The Effectiveness of Using Technologies in Teaching & learning Language.

Abstract:
The increasing availability of technologies here refers to as (technological tools) in the classroom is promoting discussions among educators concerning the best way to teach students and how can instructors effectively utilize the available technologies to enhance learning? What instructors need to utilize such technologies? The research will demonstrate different technological tools and the effective use of each tool to enhance students’ learning experience. Nowadays instructors & students both use different technologies in teaching and learning, starting from using computers, and surfing on internet and doing assignments on black boards, and creating animations on smart boards and writing daily input in weblogs, then ending by Wikis & portable devices. The effective use of these technologies should include:- Designing suitable curriculum for teaching and learning online, developing methods that help integrate these technologies into curriculum, and competence in applying such technologies & equal distribution of technologies among schools, regardless of location, ethnicity, origin or socio-economic of students.
Introduction:
Just Iam making a reflection on my topic and I concisely give some information about the research and how using different technologies might help meet the needs of different learners’ styles and bridge the digital divide. I will be searching on the Effectiveness of using Technologies in Teaching & Learning Languages. I will review some Learning Theories that might support my research, especially John Dewey and Piaget. Instructors who are considering integrating technologies into teaching & learning should ask the following essential questions (Why/How/what) as follows:
Research questions:
1- Why instructors use technologies in teaching & leaning language?
2- How instructors use and apply technologies in teaching & learning language?
3 – What is required to use & apply technologies in teaching & learning language?
4 - How does equal distribution of technologies help bridge the digital divide? The research is an attempt to find out the effectiveness of using technologies according to below difinition of effectivemss in teaching and learning and how technologies enhance students’ learning experience, as well as planning some strategies that might contribute to bridging the digital inequities. In my research, I will try to use Dewey Theory of experience and interaction and Piaget’s Theory on collaborative learning and interactions both Theories emphasized on Experience, interaction and collaboration. How technologies can be integrated into these theories to build a virtual community through online interaction and within a discussion board that empowering the virtual community past and present experience to make learning happens.

Objectives:
-Finding out the answers of the research questions.
-Demonstrating an understanding of the use of technologies in teaching/learning language.
- Reviewing of research on Digital equity & ways to bridge digital inequities

Definition of the term Effectiveness:
It may includes:
Authentic and multi tasks
Addresses different learners’ styles. ( considering individual differences)
Performance-based assessment.
Interactive models of instruction. ( Dewey)
Collaboration. (Piaget)
Students’ exploration of knowledge.
Teacher as facilitator

Section: 1
Educational Theories:
Dewey: Theory of Experience
The theory based on the interaction of two principles:-– Continuity: is that each experience a person has will influence the person’s future for better or worse.– Interaction: refers to the situational influence on one's experience. One's present experience is a function of the interaction between one's past experience and the present situation, for example, my experience of lesson will depend on how the teacher arranges and facilitates the lesson, as well my past experience of similar lessons and teachers. Dewey says that “once we have a theory of experience, then as educators can set about progressively organizing our subject matter in a way that it takes accounts of students' past experiences, and then provides them with experiences which will help to open up, rather than shut down, a person's access to future growth experiences, thereby expanding the person's likely contribution to society. Learning by interaction with society in order to acquire main ideas and the experience is an important tool to unify mind and body.” Therefore, how instructor applies technologies on Dewey’s equation (Continuity+ experience+ interaction to prepare an exciting learning situation for students.References:-http://www.siu.edu/~deweyctr/
- http://www.davidsonfilmsstore.com/Giants.htm#DEW
- Democracy and Education, 1966
- Experience and Education, 1963
- Experience and Nature, 1958

Piaget: Theory of Collaborative Learning, 1928-1932:

The collaborative learning offers learners opportunities to cooperatively learn and work on assignments/ projects in groups, thus enhances the interactions among the group members to build a cooperative learning community. Every one as part of learning community is assigned to complete his/ her work. Piaget pointed out” collaborative learning has a major role in constructive cognitive development. His theory is consistent with the other popular learning theories Vygotsky 1978, Fox, & Karen; Thomas & Funaro 1990 all are emphasizing in the importance of collaboration. Piaget felt that interaction between peers is equally shared. This contrasts adult-child or a teacher-student interaction, where usually the former is in control and the latter characteristically follows what the former professes, thus not following his/her own natural learning process.” The theory also enhances the notion of student- centered. I concluded that collaborative learning will help build a virtual community, consequently promotes accessibility to online distance learning. Accordingly, digital service can be conveyed to a large number of students in remote areas. It could be also another way of bridging the digital divide.

References:
http://www.cs.usask.ca/grads/vsk719/academic/890/project2/node2.html http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~Dongjoo_Lee/IRD/
http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/teie.html

Section: 2
Literature review:
Students Engagement & Digital Equity:
Digital Equity is just like Multicultural Education; it’s a way to identify and eliminate all kind of inequities and injustices that negatively impact our schools and society. The main target of digital equity is an instructor and student for their important roles in learning process.

Professional Development:
Both instructors and students should get the required training that enables them to use and apply school technologies, budget for tech supplies, as well as a well designed electronic classroom that equipped with reliable set of teaching tools.

Conclusion: