3 Ocak 2011 Pazartesi
Learning Technologies mean flexibility, creativity and endless resources
My priority as a teacher is to help my students so I need to keep on learning and updating myself. I need to catch up with the latest trends to be more effective. That was the reason why I started searching what I could do or learn more . I noticed how technology and its use in class could make a difference. At first, I tried to find out more about technology myself; then I realized that the best way to learn about it was to exchange ideas with other teachers.
I think the term Learning Technologies mean flexibility, creativity, endless resources, finding out new and exciting ways of teaching, more independent and autonomous learners and teachers. As I was looking for ways to learn more about Learning Technologies, I decided to attend the British Council’s Learning Technologies in the EFL Classroom course. As it was online, it was really practical for me and it enabled me to meet classmates from various schools and universities and I had the opportunity to exchange information and learn more from their experience. I learned about the latest innovations and applications, all the sections of the course were well-designed and inter-linked. These sections offered links, pedagogic applications, practical ideas, lesson plans, tips, articles for further reading and wikis where we had the chance to discuss, question and create new ideas out of the ideas presented throughout the course. Everything is online but you need to put in hard word work if you really want to benefit from it.
Learning Technologies in the EFL Classroom course has changed the way I perceive technology and learning. I was interested in the use of technology in class before the course but now I’m really into it. I have my own blog, tweeter and Linkedin accounts and delicious bookmarks. I attend webinars, online conferences (by the way, a virtual-round table is a really good place to meet teachers from all over the world). I search more and adapt what I have learned throughout the course to my classes and all these have made a great difference in the way I teach. Our instructor was really helpful and she was really proficient with great ideas. Whenever you asked a question or needed guidance or help she was there with her solutions and practical suggestions. The most important thing about the course was the ideas. It was full of ideas to adapt, implement or create your own perspective using the guidance you obtain from the course. The way these ideas were to pedagogy and methodology about how to use them, why to use them and when to use them (classroom practices / lesson plans) helped a great deal. We did not only learn a lot during the course but from each other through wikis. They are really useful for collaborative learning. Another great thing about the course is that it is up-to-date and practical. You can use what you learn easily in your class.
So far I have used most of the things I learned throughout the course and they work well. At my school I work as an instructor and a teacher trainer. I have incorporated ideas into my teaching and given three presentation workshops on Learning Technologies in the EFL Classroom. I have shared what I have learned with my colleagues and they have already started to use some of these ideas. I’m planning to give some more presentations on Learning Technologies.
Everything I have learned so far has made me more ambitious. Before the course I was interested in Learning Technologies but I didn’t know what to look for and where to find them. Now I know more about what to look for, where to find things and the pedagogy behind them. Now I question why, how and when to use them and how my students can benefit from them in the best way. Now I make better choices about what to choose and how to use it. Before the course I was reluctant about engaging in social networking. I thought that they were only there for some daily chat but during the course I set up my own blog and I got my tweeter, Linkedin and facebook accounts. Now, I follow teachers and groups from all over the world and every day I learn something new and practical. To sum up, this course has changed my view of social networking, helped me to build up some self-confidence in terms of using learning technologies in class. I meet new teachers and instructors from all over the world and I met our instructor, our technology mentor Şirin Soyöz.
I think the term Learning Technologies mean flexibility, creativity, endless resources, finding out new and exciting ways of teaching, more independent and autonomous learners and teachers. As I was looking for ways to learn more about Learning Technologies, I decided to attend the British Council’s Learning Technologies in the EFL Classroom course. As it was online, it was really practical for me and it enabled me to meet classmates from various schools and universities and I had the opportunity to exchange information and learn more from their experience. I learned about the latest innovations and applications, all the sections of the course were well-designed and inter-linked. These sections offered links, pedagogic applications, practical ideas, lesson plans, tips, articles for further reading and wikis where we had the chance to discuss, question and create new ideas out of the ideas presented throughout the course. Everything is online but you need to put in hard word work if you really want to benefit from it.
Learning Technologies in the EFL Classroom course has changed the way I perceive technology and learning. I was interested in the use of technology in class before the course but now I’m really into it. I have my own blog, tweeter and Linkedin accounts and delicious bookmarks. I attend webinars, online conferences (by the way, a virtual-round table is a really good place to meet teachers from all over the world). I search more and adapt what I have learned throughout the course to my classes and all these have made a great difference in the way I teach. Our instructor was really helpful and she was really proficient with great ideas. Whenever you asked a question or needed guidance or help she was there with her solutions and practical suggestions. The most important thing about the course was the ideas. It was full of ideas to adapt, implement or create your own perspective using the guidance you obtain from the course. The way these ideas were to pedagogy and methodology about how to use them, why to use them and when to use them (classroom practices / lesson plans) helped a great deal. We did not only learn a lot during the course but from each other through wikis. They are really useful for collaborative learning. Another great thing about the course is that it is up-to-date and practical. You can use what you learn easily in your class.
So far I have used most of the things I learned throughout the course and they work well. At my school I work as an instructor and a teacher trainer. I have incorporated ideas into my teaching and given three presentation workshops on Learning Technologies in the EFL Classroom. I have shared what I have learned with my colleagues and they have already started to use some of these ideas. I’m planning to give some more presentations on Learning Technologies.
Everything I have learned so far has made me more ambitious. Before the course I was interested in Learning Technologies but I didn’t know what to look for and where to find them. Now I know more about what to look for, where to find things and the pedagogy behind them. Now I question why, how and when to use them and how my students can benefit from them in the best way. Now I make better choices about what to choose and how to use it. Before the course I was reluctant about engaging in social networking. I thought that they were only there for some daily chat but during the course I set up my own blog and I got my tweeter, Linkedin and facebook accounts. Now, I follow teachers and groups from all over the world and every day I learn something new and practical. To sum up, this course has changed my view of social networking, helped me to build up some self-confidence in terms of using learning technologies in class. I meet new teachers and instructors from all over the world and I met our instructor, our technology mentor Şirin Soyöz.
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