Multimedia

The Use of High Technologies in Teaching/Learning Languages

Today's classroom teachers must be prepared to provide technology-supported learning
opportunities for their students. Being prepared to use technology and knowing how that
technology can support student learning must become integral skills in every teacher's
professional repertoire1.
Teachers must be prepared to empower student's with the advantages technology can
bring. Schools and classrooms, both real and virtual, must have teachers who are equipped with
technology resources and skills and who can effectively teach the necessary subject matter
content while incorporating technology concepts and skills.
The following chart lists characteristics representing traditional approaches to learning
and corresponding strategies often associated with new learning environments for students.
These new learning environments should also be established in teacher preparation programmes

Establishing New Learning Environment

Incorporating New Strategies
Traditional Learning Environments...............New Learning Environments
Teacher -centered instruction.......................Student - centered instruction
Single-sense stimulation...............................Multisensory stimulation
Single-path progression................................Multipath progression
Single media.................................................Multimedia
Isolated work................................................Collaborative work
Information delivery......................................Information exchange
Passive learning...........................................Active/exploratory/inquiry-based learning
Factual, knowledge-based learning.............Critical thinking and informed decision-
making
Reactive response........................................Proactive/planned action
Isolated, artificial context..............................Authentic, real-world context
The new learning environments should prepare students to:
 Communicate using variety of media and formats
 Access and exchange information in a variety of ways
 Compile, organize, analyze, and synthesize information
 Draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information gathered
 Use information and select impropriate tools to solve problems
 Know the content and be able to locate additional information as
needed
 Become self-directed learners
 Collaborate ad cooperate in team efforts
 Interact with others in ethical and appropriate ways.
Teachers know that the wise use of technology can enrich learning environments and enable
students to achieve marketable skills. It is still critical that educators analyse the potential
benefits of technology for learning and employ it appropriately.
The primary goal of the I National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) project is to enable
learners for effective use of technology to support and develop education.

NETS Documents
Integrating Technology into T/L Process
 Technology Foundation Standards for Students
describes what students should know about technology and be able to do with technology. 2

1
National Educational Technology, Standards for Teachers, International Society for Technology in
Education, USA, 2003-2004
2
M. D. Roblyer, Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching, Third Edition, University of
Maryland, 2003
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  Standards for Using Technology in Learning and Teaching
describes how technology should be used throughout the curriculum for teaching, learning,
and instructional management.
 Educational Technology Support Standards
describes systems, access, staff development, and support services essential to support
effective use of technology.
 Standards for Student Assessment and Evaluation of Technology Use
describes various means of assessing student progress and evaluating the use of technology
in learning and teaching
The Technology Foundation Standards for Students contained in this document are the
first step in the NETS Project.
The technology foundation standards for students are divided into six broad categories.
Standards within each category are to be introduced, reinforced, and mastered by students.
These categories provide a framework for linking performance indicators found within the
Profiles for Technology Literate Students to the standards. Teachers can use these standards and
profiles as guidelines for planning technology-based activities in which students achieve success
in learning, communication, and life skills.

Technology Foundation Standards for Students

1.Basic operations and concepts
 Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of
technology systems.
 Students are proficient in the use of technology.
2.Social, ethical, and human issues
 Students understand the ethical, cultural, and social issues related to technology.
 Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
 Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong
learning, collaboration, personal pur s ui t and productivity.
3.Technology productivity tools
 Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity and promote
creativity.
 Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced
models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works.
4. Technology communications tools
 Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers,
experts, and other audiences.
 Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas
effectively to multiple audiences.
5. Technology research tools
 Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of
sources.
 Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
 Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations
based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
 Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed
decisions.
 Students employ technology in the development of strategies for so problems in the
real world.

