Defining ICT

[1.1] How to study this unit

[1.2] Defining ICT

[1.3] Defining ICT in language learning

[1.4] History of ICT tools used in the ESL classroom

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UNIT
 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

Key ideas

1.1. How to study this unit

To study this unit, you need to read the key ideas and the article “ICT in English”, by
Peter Miles, available in the following link:

http://es.scribd.com/doc/73502262/Unit-1-WH-ICT-in-English

Study, from this article, the following pages:

Defining ICT (p. 1-4)
ICT in the English classroom (p. 6-13)
Basic ICT skills (p.18)
English department: Survey of opinions on ICT (p.24)
Audit of ICT skills: English (p.25-27)

In this first unit, as a brief introduction to the course, we are going to remember the
importance of information and communication technology (ICT) in our daily
life and in our teaching practice.

We are also going to define, in a few lines, what ICT is and revise the story of the use of
technology in language classes at school.

1.2. Defining ICT

ICT (Information and Communication Technology)

refers to technology which enables users to access, store,
manipulate, create and transmit information.

They include:

Telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals)

Computers
Middleware as well as necessary software
Storage- and audio-visual systems...

UNIT 1 – Key ideas

 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

As you can see, ICT implies much more than just Internet, although it is the most
important tool.

Internet is essential for communication and information nowadays; and for

teachers, it’s also become the most important source of resources and teaching
tools for their work.

1.3. Defining ICT in language learning

Importance of technology

Technology is nowadays a basic element in our personal and professional lives.

It influences the way we perform daily tasks such as banking, shopping and
communicating among many others tasks.

In fact, we could be amazed by the quantity of tasks we perform through these tools in
our ordinary lives. No matter how small or isolated a place seems to be, either to live or
to stay, it’s usually easy to find an Internet cafe to connect us to the world.

And in this technological society, it is a fact that teaching and learning have also
been affected by the use of technology.

English teachers as users of technology at work: too much?

Our work as educators have been flooded with so many

resources and tools to be used in the classroom that we are
sometimes overwhelmed and feel confused about how, when
and where to use them.
Do you agree? Do you think there are too many materials for teachers or do you think
teachers should actually up to date with technology a bit more?

It’s true that in our daily teaching practice we are sometimes a bit reluctant to use
technology. Nevertheless:

UNIT 1 – Key ideas

 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

All teachers have used technology in their classes at a given moment, not only as
a help in their teaching but also as an invaluable tool to create materials.

1.4. Short history of ICT used in the ESL classroom

At first, CDs, videos, recording tools and

language labs helped teachers to practice English
listening and speaking, and slide projectors to
practice reading or grammar. Video/movies could be
used, for example, for split viewing.

Then, the computer and the use of Word and Power

Point made the elaboration of teaching materials and exercises a bit easier for the
teacher. For example, 3 activities created by word were: drag and drop, dictation and
collaborative writing.

Traditional ICT tools are basic tools to provide learners with confidence, and the
previous step to more complex and sophisticated tools and resources.

After that, a wide range of software for learning languages appeared, perhaps too
much and too quickly, with the aim of making our school lives easier and more
enjoyable.

And finally, Internet has been pushing hard in the last years to revolutionize the world
of teaching and learning, quite often against the lack of space and material and
economical support.

Anyway, technology has always been of big help for us in our daily teaching and
for the children in their learning.

CALL

If we look back in time the first computer-based materials for language teaching,
referred as CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) appeared in the early
1980s. Those CALL tasks were somehow basic if we compare them with today’s

UNIT 1 – Key ideas

 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

possibilities. Gap-filling, text reconstruction, multiple-choice exercises were among the

typical tasks the learner needed to carry out.

Does it sound familiar? Yes, we still have that format in the typical CD-Rom which
comes with our textbooks. We are not saying that is old-fashioned or that it is
useless but quite the opposite. However, our approach to that format needs to be new,
adapting ourselves to the new possibilities technology offers in the sense of enhancing
and developing our creativity, something we will see in more details in other units of
the course.

As Information and Communications Technology (ICT) became much more

widespread, CALL activities or format has adopted Internet and web-based
tools to offer more possibilities in the language learning. The combination of both
tools is what Nicky Hockley calls TELL (Technology Enhanced Language
Learning) in the 1990s.

What is new about ICT in an English class?

Lots of teachers are not digital natives; they were not born nor grew up with
technology as an integral part of his/her daily life, unlike their students.

But this is not an excuse for not using ICT anymore.

How do we implement ICT tools in the classroom? Implementing doesn’t mean

having a computer in the classroom, nor having a room with computers in the premises
where to go and practice once in a while, but:

Using Internet and other ICT tools to create material, perform tasks and make students
participate in the learning process.

