Using Technology to Provide Feedback

Week 14: How to Use Technology to Provide Feedback

Rate: 5
All the article called my atention, every single part, word, and idea. It provide us ideas how to use technology in order to provide feedback to our studens, and as in this subjetc our teacher is sending us feedback using a tool in which she can give us a feedback while she is recording the screen of her computer, and also recording her voice, checking our projects and showing us the rubric, so is a really good way to give feedback in a really just grade.

Using technology to record the feedback from your computer is a really good idea for teachers to not just check and make some corrections on the students project, but you can also explain which the mistake is and then student is going to know why did we correct those mistakes. However, there is a tool that we can use, but it you have to pay for it, but it is a really nice tool, we could record the screen and also record the audio. On the other hand, there are numerous of free applications that we can use at not cost.

In my case, I am teaching to a group of 8 students on saturdays, and sometimes they have to send to my e-mail some works, I would like to use this tool to provide them feedback, and save some time for them without been reading all the corrections, it would be easy for them to understand in that way.

Benefits of Project Work

Week 13: Educational Leadership Giving Students Meaningful Work: Seven Essentials for Project Based Learning.- Maximizing theBenefitsof ProjectWork inForeign Language Classrooms

Rate: 2

One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life. It is an in-depth investigation of a real world topic worthy of student's attention and effort. the advantages of project work is that it makes school more real when students complete their education and head to the workplace, they will be expected to work with their colleagues, tackle problems, and organize and present their ideas. They must also be able to manage projects and complete them on time. As the article mentioned the idea of the project work is that it should have a purpose for real life, because whenever students have a assessment they will be putting attention on that project just because it will be include in the exam or will be use for the next classes.

Project work is more meaningful when students are aware that they will have real audience, because they will prepare better their projects, their materials, and themselves in order to get possitive feedback from the teachers, and envolve themselves in a possitive way in front of the audience, because, the project works promotes critical thinking, memory and creativity; students will be more prepared for the presentations that they could have in front of real audience.

Students Participating in Classes Discussions.

Week 12: 10 Benefits of Getting Students to Participate in Classroom Discussions
Increase Students Interaction with “Think Pair Share” and “Circle Chats”

When students are talking with each other about content, most of us worry, at least a little bit. We have all heard less than impressive exchanges. For example, four students are in a group discussing three open ended questions about two challenging readings. It’s less than five minutes since they started, but they are already on question three. Or, they are working with clickers, supposedly exchanging ideas about a problem, but the group has already decided on one member’s solution. She just happens to be a student who regularly answers in class and is almost always right. Sometimes the ideas to make students participate are not aplied in a correct way, instructions might not be clear, teacher might have to explain twice the information, and other difficulties are some problems that we might present. We have to be careful at that moment, but it is something that we could manage. 

When students are discussing content, teachers tend to feel powerless. If a good, open ended, provocative question or challenging problem does not raise the caliber of the exchange, is there anything that will? We can prowl around the classroom and maybe ask a few pointed questions, but it still feels like the content is up for grabs. But, we should not feel that student interaction is beyond our control. In this case, teacher actions influenced how students talked about the content, and a simple design decision set parameters that reshaped the discussion of answers.

Participation is, indeed the technique to use in the college classroom. Let the students speak. Both you and they will discover what they should know and how much pleasure that discovery will produce.

Using Mobile Phones in the Second Language Learning Process

Week: 11: Twenty Ideas for Using Mobile Phones in the Language Classroom

Rate: 4

Mobile phones are a really useful tool in the teaching of a second language process that are relativity cheap and increansingly poweful. The Article presents some ideas for putting into practice this tool. However, if we, as teachers, want to apply this method we have to take in consideration different aspects. We have to identify a specific teaching objective, and look for some activities that we can develop with our students. Even if we have to be careful with the use of mobile phones in the classroom, thoose devices provide different activities in which they could be applied. 