Issues and Problems Related to Technology

in Language Arts Instruction
Educators interested in adopting computers and other forms of advanced technology as
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tools for language arts teaching and learning face a number of problems, only some of which are
specific to the focus of their instruction.
Keyboarding instruction.
Without question, the most common application of technology in the language arts is
writing. To date, the most common way to write using computer has required input through a
keyboard. This has the issue of whether keyboarding instruction should prerequisite to the use
of computers for writing. Those in favour argue that students will learn bad habits if they use
keyboard without proper training.
Those against requiring keyboarding instruction as a prerequisite argue that too much
student time and computer resources are spent on getting kids trained to type quickly, that
students need only basic keyboard familiarization, and that keyboarding instruction will likely
be a waste of time unless students have real-world applications in which to use computer.
Tachers have rightly seen that students with more refined keyboarding skills are often able
to integrate the technology into their academic lives more completely and effectively.
Reading on the computer versus reading from print.
Computers are not originally designed for reading, and it has taken technology a long time
to produce text on the screen that is easily readable. Even today with high-resolution text and
graphics, reading from a computer monitor is still more
awkward than reading from print on paper. onetheless, hundreds of thousands of electronic texts
are available to teachers and students, many of them freely accessible to anyone with an Internet
connection.
The is why would anyone want to read documents in electronic form (as opposed to printing
them out or just buying the book)?
 What are the advantages of reading electronic text as opposed to traditional print?
 And if we move to reading electronic text, does that mean death to our traditional
reading materials and textbooks?
Anderson-Inman and Horney (1998) have proposed seven features of electronic text that
distinguish it from traditional print and make it useful to teachers engaged in literacy
instruction. They argue that because electronic text is malleable, it can be modified, enhanced,
programmed, and linked in ways that support instruction in reading and promote improved
comprehension by students reading independently. Furthermore, because electronic text can be
more quickly searched than paper-based text, it can be a tool for studying language patterns or
observing change in character and theme over time.
Finally, because electronic text can be shared over long distances instantaneously, it
lends itself to collaborative endeavors and cross-culture communication. Features such as these
make electronic books and documents extremely useful for studying, as opposed to simply
reading. And it is this distinction that is increasingly capturing the attention of language arts
teachers.
The debate over electronic versus paper-based text is being resolved as teachers see
advantages to both formats and seek to capitalize on the strengths of each when teaching
students to read effectively and meaningfully.
Media literacy as opposed to print literacy
To be able to live and work in a world that increasingly operates in a variety of media
formats, students need to be media literate, not just print literate.
To be media literate, students need to be able to locate, access, analyze, evaluate,
manipulate, and communicate information effectively in a variety of formats. This includes
knowing how to find appropriate electronic information sources to be incorporated into their
research products and presentations, as well as the ability to access and use information stored
in a variety of formats including CD-ROM, still and moving images, text, sound, and print.
Understandably, this selection requires critical thinking and informed decision-making
skills. Skill in the use of various media can support to integrate information into meaningful
learning experiences, projects and presentations.

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 Computer-Based Cooperative Learning
Computer assistance can alleviate some of the logistical obstacles to using cooperative
learning methods, particularly the tasks of managing information, allocating different individual
responsibilities, presenting and monitoring instructional material, analyzing learner responses,
administering tests, and scoring and providing remediation for those tests.
Mentioned earlier was the critical problem of ensuring that learners recognize their
interdependence. Some software programmes rcel out different information to different
individuals so that they have to constantly check with each other and pool their information to
make good decisions. Other programmes provide information or give feedback only in displays
that are flashed for a limited period of time. Group members are forced to delegate re-
sponsibility for watching for certain kinds of messages if they are to succeed. Each member has
something different and essential to contribute to the group deliberations.
Group-oriented programmes of this sort can also deal with the logistical problems of
assisting a number of groups simultaneously, as is necessary in the single-computer classroom.
The software manages a rotation of the teams so that there is little time lost waiting in line.

