Applying Learning Technologies to Foreign Language Teaching Attilio - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Applying Learning Technologies to Foreign Language Teaching

• ERASMUS+ K2 “Preventing Early School Leaving”

Attilio Galimberti – Local Education Authority - Milan, 20th November 2017

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How can we improve education?

European Commission, 2012 ‘Rethinking Education: Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes’

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52012DC0669&from=EN

Rethinking Education

(page 4)

Literacy, numeracy, basic maths and science are key foundations for further learning … and are a gateway to employment and social inclusion. These skills are nonetheless being redefined by the on-going digital revolution, as new forms of reading and writing and the diversity of information sources are changing their very nature

Key Issue 1

(page 4)

Across the EU, reforms have ... created teacher networks and continuing professional development, and stepped up action to improve digital and media

• literacy. Nevertheless, underperformance

remains and addressing low achievement is now urgent

Key Issue 2

(page 4)

In a world of international exchanges, the ability to speak foreign languages is a factor for competitiveness. Languages are more and more important to increase levels of employability and mobility of young people, and poor language skills are a major obstacle to free movement of workers.

Key Issue 3

(page 5)

Faster reform is needed by Member States, based on new methodologies and technologies for teaching both the first and second foreign languages, with a view to reaching the target defined by Heads of State of 'mother tongue plus two'

Key Issue 4

(page 9)

Technology offers unprecedented

• pportunities to improve quality, access

and equity in education and training. It is a key lever for more effective learning and to reducing barriers to education, in particular social barriers. Individuals can learn anywhere, at any time, following flexible and individualised pathways.

Key Issue 5

(page 9)

Digital learning and recent trends in Open Educational Resources (OER) are enabling fundamental changes in the education world... New ways of learning, characterised by personalisation, engagement, use of digital media, collaboration, bottom-up practices and where the learner or teacher is a creator of learning content are emerging, facilitated by the exponential growth in OER available via the internet…

Key Issue 6a

(page 9)

Europe should exploit the potential of OER much more than is currently the case. In order to maximize the potential of ICT in language teaching, it is crucial that it is used in a pedagogically sound way that corresponds to the individual needs of the learners.

Key Issue 6b

(page 2)

Early school leaving remains at

unacceptable levels in too many Member States.

Key Issue 7

2

Can learning technologies tackle early school leaving?

Some causes of early school leaving

• Low self-esteem
• Social problems
• Large classes
• Too many distractions in the

classroom (disruptive students)

• Too many lectures
• No personalized learning

Personalised learning?!?

Hard to implement because:

• each teacher has too many students to

care for (between 130 and 160)

• impossible to provide each student

with “one-to-one tuition”

• families can’t or don’t want to be

involved in their children’s learning path

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL!

What are OERs?

Open Educational Resources are any type of educational materials that are in the public domain or introduced with an

• pen license.

…anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them. OERs range from textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, podcasts, audio, video and animation.

www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/open- educational-resources/what-are-open-educational-resources-oers/

Why use OERs?

Because they are fostered by the European Commission that created a European portal for open educational resources (http://openeducationeuropa.eu ), where good practices and innovative ways of learning through technology and digital content are encouraged.

Open Education Europa

.

Use OERs because they…

• are engaging and motivating
• are easily accessible
• can be easily integrated in the school

curriculum

• are effective visual aids
• are costless for schools

Use OERs because you can…

• help low-motivated and weak students
• devote more time to reach every

student

• reduce lectures
• engage your students better
• have your students work on (usually

three) different levels according to their needs

OER Commons

https://www.oercommons.org/

Where can I find OERs?

1 2 3

1 2 3

Where can I find OERs for language teaching?

http://ict-rev.ecml.at/en-us/

www.ecml.at/ECML-Programme/Programme2012-2015/ICT- REVandmoreDOTS/ICT/tabid/1906/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

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Examples of OERs that create a more inclusive and personalised school context

Learning platforms

www.edmodo.com

• Communicate with each of your

student

• Create different learning levels
• Organise personalised remedial

activities

www.edmodo.com

A learning platform is useful to…

Voice recording tools

www.vocaroom.com www.voki.com

• Have non-native, newly arrived

students practise their speaking skills in a safe environment

• Practise a foreign language

A voice recording tool is useful to…

https://kahoot.com (for Teachers) http://kahoot.it (for Students)

Conduct formative assessment with gamification techniques

Kahoot: the 21st century “Playstation”

*Kahoot allows you to create, play and share fun learning games, in classrooms and beyond. * It creates a social learning environment that encourages students to play learning games together. * It’s designed to bring self belief and motivation to everyone. * It brings emotion into the classroom. * By engaging the heart, as well as the hand and mind, it creates a more social, meaningful and playful pedagogical experience. * It is very useful for FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT (assessment for learning: students monitor their own progress and reflect on their learning).

Why online assessment?

«Teachers cannot wait weeks to discover there is a gap in student understanding. Teachers need to conduct formative assessments regularly to ensure student understanding, growth and progress. Formative assessments [...] are about individualizing instruction, so that all students are achieving their highest potential.

Technology-Based Assessments Improve Teaching and Learning, SETDA (State Educational Technology Directors Association), “Class of 2020 Action Plan for Education”, 2008, p. 6

Speak your students’ language using videolessons

Adopt flipped classroom techniques

How does a flipped class work?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQWvc6qhTds

A Flipped Classroom is not only replacing lectures with videos!

• It’s a pedagogical model in which the teacher

changes his role from a “sage on the stage” into a “guide on the side”: he clarifies content and doubts, has students take online tests with immediate feedback, monitors progress, organises students into workgroups to solve problems, maximises individual time with each student

• time in class is devoted to doing exercises, hands-on

activities, projects, or discussion

• students test their skills in applying knowledge, create,

collaborate, and put into practice what they learned from the lessons they watched before coming to school.

Join the Flipped Learning communities

www.flippedlearning.org

In many countries and languages…

Italy: http://flipnet.it/ France: www.laclasseinversee.com/ Germany: www.fliptheclassroom.de/ Spain: www.theflippedclassroom.es/

Learn how to create your video lessons Use a screencast tool: Screencast-o-matic (http://screencast-o-matic.com/ ) How to use it: www.teachertrainingvideos.com/screen

• casting/screencast-o-matic.html

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Conclusions

If you are «tired» of «tired» students….

If you can’t stand these situations any more…

If you fear this will be your future…

Establish closer contacts with your students

Change your role from this

To this!

Turn to mobile learning devices

Adopt Bring Your Own Device strategies

Because…

• learning can happen anytime, anywhere
• there are lots of (free) educational apps
• students can listen, read, write, talk,

play educational games, collaborate and interact with peers and teachers

• learning technologies facilitate students’

different learning styles

• schools need to implement a digital

citizenship program

And above all, we can’t afford this…

Thank you for your (patient) attention!

Attilio Galimberti – Local Education Authority – Milan, 20th November 2017

galimbat@gmail.com