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A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN:
THE INTEGRATION OF ICT’S INTO THE MULTILINGUA PROGRAM
JORGE EDUARDO PINEDA
C.C. 98.643.145
Propuesta académica
Sección Servicios – Escuela de Idiomas
Escuela de Idiomas
Universidad de Antioquia
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
Page
Introduction 31. Context 32. Concerns 53. Professional
Development5
3.1. The need for professional Development
6
4. The reflective model applied to the integration of ICT’s into the language classroom
7
4.1. The definition of ICT’s 74.2. The characteristics of
blogs9
4.3. On materials 105. The cycle for the
reflective model in a program of professional development on the integration of ICT’s into the classroom
12
Conclusions 13
3
INTRODUCTION
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s) have a great
impact on everyday’s lives. ICT’s have impact on industry, commerce
and education among others. In other words, ICT’s have make our lives
easier. The impact of ICT’s on education will broaden the scope of
learning and teaching. Teachers optimize their teaching processes and
the implementation of ICT’s give learners the opportunity to learn in a
more efficient way. Tinio (2003) and Haddad (2002) state that ICT’s help
increase the quality of education in 3 issues. (1) By increasing learner
motivation and engagement, (2) By facilitating the acquisition of basic
language skills, and (3) by uncovering the need to enhance teacher
training.
This paper aims at reflecting on the use of ICT’s in the language
programs at Sección Servicios and specifically at Multilingua Program.
From my experience as the head of the program, I have learned that
teachers at Multilingua claim a big need for integrating ITC’s into their
teaching practices. But for this integration to be effective there is a big
need for professional development programs, and that need must be
taken into consideration.
4
This paper is divided into 5 parts. First, we will explore the context
where the proposal will take place. Second, the concerns which lead me
to this proposal will be discussed. Third, a discussion on the concept of
professional development will be carried out. Fourth, we will reflect on
how to apply the reflective model of professional development to the
integration of ICT’s into language programs. And finally, a discussion on
the relationship between the reflective model to this proposal will take
place.
1. CONTEXT
The Sección Servicios is part of the School of Languages. The Sección
Servicios administers several language programs aiming at different
actors in the community in general and the University community in
particular, for example, the reading comprehension program, the
program of Capacitación Docente and the proficiency exams program.
One of the most important programs is the Multiltilingua Program.
The Multilingua Program was created in 1997 and today plays a very
important role as it is becoming a key strategy in the plans the
University has to become one of the most prestigious universities in
Latin America and the world. (Universidad de Antioquia, Plan de Acción
2006-2016)
The Multilingua program offers language training in 8 different
languages: English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Turkish,
Japanese and Chinese.
5
The program has certain characteristics:
1. The teachers at this program are proficient speakers of the
language, however, they lack training in language teaching.
2. The program lacks teaching and learning materials.
3. The program has several technological resources such as laptops,
computer rooms or video beams.
The program has 3 aspects on which the efforts should be focused. (1)
Professional development programs are paramount, (2) there is a need
to have materials contextualized to the students’ lives and backgrounds,
and (3) there is a need to integrate the technological resources available
into the programs. The combination of these three aspects leads to an
improvement in the teaching processes and therefore an optimization of
the learning processes. As stated by Dudeney and Hockley (2007)
technology presents us with new opportunities for learning, and
promotes the need for teacher training. Tinio (2003) and Hadded (2002)
2. CONCERNS
There are many reasons to attempt to integrate technology into the
language classrooms. Dudeney and Hockley (2007) list the following.
Learners have access to the Internet from their homes, at school or at
internet cafés, young learners are growing up with technology,
technology offers opportunities for collaboration and communication
6
between learners, technology offers new ways for practicing and
assessing performance, and learners expect language programs to
integrate technology into teaching. The Multilingua program meets all of
the reasons listed above, but this attempt to integrate technology into
the language classrooms must be accompanied by a professional
development program in which teachers reflect on the advantages of
using technology, they overcome the challenges that technology may
present, they learn how to use software to make their lessons more
enjoyable and effective, they learn how to create materials which are
more contextualized and appropriate for their students.
A call for professional development in Multilingua is a need and this
proposal will aim at satisfying this need.
3. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
There are many types of strategies when it comes to talk about
professional development. They range from workshops, seminars, in-
service days and courses. This proposal favors the concept in which
professional development is viewed as an ongoing learning process in
which teachers engage voluntarily to learn how best to adjust their
teaching to the learning needs of their students. As stated by Diaz-
Maggioli (2004) professional development programs embody
professional self-disclosure, reflection, and growth and these actions
present better results when sustained over time. In other words,
professional development programs are not one-shot, one-size-fits-all
7
events, but evolving processes. This proposal aims at this type of
professional development because it is the one that best fits the
characteristics of the Multilingua program and its teachers.
3.1 THE NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The program of professional development in this proposal is based on
the idea of a renewal of professional skills and knowledge as teachers
cannot be given everything they need to know as stated by Richards and
Farrell (2005). Gonzalez (2003) points out that the preparation of
teachers has to continue because the pre-service preparation of
language teachers is insufficient or inexistent as it is the case of most of
the teachers at Multilingua. She also states that professional
development programs should be seen as a way to accomplish the
teachers’ need to be up to date with their academic and professional
lives. Sierra (2007) pinpoints that professional development programs
empower teachers to make decisions about schools and students.
Teachers at Multilingua need to be given the necessary training to
update their knowledge on how to integrate technology into their
lessons by reflecting, discussing to get a deeper understanding of their
practices as language teachers and the use of technology.
The model used in this proposal to develop the professional
development plan for teachers at Multilingua is based on the reflective
model. The reflective model for teacher learning recognizes that
8
teachers have experiential knowledge developed in action as suggested
by Wallace (1991). In other words, in this plan of professional
development, teachers will learn from experience through a process of
focused critical reflection. Schon (1983); Wallace (1991); Richards and
Lockhart (1994); as cited by Richards and Farrell (2005). And teachers
will be empowered to build their own knowledge; professional
development will be viewed as a personal construction. Freeman and
Richards (1996), as cited in Richards and Farrell (2005)
4. THE REFLECTIVE MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
APPLIED TO THE INTEGRATION OF ICT’S INTO MULTILINGUA
PROGRAM.
For this discussion we will consider the following concepts:
4.1 THE DEFINITION OF ICT’S
Tinio (2003) and Burton (2002) define ICT’s as a diverse set of
technological tools and resources used to communicate, to create,
disseminate, store, and manage information. They also pinpoint that
these technologies not only include computers and the internet, but also
broadcasting technology as radio and television and telephony.
According to a study from the Directorate General of education and
Culture from the International Certificate Conference in 2002, ICT’S are
defined as ubiquitous in contemporary society and the report states
ICT’S permeate all levels of human interaction. The report also suggests
9
the need to provide education and training to meet the challenges and
opportunities fuelled by the development and the necessary effect of
ICT’S on teaching and learning.
The report also pinpoints the fact that thanks to ICT’S barriers are
broken now faster and easier than in physical terms and there is a
strong need to provide teachers with training on how to deal with this
new paradigm of teacher and learner roles. The report suggests that
teachers have to abandon traditional roles and they have to explore the
new media themselves as learners to act later as role models for their
students.
There are many reasons why teachers may want to integrate technology
into their practices. Youngkyun et al (2008) state that the use of ICT’S
can facilitate active learning, foster cooperative learning and behavior,
serve as tool for curriculum differentiation, provide opportunities to
adapt learning to the needs of students. However, they state that
teachers should use technology truly believing in its effectiveness in the
classroom.
The integration of ICT’s into the language classroom can give learners
the opportunity to access knowledge from distant sources, teachers can
keep the students informed about news and processes carried out in
class, and they bring richness and diversity in materials that motivate
students and promote learning. Tinio (2003) Fernández (2006) Cabrero
(2002)
10
Dudeney and Hockly (2007) suggest how to implement ICT’s into the
classroom. They state that teachers can use websites, they can design
internet-based projects, they can email key pals, they can use class
blogs, and they can download and print material, they can make more
contextualized materials.
4.2 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BLOGS
To begin with, I think it is necessary to define what a blog is. A blog is
essentially a web page with regular diary or journal entries as stated by
Dudeney and Hockly (2007). They also classify blogs into 3 categories
when they are used in classrooms: tutor blogs, student blogs and class
blogs. The use of those blogs can be summarized in the following chart.
