Relative Advantage of Technology in Language

Over the years, there has been a multitude of discussions about the advantages of technology use in the classrooms.  Overall, though technology can have a great impact on the teaching and learning that occurs within the classroom.  Especially in the area of language.

When the push for technology in the classrooms started, the technology was somewhat limited and most people used resources like the Internet for gathering information.  However, as devices became more powerful, a new emphasis has been placed on creating content.  This is where the true power of technology is in today's world.  Especially in language education.

Students are now able create their own multimedia and share it with the world.  Their media can take on the form of a picture book, movie, or poem using one of a multitude of free tools.  My experience with using these tools in class is that the students are more engage and interested in creating quality products that can be shared with the world.  More importantly though is that through the process of creating "students solidify and strengthen understanding through spending more time in investigation and idea revision" (Moss, 2014).  As an example, in grade two we have the students create movies exploring the weather cycle.  The students know that the videos are going up online.  This serves as a motivator for the students as they want to ensure that their information is correct and their ideas are presented clearly.

Aside from creating resources, of which there are plenty, to assist students with how they present information to an audience, there is a wealth of applications and services available to assist students with reviewing various different language concepts, many of which are free.  With access to a wide variety of different resources, it is essential that educators take advantage of them to help them create lessons and activities that are not only engaging for the students but help them to develop essential skills of a student in the 21st Century.


Reference:

Moss, J. (2014, November 24).  Students as creators [Web log].  Retrieved from https://iteachu.uaf.edu/2014/11/24/students-as-creators/