Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age
The internet and mobile technology is a sea of information and activities making its’ use during lessons a little daunting, applying Lam and Hampel’s [2007: 71] model for online task development to enable the capabilities of technology to meet the demands of class learning objectives. The initial approach of the model is to scrutinize task design frameworks, for example, cognitive demands and interaction during the task in question. Finally can the task be carried out to improve communicative competence with a focus on meaning? Paulsen [cited in Kelson 2009] notes that “the effective use of online materials may provide positive spin-offs for learners much the same as if they were immersed in the language and culture while studying abroad”, further noting that students should be directed in the use of technology to aid language acquisition. Learners needs play an important role in technology choice inviting students to learn English through personal interest.
The two tables below are student technology surveys and are an excellent starting point for technology based EFL/ESOL lessons. The first table is a brief questionnaire about their mobile technology and internet use, the survey enable other activities listed below to be put into practice as it provides information about student access to the internet.
This second table asks students about the websites they use on the internet, the survey is ideal for use before web-based research projects offering me as a teacher an insight into how my students use the internet and what is of interest to them during my lessons.
[Both tables are taken from Language Learning with Technology – Ideas for integrating technology in the classroom]
Young learners and older students often have strong opinions about current affairs and world news, audio-voice forum websites allow them to share their ideas with others. Learners can listen to and record their opinion on interesting and up-to-date topics. A site ideal for this activity is Voxopop, (http://www.voxopop.com), engaging learners in discussion. Aisha Walker and Goodith White suggest a “blog of the week” WordPress is ideal for this exercise using the following link – http://wordpress.com/. I have used the site myself in the past, and had a lot of fun with my blog creation, [please see the link below]; http://starbite.wordpress.com. When vetted the internet can offer a wealth of materials for English language students. A useful tool in an interactive classroom is scrible.com, (please see below), which allows students and teachers to annotate online texts with highlighter and ‘virtual sticky notes’.
Students can also be encouraged to make ‘intercultural penfriends’, originally set up through the ‘Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections Program’. Students make penfriends in multi-language classes and stay in touch with them, even when they have left the school. This method is likely to be more valuable than instant messaging where messages are shorter and slang and colloquial English is common. E-mail correspondence is also something that can be used for communications between a student and teacher, sending mail and homework for error correction. This is a time efficient exercise for error correction and also allows the student to have a clear record of their mistakes.
Another useful way of having a clear record of students’ writing is through a social networking writing group. Students would all need to be members of the same social networking group, learners could be invited to join the group and it would be kept private so that only the group had access. Students first introduce themselves to the group and would later be asked to write a paragraph every week about something they’ve done during the week. During computer sessions students can be asked to share photographs of places that they have visited and share their sightseeing tips with their peers through the social networking group. Students also can have fun with a website called grammarman, the website allows students to revise various grammar points through comic strips.
Eyercize offers students an opportunity to build-up their reading speed with well written, graded texts online, a simple but friendly website that can be used during in-school computer lessons.
Bubblar [pictured below] was recommended to me by a peer and allows learners to create photo-stories by downloading pictures from Flickr and inserting speech bubbles to act as a narrative for the events unfolding in the story. As with the comic creators teachers can use error correction to aid student accuracy. All of these websites and their apps can be used independently on personal devices and in lessons on an interactive whiteboard for upbeat and technology enhanced lessons. Online Podcasts are ideal for listening exercises, offering authentic texts, training students with the English that they are likely to hear outside the classroom.
In the exercise below mindmapping software has been used to create a narrative using conditional forms. The finished version of the students’ narrative is a clear and error free piece of English, it makes exciting reading for other students, aiding fluency in reading during a light-hearted exercise. Creation of these mind-maps pushes students to use their cognitive skills resulting in deeper understanding of the materials used, [see task-based learning – 02.05.16].
[Language Learning with Technology – Ideas for integrating technology in the classroom]
Hauck, M. & Warnecke, S. (2012) Materials design in CALL: Social presence in online environments. In Thomas. M., Reinders, H., et al. (eds) Cotemporary Computer Assisted. Language Learning. London: Bloomsbury, Academic pp. 95 – 116.
Harwood, N. English Language Teaching Materials. Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Hockly, N. & Clandfied, L. Teaching Online – Tools and Techniques, options and opportunities. Surrey: DELTA Publishing 2010.
Motteram, G. (2011) Developing language-learning materials with technology. In: Tomlinson, B. (ed). Materials Development in Language Learning Teaching. (2nd ed Cambridge University Press. pp.303.327
Mindmapping software – Popplet (http://popplet.com) MindMeister (http://www.mindmeister.com) SpicyNodes (http://www.spicynodes.org).
Mishan, F. & Timmis, I (2015) Materials Development for TESOL. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (Chapter 5: Reconceptualising materials for the technical environment
Richards, J.C. & Renandya, W.A. (ed) Methodology in Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice.
Stanely, G. (2013) Language Learning with Technology: Ideas for Integrating Technology in the Classroom. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
Slaouti, D. (2013) Technology in ELT. In: McDonough, J., Shaw, C., et al. (eds) Materials and Methods in ELT: A Teacher’s Guide (3rd ed) Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. pp.79 – 105.
