PART
I
PART II
I designed this planning
resource for a technology-infused curriculum to be applicable
into any language classroom, but in my case, a French language classroom.
According to the Standards for Foreign Language
Learning, language learners should be competent not only in their
communication, listening, and writing skills, but they should be able to
develop multiple perspectives via knowledge and comparison of the culture they
study, and being exposed to authentic materials. Likewise, students should be
able to build communities through using language outside the classroom and for
their personal enjoyment, as well as make connections as they learn cultures and
languages different from theirs. This would require a lot of research, reading,
writing, speaking, and listening to and with native speakers of target
language, professionals, and peers.
This is basically what
I tried to do in my plan. Through tools like Skype, Facebook, YouTube, Wikispaces, Blogger, and Voice thread, students can be connected to peers and pen pals
who could be natives or learners of their target language, and target language classrooms
where they can create and share around the world. At the same time, it is also
an avenue to work collaboratively, form communities, as well as gain knowledge
of target culture when there is a native speaker to learner interaction.
Cultural knowledge would help students have multiple perspectives, think
critically as they compare cultures, which would eventually lead them to
develop their ethical competence. Openculture is a
very good tool that gives students access to different cultures.
Language learning is a
lifelong process that demands students to acquire lifelong skills, which is why
it is essential for students to build their Personal Learning Networks (PLNs).
Here sites like Diigo, Forvo, and WordSteps and some of the afore-mentioned tools come to play.
Forvo and Wordsteps particularly help learners build their vocabularies and
sharpen their pronunciations.
PART II
Before I set-up my
plan, the first thing I considered was the Standards of Foreign Language
Learning, which to me is like a guideline of what to expect of my students
and what I would want them to accomplish. Thereafter, I selected tools that
would help me achieve my end goal- getting students to build communities, to
have knowledge of other cultures, to make connections, to communicate in target
language, and to make comparison in order to develop insight on the nature and
culture of their target language. Therefore, I selected tools that would ensure
my students and myself be able to connect to peers and native speakers like
Facebook and Skype, so they can develop cultural insights, tools that would
ensure a lot of in and out of verbal and written classroom sharing, collaboration,
collective feedback, and creativity (Wikispaces, Skype, Facebook, YouTube,
Voicethread, Blogger, Forvo), and tools that would help us be life-long
learners or more proficient/ near native in our language use and
understanding of other cultures (Forvo, Diigo, WordSteps, Openculture). In
addition, I believe a lot of learning occurs at informal settings, which is why
I particularly chose Facebook. Students would learn a lot chatting in target
language and sharing links with peers, whether native or non-native. The best way to become proficient in a language is to have multiple opportunities to use it.
In my opinion, the TPACK model and the SAMR model are
synchronous in that they both advocate a transformation in the 21st
century approach to teaching. The TPACK presented all the aspects of learning that ought to be incorporated into the 21st
century classroom- content, technology, and pedagogy. The model presented these aspects as common entities, as
inseparable and thus should be used in tandem for learning to occur. There is no
need trying to use technology to substitute or augment the traditional
classroom set-up. However, there is a call for transformation where technology
would be used in the classroom to teach content via creating, collaborating,
sharing, and communicating. The SAMR model is a little bit less detailed but
pretty much seeks the same goal- transformation. The only difference I think is
that it seems to gear more towards creating using technologies. I have had
personal classroom experiences which were not typically bad but exploring these
tools made me wonder how better it would have been if I experienced the use of these tools in the classroom. My schooling experience has mostly been every man for himself
because of its competitive nature. Plus I must confess that even the teacher
preparation courses have failed to address this somewhat. True the need for new
literacies has been promoted overall but there have been little guidance on how
to go about it, which is why I am thankful for this class and all the modelling
so far. I want to bring learning as close to my students as much as I can. I
believe these new technology-tools have broadened the horizon of learning and teaching.
All educators can and should do is embrace them, for their good and the good of their
students. For teachers seeking to
infuse technology into their curriculum, here are some questions you might want
to consider:
- How much does tool enhance both teacher and students productivity?
- Is support available? Is tool free or blocked and can it be unblocked? If it is not, is funding available? How can a compelling case be presented to school boards/districts to see the need for tool?
- How would tool selected help address the need of content? Can tool be used to achieve intended outcome?
- Does tool help connect to other learners and classrooms across the globe?
- What is the tool review like? Do current users like it? Are they comfortable with the support? Does the tool crash often?
- What standards are addressed and how would the tools help achieve goal?
