Mejore, Emplee, y Extenda el Aprendizaje

Numerous opinions exist over whether the increase in technology in the educational world is positive or negative. In my opinion, and in correspondence with the article, "Enhance, Engage and Extend Learning", the positive or negative isn't about the existence of technology, it's all about the ability of teachers to use it to our advantage in the classroom.

Liz Keren-Kolb uses the "Triple E Framework for Instructional Technology" to illustrate that, despite some teachers using technology in their classrooms (for example, using a PowerPoint presentation in place of a simple lecture), the students don't benefit from technological inclusion unless that component can engage, enhance, or extend their learning. What does all of this mean? Keren-Kolb spells it out:

Engage Learning-use technology to motivate or interest disengaged students

The technology:

• allows students to focus on the assignment with less distraction; 
• Motivates students to start the learning process; and 
• causes a shift in student behavior from passive to active learning. 

Enhance Learning-use technology to develop understanding of learning goals that could not have been accomplished without those tools

The technology:

• allows students to understand in a way that is easier than a traditional tool; 
• allows students to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the content; and 
• allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the content in a way that they could not using traditional tools. 

Extend Learning-use technology to bring learning outside the classroom walls and into students' everyday lives where they can continue to grow after they leave school

The technology:

• allows students to learn outside their typical school day; 
• allows students to merge their school learning with their everyday life experiences; and 
• allows students to become lifelong learners, as they do not need the teacher or school to continue to use the tools. 

All of this seems incredibly daunting-but in reality, there are thousands and thousands of online resources to help make Foreign Language learning interesting and meaningful to students. Most of my experience is in Secondary Education in Foreign Language, and that is where I will be completing my student teaching internship during the Spring 2016 semester. Secondary education differs from lower-grades education in a few ways when it comes to accessing technology for your classroom (especially in the 21st century). High schoolers these days have their smartphones on them 24/7, and as much of a nuisance that they can be in the classroom, they can also work to your advantage.

When ENGAGING secondary age students in Foreign Language learning, you have to play to what interests them! For some students, the fact that they could be able to use this language in the real world around them or while traveling is enough to keep them engaged.  But, for most others, making the Spanish language meaningful to them has to involve the inclusion of another aspect of their life.  This can be as easy as using a fake Facebook account on this website and filling the information out in Spanish! Or, if there is access to a computer or tablet for each student, they can create their own accounts talking about famous Spanish speakers, postulating what their Facebook accounts may look like. They could even translate their own Facebook accounts into Spanish.  The options are endless! The students will just be excited that they can relate this class to something they likely see every day.

Another way I could ENGAGE my Spanish learners, and even ENHANCE their learning, is by finding the Spanish versions of common commercials shown on TV of big brands.  Many international brands have versions of the commercials they play in several languages.  See the example below. 

Because the students are likely already familiar with the Snickers brand slogan, "You're not you when you're hungry", it will be easier for them to translate the commercial and grasp the grammar rule for verbs like "tener".  Students could even go further and EXTEND their learning by searching online for other commercials with national brands that may have versions of their advertisements in Spanish.  They could be assigned to watch Spanish speaking channels like Univision and watch for the verb usage and differences in stylistic and grammatical aspects in comparison to the commercials they're familiar with.

Though it is difficult to achieve all three of these aspects of technology use in each lesson, even small changes can make a big difference.  Above are just two examples, and below are several more for each category.

ENGAGE Learning

• Playing a song at the beginning of the class that includes either the grammar, culture, or theme of the lesson.  This way, students come into class and are automatically excited to learn.  Try "Lola Soledad" por Alejandro Sanz, which would be great to start off a Reflexive Verb unit! 

• In my classroom, depending on what kind of internet access my students have, I plan to make each student have a Twitter account (which can be a separate one for class if they prefer).  They must follow me on Twitter and be on the lookout for homework assignments! 
• I could tweet at the students and ask them to tweet back or have them try to gain retweets on songs or videos. 
• Using twitter to my advantage instead of making it the enemy could help keep students engaged and interested

ENHANCE Learning- these should not only be fun and interesting to students, but this technology should make it the information more accessible or, in some cases, easier to understand. 

• Jeopardy and other review games not only get the students excited, but they play to different intelligences and learning styles, allowing students to enjoy themselves and make learning more meaningful
• Songs that are made by teachers, students, or Spanish professionals to help understand grammar rules are incredible tools for students who  can't always grasp the concepts on the first try or with just lecturing! 

EXTEND Learning

• Have students complete research on another culture.  Have them find information about their food, their customs, and even more specifically, have them find out how they use technology in comparison to people in the U.S.! 
• For students who enjoy sports, they can be assigned a soccer team and use ESPN Deportes to find statistics, information about players, and even watch games at home!
• This may be more applicable for higher level learners but teachers can have students go to websites like BBC Mundo and find current events regarding particular countries that they are interested.  To extend learning in lower level classes, you can have them watch news stories in class that are meant for speakers of the TL or use a podcast like News in Slow Spanish to gather the same kind of information but at a slower rate
• Finally, to extend learning beyond the classroom, the teacher can use his/her resources to get in touch with a classroom in any Spanish speaking country and try to set up a Skype session on a set schedule.  This way the students can learn from each other and the learning can truly be limitless

References

Alejandro Sanz Católogo. (2010, October 28). Alejandro Sanz - Lola Soledad (Videoclip

oficial) [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap1OoEDHYrM

[Screenshot of FakeBook (Lionel Messi)]. Retrieved from http://www.classtools.net/FB/1899-mXKjUp

Señor Jordan. (2015). Reflexive verbs made easy with a song! [Screenshot of YouTube 

video]. Retrieved from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYFCwIfZ-s4)

ZombieDMonkey. (2010, June 24). Snickers Zombie Commercial [Video File]. Retrieved 

from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pndQRcAjFM

Twitter as a Professional Learning Network

What is Twitter and How Does It Work?