There are some possitive reassons to use mobile phones. Mobile phones allow us to use social networks as tools to facilitate authentic and relevant communication and collaboration among learners. They also can have the control over their own knowledge, controlling the medium by elaborating how best to use the medium, and they already know how to use some tools on their devices. Nevertheless, as the use of cellphones has possitive aspects it has some problems, like lack of access to mobile phones. the cost of mobile phones and wireless connection, noise in classes, ect. But in my case, I would use that method in my classes.

I would like to apply 2 ideas on my teaching process: 1- I would like to apply the idea number 8, exchange messages with a person to another country that is learning Spanish for example, and my students may help them with the learning of our language, and they can help to my students with English. Is obviously that I would have to look for a coleague outside the country to organize a project like thisone, but I would like to do it. 2- Using the mobile phone for microbloging on Twitter. (Idea 11) Asking my students to share a tweet in which they could tag my user, explaining a situation that they may be doing. In that way they may practice their writting skills, and they will be practicing outside the classroom. 

Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition.

Week 9: Using Technology to Assist in Vocabulary Acquisition and Reading Comprehension 

Online English-English Learner Dictionaries Boost Word Learning 

Rate: 4

Something that caught my attention ad I want to share about the articles is the importance of vocabulary and the connection with the reading comprehension. Is well known that multimedia and the effects of multimedia software's has relationship between the acquisition of vocabulary development and reading comprehension. As teachers we can take in consideration some principles aspects related to the use of CALL in vocabulary and reading development. First, we as teachers should pay more attention to the existence of various teaching tools. Second, we should introduce multimedia-glossed texts into the vocabulary/reading class. Third, as teachers we should be acquainted with the criteria for software and courseware evaluation. Finally, we should keep up with current methodology and make best use of visuals and multimedia.

Also, there is information about diferent types of dictionaries, and the article provide information about the one that is better for the students that is corpus based dictionaries, that are different to the ones of general use, because the last one is focused for native speakers, and not for foreing language learners. 

Writting Practice Using the Internet

week 8: Process Writing and the Internet: Blogs and Ning Networks in the Classroom; Online Collaborative Writing Using Wikis

Rate: 3

With the use of Internet we as teachers can teach how to practice writting skills creating essays, blogs, etc. To students might practice writting skills by their own without a teacher's feedback, and with help of their classmates, that might help them to notice some mistakes, and thanks to that students can improve their writting skill with some time and practice, students will be on their way to practicing, evaluating and improving their writing.

Some options in which we as teacher can implement that method would be ask to students to write a personalized storybooks for children. Provide them readings for them to read and analyze and ask them to publish on a website or blog their analysis about the reader, the other students have to look for their classmates websites or blogs and read their information, make suggestions etc. Interactive stories, written by their readers: The students read the story page by page. At the end of each page there are two choices for what to do next. When the students reach the end of the part that the readers before them have written, they can create the next page of the story. Those are some options that I would apply on my classes with my students.

Week 7: Using Internet as a Tool to Teach Reading and Writing Skills

Using the Internet in ESL Writing Instruction
L Journal Using Internet­Based Children's Literature to Teach EFL 

Rate: 3

Internet has become an important tool in the teaching process, many english teachers recognize the potential of the Internet for long-distance communication, it enables english learners to communicate with others across the globe. However, many teachers fail to realize that the Internet can be of great benefit not only for long distance exchanges but also for linking students in a single classroom. For instance: when we ask to students to create a writing task by themselves, and then send it to us by email and we can check it and send it back to them, they will be able to practice that skill of the new language that they are acquiring. Three types of electronic communication are possible within a single class: teacher student communication, out of class electronic discussion, and in-class, real time electronic discussion. 

The development of the Internet brought about a revolution in the teachers' perspective, as the teaching tools offered through the net were gradually becoming more reliable. Nowadays, the Internet is gaining immense popularity in foreign language teaching and more and more educators and learners are including it in their classes, obviously we as teachers have to include it on our syllabus, to let know to students  when they are going to use it, as well as the other technological materials.

