Technology and Task Design

1. TechnologyandTask Design

2. Discussion • Do you currently use webpages as a source for realia in your language class, or require students to refer to webpages (etc.) outside of class? • What purpose do these websites serve? • Are you satisfied with the outcomes? Are the students? • HOW do you use them?

3. What is a task? • “an activity or action which is carried out as the result of processing or understanding language” • Richards, J., Platt, J., & Weber, H. (1985). Longman dictionary of applied linguistics. New York: Longman, p.289 • Tasks provide a purpose to learners, encourage interaction, and promote target language use as a means to an end.

4. What is a task? • Tasks generally share common characteristics: • purposeful and goal-oriented • lead to an attainable objective • require comprehension, manipulation, and production of the target language • focus on a meaningful exchange of information • engage learners in an activity in order to carry out operations • can be problem-solving or consensus-building

5. What is a FLtask? • How does this information about tasks relate to us as foreign language teachers? • Discuss with a partner how you conceive of “tasks” in your classes. • What materials or equipment do you generally incorporate to carry out these tasks?

6. Tasks and communication • Communication extends beyond a question-and-answer exchange between a student and teacher or a student and a computer • The notion of communication encompasses “expression, interpretation, and negotiation of meaning” • Lee, J. F. (2000). Tasks and communicating in language classrooms. New York: McGraw-Hill., p. 1 • Tasks require communication, and communication in any medium requires an exchange to take place.

7. Tasks and technology • Therefore, technology in and of itself… • does not lead to an attainable objective. • does not require students to focus on the meaningful exchange of information. • does not require comprehension, manipulation and production of the TL. • does NOT encompass expression, interpretation and negotiation of meaning. • does not promote meaningful communication. • “Technology” is not a task!

8. Tasks and technology • Technology is a tool through which we can create meaningful, innovative, useful and exciting tasks for our students. • HOW? • By keeping in mind a few simple guidelines as we prepare our technology-based tasks...

9. Technology-based tasks • 1. Identify task goals; make them clear and keep them in mind throughout the activity. “When we choose authentic materials, there should be a purpose–not simply to decorate the page or to fill (or kill) time but to introduce learners to a specific cultural concept, to illustrate something that has just been taught (or that is going to be taught), to serve as a stimulus for an activity” Terry, R. M. (1998). Authentic tasks and materials for testing in the foreign language classroom. In J. Harper, M. Lively, & M. Williams (Eds.), The coming of age of the profession: Issues and emerging ideas for the teaching of foreign languages (pp. 277-290). Boston: Heinle & Heinle, , p. 282

10. Technology-based tasks • 2. Prepare learners for the task. • Relate the activity to previously studied linguistic and/or cultural concepts. • Activate appropriate background knowledge at the beginning of the activity.

11. Technology-based tasks • 3. Provide navigational aids. • Learners should be given explicit information regarding the technical nature of the task (how to run a program, how to log on, etc.) so that they may proceed quickly to the task itself rather than lose time trying to set it up. • Give learners navigational instructions to direct them quickly and efficiently to the necessary information on a website. • Monitoring may be necessary to ensure that students remain on-task, avoiding the temptation to surf irrelevant websites.

12. Technology-based tasks • 4. Have learners do something with the information. • Engage learners in verbal exchange of the information gathered (peer survey, partner interview). • Draw generalizations, see what trends exist in the class, compare their responses with their partner, etc. • Target language is the means of achieving some ultimate purpose

13. The ABCs of task design... • A is for analysis. • B is for back-up. • C is for the 5 Cs. • D is for diversity. • E is for evaluation.

14. This is an activity that a TA had planned for a class I observed once (in Spanish, obviously). While there are some positive aspects of the activity, it fails to meet a number of the characteristics of a successful technology-based task. Why? Sample activity • Critique this “task” based on the above. • Go to: www apartments.com • Find an apartment that fits your lifestyle (real or imagined). • In your own words, write a brief description (10-15 sentences) of the apartment you found. Explain why you chose this apartment and why you like it. • Check spelling and grammar in MSWord. • Send the instructor a copy of your work via email.

15. Now what? • Over the course of the next week and a half, we will learn how to: • search for and evaluate appropriate and useful webpages • explore tools for collaborating and communicating • design pedagogically sound tasks utilizing these resources and tools