Twitter is a social media outlet founded in 2006 that has since then spiraled into the household name equivalent of a movie star; everybody knows about Twitter. Twitter is an online platform, where any person can stand on their soap box and say what they want to say. Twitter allows ideas, people, and companies to connect through common interests, allowing the growth of a Professional Network.Although Twitter is user-friendly, it takes time to really understand all of its capabilities. A Twitter handle can reference one's profession or any interests that they may have. For Professional Learning Network purposes, it is important to keep it uncomplicated and memorable.

There are three main components of using twitter:

Tweeting

• Tweets can only consist of 140 characters, but this isn't as limiting as it seems. Tweets can also contain links to longer articles or news stories, as well as photos or videos. Each tweet can contain tags of other users' handles using the "@" sign to tag them. The tweets can also contain hashtags, using the "#" hash sign. Each tweet can be "favorited", which implies that the user likes the tweet or that they agree with it. Favoriting tweets is a good way to keep track of tweets or articles that need to be referenced in the future. There is a "Favorited" section on each profile, so that the user (and their followers) can view all of them in one place for easy access and organization. To go ever further, the user can "Retweet" a tweet, which is to put it on one's own profile while giving credit to the original source. Also, if there is something to be said in response to the tweet, there is a "comment" option. 

Following

• To "follow" someone means to follow their tweets. This way, they end up on the home feed. Following is very important in building a Professional Learning Network, because once the user follows a few prominent accounts, one will find more accounts through the retweets of other users. Also, the user can go into the "following" section of other users to find potential accounts that may be beneficial to follow. 

Hashtags

• Hashtags are, in my opinion, the most useful component of Twitter. These tags are topics or buzzwords that can be added or highlighted in a tweet. Hashtags are hyperlinked so that when they're clicked on, the site is directed to all of the tweets that contain the same hashtag. These tags fuel political uprisings, follow pop culture stories, and help people connect through common interests. The third option is the most used and most beneficial to creating a Professional Learning Network, allowing users in the educational sector to connect on things like #STEM or #elemedchat.

My Experience

The first time I got a Twitter account was at the beginning of the semester, when I saw that Twitter was on the syllabus for the Technology for Teachers course. My original handle (another term for username, apparently) was "elizabethdbee". My name is Elizabeth Daly Burns, and this was the closest I could come in relevance. I knew that I would eventually think of something more clever, so I left it. My Cover Photo and Profile Picture for my account are both very appropriate, which I knew was important.  Sarah Caron, EducationWorld Associate Editor, mentions the significance of this in her article "Using Twitter for Professional Development".  The section is labeled,Tweet like your mama and principal are watching.  This is true of  everything on the account.  My personal profile is in Spanish, mostly because this helps me with practice and immersion.

I began by following news sources, close friends, and a few accounts that coincide with my social beliefs. After these, I began my search for eduction and Spanish-based accounts. 

I am studying for my K-12 Licensure in Spanish Education, so many of the elementary and STEM tweets and accounts aren't as relevant to my Professional Learning Community. It is a slow process trying to build my PLN through who I follow, and is definitely ongoing. I am constantly searching the internet for suggestions on who to follow for content based in education, but more specifically in Spanish Education or in education when dealing with behavioral issues or exceptionalities.

My Twitter profile can be found here, please feel free to follow me and take a look!

How Do the Pros Use It? 

Kathleen Morris sums up her use of Twitter in saying, "I find Twitter to be like a virtual staffroom where I can catch up with my PLN. It is a place where I can find advice, give advice, find great links, share my work and engage in general musings about education." She, and other prevalent educator-tweeters use the social media platform to collaborate and learn from one another. 

I recently changed my Twitter handle to "ElizabethEnVivo" because I felt it was more relevant to the kinds of followers I'm trying to attract, and is more appropriate/mature if students ever want to see my account. @RealDealSpanish is an account linked to a website that offers Spanish lessons and offers insight into hispanic culture that recently started following me. Kathleen Morris is a veteran teacher and a famous tweeter in the Education sector. She says it best when it comes to what we have to offer one another as teachers:

"Effective teaching and learning doesn’t occur in a vacuum. To be the best teacher you can be, you need a diverse and innovative network. Traditionally, the staff at your school was your only network of teachers to collaborate with. This network may not be diverse or innovative. With Twitter, the barriers of distance and access are broken down and the world is at your fingertips!"

Alec Couros talks about idea collision and a new found definition of knowledge thanks to Twitter. "The more parts that you put out on the table, that you make available to other people, you see these new innovations. These things that were partial hunches, are all of a sudden much bigger that we could've ever dreamed of".

References:

Caron, S. (2013). Using Twitter for professional development.  Retrieved 
from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/using-twitter-for-professional-
development.shtml 

Morris, K. (2014). Step 2: Using Twitter to build your PLN. Retrieved 
from http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org 

[Teaching and Learning in South Australia].  (September 10, 2013). Using Twitter 
effectively in education - with Alec Couros [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqSCR3HU4eg#action=share

[Twitter Bird Graphic].  Retrieved December 10, 2014, from www.about.twitter.com