July 2012
Computer Technology
TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN: LEARNING AND TEACHING
Alan D. Lytle

BEYOND BRICK AND MORTAR

Education is no longer an experience that takes place only within a building made of brick and mortar. In fact, it hasn't been for some time, but only recently has education seen the perfect storm of technology and access to technology to respond to what seems to be a recent development. All around are technology tools that allow teachers and student to stretch the boundaries of traditional classrooms and to seek new ideas from around the world. These tools can provide research for divergent opinions, offer opportunities for long-term conversations, compare/contrast varying cultural practices and perspectives, and share results beyond the classroom. An excellent article by Shelly Sanchez Terrell (2012) offers some ideas; she has also produced an excellent downloadable book entitled Effective Mobile Learning: 50+ Quick Tips & Resources.

Here are several more:

Logistical Help

e-Pals

Classroom Connect

Organizations Connecting to International Internet Projects

Friendship Through Education

Global SchoolNet

Telecollaborate

Free Tools

Skype

Google Docs

Solution Tree

NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS

Every field has a set of standards to which it adheres; some have subsets of standards. In education, we have the TESOL Guidelines, the ACTFL Standards, the NCATE―all for different purposes―and we have technology standards. The organization that oversees the technology standards is the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). The National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) is a subset of standards housed within ISTE.

The NETS-T are as follows

1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity.

2. Design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments.

3. Model digital-age working and learning.

4. Promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility.

5. Engage in professional growth and leadership.

Even for some experienced teachers, these standards seem difficult to master and to integrate into their everyday classroom. This is where learning from the students comes in. If an activity is designed with these standards in mind, many students already know how to access the information/materials and can help the teacher learn the technology.

PROMOTING THINKING VIA E-TOOLS

As good teachers, we always want our students to think, but to think well. We want our students to know “how to.” Too often we inadvertently assume that our students know how to create, form new concepts, and analyze. This is often not the case, however, and the results produced are superficial. We need to teach our students causal analysis, sequential analysis, temporal analysis, comparing and contrasting, distinguishing, differentiating, and how to challenge assumptions―“strategic thinking” (Bellanca, 2010, p. 50). E-tools can assist with strategic thinking by allowing the teacher to consider the NETS-T and which e-tools are most suitable for designing activities in which students can interpret evidence, identify pros and cons, analyze/evaluate points of view, draw conclusions, justify results, explain reasons, and follow evidence and reason. These activities are called enriched learning projects.

ENRICHED LEARNING PROJECTS

Neither the grade nor the final product is the most important goal of an enriched learning project. Rather, what is desired are the concepts that students form and the skills they develop during the experience. Combining traditional methods and e-methods, students absorb information, evaluate it, then create with it, all along using strategic thinking. These projects, when designed properly, allow students to take full advantage of their technological skills and allow the teacher to relinquish some of the responsibility of teaching in exchange for learning some of the new technology from his or her students. Bellanca (2010) includes an excellent chart illustrating the correlation between e-tools and traditional media (p.53).

SUMMARY

Learning and teaching as two sides of the same coin lead to enrichment for both students and teachers. What better way of instilling lifelong learning in our students than to show them the concept in action―teachers becoming students and allowing students to become the teachers?

REFERENCES

ePals, Inc. (2010). ePals global community. Retrieved from http://www.epals.com/

Global SchoolNet. (2011). GlobalSchoolNet.org. Retrieved from http://www.globalschoolnet.org/

Google, Inc. (2012). Docs. Retrieved from https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=writely&passive=1209600&continue=http://docs.google.com/%23&followup=http://docs.google.com/<mpl=homepage

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (2011). Classroom connect. Retrieved from http://corporate.classroom.com/

iEARN-USA. (2011). Friendship through education. Retrieved from http://friendshipthrougheducation.org/

ISTE. (2012). International society for technology in education. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/welcome.aspx

Sanchez Terrell, S. (2011). Effective mobile learning: 50+ quick tips & resources. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/shelly_terrell/d/67369598-Effective-Mobile-Learning-50-Tips-Resources-Ebook

Sanchez Terrell, S. (2012). 10 collaborative tools and tasks to motivate language learners. Retrieved from http://esl-library.com/blog/2012/04/18/10-collaborative-tools-and-tasks-to-motivate-language-learners/

Solution Tree. (2012). Mastering the classroom starts with … instruction. Retrieved from http://go.solution-tree.com/instruction/

Skype. (2012). Skype. Retrieved from http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/home

Telecollaborate! (2005). Telecollaborate! Retrieved from http://nschubert.home.mchsi.com/


Alan D. Lytle, the teaching director of the intensive English language program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, USA, has a background in second and foreign language education (ESL/EFL, German, and French) as well as 24 years of ESL teaching experience at all levels, in academic-preparation programs, conversation programs, English for specific purposes programs, and topic-specific programs.