Tutor blogs Student blogs Class blogs
Set homework Provide personal and
family information
(pictures included)
Reactions to a film, an
article, class topic or
current affair can be
posted
Provide a summary of
class work
Extra writing practice
on class topics
Things learners
like/don’t like doing in
class
Provide links to
extra
reading/listening
Regular comments on
current affairs
A class project on any
topic
11
material
Provide answers to
possible students’
questions
Research and present
information on a topic
Provides exam/study
tips
A photo blog on a
specific topic
Adapted from Dudeney and Hockly (2007)
For the purpose of this proposal, the selected type of blog will be a tutor
blog in which the teacher will upload the materials designed for the
students to have extra practice material.
Streight (2009) on his blog provides some characteristics of blogs. He
suggests that blog content should be radiant, relevant, not commonly
found, full of good content for the users to enjoy, explore in depth the
information about a topic, firm in purpose, be a repository of
information, be realistic, and be easily searchable.
4.3 ON MATERIALS
Crawford (2002) suggests that commercial teaching material deskill
teachers and prevent them from their capacity to develop professionally
and respond to their students’ real needs. Therefore, a professional
development program on the development of materials using
technology becomes a progressive proposal since it will allow teachers
create their own materials thinking about their students’ needs and real
linguistic level. Crawford (2002) also pinpoints the fact that commercial
12
teaching materials contain language that has little to do with reality. She
states that the discussion should not be led to whether teachers should
use commercially prepared materials, but the discussion should be led
to what form they should take so the outcomes are positive for teachers
and learners rather than restrictive.
Crawford (2002) provides a list of characteristics that teachers should
take into consideration when acting as material writers.
The language should be functional and should be contextualized.
Language should emerge from the context where it occurs.
Language development requires learner engagement in purposeful
use of language. Materials should contain information on form and
usage of language for students so that they can be used as
references beyond the classroom and independently of the
teacher.
The language used should be realistic and authentic. The language
in the material should not be constrained and should be amenable
to exploitation for teaching language purposes’. Tommilson (2001)
states that materials will contain more engaging content, which
will be of developmental value to learners as well as offering good
intake of language use.
Classroom materials will usually seek to include an audio visual
component. Audio visual material can create an environment rich
in linguistic and cultural information about the target language.
13
Effective teaching materials foster learner autonomy. The
activities and the materials proposed should be flexible and
designed to develop skills and strategies that can be transferred to
other texts in other contexts.
Learning needs to engage learners both affectively and
cognitively. The intake of new knowledge into the existing
language system takes place only when the interaction takes place
spontaneously in purposeful situation.
Finally Crawford (2002) and Tommilson (2001) suggest that teachers are
the best producers of materials since they know their contexts, their
students’ levels and needs. Teachers should become active producers of
materials and not passive consumers of others’.
5. THE CYCLE FOR THE REFLECTIVE MODEL IN A PROGRAM OF
PREFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE INTEGRATION OF ICT’S
INTO THE CLASSROOM.
Teachers at Multilingua need to develop professionally, the first stage on
this development is the reflection on the teacher’s own practice to
identify weak points, possible threats, identify the strengths and make
the necessary changes. Barlett (1990) proposes 5 steps for the process
of reflecting teaching which will be adapted for the purpose of this
proposal.
14
Step 1. Mapping: On this stage an exploration on how the teachers use
the ICT’s will take place.
Step 2. Informing: On this stage the information found on the first step
will be addressed to the teachers.
Step 3. Contesting: on this step teachers will be confronted with the
situation found in the previous steps and reflection on how the ICT’s are
implemented takes place.
Step 4. Appraisal: on this step the reflections on the way teachers are
using the ICT’s turn into possibilities of change.
Step 5. Acting: on this stage a program for the integration of ICT’s takes
place after analyzing, discussing and confronting teachers with the way
they are using the ICT’s in their classrooms.
For this process to be reflexive, the steps do not have to be linear. In
reflecting on teaching one may go through the cycle several times and
the elements in the cycle are not necessarily followed one after the
other as suggested by Barlett (1990).
CONCLUSION
The use of technology in the classroom broadens the scope for both
teachers and students. However, the integration of ICT’s into the
classroom must be accompanied by a professional development
program because teachers have negative attitudes towards the use of
technology. This professional development program will allow the
15
integration of ICT’s into the Multilingua program and the integration of
ICT’s into the classrooms will facilitate learning and will give the chance
to teachers to be updated with the world today. In other words, this
professional development program will provide teachers with new ideas
to be integrated in their teaching practices. Also, this professional
development program gives the chance to teachers to produce
contextualized material. The material that responds to the students’
needs and linguistic levels.
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