Distance Education
Distance education is a rapidly developing approach to instruction worldwide. The
approach has been widely used by business, industrial, and medical organizations. For many
years doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, engineers, and lawyers have used it to continue their
professional education. These individuals are often too busy to participate in classroom-based
education. Recently, academic institutions have been using distance education to reach a more
diverse and geographically dispersed audience who do not have access to traditional classroom
instruction.
The distinguishing characteristic of distance education is the separation of the
instructional team and student(s) during the learning process. As a consequence, the course
content must be delivered by instructional media. The media may be primarily print (books and
paper-and pencil tests), as in traditional correspondence courses.
Or, it might involve a variety of media, including audio-cassettes, videotapes,
videodiscs, and computer courseware sent to individual students. In addition, radio, broadcast
television, and teleconferences are utilized for "live" distance education. The latter allows for
real-time interactive instruction between instructor and students. Computer conferencing
enables "conversations" among students who log on at different times and different locations to
exchange messages. In addition there are chat rooms, bulletin boards to support distance
learning. Computer networks and online , courses can be used for distance education.

Didactic Functions of Computer Technology

This is referred to be the possible manifestation of the application of different instructional
means in language teaching/learning process, for specific purposes. It covers:
 Multimedia-requires the equipment of the teaching/learning process with different
means and effects (motion, pictures, colours, sound, etc.).
 Coordination and systematization of the activities of the learners, teachers, educators,
teacher-trainers of schools and other educational institutions within the same area and
even without. Cooperative learning increases the learners' motivation, independence,
autonomy, self-confidence and responsibility.
 Organization of the available network of distance education.
 Use of digital technologies for teacher-training courses.
 Formation and development of the learners habits and skills for communication on the
one hand, and skills for expressing their thoughts and ideas more logically and
concisely, on the other.
 Organization of real scientific activities.
 Formation and development of the learners skills-to get, to compile, to organize, to class
ify, to store, to share and exchange information through the technology.
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  Creation of natural language communication environment through broadcasting
international conferences, joint projects. These stimulate the development of
communicative-language competence of the learners.
 Formation and development of international and intercultural relations, which spur the
humanistic education of th learners and their intercultural competence as well.
 Integration of verbal and visual ways of thinking.
 Realization of different variations of feedback.

Use of the Internet in Language Teaching/Learning Process

Internet is the virtual reflection of the real world. It implements several definite
pedagogical and educational functions in the process of t/l languages.

Pedagogical functions of the Internet

Internet serves as a means of:
 communication with the whole world
 receiving information
 using data-bases of different web-pages of variety organizations and personalities
 designing projects with different students of schools and other educational
institutions within the same area and even without
 It provides an opportunity of distance education, that is to become a student of this or
that higher school, reagardless the geographical areas of the learners.

Educational functions of the Internet

Internet provides:
1. Broadcasting services - these include advertisments, electronic newspapers, journals,
electronic libraries. These serve as classified data bases of knowledge and are in touch
with the reader.
The teacher can book through the internet:
 electronic books, course-books, newspapers, journals,
methodological material, dictionaries
 instructional material and other digital programmes
 electronic libraries, data-bases, information systems.
2. Interactive services - these include dialogues, contacts, communication which increase
the effectiveness of language teaching/learning process.
Among electronic services the electronic post is of utmost significance, it enables to:
 receive and send electronic letters and massages within a few minutes,
 receive and send material of broadcasting meetings and conferences,
 receive information service which can be either charge-free or one of
requiring payment,
 receive advertisment service from different organizations and
individuals.
Electronic conferences - These can be both simultaneous and none-simultaneous.
Simultaneous conferances serve as one of the most important didactic functions of the
internet (free dialogues, dicussions-Talk City, Web-chat systems).
None - simultaneous broadcasting conferances provide opportunities to exchange
information in written form.
Unlike ordinary conferences, none -simultaneous broadcasting conferances keep and store the
whole material, which allows to touch upon previous thoughts and ideas from time to time, if
needed.
3. Quest services (áñáÝáÕ³Ï³Ý Í³é³ÛáõÃÛáõÝÝ»ñ) - Internet is an ocean of
information.There exist several quest systems which allow students to search for any kind of
information, document, web-pages, people and so on.
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How can teachers enjoy the advantages of the Internet?
Based on the collosal volume of the information provided by the internet, teachers can
 progress their professionalism
 continue their education through the distance learning
 receive all normative documents regarded to the educational system
 receive information about new pedagogical technologies
 receive information concerning the congresses, workshops, conferences contests, grants
(¹ñ³Ù³ßÝáñÑ) and send their claims (ѳÛï), reports, articles,
 publish articles or reports
 keep contacts with colleagues and co-thinkers who live in different parts of the world
 search for, find out, book or buy the appropriate literature, if needed
 search for information of any kind and subject.
Internet is a unique world of endless information, possibilities and entertainments.

