Week 2 - How Do You Incorporate Technology?

This is week in CALL was quite interesting. There was no class on Monday (kind of exciting to not have class) and one class on Wednesday. I took notes about how computers are now the center of language learning; this is referred to as CMC (Computer Mediated Education). Being a CALL teacher at the PIE, I find that I get to experience having a computer do all of the teaching. The computers aren't perfect, though. They have their setbacks. One of the programs, Longman English Interactive, involves the students to follow a story of actors as they go through specific experiences in some setting. The current setting is a news office where a story is being written on a soccer star who was gypped by a news reporter who made him say something he never actually said using a tape recorder and audio editing. The students seem to like it, though in using the program myself, I find it a bit droning.

Dr. Smart asked us to reflect on ways we can incorporate technology into the classroom. This is what I wrote:

1. Cell phone texting to an online poll
2. Youtube for current events in the world
3. Flip teaching (homework in class and classwork at home)


Dubravac, Ch.2
This week we were required to read Dubravac, Ch.2. What stood out most to me, of course, was the process of evaluation computer software receives during and after creation. Who know that this much work went into selection of programs to use in CALL courses? It makes, senses, though. As environments change, the first language of the learners and the goals of the course, it is important to use these evaluative checklists to make sure that students are getting what they need, and perhaps, want. My question is, how do you determine what to check and what not to check? Yes, something may be as simple as a yes or no, but what about a teacher or institution who checks no when the answer really is yes?

Week 1 - First Day of CALL class!

Today is my first class is CALL. I am excited about what is to come. I am teaching CALL Levels 3&4 at the PIE and so I am sure I will be able to implement what I learn into my teaching courses from time to time. Dr. Smart is a great professor and I look forward to his instruction.

My name is Taichi Hardiman. I don't know much about technology in teaching, but I will soon learn as I am the CALL instructor at PIE. My goals for the course: to understand what CALL truly is and come out of the course with materials, ideas and experiences that will help me in future employment. The applications of technology to language learning which interests me is grammar and vocabulary building.

Our wiki site:
https://sites.google.com/site/callnau/member-blogs

Our diigo:
http://groups.diigo.com/group/nau-call

Dr. Smart's Slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/jwsmart