Questions we have talked about ...
Obviously, not all of the questions I had prepared and in my mind regarding the topic have been answered. But we have talked about a couple of interesting questions which I would like to show you here.
Some of these questions go together with the questions I had prepared, others are completely new.
Please note that the questions and answers are not taken over verbatim.
- Which medium do you think is the best?
There is not one medium which is the best. The teacher should use the medium which he thinks is best for the specific purpose he wants to achieve. In other words: Use the medium which is the most useful taking didactical and pedagogical backgrounds into consideration.
- How and why do students of English benefit from the use of new media in class?
Well, students don’t improve their communicative skills immediately, but the learning effect is higher as students get in touch with authentic language material (e.g.YouTube.). They practice listening comprehension and in the long run they will then improve their communication skills, may it be consciously or subconsciously. We once had an email project with an American school about a book which led to having much more communicative occasions.
- Is there still heterogeneity among the students regarding the skills of using new media?
Indeed! The students have very different levels. Some students can programme a webpage and some students don’t even use the computer at home. That is why we are developing competencies for each grade at the moment. We try to include the “tutor-function” as well which means that expert students help those students who are not that experienced with the use of new media.
- Do you think that each student should have a computer in the ideal classroom?
No, the rather big computers are not necessary. Nevertheless, small notebooks for each student would be great. Additionally, a classroom should provide a Whiteboard and a Blackboard because, as I said, the teacher has to use the most appropriate, not the hippest medium.
- Do you have special arrangements at school which are used by all teachers?
What we use here is the virtual classroom. We access that classroom via www.klassennetz.de. But it is not a central arrangement; it is rather decentralized meaning that not every teacher uses this kind of tool for his lessons.
- How does your school train teachers who are not familiar with the new media in school yet, for example with the use of an interactive Whiteboard?
We have an introduction to the new medium which is extern. The further training takes place internally and the interested and more experienced teachers try to pass on their knowledge to other colleagues. We use the method of multipliers.
- If you had more money, would you spend it on hiring more teachers or more computers and the like? (In other words: Do computers replace a teacher?)
Teachers can’t and should not be replaced by computers. That is why I would spend the money on new teachers at first and if there is some money left, which I hope, I would definitely spend it on new computers
- What are or did you ever experience negative aspects or dangers regarding new media?
Negative is that integrating new media can be very time-consuming regarding the setup and starting of technical instruments. In addition to that you still often have to make sure that the room is free and you get the keys which is quite challenging. Apart from those aspects, new media sometimes seduces students to do something stupid. All in all, more money would help to ease the whole integration of new media in a classroom.
- Do you observe a general change in the staff due to the new possibilities offered by new media?
Yes, indeed. In former times, teachers would not have talked and exchanged opinions so much as they do it today due to email contact or even Facebook. The communication has improved a lot, not just among colleagues, but also among teachers and students. That is great!
- Would you say that it was hard to convince especially older colleagues of the (use of) new media in addition to the traditional ways of teaching?
Yes, that is more or less true. Some older teachers do not really care about the innovations and they continue their lessons as always. But there are also other teachers who are willing to learn again. The younger teachers are open for new things and it is more or less expected that they use the new tools.
- How do you teach students the competence to differentiate between good and unreliable sources on the internet?
This is a process which takes a lot of time and it is very important. This competence should be acquired by the students with time.
- Does the classroom have influence on the students?
I use to say that the “room is another pedagogue”. A well-equipped and well-designed room motivates students and does not distract them from work.
added: November 21, 2010
Some of these questions go together with the questions I had prepared, others are completely new.
Please note that the questions and answers are not taken over verbatim.
- Which medium do you think is the best?
There is not one medium which is the best. The teacher should use the medium which he thinks is best for the specific purpose he wants to achieve. In other words: Use the medium which is the most useful taking didactical and pedagogical backgrounds into consideration.
- How and why do students of English benefit from the use of new media in class?
Well, students don’t improve their communicative skills immediately, but the learning effect is higher as students get in touch with authentic language material (e.g.YouTube.). They practice listening comprehension and in the long run they will then improve their communication skills, may it be consciously or subconsciously. We once had an email project with an American school about a book which led to having much more communicative occasions.
- Is there still heterogeneity among the students regarding the skills of using new media?
Indeed! The students have very different levels. Some students can programme a webpage and some students don’t even use the computer at home. That is why we are developing competencies for each grade at the moment. We try to include the “tutor-function” as well which means that expert students help those students who are not that experienced with the use of new media.
- Do you think that each student should have a computer in the ideal classroom?
No, the rather big computers are not necessary. Nevertheless, small notebooks for each student would be great. Additionally, a classroom should provide a Whiteboard and a Blackboard because, as I said, the teacher has to use the most appropriate, not the hippest medium.
- Do you have special arrangements at school which are used by all teachers?
What we use here is the virtual classroom. We access that classroom via www.klassennetz.de. But it is not a central arrangement; it is rather decentralized meaning that not every teacher uses this kind of tool for his lessons.
- How does your school train teachers who are not familiar with the new media in school yet, for example with the use of an interactive Whiteboard?
We have an introduction to the new medium which is extern. The further training takes place internally and the interested and more experienced teachers try to pass on their knowledge to other colleagues. We use the method of multipliers.
- If you had more money, would you spend it on hiring more teachers or more computers and the like? (In other words: Do computers replace a teacher?)
Teachers can’t and should not be replaced by computers. That is why I would spend the money on new teachers at first and if there is some money left, which I hope, I would definitely spend it on new computers
- What are or did you ever experience negative aspects or dangers regarding new media?
Negative is that integrating new media can be very time-consuming regarding the setup and starting of technical instruments. In addition to that you still often have to make sure that the room is free and you get the keys which is quite challenging. Apart from those aspects, new media sometimes seduces students to do something stupid. All in all, more money would help to ease the whole integration of new media in a classroom.
- Do you observe a general change in the staff due to the new possibilities offered by new media?
Yes, indeed. In former times, teachers would not have talked and exchanged opinions so much as they do it today due to email contact or even Facebook. The communication has improved a lot, not just among colleagues, but also among teachers and students. That is great!
- Would you say that it was hard to convince especially older colleagues of the (use of) new media in addition to the traditional ways of teaching?
Yes, that is more or less true. Some older teachers do not really care about the innovations and they continue their lessons as always. But there are also other teachers who are willing to learn again. The younger teachers are open for new things and it is more or less expected that they use the new tools.
- How do you teach students the competence to differentiate between good and unreliable sources on the internet?
This is a process which takes a lot of time and it is very important. This competence should be acquired by the students with time.
- Does the classroom have influence on the students?
I use to say that the “room is another pedagogue”. A well-equipped and well-designed room motivates students and does not distract them from work.
added: November 21, 2010
