ILTA 2008

Best Practices in Using Technology to support

Language Teaching and Learning

Dennie HoopingarnerMichigan State University

November 7, 2008

Four myths about technology• Robert Blake “What Language Professionals Need to Know about

Technology” ADFL Bulletin Spring 2001

• There is a “technology”• Technology = methodology• Today’s technology is all you need to know• Technology will replace teachers

Myth 1: There is a “technology”

What is technology?

What is “technology?”

• Computer• Overhead projector• Smartboard• DVD player• DVR• Cell phone• Telephone• iPod

• Document camera/ELMO

• PDA• Transporter• Replicator• Light saber• Hyperdrive• Cylon brain downloader

Do you have to “know” all these in order to “know” technology?

Lumping all technology together into a monolithic entity

is overly simplistic and discouraging

Different technologies are suitable for different pedagogies

Best Practice:Recognize that “technology” can

mean many different things

Myth 2: Technology = methodology

Technology is not a methodology

• Saying “I teach with technology” is as meaningless as saying “I cook with heat”

• That tells me nothing• Teaching is teaching, technology is a TOOL• Does chalk teach? Does a hammer build a

house?• Teachers teach with technology, technology

doesn’t teach for teachers

Best Practice: Enhance your teaching methods and personal

style with technology

Myth 3: Today’s technology is all you need to know

Remember this?

Many innovative applications

• A La Rencontre de Philippe• Destinos• Video clips, simulations, language in context• Revolutionary multimedia language teaching

What happened?

• Innovation• New technology that was:– Smaller– Better– Cheaper– Portable

Which would you rather use?

What about the investment?

• Time, Effort, Money• Development of content• Facilities changes• Curriculum• Credibility of the technology’s proponents

It wasn’t wasted

• We learned a LOT about language teaching• Technologies of yesterday inform the

development of tomorrow’s technologies• Similar to language teaching methodologies– Grammar-translation– Audio-Lingual– Communicative– Focus on Form– Constructivist

Lessons learned:

• Technology is a moving target• There will always be a new technology• Next year’s models will be better & cheaper• Doing nothing is not an option:

If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backwards

Today’s technologies will seem quaint and old-fashioned

before you know it

Best Practice: Keep current

If you aren’t moving forward, you’re moving backward

Myth 4: Technology will replace teachers

What computers can’t do:

• Parse spoken language:“Computers can wreck a nice beach.”

• Process language:"I once shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas I'll never know" --Groucho Marx

• Convince a human being that the computer is human (Turing Test)

What do language teachers do?

• Listen to students and correct their language• (Parse spoken language)• Guide the development of students’

interlanguage• (Process language)• Interact with learners• (Have learners communicate with you as if

you are human)

It is very difficult for computers to do with language what humans can do very easily

Any teacher that can be replaced by a computer,

should be replaced by a computer

Best Practice: treat technology as a partner, not as a competitor

The four myths:

• There is a “technology”• Technology = methodology• Today’s technology is all you need to know• Technology will replace teachers

Principles of using Technology

Technology as a RAT

• Replace teaching tasks• Augment aspects of teaching• Transform the learning experience

Example: Replace

The Oral Interview

The Oral Interview

• German 101 Interview• Mid-point in first semester• Diagnostic activity: “touch base”• Short, 4-5 question interview• Old way: schedule interviews with teachers• New way: simulated interview with software

program

Technology: Conversations

• Record questions for students• Simulate an interview• Students access the program online• Collect students’ responses• Replace student-teacher interaction with

student-computer-teacher interaction

See it in action:

http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/mashup/view.php?ID=MjQ0OA==

Example: Augment

Homework as Formative Assessment

Homework as Formative Assessment

• Speaking assignments: audio cassettes• Writing assignments: drafts and red pencils

Technologies:

• Audio Dropboxes: tool for online speaking assignments

• Revisions: tool for process writing

See it in action:

http://ria-clear.blogspot.com/

Example: Transform

Constructivist Language Learning

Constructivist Language Learning

• Theory: learn by creating knowledge• Research on technology and learning• Cf Chomsky’s theory of language acquisition

Technology: Mashups

• Authoring Tool• Create interactive, multimedia web pages• Combine data from many sources• Easy to use• Students learning by creating teaching

materials that help them learn

These tools are free and available:

http://ria.clear.msu.edu/

See it in action:

YouTube: http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/mashup/view.php?ID=MTEx

Integrated: http://clear.msu.edu/teaching/online/mashup/view.php?ID=Mzcx

Best Practice:Use technology when

(and only when) there’s a good reason to use it.

Corrollary: “Because it’s cool”

is not a good reason.

Technology in the context of standards and skills

Its role, functions

ACTFL’s Standards

• Communication• Cultures• Connections• Comparisons• Communities

Four Skills

• Listening• Reading• Speaking• Writing

Technology is neither a language standard nor a language skill

Where does it fit?

Filling in a Matrix?Listening Reading Speaking Writing

Communication

Cultures

Connections

Comparisons

Communities

Bridge gaps?

Listening Speaking

Reading Connections

Communication Comparison

Sticks things together?

Regardless, technology CAN

• Streamline teaching• Individualize learning• Allow teachers to do some new things

Sure bets about technology:

• You will always know less than you want• You will always be discovering new things• It will always cause problems• It will always be changing• It will never go away

Best Practices

• Be open to thinking outside the box– Recognize the potential of technology– Look for ways to RAT teaching

• Stay grounded in good pedagogy– Don’t get “wow’ed”– Include technology when it makes sense to you– Treat technology as a means to an end, not as an

end in itself– Trust your instincts as a teacher

To sum it all up:

• Good teaching is good teaching• Teaching and learning can both benefit from

the judicious inclusion of technology• How to do that is up to you to decide

Thank you!

http://ria.clear.msu.edu/