My ICT Project
- 1. Creation of a Web Blog Dedicated to the Development of the Listening Comprehension Skill • Presenter: Giacomo Mederico • Subject: ICT in ELT - 2014 • Institution: Universidad Central de Venezuela
- 2. Introduction With the constant grow of technology and the huge influence of both technology, social media and ICT in fields such as music, medicine, politics, education, especially English teaching, which is not the exception. Education as a field has adapted many changes through the years, accepting different teaching styles and methodologies. Examples like WizIQ and Moodle platforms, the Duolingo app are the clear example of technology rightly applied in ELT. In the following paper, a web blog dedicated to the development and improving of the Listening Comprehension skill will be implemented in 7th grade students at the Instituto Jean Piaget in Caracas, Venezuela.
- 3. Reasons for the creation of the blog The application of ICT in schools in Venezuela is not very common, although it is used in college and universities nationwide. A reason for applying a Blog dedicated to the development and improving of the Listening Comprehension skill is to use material taken from songs, videos, movies and TV series that are likeable to students and that can be adapted to the needs of the students and of the institution. The purpose for implementing this Blog is to motivate both, teachers and students, to adapt ICT in their classes.
- 4. Other researches Similar researches about the use of blogs have been carried out, like for example the one carried out by Fahad Hamad Aljumah in 2012 called Saudi Learner Perceptions and Attitudes towards the Use of Blogs in Teaching English Writing Course for EFL Majors at Qassim University. Other research is the one carried by Grami Mohammad A. Grami in 2012 called Online Collaborative Writing for ESL Learners Using Blogs and Feedback Checklists which seek to “reports on the experience of seven Saudi female ESL students who worked collaboratively”
- 5. Other Blogs http://englishforteaching.blogspot.com/ this blog presents activities and resources that teachers can use and implement in their classrooms, activities like flashcards, games and puzzles. http://englishteachermargarita.blogspot.com/ this blog presents unit, class activities, evaluation and assessment activities that teachers and instructors can implement in their classes. The activities cover different skills like writing, grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening. http://www.englishblog.com/learning_english/#.U7IhU_mSxps this blogs provides with lessons and exercises to students or people who wants to learn English and also provides with activities for teachers to improve the teaching experience.
- 6. Participants Name of the institution: Instituto Jean Piaget. Location of the school: the school is located in los Guayabitos, Baruta municipality. The zone is considered as one of the most wanted zones to live here in the city of Caracas. Sector of the School: High School. Number of classrooms: 5 classrooms, from first year to fifth year. Number of students in 7th grade: 26 students. Accommodations of the classroom: the classrooms present a desk for the student, a desk with a chair for the professor, a blackboard, markers and an eraser. Others accommodations: an audio-visual room, with a video beam, a television and chairs for the students. A computer room with 30 computers with Windows 7 installed and speakers included.
- 7. Procedure The blog was created through the platform Blogger.com. This platform uploading of videos from Youtube, Daily Motion and other video uploaders. Also it permits to upload audio files from web pages such as Soundcloud or Podbean. The 7th grade students have 5 academic hours of English during the week (2 sessions of 2 academic hours on Tuesdays and Fridays and 1 session of one academic hour during Mondays). The professor will implement the blog during the one academic hour session in course with the unit that the professor is covering.
- 8. Results and Conclusion There were no results because of time constraints and also that the researcher had a pre-established class schedule in the school. However, the researcher predicts a high acceptance to the implementation of ICT in English classes because it’s something appealing and out of the ordinary for the students. We can say that with the current generation and trends, the use of technology will be highly accepted in classrooms in Venezuela. We could say that its implementation would be widely helpful both for teachers and his/her students in order to develop not only the listening comprehension skills required in class, but also how to take advantage of technological tools for their education in other areas beside English.
- 10. Presenter: Giacomo Mederico Email: [email protected]/[email protected] My blog: http://anictodyssey.blogspot.com/ My Wordpress: http://giacosclassroom.wordpress.com/ Twitter: @giacomederico