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 Supplement
TV, DVD and Video
This is the obvious way of using visual equipment: Sit students in front of the TV3. Switch it on.
Let them watch the programme through. This is the classic 'lazy' teacher's lesson. It works fine, and
most teachers who have access to the equipment will have done this at some time. But there must be
more to video than this! By simply playing around with this basic scenario a little, we can create some
excellent lessons.
There are a lot of good video courses published, with accompanying materials. An increasing
number of recordings are integrated with coursebooks and have a wide range of aims and activities.
However, you can do a great deal with things you record yourself - TV news, advertisements, pop
songs, etc. - even if the language used is not English
When we use video in class, we try to keep hold of a few basic guidelines. These may sound
simple, but they often make the difference between a slick video lesson and technomuddle;
 Keep it short.
 Exploit the material.
 Switch the TV off when the students don't need to look at it.
 If possible, find your place before the lesson.
 Don't only use video to extract language for study.
Video can be a great starting point for communicative activities, too, for writing or for
introducing discussion topic areas.
Video is simply another classroom tool; it doesn't do the teaching for you. It's not too
hard to extract 30 to 60 minutes' work out of a three-minute recording, and that may be a lot
more use than putting a one-hour recording on and just letting it run all the way through while
the students quietly nod off.
Video in class
In order to exploit video recordings, we need to consider what there is to exploit.
Commentary:
A video has:
 sound;
 moving pictures (The pictures give context to the sounds we hear. We can see facial
expressions, eye contact, physical relationships, background, etc.);
 a 'rewind' button: we can replay these images again and again;
 a 'pause' button: we can freeze-frame images, stopping the action at any point;
 a volume control; we can turn the sound off, or make it quiet or very loud;
If we also have a video camera, there are even more possibilities (for making
programmes, recording students speaking in activities, etc.).
 You can accurately jump to a specific moment.
 You can replay small sections with precision.
 You can have subtitles in English - or any included language - on screen.
 There is a much clearer fast-play or fast-rewind facility, allowing you to watch the
images while you wind.
 You can also pause a single image more clearly.
 Many discs have isolated sound cues and music available (i.e. for use without
watching the film).
Using Video and DVD in Class
We can divide video playback activities into three general categories:
1. Preview: what you do before you watch a section of recording;
2. Viewing: what you do while you watch;
3. Follow-up: what you do after watching.
1. Preview activities
Here are four typical preview activities:
3
Jim Scrivener, Learning Teaching, Macmillan Books for Teachers, 2007, p. 350-360

