Teachers and Technology

Their tends to be a focus on student learning rather than developing skills for teaching more effectively.

Technical vs Pedagogical skills.

Technical teaching skills - how to turn the sound up, use ActivInspire, find material on the T drive, troubleshoot common browser problems or access and use Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs).


Salmon (2003) "Any significant initiative aimed at changing teaching methods or the introduction of technology into teaching and learning should include effective e-moderator support and training, otherwise its outcomes are likely to be meagre and unsuccessful".


Hampel and Stickler believe that the ample availability of authentic teaching and learning materials makes the online environment ideally suited for communicative tasks.  It also provides an "opportunity to take part in meaningful communicative interaction with highly competent speakers of the language (Canale & Swain, 1980, p. 27).

Authentic and meaningful interaction AND the necessary pedagogical support = Optimal communicative competence teaching. Live synchronous written and spoken interaction with peers and tutors who provide scaffolding  via online language tutorials.

First level - basic competence including: using a the keyboard, mouse, word processor, internet, troubleshooting browser problems and downloading audio, video, image files etc.

Second level - particular software applications for teaching purposes such as the interactive white board and commercially available educational software.

Third level - Understanding what kinds of learning the software can facilitate, and what the limitations are.

Fourth level - Enabling learners to develop their communicative competence by interacting with other language learners.

Fifth level - The design of tasks and intervention by the tutor once the online community has been established.

Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980).  Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1) 1 - 47.  

Salmon, G. (2003). E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning online (2nd ed.). London and New York: RouteledgeFarmer