| To us falls the task of breaking a frame many of us are deeply attached to. But we have no choice: we must act now to shape a digital culture of empowerment and difference, or we will be swept away, wordless into a matrix, where the future may well be a Databoot - stamping on the human interface, forever. (McDaid, 1991) |
English Learning Area Outcomes
The English Learning Area Statement and the Outcomes and Standards Framework focus on:
- The need for students to become competent and critical users of language through their engagement with and study of a wide variety of texts.
- A broad notion of "text" as any form of written, spoken or visual communication involving language (including computer-based technologies, their products and systems).
- Learning about language, how it works as a social process and how to use it effectively in a variety of forms and situations.
- The development of function and critical literacy skills to equip students to control, understand, reflect on and critically analyse their own and others' use of language.
- The development of high levels of literacy to meet the challenges of new technologies and the proliferation of new and different forms of communication.
- Identifying the attitudes, values and beliefs in texts that they listen to and read, and reflect on their own attitudes, values and beliefs that influence their interpretation and responses.
- The development of effective speaking, listening, viewing, reading and writing skills.
Computer Based Technologies in the English Classroom
The introduction of effective computer based technologies into the English classroom provides opportunities to address the outcomes of the English Learning Area.
The critical factor will be the ways in which teachers integrate these technologies into teaching and learning activities.
This must be driven by the needs of the student and not just by what the technology can do.
| The development of new technologies has produced a proliferation of new and different forms of communication. Students will need high levels of literacy to meet these challenges. (Curriculum Framework 1998) |
The English Learning Area has a special role to play in developing students' literacy because it focuses clearly on language and how it works for a variety of purposes, contexts and audiences.
The development of literacy skills will enable students to become critical, reflective, competent and adaptable users of language. Students will then be equipped with the language skills to adapt to the increasingly complex communication demands of the new information technologies.
The English Learning Area outcomes in the Curriculum Framework and the Outcomes and Standards Framework incorporate the concepts, skills and processes indicated above.
Teaching & Learning in an Outcomes Focused Environment
A successful teaching and learning program in an outcomes focused environment integrating technology in English would also need to:
- Promote innovative and student-centred approaches to learning.
- Develop individual and group learning programs as a consequence of recognising the diversity of students needs and learning styles.
- Develop a balance of specifically focused and open-ended tasks.
- Embed the use of technology in the learning outcomes for students.
- Provide opportunities for integrated learning or cross curricula links.
- Ensure that the technology improves the teaching and learning program and learning effectiveness.
- Take an enquiry-based and problem-solving approach to learning.
- Provide opportunities for students to evaluate and shape technological developments.
- Link activities to a school plan that is focused on student outcomes.
Learning Technologies & English
The Matrix below indicates some ways in which students can be given the learning opportunities to address the concepts , skills and processes of English by using technology. The matrix highlights the English strands of Speaking and Listening, Viewing, Reading and Writing and the interrelated substrands of Use of Texts, Contextual Understanding, Conventions and Processes and Strategies.
The Matrix (drawing examples from the Technology Focus Schools Three Lesson Plans and the Innovative Schools) illustrates how English outcomes can be addressed using appropriate technologies.
Where particular strands or substrands were not represented in this material, additional examples have been added by way of illustration. The examples represent activities that integrate technology across the strand and substrand outcomes in the English Learning Area.
Computer or other technology based activities need to be designed to meet the outcomes from the Curriculum Framework and Student Outcome Statements in English , taking into consideration the age, prior experience and level of development of the students.
Many of the activities and suggestions indicated in the matrix above are appropriate for different phases of schooling. What has to be taken into consideration is the degree of complexity of the texts chosen, the sophistication of the analysis required of students and the level of independence students are required to demonstrate in the selection and use of computer-based learning technologies. It is these understandings that will need to be taken into account when using the eight levels of the Student Outcome Statement levels to make a judgement about the individual student's level of achievement.
While the activities and examples listed in the above matrix are separated, it is necessary to keep in mind the interrelatedness of the strands and substrands. Many of the activities described enable the modes of speaking, and listening, viewing, reading and writing to occur across the four substrands.
The pointers in the Student Outcome Statements often use examples from learning technologies to illustrate ways in which students might demonstrate performance in relation to a particular outcome. As the pointers are neither prescriptive nor exhaustive, additional pointers could be written to elaborate and illustrate the incorporation of computer based technologies in a particular school context.
No comments:
Post a Comment