Action Research Using Digital Technology - Essay Example

? Action Research Using Digital Technology Action Research Using Digital Technology In today’s world, technology is being used in schooling to ensure that the students are able to capture what they are taught, and the most common technology that is being used is the digital technology which is the use of computers. The use of digital technology affects the thinking and learning process of the students as well as the teachers. Therefore, the classroom teachings affect the ways in which the teachers are able to show their students how they can use computers so as to acquire skills and knowledge required in the learning process. The use of digital technology has an effect on the teaching process where the teachers ensure that they use computers to revise with the students and help them learn. The students learning at ESOL Entry level 3 Curriculum use digital technology to revise their skills and competences. The revision exercise is done in order to ensure that the students get the best out of the learning process. The ESOL learning curriculum makes the students become equipped with the process of learning, which enables them to become more competent in their day to day lives. The curriculum can also be taught using digital technology where the teachers ensure they use the computers to help the students. These can be incorporated by use of games as block busters, who wants to be a millionaire and World of War craft (WOW). The use of games makes the process of teaching and learning fun and thus the teachers together with the learners are able to get more through the use of games in learning, a process called gamification. Gamification helps in ensuring that the students find fun in learning through the use of games, which motivates them to learn more and get to correct some of the mistakes that they might be experiencing without having difficulties. The ESOL learning helps the learners understand the English language and become competent as they gain skills which enable them understand and communicate effectively with the other people. The game block buster for example, is used by the teachers to make the learning process humanistic and active. The game is used to improve the vocabulary of the learners as they use the English language on their day to day lives. The students get familiar with the language because there are lots of readings that the learners have to take in so as to ensure they get and develop the learning skills. The game has a study skill feature which helps the learners develop the strategies which help them become autonomous as they learn the language. The game has got songs which help the students enjoy the learning process through singing. This is evident as the students are able to relate the language they are learning with the songs that they sing on daily basis. These are the skills that the learners get as they continue with the process of learning and developing skills (Express Publishing, 2012). The teachers use the block buster game as a teaching tool for the English course and they get to learn the language using it. The game also enables the students to record themselves and assess their progress in learning, which is an advantage to them because they are able to know their progress in learning. The other game that is used for learning is Who Wants to be A Millionaire. This game helps the learners to answer questions which as the game progress, they become difficult. The questions asked have choices of which one of the choices is the correct one. If the learner gives the correct answer to a question asked, the pay off increases. If the answer given is incorrect, the game becomes over (Jefferson Lab, 2012). The World of War craft (WOW) game is also another tool that is used to improve the learning process of the students. This is a game that helps in the solving problems and it increases the thinking capacity of individuals. This means that as the levels of the game progress, the game becomes difficult as the speed also increases. The game is conditioned such that one can only go to another step or level if he or she is able to pass and score accordingly in a previous level. This is an indication that a person can only be a member of a certain team if only the members of that team accept him or her as a member (Hagel et al., 2009). WOW is parallel to the model of education system in that the students level up due to their success in their academics based on their mastery rather than moving on the system based on the specified time. It is evident that the games help in improving the skills of the learners as they get to understand the curriculum and what is expected of them. Understanding the curriculum is one of the important aspects that the learners should have and the teachers have come with the use of digital technology through games to help in the development of the learners skills. The learners are able to revise the skills that they have acquired, and this is only done when they get to repeat the process of learning. This means that the learners can continuously play the games thus getting to revise what they have learned. The use of digital technology enables the learners to get feedback of how competent they have become, and thus they are able to improve in their performance as they ensure that they revise their mistakes and work on them. The teachers help the learners to discover their mistakes, as well as train them on how they can be able to revise and work on ensuring that they do not repeat the same mistakes again (Swan, Lin, & Van ‘t Hooft, 2008). The teaching by use of digital technology is enhanced through the collaboration of the students together with their colleagues, students and their teachers as well as teachers with the other teachers. Students should engage in team work and discussions which enable them to work together in improving their competence. They help in identifying each other’s strengths and thus contribute to the success of their colleagues. The teachers should also work together with the students so as to help them improve in their grades. There are some teachers who are new to technology and thus they need to develop themselves in order to ensure that they help the learners develop in their skills and knowledge. Therefore, they have to engage in professional development for the benefit of the students (Swan, Lin, & Van‘t Hooft, 2008). Digital technology enhances the process of learning for the students and this helps t5hem in establishing how efficient and effective they can improve in their learning process. Digital technology is used to help the teachers and the learners to have a different response in the learning process. The use of technology helps the learners develop ideas which they use in solving the daily problems that they experience during their curriculum. Learners become self directed when they use technology and get the best approach to solving their problems. References Express Publishing, 2012. Blockbuster Series. Retrieved on 28th Dec 2012 from http://www.expresspublishing.co.uk/elt/blockbuster/aboutblockbuster.html Hagel, J., & Eely, B., 2009. How World of Warcraft Promotes Innovation. Business Week, Jan. 14. Jefferson Lab, 2012. Who Wants to Win a Million Dollars? – The Rules. Retrieved on 28th Dec 2012 from http://education.jlab.org/million/rules.html Swan, K., Lin, L., & Van ‘t Hooft, M., 2008. Teaching with Digital Technology. Retrieved on 28th Dec 2012 from http://www.academia.edu/399278/Teaching_with_Digital_Technology Read More