Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in DaguAn Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Chongqing? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.
New technology in the ClassroomTechnology for learning has been inseparable for as long as human history has spanned out. Humans communicated and learned by the use of paintings on cave walls, the discovery of paper and pen, but the history of educational technology is pegged to have started with the educational film of the early twentieth century. The eighties soon sparked change from analog mechanical and electronic technology to digital technology which we continue to see to this very day. More popularly, people have referred to this movement as the digital revolution: the change brought about by digital computing and communication technology. This revolution marked the beginning of the age of information, or the age where individuals can transfer information freely. The digital revolution is marked with mass production and the massive use of digital logic circuits ? computers, digital cellular phones, fax machines, and more. The computer, which was originally used by governments and military organizations, soon became adapted for individual consumption and it was soon called the ?personal computer?. When the nineties rolled around, soon came the World Wide Web which revolutionized computer use for individuals all over. The internet soon became part of the mainstream consciousness and it was adapted by people all over the world. The Youth and Education The youth today are the ones most affected by the rise of technology. Having grown up with these technologies ever present, we see the youth and students constantly interacting with technologies such as iPods, mobile phones, internet and social networking sites, so there is little wonder why educational institutions have begun to integrate these technologies in their classroom settings to aid in the education of their students. With the rise of the computers and the internet, schools and institutions have even included learning how to use these new communication technologies as part of their curriculum. One of the basic skills expected of an educated person when applying for a job is computer literacy. The integration of technology in education have resulted into a plethora of benefits ? the improved facilities and mediums for writing with the word processors, and the maturing of the technology-savvy generation, it has been said that the use of technology can motivate students. According to James Kulik, a researcher in the field of the effectiveness of computers for instruction has claimed that students learn more in less time when they receive computer based instruction. The Classroom technology The traditional learning setting of the classroom has been privy to various types of technology to aid in the education of their students. Classrooms are now equipped with computers and projectors so lecturers can demonstrate new lessons and new material with dynamic visual aids. There is also the rise of class websites and blogs, where teachers can leave their course materials to be accessed by their students regardless of where or when they access it, and students are encouraged to write assignments on the internet which saves the consumption of paper and is often easier to access, write, and edit. Even the invention of the virtual classroom: a computer accessible and online learning environment where it fulfils the facilitation roles of a physical and traditional classroom. Teachers and students can communicate at any time, exchanging emails, blogs, or video conferencing, eliminating the issue of time and space. While the world develops new and newer technology, where books have become e-books, snail mail is now e-mail, and compiling a paper but not consuming actual paper but megabytes, education does not get left behind. The learning experience for both the teacher and the student are revolutionized with each turn and development in technology. Sources: Cambourne, K. "technology in the classroom." The Sydney Morning Herald, January 19, 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2011, from http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/back-to-school/technology-in-the-classroom-20100119-mhn3.html Kluver, Randy. "Globalization, Informatization, and Intercultural Communication". Oklahoma City University. Retrieved 30 August 2011. ?technology?s Impact on Learning?. National School Boards Association. Retrieved 30 August 2011, from http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html
