, there was no technological device some time ago. However, there has been some great advances for us and for the teachers. Each class was equipped with a computer with internet connection, 5 speaker surround audio system, LCD television with satellite to watch channels in the U.S.A and the U.K.
Apart from those devices, the number of students in the classrooms was limited to 25 students. During my undergraduate education in ELT, we were taught many teaching approaches and methods, but when the class conditions are not good and when there is nothing except for a teacher and at least 50 students with negative attitutes towards learning a foreign languge created by traditional teaching methods such as grammar teaching and vocabulary memorisation only, those approaches or methods did nothing helpful at all. Such technological devices such as computer in the class gave us th chance to apply the techniques of "Communicative methods".
Just after those innovations in ou classes, the school bought an interactive internet programme produced by Pearson andLongman company. We could check all our students' progress in all skills except for speaking. That was great fo everybody. At the moment, we are all using such interactive programs, videos, internet games during the lessons and teaching is both easy and effective on part of the teachers and fun on part of the students.
This is what I think about teaching English through the web. Do you agree??
Thanks,
Ali Erarslan
(Aveka)
Hi Aveka~ I am glad your country is investing in education. It sounds like things are getting better. In the US right now there are huge budget problems, and schools are facing all kinds of cut backs. We have been lucky up until now, but I fear things might get a bit worse for awhile in this country. ~Robert
ReplyDeleteMy country has given education a high priority, and right now the emphasis is on technology. I know I am very lucky to have a computer, internet connection, document camera and interactive whiteboard in my classroom. In addition to that our school has three computer classrooms, laptops to take to the classroom and there are computers in the corridors for students to use during recess. So I can't complain about anything.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that students are so used to having all this means that they are quite demanding when it comes to the quality of ICT used in class. A few years ago they were a lot more excited about working on projects online. Now I have students who ask if they really have to work on the computer. So what next?
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ReplyDeleteDear Aveka
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky to be able to have such classes where technology is available, but what is important is not just the technology but the impact of technology on education.
Hala