Novice Language Teachers’ Selection Criteria and Uses for Digital Voice Recording Software

In order to address a lack of motivation to learn a second language, second/foreign language teachers must overcome a multitude of impediments in which to bring students to higher levels of language learning. Research on the integration of digital voice recording software into the language learning curriculum has focused primarily on the perceptions of veteran instructors and their students. However, there is a dearth of research on novice language educators and what influences their decisions to select such software. Following the literature review, the author discusses results from a study investigating novice language teachers’ criteria and selection of digital voice recording software. The research has implications for language teachers as well as teachers in other content areas

What Audacity! Decreasing Student Anxiety while Increasing Instructional Time

Promoting student engagement in the second language classroom can be difficult for teachers. Multiple obstacles such as perceptions of the irrelevance of authentic language applications and the affective barriers (e.g. performance anxiety speaking before peers) tend to hinder student oral language performance. For teachers, especially for beginners, other obstacles appear such as being given the most challenging assignments with little to no professional support. Many times these educators scramble to squeeze the most out of every minute in the classroom for instructional purposes while trying to increase student achievement. Three free and open source software options are presented and findings from two studies of focusing on the use of Audacity indicate multiple benefits for both teachers and students. Afterwards, the authors demonstrate how to use Audacity for oral language assessment and discuss its implications for the world language classroom

Understanding Cognition Across Modalities for the Assessment of Digital Resources

Drawing from the theories of the cognitive process, this paper explores the transmission, retention and transformation of information across oral, written, and digital modes of communication and how these concepts can be used to examine the assessment of digital resource tools. The exploration of interactions across modes of communication is used to gain an understanding of the interaction between the student, digital resource and teacher. Cognitive theory is considered as a basis for the assessment of digital resource tools. Lastly, principles for the assessment of digital resource tools are presented along with how assessment can be incorporated in the educational practice to enhance learning in higher education

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

A NEW APPROACH FOR DISTANCE LANGUAGE LEARNING: COMPARING CURRENT PROGRAMS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF AUDIO EDITING PROGRAMS

The main goal in language education is to develop learners’ skills in oral communication that enables to interact in the target language. Yet, in times of the pandemic, activities supporting the development of communicative competences are difficult to implement, as these activities are arranged mostly for in – class settings with the need of students’ interactive participation. Hence, language education needs to be adapted according to the new circumstances. The aim of this study is to examine how open source audio editing programs can support language education especially in promoting oral competences and implementing communicative activities for in – class language education with social distance and distanced language education. For this aim, open source audio editing programs are examined and compared in view of their features. Within this aim the programs Audacity, Ardour, Ecasound, Jokosher, MusE, Qtractor, Rosegarden, SoX, Sweep and Traverso DAW are examined. Furthermore, on the example of the program Audacity, some useful features for preparing audios in language education are presented. It is recommended to use these programs in language education. Article visualizations

Music conducting pedagogy and technology : a document analysis on best practices

This document analysis was designed to investigate pedagogical practices of music conducting teachers in conjunction with research of technologists on the use of various technologies as teaching tools. I sought to discern how conducting teachers and pedagogues are applying recent technological advancements into their teaching strategies. I also sought to understand what paths research is taking about the use of software, hardware, and computer systems applied to the teaching of music conducting technique. This dissertation was guided by four main research questions: (1) How has technology been used to aid in the teaching of conducting? (2) What is the role of technology in the context of conducting pedagogy? (3) Given that conducting is a performative act, how can it be developed through technological means? (4) What technological possibilities exist in the teaching of music conducting technique? Data were collected through music conducting syllabi, conducting textbooks, and research articles. Documents were selected through purposive sampling procedures. Analysis of documents through the constant comparative approach identified emerging themes and differences across the three types of documents. Based on a synthesis of information, I discussed implications for conducting pedagogy and made suggestions for conducting educators.Includes bibliographical references