Showing papers in "Teaching english with technology in 2015"

EFL Teachers' Perceptions on Using ICT in Their Teaching: To Use or to Reject?.

Abstract: This study focused on identifying EFL teachers’ per ceptions on the use of ICT in their teaching. A number of 42 EFL teachers from two stat e universities in Indonesia were involved. A closed-ended questionnaire based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, Bagozzi, and Warshaw, 1989) was distributed an interviews were conducted. The findings revealed that 31 teacher users were found to have high motivation to use ICT because they believe that it is important in ELT as it makes learning enjoyable, interesting, and effective, among other constructive outcomes. M eanwhile, even though the other 11 teacher non-users were aware that the use of ICT is becoming more essential nowadays, their motivation remains low. Their barriers were rooted from the lack of training and support, either financial or non-financial, from their work environment. Therefore, these barriers should become a priority for institutions to overco me, considering that ICT provides unlimited sources of information in ELT and teacher s must be prepared to face new challenges in education and technology that are pre sent today.

Blending Technology with Constructivism: Implications for an ELT Classroom.

Abstract: The constructivist approach in learning a foreign l a guage has been receiving a great deal of attention over the last years due to its tenets, wh ich fully comply with the principles of the effective language learning environment. Taking the foundations of constructivist pedagogy into consideration, the most innovative attempt tha English language teachers have made so far is to integrate technology into their classes i n order to improve students’ communication skills, help them become active learners, and encou rage them to reflect on their own learning. Along with a brief literature review on constructiv ist learning and the use of technology, this article aims to provide the readers with the relate d practical applications and implications.

Digital Storytelling: An Integrated Approach to Language Learning for the 21st Century Student.

Abstract: Societal changes have, throughout history, pushed the long-established boundaries of education across all grade levels. Technology and media merge with education in a continuous complex social process with human consequences and effects. We, teachers, can aspire to understand and interpret this volatile context that is being redesigned at the same time society itself is being reshaped as a result of the technological evolution. The languagelearning classroom is not impenetrable to these transformations. Rather, it can perhaps be seen as a playground where teachers and students gather to combine the past and the present in an integrated approach. We draw on the results from a previous study and argue that Digital Storytelling as a Process is capable of aggregating and fostering positive student development in general, as well as enhancing interpersonal relationships and self-knowledge while improving digital literacy. Additionally, we establish a link between the four basic language-learning skills and the Digital Storytelling process and demonstrate how these converge into what can be labeled as an integrated language learning approach.

Using computer-mediated corrective feedback modes in developing students’ writing performance

Abstract: This study explored the effect of computer-mediated corrective feedback on the 10th grade EFL students’ performance in the writing skill. Seventy-two 10th grade female students at Al Hammra secondary school for girls situated in Mafraq (Jordan) were selected as the study sample. They were randomly assigned into four groups, three experimental groups (18 in each) and one control group (18 students). The three experimental groups were taught using the computer-mediated corrective feedback modes including teachers’ feedback (students who received feedback only from the teacher), students’ feedback (students who provided and received feedback from their peers), and both (students who received and provided feedback from students and teacher). The control group was taught using computer-mediated communication. However, it neither provided nor received corrective feedback. Findings of the study reveal that there were significant differences between the mean scores of the control group and the experimental groups due to the method of teaching in favor of the experimental groups which received corrective feedback. Furthermore, the findings revealed that there was a significant effect for the mean scores between teachers’ feedback, students’ feedback or both, in favor of both where students received corrective feedback from their peers and the teacher.

The effect of online dictionaries usage on efl undergraduate students’ autonomy

Abstract: Due to EFL undergraduate students’ ineffective lear ning strategies, which mirror lack of autonomy, this paper is a pilot study into how use of Cambridge Dictionaries Online can affect undergraduate students’ autonomy or self-rel iance in a Thai EFL context. The link was selectively integrated in a writing classroom as a tool to improve their English during writing assignments because it appears to be more comprehen sive than others. Seventy three students participated in the study and completed a questionn aire based on arguments that new generations or young learners can relate themselves to the link viewed as learning technology and in turn possess positive attitude toward and mo tivation in learning English autonomously. Although the quantitative results are positive to s ome extent, they offer some directions for EFL teachers to guide their students in moving towa rd utonomy. Limitation and recommendations for future study are provided.

Bridges to swaziland: using task-based learning and computer-mediated instruction to improve english language teaching and learning

Abstract: One way to provide high quality instruction for und erserved English Language Learners around the world is to combine Task-Based English L anguage Learning with ComputerAssisted Instruction. As part of an ongoing project , “Bridges to Swaziland,” these approaches have been implemented in a determined effort to imp rove the ESL program for Orphans and Vulnerable Children at a mission school in Swazilan d, Southern Africa. In addition to providing staff development for Swazi teachers and staff, the project director and her students have worked directly with OVC and also created a nu mber of digital tools, designed to encourage discussion, facilitate cooperative learni ng and inspire English Language use in a meaningful and culturally relevant context. Results , while limited, indicate that application of the two approaches, TBLL and CALL has increased the confidence of teachers and improved student motivation and achievement.

