Tuesday, February 12, 2013
To give more precison about the solution to the problem that I raised about my students, I think the best way of tackling it is to define a curriculum of the term (since we function according to terms (and each term = 11 weeks = 55 hours).
If we know what we are supposed to do each week, we can use the internet through its interactive tools and the PBL (Project-Based Learning) to provide the students with working materials. Interactive tools like interactive powerpoint presentations, webquests, interactive websites, etc could be used.
The only problem which could arise here is that we will probably be obliged to change the general lay-out (2 hours with a coursebook, 2 hours with a video and 1 hour of CALL) of our course. So, instead of 1 hour of CALL, there will be 3 since the lesson with the coursebook will be replaced by the CALL.
There will be a structural problem, i.e. the one of computers, but this can be solved by delocalizing the session from a normal classroom to the computer room.
All in all, with all the possibilities offered by the internet, I am convinced that we can depend less - and can even become totally independant - of textbooks.
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I believe as you said that planning is essential mainly if you are dealing with technology as to surf the net for the right activity at that moment in the class may be a bit of a chaos.
ReplyDeleteBut to do away with textbooks I am not prepared to do it. I think that there is nothing more rewarding than having a book in your hands and as this is not particularly done at home, we as teachers have to help our students acquire the habit of reading.
There are many ways of reading and a computer or a book is only one part of that. Besides the net is not often prepared for foreign students learning English. you have either to adapt it or create your own ones. Of course there are many sites that can be used, but I still consider the net a resource as important as a textbook.
Elena
Hi Elena,
ReplyDeleteIn an earlier post I explained that we teachers dealing with the ACCESS Program students have a lot of difficulties to be supplied with textbooks. A whole term like the present one is going by without textbooks from our suppliers so we are compelled to look for other means to provide our students with working materials. So, one of the solutions that I have imagined is to use alternative ways of teaching/learning provided by the internet to palliate the stress provided by the absence of textbooks, so you will probably understand that I am not choosing to do away with textbooks but looking for remedies to the problem of their absence.
Besides, I am still convinced that the internet can even be an alternative to textbooks. You said "I think that there is nothing more rewarding than having a book in your hands and as this is not particularly done at home". I agree, but what is a book? Is it not a pile of sheets? Now, if you take the habit of printing the materials you get from the internet and dispatching them to the students, will they not finally have something which looks like a book? So, I do not think we should make ourselves prisoners of textbooks, but we should always be ready for innovative techniques to help our students get the best of the language we teach them.
Nice day.
Being independent from textbook! yes, something only technology can help you achieve!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI like your views on internet but I agree with Elena. There is nothing more rewarding than a text book in your hand. For me, text book is a runway towards the goal post. Yes, but your new idea is superb!!. Wish you all this best!
Aparna
Nepal
Roland: I think there are a lot of publishers that are very worried about this last point you made. They are afraid their industry will look like the newspaper or the music industry soon. -Robert
ReplyDeleteHi Robert and the others,
ReplyDeleteIt is true that publishers are worried about the internet putting some "mess" in their business, but I think that in a certain way, the world must go on turning and indeed, in a certain way it is! When Gutenberg or whosoever started the printing business, I am not sure many people could predict that a number of centuries later it would take the turn that it took.
I think, publishers should not worry but look for ways to adapt to the "technological new deal". We teachers have started, thanks to courses like this one, to lesser and lesser paper materials for our courses and the way forward for teaching is with the plain integration of technology. This change taken place in many fields and is welcome, so why not in teaching.
And I keep on saying that a book is but a pile of sheets bound to each other in one way or another. If what is on this paper could be made available online and users be given an opportunity to download it, even after paying for it, would not make life easier for those who cannot always have access to the books they want/need?