What is new about ICT in an English class?

Our active participation in its usage and its implementation into our teaching
planning.

UNIT 1 – Key ideas

 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

Technology doesn’t mean neither the tool to fill time in our lessons nor a source to
know about the world with no links to our classes anymore. Technology has become an
integral part in today’s schools and we need to be the catalysts to implement it in
the classroom.

Technology and teachers are not interchangeable but complementary. Both

play different roles in the teaching experience.

Why is applying technology in our teaching practice so important? On the one hand,
it is an essential tool for students’ and teachers’ feedback and assessment; on the other
hand, Internet provides with resources like authentic material for classroom use and
develops collaborative tasks.

In the next units we are going to study all these tools more thoroughly, not only what
they consist of but also and specially their practical use in your the ESL lessons.

UNIT 1 – Key ideas

 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

In Depth

Read

Read these interesting documents about the importance of ICTs in the world of
education.

“El impacto de la Sociedad de la Información en el mundo educativo

Essay about the impact of ICT tools in the world of education and the changes our
educational system has gone through to be updated.

The information is in the virtual classroom or in the following link:

http://www.peremarques.net/impacto.htm

Indicadores del uso de las TIC en Europa y en España en 2009 y

2010.Instituto de Tecnologías Educativas

Read this document about ICTs and its use in the European Union.

The information is in the virtual classroom or in the following link:

http://recursostic.educacion.es/blogs/europa/media/blogs/europa/informes/Indicadores_y_d
atos_de_las_TIC_en_la_%20Educacion_en_Europa_y_Espana_ITE_2009.pdf

UNIT 1 – In Depth
 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

Watch

Watch these interesting videos about the importance of ICTs in the world of education:

Gavin Dudeney Attitudes to Technology: Gavin Dudeney, author of How to

Teach with Technology talks about digital literacy and what it means to teachers.

The information is in the virtual classroom or in the following link:

http://youtu.be/we7nUJyK5MQ

ICT in Education: Possibilities and challenges by Martin Carnoy

The author raises some fundamental issues and questions whether ICT is suited to
transmit knowledge, particularly to students who are not already highly motivated to
learn or well versed in the art of using and interpreting information

The information is in the virtual classroom or in the following link:

https://www.uoc.edu/pdf/inaugural04/esp/carnoy1004.pdf

UNIT 1 – In Depth
 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

Nick Peachey’s Learning Technology Blog

Nick Peachey’s blogs teaches how to use and implement technology in our teaching
practice. Lots of tips, videos and up-to-date tools to develop teachers’ creativity.

http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/
http://www.scoop.it/t/learning-technology

UNIT 1 – In Depth
 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

Test

1. What’s the definition of digital native?

A. A person who has taken technology as a way of life.
B. A person who was born and is growing up with technology as an integral part of
his/her daily life.
C. A native speaker of English who uses the computer to learn English.

2. How do we implement ICT tools in the classroom?

A. Having a computer in the classroom.
B. Using Internet, and other ICT tools to create material, perform tasks and make
students participate in the learning process.
C. Having a room with computers in the premises where to go and practice once in
a while.

3. Are technology and teachers interchangeable?

A. Of course. Technology is a great resource for teachers’ stress and burn-out.
B. No, they are complementary. Both play different roles in the teaching
experience.
C. Depends on the age of the students and level of digital literacy.

4. Why is applying technology in our teaching practice so important?

A. Internet provides resources like authentic material for classroom use and
develops collaborative tasks.
B. It is an essential tool for students’ and teachers’ feedback and assessment.
C. Both are correct.

5. 3 main activities created by Word:

A. Drag and drop, dictation and collaborative writing.
B. Listening, creating forms and noticing activity.
C. Creating presentations, inserting images and links and dictation.

6. Traditional ICT tools are not used anymore in the classroom:

A. TRUE. Teachers’ do not know what they are as they are digital natives.

UNIT 1 – Test
 ICT Tools Applied to the Learning of English Language

B. FALSE. They are the basic tools we may use to provide confidence in the
learners and the previous step to more complex and sophisticated tools and
resources.
C. TRUE. Nobody uses Word Processors, movies or PowerPoint to enhance their
teaching tasks.

7. Video/movies can be used for:

A. Creating forms.
B. Information gap activity.
C. Split viewing.

8. As you read in the article, ICT combines telecommunications, computing and

broadcasting, and covers any product that will store, manipulate, transmit or receive
information electronically.
A. True.
B. False.

9. According to the article, ICT tools come in two categories:

A. Hardware and software.
B. Computer and Internet.
C. Input and output devices.

10. Moving material between applications (programs) is one of the particular skills you
need to be competent in.
A. True
B. False

UNIT 1 – Test