Tuesday, 15 September 2015

Dispelling Myths

Since nowadays the majority of teachers are Digital Immigrants, term defined in our first entry, the inclusion of technology in the classroom is usually neglected. This is so because they do not seem to see a connection between what is pedagogical and what is technological.

Nevertheless, we have been introduced to two models that state the opposite: The Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition Model (SAMR) and the Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge Model (TPACK).

According to Dr. Ruben Puentedura, SAMR not only offers a method of seeing how computer technology might impact teaching and learning, but it also focuses on the level of student engagement.

So as to make it clearer, we chose a picture and a video which we think explains SAMR in a concise way:




                                         



As regards TPACK, it is said to be the combination of subject matter knowledge and technology, which is more than simply adding Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to traditional approaches. This mixture depends upon deep knowledge of how ICT can be used to access and process subject matter (Technology Content Knowledge) and understanding how ICT can support and enhance learning (Technology Pedagogical Knowledge) in combination with Pedagogical Content Knowledge, which is the subject matter knowledge with profound understanding of what is good for learning. 

                              An image, and a video, count more than a thousand words...






In order to show that the so mentioned “gap” between pedagogy and technology does not actually exist, we planned a didactic unit for teaching the Present Simple tense related to daily routines, based on the models previously mentioned.

Aiming to reach our objectives, we decided that the final task was that students create a comic that would show a daily routine. So as to do so, we selected a website called Pixton, in which they could choose among different settings, characters and tools for the creation of the comic. The final step of this unit was to present the comic to the class by using power point, and then share it on the Facebook group they have for English lessons. 

The picture below is a sample of a comic which we made in order to show how it looks like when finished:


If you want to know more about our didactic unit, you can find it here.

Relating this unit to SAMR, we Redefined the task in the sense that every student would be able to fulfil it no matter whether they have the ability to draw well, or the chance of affording the materials needed to do a poster presentation, or not. So, in this way it would be impossible to complete the task without the use of technology.



Finally, TPACK is present in the unit when students use their netbooks and internet connection to work on the comic as well as when presenting it to their classmates.

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