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  A language focus on lexis, function or grammar that will come up on the recording
 Students predict what will happen from some given information or pictures
 Students discuss a topic that leads into or is connected with the subject on the recording
 Students study a worksheet that they will use when watching the recording.
The whole of the previous lesson (or week) could itself be a sort of preview task leading up to the
recording. For example, if a particular function is being studied, the students might already have
spent a lesson or two working with it and now view the recording to expand their knowledge of it.
2. Viewing Activities
As with audio recordings, it usually helps to set clear viewing tasks and to follow similar
procedures. Tasks might be in the form of oral instructions or in the form of a worksheet, or they
might be a natural follow-on from the preview activities. You may want to play the recording
through many times. Tasks can be listening, looking or interpreting; for example,
 Why are they so keen to get into the museum after it's closed? or
 What seven things does the man do after leaving the gondola? or
 How does the shop assistant feel? or
 What will they do next?
The tasks can focus specifically on function, grammar, lexis or pronunciation;
e.g.,
 How many ways do the couple ask for help?
 Which of the following verbs does he use?
 What is on the shelf?' 'Is she being polite or rude?
The answers to many of these questions will involve active interpretation of the visual as well as the
audio messages. Focusing on gestures, facial expressions, body language, etc. is especially useful
when studying functional language.
3. Follow-up Activities
There are many activities that you can do after viewing; here are just a few ideas.
 Discussion, interpretation, personalisation, e.g.
o What would you have done? or
o Has this ever happened to you?;
 Study of new language;
 Role-play the scene (or its continuation);
 Inspiration for other work:
 What did the newspaper/Hello magazine say the next day?
 Design the front page;
 Write a letter from one character to another;
 Plan what they should do next.
Advantages
Most of the ideas above apply equally to DVD and video. Here are a few DVD-specific
suggestions.
 Play through a section of an unknown film at 8x or 16x speed. Ask students to watch and try
to work out what is happening. When finished, groups can compare and argue. Maybe the
class as a whole could then try to reach a consensus, after which everyone can watch the film
at normal speed and check.
 Watch an one- or two-minute clip a number of times with the sound down and English
subtitles. Ask students to first copy these subtitles. Replay it often enough for them to do
this. When all have the text (and have checked it), ask them to work in pairs to decide what
the subtitles would be in their own language. When they have finished writing and have
compared (and acted out their versions?), they can, of course, watch the DVD with subtitles
in their language and see how close they got.
 Choose an one- or two-minute clip no one is familiar with, perhaps of a very visually
dramatic or humorous moment. Cover up the top three-quarters of the screen. Switch on
English subtitles. Play the clip. Ask learners to sketch what they think is happening on
screen. When finished, they compare, and at the end get to see what is really on screen.
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 Games
The terms game, simulation, and simulation game are often used interchangeably. But
because these terms have different meanings, we will discuss them separately here. A game is
an activity in which participants follow prescribed rules that differ from those of real life as
they strive to attain a challenging goal.
The distinction between play and reality is what makes games entertaining. Most people
seem to enjoy setting aside the logical rules of everyday life occasionally and entering an
artificial environment with different dynamics. For example, in chess the markers each have
arbitrarily different movement patterns based roughly on the military potentials of certain
societal roles in some ancient time. Players capture each other's markers by observing elaborate
rules of play rather than simply reaching across the board to grab the marker.
Some instructional games are designed to encourage players to decide among
themselves what criteria to apply in determining success.
Games can incorporate the common features of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism,
and social psychology. Students enjoy actively participating in games. Games provide the opportunity
to practice content, e.g., math facts, vocabulary, and problem-solving skills.
Individual differences arc accommodated, particularly in team games. Students receive
feedback based on the consequences of their actions, answers, and decisions. Games do not
necessarily take place in realistic contexts. There is no real-world counterpart to tic tac-toe or bingo.
Games based on realistic contexts are called simulation games. Most games provide social
interactivity. The exception is solitare-type games in which players compete against themselves or
prescribed standards and do not interact with other players or team members. Games may be paper-
based or computer-based.

Advantages
 Attractive.
Games provide attractive frameworks for learning activities. They are attractive because they
are fun! Children and adults alike tend to react positively to an invitation to play.
 Novel.
As a departure from normal classroom routine, games arouse interest because of their novelty.
 Atmosphere.
The pleasant, relaxed atmosphere fostered by games can be especially helpful for those (such
as low achievers) who avoid other types of structured learning activities.
 Time on task.
Games can keep learners interested in repetitious tasks, such as memorizing multiplication
tables. What would otherwise be tedious drill becomes fun.