Intermediate greek efl learners’ attitudes to on-line teaching practices: a blended task-based english language learning approach

Abstract: This paper reports on a one-year longitudinal study that adopted a blended teaching approach based on designing and implementing an online EFL c ourse to be used by Greek students aged 13-14 years old along their more traditional f ace-to-face lessons. The reason for creating a more dynamic learning environment aligned with th e rest of the curriculum was to increase EFL learners’ engagement and motivation through the ir exposure to authentic online material and participation in a variety of reading, writing, speaking and listening tasks. Data analysis of preand post-achievement tests on English langu ge reading comprehension performance along with students’ Computer-Assisted Language Lea rning (CALL) attitude questionnaire showed that participants generally had a positive a ttitude toward CALL. At the same time, open online access technologies gave them the oppor tunity to further develop their EFL reading comprehension skills. The paper concludes b y highlighting the fact that online class components were not designed to fit the online tool s into a task-based EFL lesson, but rather served the learning objectives of the actual lesson based on a blended teaching approach.

Examining the Use of Web-Based Tests for Testing Academic Vocabulary in EAP Instruction.

Abstract: Interest in Web-based and computer-assisted language testing is growing in the field of English for academic purposes (EAP). In this study, four groups of undergraduate EAP students (n=120), each group consisted of 30 students, were randomly selected from four different disciplines, i.e. biology, political sciences, psychology, and law. The four groups were homogeneous regarding their English proficiency. Four course-specific web-based tests of academic vocabulary were administered to each group with regard to their specific disciplines. Questionnaires were employed to explore the EAP students’ perceptions and self-efficacy concerning web-based language testing. Also, the perceptions of the four groups of undergraduates were compared in order to identify the differences among their attitudes. The findings would have implications for renewing assessment approaches and methods used in EAP instruction.

Significance of social applications on a mobile phone for english task-based language learning

Abstract: The utter importance of knowing the English languag e cannot be denied today. Despite the existence of traditional methods for teaching a lan guage in schools, a big number of children are left without the requisite knowledge of English as a result of which they fail to compete in the modern world. With English being a Lingua Fr anca, more efforts are mandatory to foster the English language learning abilities. Thi s can be achieved by improving the traditional method of teaching by providing alterna tive means to ameliorate the effort. Keeping these aspects in view, research is being co ducted to evaluate the performance of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course) and MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning) to teach a language. However, this particular research will bring into the limelight a set of social networking applications commonly found in a mobile phone, which can serve as potential English Language Learning tools, due to the versati lity of their features. Keeping in view the theories of Mastery Learning, Operant Conditioning, Sense of Community and Task-Based Teaching Principles, the social networking applicat ions will be assessed. Therefore, this descriptive research aims to bring awareness on how t e applications can be utilized to enhance task-based learning of English Language.

Critical issues in the evaluation of an international project dedicated to technology-mediated tblt (petall)

Abstract: The CEFR encourages teachers to resort to task-base d activities in the language classroom. However, some resistance has been offered to this a ppro ch, due to lack of appropriate training and difficulty in meeting some basic pract ical conditions, as well as in finding resources and examples of good practices, as shown in a survey conducted within the scope of ETALAGE. PETALL (Pan European Task-based Activit ies in Language Learning [20132016]) seeks to construct a transnational strategy for ICT-based task design management and aims to design tasks that can be implemented in dif ferent educational contexts. This paper offers an overview of the internal evaluation proce dur s to be followed at different levels and stages of the project, and discusses the objectives , underlying principles and criteria applied.

A study of text-to-speech (tts) in children’s english learning

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the digital material incorporated into Textto-Speech system for students’ English spelling. The digital material was made on the basis of the Spelling Bee vocabulary list (approximately 300 words) issued by the selected school. 21 third graders from a private bilingual school in Taiwan were selected for this study. This study employed four data collection techniques, including questionnaire, pre-test and post-test, informal observation and interview, and semi-structured individual interviews. The research results showed that the use of digital material fostered the students’ English spelling ability and their self-directed learning.

