This document discusses issues in integrating technology into language education. It begins by introducing how technology is changing education and debates around its impact. It then outlines key issues like how to infuse technology considering cognitive and sociocognitive approaches. It also discusses advantages like preparing students for communication, and disadvantages like costs and uncertainty. Factors hindering integration include financial barriers, availability of hardware/software, and acceptance of change. Essential conditions for implementation are also presented, such as shared vision, access, skilled educators, and assessment.

1. ISSUES IN LANGUAGE
EDUCATION THROUGH
TECHNOLOGY
-DAP
DOROTHY AGUISANDA-PABLO

2. INTRODUCTION
Educational systems around the world are under
increasing pressure to use the new
information and communication technologies
(ICTs) to teach students the knowledge and
skills they need in the 21st century.
The 1998 UNESCO World Education Report,
Teachers and Teaching in a Changing World,
describes the radical implications the new
information and communication technologies
have for conventional teaching and learning. It
predicts the transformation of the teaching-learning
process and the way teachers and
learners gain access to knowledge and
information.

3. Technology, specifically computer
technology, is more pervasive than ever
before.
As such, it has dramatically changed
the face of education in the 21st century
and will continue to do so, but the extent
to which technological change has
improved or revolutionized teaching and
learning remains a topic of debate
among educators.

4. ISSUES
1.How do we infuse technology into the entire
teacher education program in the context of
the
– Cognitive approach
– Sociocognitive approach
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages
of the integration of technology in the
classroom?
3. What are the other factors that hinder the
integration of technology in the classroom?
4. What are the essential conditions for
implementing ICTs in teacher education?

5. ISSUES
COGNITIVE APPROACH
Technologies which support a cognitive approach
to language learning are those which allow
learners maximum opportunity to interact within
meaning-rich contexts through which they
construct and acquire competence in the
language. Examples of these types of
technologies include text-reconstruction
software, concordancing software,
telecommunications, and multimedia simulation
software.

6. Text-reconstruction software (e.g., NewReader from
Hyperbole or Text Tanglers from Research Design
Associates) allow teachers to provide students various
texts in which letters or words are either missing or are
somehow in mixed up order. Students work alone or in
groups to complete or re-arrange the texts, thus supporting
a process of mental construction of the linguistic system.
While such activity could in theory be carried out with
paper and pencil, the computer provides facilitative
functions for both teachers and students. In keeping with
students’ needs, interests, and current curricula, teachers
can quickly and easily create re-arranged texts or cloze
exercises from any original word-processed passage.
Students can use hints provided by the computer as
scaffolds for the acquisition process.

7. • Concordancing software (e.g., Monoconc from
Athelstan) allows teachers or students to search
through small or large texts to look for instances
of the actual use of particular words.
Concordancers are thus supplements to
dictionaries in that they help locate the usage of a
word, rather than just its definition. In addition,
concordancers are useful for investigating
collocational meanings (e.g., "large box" vs. "big
box," or "depend on" vs. "depend in" vs. "depend
for") or grammatical features (e.g., "was going" vs.
used to go). Indeed, language learners can
develop their own hypotheses regarding rules of
syntax or semantic collocations and test these out
as powerful problem-solving activity.

8. • Multimedia simulation software allows learners to enter
into computerized microworlds that, at their best, simulate
an immersion or a “lingistic bath” environment; that is,
learners can a sense of experiencing the target language
and culture first hand. Many such products also allow a
great of learner manipulation of language forms, functions,
and cultural knowledge as part of their experience within
the simulated environment.

9. SOCIOCOGNITIVE APPROACHES
Sociocognitive approaches, in contrast to cognitive approaches,
emphasize the social aspect of language acquisition; learning a
language is viewed as a process of apprenticeship or socialization into
particular discourse communities (Schieffelin & Ochs, 1986). From this
perspective, students need to be given maximum opportunity for
authentic social interaction, not only to provide comprehensible input
but also to give students practice in the kinds of communication they
will later engage in outside the classroom. This can be achieved
through student collaboration on authentic tasks and projects (Breen,
1987; Candlin & Murphy, 1987; Long & Crookes, 1992; Prabhu, 1987)
while simultaneously learning both content and language (Flowerdew,
1993; Meskill, (in press); Snow, 1991).

