Reading Prompt #5

After reading Egbert Chapter 5 on how technology can be used to encourage creativity and productivity I learned that productivity tools can be used to encourage learners. Productivity tools such as word processors, databases, spreadsheets and e-mail, to name a few, can be used to encourage learners to be creative.

According to Egbert, the importance of language "output", or language production has only begun to be explored in language acquisition. In an ideal situation the learner would be able to produce language and test it out with his/her peers. Producing language within a group setting allows learners to correct their peers and themselves. This feedback is great, but this production alone does not cause learning. Creativity must also be added to the equation. When a learner is creating he is adapting and/or changing. And in order for the student to be creative there must be intentional cognition, support, scaffolding and feedback, and control over language. Working in groups does facilitate both the production and creativity, but they must both be used in order for language learning to take place. In addition, I would also include close teacher monitoring to the production and creativity.

The experience I have had with this is when using powerpoint. Students created a class powerpoint presentation where each group created a slide to be added to the whole presentation. The groups worked together and discussed what would be on their slide. The creativity took place when they actually sat down and created the slide. Students corrected each other and added words to make the slide better. Both the teacher and the students gave instant feedback. Students tasks were modified when they demonstrated difficulty. The teacher would intervene and make a slight change on the task requirements. I found this to be something the students were richly engaged in.

Another experience I have had is with student coauthoring a story. In my experience, I did not use technology to achieve the final product. Although the activity was engaging, productive and creativity was evident in the stories, I could only guess how much more fulfilling it would be to use electronic conferencing software or e-mail to share the stories with a larger group of students.

This type of collaboration leads into productivity and creativity. I think that the active collaboration that a computer can provide via the internet can build on language learning. An example of this is the Wikis. According to Richardson, the collaborative environment in the wikis helps to facilitate the interaction between students. Students are producing and creating in a collaborative environment. The Wikis also provides for feedback while testing their ability to communicate. I think that using Wikis is a great way to facilitate learning for language learners.