Using lego blocks for technology-mediated task-based english language learning

Abstract: Lego blocks have been played with by generations of children worldwide since the 1950s. It is undeniable that they boost creativity, eye-hand coordination, focus, planning, problem solving and many other skills. Lego bricks have bee n also used by educators across the curricula as they are extremely motivating and enga ging and, in effect, make learning effective. The toy has developed with time, as a re sult of technology impact as well as users’ needs and expectations. This paper describes the tr ansformation of the use of Lego based activity in the academic writing class in the Insti tute of English Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw, Poland sp anning a period of the last seven years. Originally, the author’s idea was just to illustrat e in theory the principle of cohesion and coherence on the example of Lego composition instru ction, a concept described by Joseph Williams; however, it evolved into a highly success ful technology mediated task-based activity. The activity has been conducted since 200 8 and in the author’s newest 2014/15 version, it involves online writing, digital photog raphy, computer editing programs, animation, e-learning tools and blogging; it boosts , apart from the above mentioned skills, writing, reading, teamwork and IT skills. Its teach ing/ learning success results also from its multimodality, learner empowerment and authenticity . Moreover, the case illustrates teacher development due to both external and internal class f ctors, including the impact of learners’ competence and skills on the transformation of the activity itself and the resulting teacher training. Finally, the paper focuses on the role of the fast changing ICT technology in the development and adjustment of the English language learning task, the task based on the innovative use of Lego blocks in teaching academic skills to the students of the English studies program.

E-Portfolio as a Corrective Platform towards EFL Students' Overall/Componential Writing Performance.

Abstract: This paper aims at accentuating and exploring the e ffect of using electronic portfolio (EP) platform in providing corrective feedback (CF) on E FL students’ overall and microcomponential writing performance. Moreover, by cond ucting a semi-structured interview, the study seeks to obtain students’ attitudes towards t he use of EP in three aspects, namely awareness, work/activity, and pros and cons. A tota l of 34 intermediate EFL students ranging from 20-25 years of age participated in this study. While students in the experimental group (N=17) received their corrective feedback via EP, t he control group’s (N=17) writing assignments were corrected using traditional papernd-pen portfolio. An EP platform was designed using DOKEOS environment during eight instructional sessions. The results of this investigation revealed that pr oviding corrective feedback on EFL students’ writing via EP has a constructive effect on students’ overall writing performance (p=.02) and on writing micro-components except for idea development and idea wrap-up. The information obtained from the interview indicated t hat the EFL students developed affirmative attitudes towards the three aspects of using EP, na mely, awareness, work/activity, and pros and cons. The findings of this study bear some implicat ions for material developers and writing teachers and highlight the effective role EP plays in expediting CF on students’ writing and equipping them with the ubiquitous technology to ge t involved in writing activities with a positive standpoint.

Iranian efl teachers’ perception, familiarity and use of web 2.0 tools in tefl

Abstract: Following social-constructivist approaches in educat ion, there has been a growing interest in employing Web 2.0 technologies in language classes. While the effectiveness of these digital teaching crafts has been corroborated in many studies (see Crook et al., 2008, for a survey), there is always doubt if they have reached a normalized state in L2 classes (Bax, 2003). This study, therefore, attempts to investigate the attitude of a group of language teachers towards the effectiveness of these emerging technologies in L2 classes. There were 53 participants in the study affiliated with universities, Ministry of Education, and language schools in Dezful. A questionnaire based on Son (2011) was designed in which Likert-scaled items were used to assess the factors of familiarity, perception, and use of online technologies in the classroom. The results suggested that most of the respondents exhibited low degrees of familiarity and use towards the technologies under investigation despite considering computerized tools as effective in the teaching-learning process. Besides, further explanations in semi-structured interview sessions indicated that most of the participants expected policy makers to incorporate supplementary Information Technology (IT) courses and facilities into teacher education and in-service programs as well as educational settings.

Skype-Based English Activities: A Case for Compelling Input? Correlational Changes before and after Skype Exchanges.

Abstract: This paper reports the results of a small, longitud inal study involving a group of Japanese elementary school students ( N = 29) involved in exploratory research using foreig n language activities, including two Skype exchanges between t hese students and students in Australia. The purpose of the research was to test for the imp act of a series of Skype exchange activities with students in Australia on Japanese elementary s chool students’ affective variables toward EFL. The results show that the students had statistical ly significant increases in foreign language activities, international posture, and mot ivation. This tech-based language activity arguably supplied compelling comprehensible input. The student participation in the preparations leading up to the exchanges would have encouraged them to work diligently to be able to speak so as to be understood. The result s are discussed regarding future directions in this line of research.

Online localization of zooniverse citizen science projects – on the use of translation platforms as tools for translator education

Abstract: This paper aims at describing the way in which online translation platforms can facilitate the process of training translators. Zooniverse, a website hosting a variety of citizen science projects in which everyone can take part, was used as an example of such a concept. The first section of this paper is focused on the history, idea and general description of the website. In section two the online translation platform, which is connected with Zooniverse, has been presented in detail with emphasis put on advantages and weak points. Ideas for practical application of Zooniverse’s localization platform have been outlined in section three. Results have shown that localization platforms hold a great potential in terms of providing training for trainee translators. This is mostly because they offer basic experience in terms of simple computer assisted translation technologies and access to translations into other languages that have been already submitted. They are also characterized by simplicity and accessibility, as the platform can be used from any place all over the world. Zo niverse can, therefore, be the basis for further research on how the potential of such websites can be harnessed for more effective translator training.

