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Technology helped people become more independent, free, get access to the
latest innovations, forms of entertainment, customization but at the same time it
drastically modified the concepts related to self, privacy or sharing. Now we live in a
real and virtual world at the same time, we have become on and offline individuals
Multimedia tools and technology may bring uncertainty for some teachers or
they may be a world that provides endless growth possibilities for passionate, well
trained and creative individuals.
As a teacher I am lucky to have at least one students in each class who a
techno geek and is always willing to help setup the projector and the laptop, search
for the wireless connection at school, transform the format of a document so all the
digital skills that can be intimidating when it comes to incorporating technology into
teaching in the classroom may have a simple solution. I strongly believe that all the
students love to try new things, break out of the comfort zone and appreciate more
the teachers willing to take an extra step and offer them the possibility to do things
in an innovative and interactive way. Some may find technology a time waster but I
believe that it is the right tool to get students engaged and enthusiastic in the
learning and teaching process.
The learning process does not end when the school bell rings! There so many
things that can help us improve our students learning with the help of multimedia
tools and the internet that we do not realize. Being able to access information
anytime, anywhere to keep up to date with the latest news and information which
travel at the speed of sound, enjoy the freedom of speech and exchange of opinions
is a sign of democracy. The more we learn the more we are aware of what we need
to do. (page 108, 21)
Technology has its ups and downs and in order to have a well rounded society
a balance should be maintained when using these revolutionary communication
devices. Nowadays teachers have introduced new words when it comes to teaching
vocabulary, words that had been used by our students for a long time as they are
the ones that bring technology and digital devices at school. English words such as
upload, download, scan, print, folder, desktop, network are more than
simple words related to technology but terms that coexist both in English and
Romanian.
Teaching and technology illustrate the perfect match of the four CsCreativity, Communication, Collaboration and Critical Thinking. Multimedia is a life
tool which facilitates access for both teachers and students to receive training,
professional support or teaching or informational materials that would otherwise be
of data and so many possibilities that we can use at our fingertips. All these must
change the character of education into something better and more accessible.
However some fear that the use of the internet and technology overwhelms
man's capacity to process the information, concentrate and develop attention. Most
of the times teachers complain that the information on the net is too disorganized
or not connected to the school curriculum and that while students start to do their
research work online they also start to access irrelevant sites, chatting to friends
and they do not become productive. Students seem to have a passive attitude
related to reading or viewing online materials. Teachers do not want students to
interact with a computer, but with other people and that us the reason why we
need to design tasks I which the computer is the conduit and enabler of
communication, not he focus of it.(21, page 72).
The more we learn, the more we become aware of what we need to do. Most
multimedia course-ware mainly feature an image and animation of teaching
materials in order to cause audio and visual effect which lively displays the content
of textual materials and helps the students deeply understand the text. A problem
remains that displaying of the content of texts in a PPT course-ware cannot take the
place
of students' thinking
or English
communication
in simulated
circumstances...we need to encourage students to use their own mind and to peak
more actively, join in class practice. (2)
The internet allows teachers to help students get in control over their
learning process, enjoy education, communicate more and become informed
citizens via websites, educational blogs, RSS channels, all types of social media
(Twitter, Google, Facebook, E-Twinning, Youtube, Fklickr, Skype or social
bookmarking sites, or radio and television, or telephone not just offline sources
teachers, friends and family.
English serves as a medium or contact language for over 2 billion users
around the world, every day more and more persons include electronic
communication either to present or to take part in online and offline collaborations
in English. A international foreign language combined with computer skills is the key
to become an independent and autonomous person. E-learning comprises online
learning, blended learning and distance learning, it offers extra practice and great
possibilities to self study. Homework and projects can be sent via email or posted on
platforms, learners can exchange ideas using digital tools, whereas in the past they
would use home reading and writing based on books and printed documents and
the only oral presentations could take part in front of their colleagues.
Technology is here to stay. Students use their digital tools to exchange or
create information and this reflects today's society trend where learning is a
continuous interactive online experience in a collaborative environment. Digital
tools encourage self learning as well as collaborative learning and that is the reason
why we started to use concepts such as lifelong learning, socially networked
collaborative learning or open source education, virtual learning environment,
blended learning, cloud- based learning, pro- social entertainment,
experiential learning, empirical education or edutainment.
Novelty scares but practice makes perfect. Teachers need to understand that
technology can be a friend or a foe. Without training and practising what is learned
technology and multimedia tools are useless but when mixed with engagement,
involvement and desire for successful implementation it is the ingredient for
success.