Joe Bauman - Teaching With Technology
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Teaching Philosophy
My goal when teaching is to enable my students to see how rewarding and enjoyable it can be to learn a second language. I hope that I can share with them my enthusiasm for languages and learning, and pass at least some of that enthusiasm on to my students. I feel that if students are sufficiently motivated by a desire to acquire a language and absorb new knowledge, they can both accelerate their own learning process and experience great enjoyment along the way. Using a variety of communicative personal interaction techniques as well as useful technological applications, I seek to achieve this goal.
In shaping my philosophy of teaching, my experience as a student has been as instrumental as my experience as a teacher. I have seen first-hand the power of the technological advancements that have been developed in recent years, and have lived through the emergence of computers and the internet as powerful tools for the exchange of information. Given this impact of technology on communication and the distribution of information, it seems quite fitting to apply current technological tools to language instruction. As a foreign language teacher, communication is the primary goal of the instructional and educational process; technological utilities such as the internet allow for augmented and enhanced communication.
In spite of this, I admit that I have had my doubts about the value of such supplemental educational instruments. I have for quite some time considered language to ideally involve face-to-face, verbal interaction, and this view of language shaped a belief that technology-based instruction might remove the interpersonal aspect of language. However, it is now apparent to me that it may, in fact, allow for more opportunities to experience face-to-face communication. As technology is already a large part of the lives of today’s students, web-based instructional materials allow language learners to utilize devices with which they are already familiar and comfortable. Providing students with supplemental internet-based instruction can permit students to practice with a language and develop a degree of confidence with it. Thus, students who would otherwise be uncomfortable with attempting to use the target language in the classroom may be encouraged by successful individual experiences outside of the classroom.
Furthermore, in our modern society, knowledge of multiple languages can be useful in various fields, including business, academics, and technology itself. As cultures become more globalized, students and professionals can benefit from an ability to communicate with individuals from other countries, and technologically enhanced language learning can encourage this communication. With increased contact and communication with the world abroad, students can enjoy a closeness and sense of community with that world.
While computer-based instruction may not be able to sufficiently replace person-to-person verbal communication, it can certainly supplement classroom learning. It may enable students to take advantage of all of the possibilities offered by online material as well as the practical application of spoken language. With opportunities to encounter the language of native speakers through audio and video files, second language learners can be exposed to models of language, and then utilize this input in a classroom setting. In addition, students may experience examples of the target culture to connect in a more real-world sense to the target language, and possibly even dispel stereotypes or misconceptions about the culture. This may, in turn, foster greater enthusiasm and motivation to learn the second language, as learners gain an understanding of how to implement it to their benefit in the world abroad.
Such enthusiasm would potentially lead to my ultimate goal for all of my language students: to not only understand the rewards of studying a language, but also to realize how enjoyable it can be to achieve success in acquiring the language. My greatest desire for all of my students is that they endeavor to learn for their own benefit and for the love of knowledge, and transcend the simple need to earn a grade or fulfill a course requirement. Motivated students with a love of learning may accelerate the learning process and increase both the rate and degree of success they achieve. With inspired and motivated students, the educational process can be satisfying, successful, and enjoyable for both the teacher and the learners.
The Pennsylvania State University. Copyright 2008.
Last updated on:
April 9, 2008 12:47 PM
Email: jrb922@psu.edu