10. SOCIOCOGNITIVE APPROACHES
• 1. Computer-
Mediated
Communication in a
Classroom
2. Computer-Mediated
Communication for
Long Distance
Exchange
3. Accessing
Resources and
Publishing on the
World Wide Web

11. OTHER MODEL STRATEGIES FOR
INTEGRATING ICTs INTO TEACHING
1. WebQuests. A WebQuest is an
inquiry-oriented activity in which most
or all of the information used by
learners is drawn from the Web.
WebQuests are designed to use
learners’ time well, to focus on using
information rather than looking for it,
and to support learners’ thinking at
the levels of analysis, synthesis, and
evaluation.
The WebQuest provides teachers an
option of reviewing and selecting
web-based learning activities in a
lessontype format. The WebQuest
model encourages teachers to create
for their students new activities and
adapt successful ones to take
advantage of the Web’s power.
2. CyberGuides. CyberGuides
include standards-based, web-delivered
units of instruction
centred on core works of
literature. CyberGuides
provide a quick supplementary
set of activities for students
(and pre-service teachers) as
they explore specific pieces of
literature. Each CyberGuide
contains a student and teacher
edition, targeted standards, a
description of the task, a
process by which the task may
be completed, teacher-selected
web sites, and an
assessment rubric.

12. OTHER MODEL STRATEGIES FOR
INTEGRATING ICTs INTO TEACHING
3. Multimedia Presentations.
• • creating a web page or site;
• • developing a branching
hypermedia stack;
• • using a multimedia slide
show application to create a
computer presentation;
• • shooting and editing video to
create a computer-generated
movie.
• 4. Telecomputing Projects.
Telecomputing projects are
Internet-enriched learning
activities that often involve
students in one location
collaborating with students or
adults in one or more other
locations. They may share,
among other things:
• • experiences
• • beliefs
• • data
• • information
• • problem-solving strategies
• • products they have developed
or jointly developed.

13. OTHER MODEL STRATEGIES FOR
INTEGRATING ICTs INTO TEACHING
5. Online Discussions. A common
type of telecomputing activity
is online discussion. With the
growth of infrastructure around
the world comes the ability to
access others through remote
connections. Students and
teacher candidates can
connect to experts and peers
through a variety of formats,
such as chat rooms, electronic
bulletin boards, and email.
Communicating online offers
participants freedom to send
and receive information
efficiently across diverse
geographic locations.
6. Choicemaster is a package
designed for teachers who
wish to produce
straightforward multiple-choice
exercises and tests. In tutorial
mode, the student receives
immediate feedback as every
question is completed. It offers
clues and explanations when
wrong answers are selected.
In tests, the students is not
offered any feedback until the
whole exercise has been
completed.

14. ADVANTAGES OF ICT
• One question often asked by
administrators is whether or not
technologies truly "work," that is, if they
promote language learning and do so in a
cost-effective way. These types of
questions motivated much research in the
1970s comparing use of computers to non-use
of computers.

15. ADVANTAGES OF ICT
This type of research ignored two important
factors. First of all, the computer is a machine,
not a method. The world of online
communication is a vast new medium,
comparable in some ways to books, print, or
libraries. To our knowledge, no one has ever
attempted to conduct research on whether the
book or the library is beneficial for language
learning. The enterprise of seeking similar
conclusions on the effects of the computer or
the Internet is equally inappropriate.

16. ADVANTAGES OF ICT
• Secondly, and even more
importantly, new communications
technologies are part of the broader
ecology of life at the turn of the
century. Much of our reading,
writing, and communicating is
migrating from other environments
(print, telephone, etc.) to the
screen. In such a context, we can
no longer think only about how we
use technologies to teach
language. We also must think about
what types of language students
need to learn in order to
communicate effectively via
computer.
• The main advantage of new
technologies is thus that they can
be used to help prepare students
for the kinds of international cross-cultural
communication which are
increasingly required for success in
academic, vocational, or personal
life.
• This is accomplished through
creating opportunities for authentic
and meaningful interaction both
within and outside the classroom,
and providing students the tools for
their own social, cultural, and
linguistic exploration.

17. Disadvantages of ICT for
language teaching
Investment of Money
Investment of Time
Uncertainty of Results

18. DISADVANTAGES OF ICT
1. Investment of Money. Uses of new technologies
in the long run tend to result in higher productivity,
at least in the economic sphere. Productivity in
education is certainly harder to measure, but it is
not unreasonable to assume that over time new
technologies will help create more effective
education (bearing in mind the earlier point that
the goals and nature of education are changing in
the information age, thus making direct
comparisons difficult).

19. DISADVANTAGES OF ICT
2. Investment of Time Just as technologies
may save money over the long term, they
also may save time. But, potential long-term
benefits to an institution are little
consolation to an individual teacher who is
spending enormous amounts of time
learning constantly-changing software
programs and trying to figure out the best
way to use them in the classroom.

20. DISADVANTAGES OF ICT
3. Uncertainty of Results As indicated
earlier, there is no single predictable
outcome for using computers, anymore
than there is for using books or libraries.
Thus institutions and teachers are
expected to invest large amounts of time
and money without any guarantee of
achieving particular results.

21. Other factors that hinder the ICT
in the classroom
The barriers inhibiting the practice of
Computer-assisted Language Learning
can be classified in the following common
categories (a) financial barriers, (b)
availability of computer hardware and
software, (c) technical and theoretical
knowledge, and (d) acceptance of the
technology.

22. factors that hinder the ICT in the
classroom
• a. Financial Barriers
• Financial barriers are mentioned most
frequently in the literature by language
education practitioners. They include the
cost of hardware, software, maintenance
(particular of the most advanced
equipment), and extend to some staff
development.

23. Factors that hinder the ICT in
the classroom
• b. Availability of Computer Hardware and Software
The most significant aspects of
computer are hardware and
software. Availability of high
quality software is the most
pressing challenge in applying the
new technologies in education.
Underlying this problem is a lack
of knowledge of what elements in
software will promote different
kinds of learning. There are few
educators skilled in designing it
cause software development is costly and time-consuming.
• c. Technical and Theoretical
Knowledge
A lack of technical and theoretical
knowledge is another barrier to the
use of Computer-assisted Language
Learning technology. Not only is there
a shortage of knowledge about
developing software to promote
learning, but many instructors do not
understand how to use the new
technologies.
Furthermore, little is known about
integrating these new means of
earning into an overall plan.

24. Factors that hinder the ICT in
the classroom
• d. Acceptance of Technologies
We live in a time change. Gelatt (1995) stated that
change itself has changed. Change has become so
rapid, so turbulent, and so unpredictable that is now
called "white water" change (p.10). Murphy & Terry
(1998a) indicated the current of change move so quickly
that they destroy what was considered the norm in the
past, and by doing so, create new opportunities. But,
there is a natural tendency for organizations to resist
change. Wrong conceptions about the use of
technology limit innovation and threaten teachers' job
and security (Zuber-Skerritt, 1994). Instructors are tend
not to use technologies that require substantially more
preparation time, and it is tough to provide instructors
and learners access to technologies that are easy to
use (Herschbach, 1994).

25. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs in teacher
education

26. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs
• Shared Vision. There is proactive
leadership and administrative
support from the entire system.
• Access Educators have access to
current technologies, software, and
• telecommunications networks.
• Skilled Educators Educators are
skilled in the use of technology for
learning.
• Professional Development
Educators have consistent access
to professional development in
support of technology use in
teaching and learning.
• Technical Assistance Educators
have technical assistance for
maintaining and using the
technology.
• Content Standards and
Curriculum Resources. Educators
are knowledgeable in their subject
matter and current in the content
standards and teaching
methodologies in their discipline.

27. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs
• Student-Centred
Teaching. Teaching in all
settings encompasses
student-centred
approaches to learning.
• Assessment. There is
continuous assessment of
the effectiveness of
technology for learning.
• Community Support. The
community and school
partners provide expertise,
support, and resources.
• Support Policies. School
and university policies,
financing, and rewards
structures are in place to
support technology in
learning. (ISTE, 2000)
classrooms as well as lab
settings, and provisions
must be made for special
populations.

28. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs
• Access. The technology
should be accessible
immediately when it is the
best route to the
information or tools
needed by pre-service
teachers, teachers, and
students. Furthermore,
university model
classrooms are important
for determining the way
technology should be
used in the classroom
environment.
• Skilled Educators. The
educators who work with
teacher candidates must
be skilled in the use of
technology for learning.
They must be able to
apply technology in the
presentation and
administration of their
coursework and facilitate
the appropriate use of
technology by their
teacher candidates.

29. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs
• Professional
Development. Even in
contexts in which
professional development
is extensive, it is
important to provide
consistent access to
professional development
as the technology
constantly changes.
• Technical Assistance.
Educators need technical
assistance to use and
maintain technology. The
focus of the faculty
member, teacher, and
pre-service teacher
should be on teaching
and learning, not on
maintaining and repairing
the technology beyond
basic troubleshooting
procedures.

30. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs
• Content Standards and
Curriculum Resources.
Educators must be
knowledgeable in the
content, standards, and
teaching methodologies of
their disciplines. Teacher
candidates must learn to
use technology in
powerful, meaningful
ways in the context of
teaching content.
• Student-Centred
Teaching. Teaching in all
settings should
encompass student-centred
approaches to
learning.

31. Essential conditions for
implementing ICTs
• Assessment. In addition to assessing teaching and
student outcomes, institutions should continuously
assess the effectiveness of technology for learning
throughout the entire teacher preparation environment.
The data obtained from this continuous assessment
will:
• • inform the learning strategies used,
• • ensure that the vision for technology-use maintains
the appropriate
• direction,
• • pinpoint potential problems, and
• • provide data for altering policies and instructional
strategies or for acquiring resources.

32. Engaging in Computer-assisted Language Learning is a
continuing challenge that requires time and
commitment. As we approach the 21st century, we
realize that technology as such is not the answer to all
our problems. What really matters is how we use
technology. Computers can/will never substitute
teachers but they offer new opportunities for better
language practice. They may actually make the process
of language learning significantly richer and play a key
role in the reform of a country's educational system.

33. WE TOUCH
THE FUTURE WE
TEACH…
Yoroshko Onigaishimasu!