Using internet as a tool to teach reading and writing skills  we can be able to teach different courses like English Composition,reading and conversation courses, etc. We can be able to ask our students to look for information, write about different topics and send us that information to our emails for we to check it and provide them a feedback. It is can help them to improve and develop their writing and reading skills. We just have to look for a way in which we can apply that tool in our classes, and make sure that our students are going to achieve the purpose of the implementation of this pedagogical technique.

Implementation of CALL in Second Language Acquisition Process
Week 6: The Emplloyment of CALL iin Teachiing Second/Foreiign Language Speakiing Skiilllls; Using Original Video and Sound Effects to Teach English

Rate: 4

Something that I like from both articles is that it provides information about the implementation of technology in the teaching process. There are several tools that we, as teachers, can use in the teaching and learning process, especially in our field: the second language teaching. As both articles suggest we can use different techniques to teach the different English skills. It provides information about how mechanical exercises might not generate interest on students as much as we expect, like the traditional exercises "fill in the blank, true/false, etc." and an effective lesson does not necessarily require expensive high tech materials, we as teachers just need keep the attention of our students, engages them on the classes topics and teach them the language in a real context. Internet, software’s, videos, audios can help us to keep them motivated and enthusiastic as learners. Both articles try to motivate teachers to implement the use of technology in order to create lessons and make students practice. However, this practice may have disadvantages for the learners, such as do not have the same access to Internet to interact with native speakers, or also for practice with a software provided by the teacher.

I would like to apply an activity in the classroom with my students, present videos in my class, to engage them on the topic is a different way to teach them something, and they may feel different and interested on the topics. It could work for encounter activities, or clarify or whichever stage. Is a really useful technique, and it could be applied to teach different skills.

As teachers we have to look for different, funny, and effective ways to keep motivated our students, and makes them learn.

Motivating Students to Learn Using Technology

Week 5: Critical Thinking and Technology

Rate: 5

As teachers we have to make our students feel interrested, intrigated and fascinated in our classes topic; we have to make them feel interrested on the classes, make them look for more and more information about it, asking themselves questions about the topics, not just dictate the content to them, but also makes them understand, analyze, synthesize, evaluate evidence. As teachers we must teach them the logics of our disciplinesand not just dictate information to them.

We have to take in consideration that technology, specially computers, can be an useful tool for teachers to develop the classes, and engage our students in the classes. As the article suggest, and as we know, there are different kind of learners, and technology give us the opportunity to look for different methods to teach to each one, and get the best results in their minds. Computers give us the chance to create and look for materials that que can apply to each kind of learners, depending on their best leaning area.

As a teacher I would like to engage my students on the classes topics using technology, computers in this case, involving them with presentations, keeping their attentions with images. I would apply visual representations of auditory information, to make items appear while the name of an object or something like that is appearing on a powerpoint presentation just for them to clarify and connect the meaning. As teachers we have to keep in mind that technologys are not just to help students to understand better the topics, or just for them to practice, it also help us to look for different ways to teach and achieve the purpose of our classes.

Internet as a Teaching Tool

Week 4: CALL Me … Maybe: A Framework for Integrating the Internet into ELT

Rate: 4

There is an already recognized the fact that the need for educational experiences is rapidly growing, the development of technology is rapidly changing, and it has become an important tool for a lot of activities, and the teaching and learning process is not the exception. Is well known that Internet technology allow teachers and students keep up with their minds, and it has different ways and methods to help students to understand and to practice all the new information, and also provides different ways to teachers to achieve the purpose of the class, and look for activities for the correct development of the class. It lett hem try their ideas as soon as they come up with them. Similarly, the Internet provides learning, teaching and research which involve interactions, either with students, teachers, the environment, or the learning material.


Unfortunately not all the students and institutions have the same opportunity to access to Internet, they may have a limited access to the Internet, but in that case teachers still have options to facilitate learning. Specifically, the Internet contains resources that in limited-access contexts can be retained, then exploited further. This section discusses types of content available and how to select, save, and use it.


We as students are using the Internet as a tool to interact with our classmates, and also with our professor, sharing our different points of view about different topics related to the implementation of ITC's in the teaching process. We know the process, we know how it can work, and we know that it works for us. Taking in consideration that part, we can apply this tool in our practice, keeping on mind the positive and negative effects.

Implementation of Boadcast in the Teaching and Learning Process

Week 3: Blending technologies in ESL courses: A reflexive enquiry; Integrating CALL into the classroom: the role of podcasting in an ESL listening strategies course

Rate: 4

There are different skills that teacher wants to develop with their students, and this article is focused on the listening skill, providing information about the implementation of boadcasts during the lessons, providing the best examples of how it can work. Information on the article suggest that the implementation of boadcast in the learning and teaching process may provide different benefits for students, such as: Exposure to spoken language and a multitude of characteristics; A range of resources, including both purpose-built and authentic materials; Exposure to the culture of the areas where the target language is spoken; An engaging set of materials that could be tailored to an adequate length. As a matter of fact, this pedagogical method allows to take students envolved in classes topic, providing them a different way to develop their listening skills. However, the studies show that students do not take in consideration the way in which the ITC's tools are involved on classes, they sometimes feels indiferent in the practice with technologies to put into practice the lessons or look for information, using softwares to practice or just for study the classes.

There are some hidrances to technology integration, those are the principal aspects that make difficult this process. For instance; insufficient time, lack of relevant, institution development, lack of on-site technology support, inadequate or no access to necessary hardware or software, and receiving few rewards for efforts. Those hidrances are the ones that makes difficult the implementation of that technique. Even thougt it can be monitoriated by teachers on lessons class, to help students to keep themselves motivated and concentrated on topics.

Effectiveness of the Integration of ICT Tools and Activities to Foster Awareness as the First Stage to Reach Learning Autonomy

Week 2: Educational Technology

Rate: 4 

Something that I would like to remember about this article is the importance of the autonomy method in the teaching and learning process. As the article explains, autonomy is the capacity of the students to think and make a critical reflection and analysis about a specific topics by themselves. Students who analyze the topics by themselves and make reflection about that, and they become autonomous.

To follow that method teachers play an important role, they have to be the guide to the students providing to them the activities that they can follow to develop the reflections skills and the critical analysis, to get them focus, and they may become concern about the their weakness and  their strengths, so they can be autocratic about themselves. Teachers can use ITC’s tools to achieve that purpose.  At the same time, learners need to reflect on their practices as well as their management of technologies and sources, in that case the role of the teacher is then critical in order to offer accompaniment, support and preparation.

As a future teacher, I would like to make my students autonomous as learners, providing them different activities as the one that we are developing in this class, I would like to provide them different text with specific information, or in content based class, in which they can learn something different and they can analyze all the information and give their own opinion about the readings, trying to make them autonomous.

Instructional Technology

 Computers and language learning: An overview 

Week I: The Implementation of Technology in the Teaching Process

 Fernando Canales 

Rate: 4

The reading for this week explains the implementation of technology in the classrooms becoming an important tool in the teaching process of a language. The article explains the benefits that computers and the Internet can provide to students in the learning process of a foreing language, and the important role that teachers has in the teaching process. 

The article explains different points about the implementations of computer programs and the possible benefits to put into practice that pedagogical technique. It mentions that use a computer program in the teaching process of a language using different software’s that are useful tools for teachers and students to teach and learn language skills in a different and funny way. However, as it could have benefits, the article explains that could be a problem for students in order to get distracted at the moment of being working in the computer, for that reason the idea was rejected, because another idea, the idea of communicative call was better, in which students could be working in groups or pairs, reading an article or just speaking they can find relationship between topics, and it is better for them, in contrast to be practicing with a machine with a robotic language. 

There are different ways in which I would apply technology on my classes, one possibility could be the use of a software to teach grammar structures or conjugations, playing a memory game, in which students could find the words that form a correct structure for a sentence; using a projector, and a computer.