Blogs as a way to enhance efl reading classes in a lebanese tertiary institution

Abstract: This study investigated the use of blogs in an inte nsive English program at a university in Lebanon. The paper reports on how blogs can contrib ute to language acquisition and the development of related literacy skills. Blogs were incorporated into the required curriculum as supplemental material over two semesters. The aim o f the strategy was to see if the use of blogs would yield any observable benefits for students pa rticularly in the areas of critical thinking and motivation to read and use the target language. Dat a were collected through a research diary and focus group interviews with the students. The findi ngs reveal that the use of blogs can nurture students’ critical thinking and enhance their motiv ation to read and use the target language.

Teaching English Multimodally. The Use of New Travel Websites in EFL Environments.

Abstract: This paper reports on the first stage of an Italian n tional project, Access Thorough Text (ACT henceforth), designed to respond to issues rel ated to reading strategies, textual barriers and online access to web texts in English in educat ion l environments, with specific reference to English as a Foreign Language (EFL). T he first stage of the work has been focused on the theoretical foundation on which the project is based, in particular giving suggestions about how digital literacy for learners aged 6-18 can be encouraged and facilitated in web-based multimodal platforms (Jone s, Hafner 2012). An inventory of integrative systems has been created to account for a range of devices that help break down barriers in texts (Baldry, Gaggia, Porta, 2011; Gag gi 2012; Porta 2012). The second section of this paper presents the design and administratio n of a needs analysis for the identification of specific needs for the three targeted age groups f EFL learners (group 1: 6-10, group 2: 11-14; group 3: 15-18). The survey also investigate s which best practices can be adopted with regard to a) ease of access; b) awareness of socioc ultural and genre-related textual barriers, and c) language problems for EFL learners. This pap er will focus on Group 3, i.e. learners aged 15-18, and on how New Travel websites (NTWs) c an be used in educational environments through task-based activities. Preliminary findings have shown that the text barr iers identified in NTW can be ascribed to different socio-semiotic, multimodal an d linguistic areas. Multimodal corpora have been created and annotated for the purpose of unpacking and tackling text barriers. The rationale of corpora selection (Baldry, O’Halloran 2010), replicability of the experiment, issues in categorization and taxonomies involved in NTWs will be discussed, with the final goal of providing guidelines for teachers, parents and other stakeholders in the field of digital

Augmenting the Reading Curriculum: Alternative Video Technology Strategies.

Abstract: Students often struggle throughout the reading proc ess and are not aware of how they are reading. While reading instruction dialogue has bee n around for many years, it has mostly focused on traditional face-to-face methods of mode ling and feedback. Technology can play a role in reading instruction by offering teachers an d students the option of using video to help motivate students to read, to showcase student read ings, as well as to show students what they are doing as they read. This study will present and review strategies using readingcasts, dramatic read-alongs, digital booktalks, recorded v ideo of students reading for feedback, and video feedforwarding.

Esp learner self-generated feedback as a technology-enhanced task

Abstract: In Higher Education, feedback is still largely impl emented as an external teacher-centred practice, which has been found to be irrelevant in improving students’ language learning. This paper advocates that internal, or self-generat ed feedback, has a potential role to play in learners’ formative processes under the condition t hat it is implemented as a task-based activity enhanced by suitable technological tools. In an experimental study, learners were engaged in the task of creating screencasts, or dig ital audio-visual recordings, of oral medical reports for authentic professional purposes. The st udy surveyed the kind of knowledge restructuring processes learners activated as a res ult of self-generated feedback enhanced by screencast technology. It also sought to understand learners’ perceptions of the experience. Results show that learners used different digital t oo s for knowledge restructuring leading to readjustment of their initial performances. Screenc asts were thus effective in heightened learners’ awareness of the gap between their curren t w aknesses and their expected goals and in taking necessary action to narrow this gap. Lear n r perceptions further recorded a positive impact of self-generated feedback enhanced by scree n asts, suggesting major motivation and interest in learning.

Harnessing technology to assess oral communication in business english

Abstract: Assessing oral skills in relatively large Business English classes seems a most formidable task for any teacher. How does one make sure to get multiple and valid assessments of each student? This action research paper provides suppor ting evidence for the correlation between the use of technology and students’ engagement. Thi s was achieved by creating and implementing a course which aims at motivating, pro moting and assessing oral communication skills. Students are required to use various channels, including video recordings to demonstrate their communication abili ties. This framework enables students and instructors alike to overcome the challenges of large classes.

Language tools: communicating in today’s world of business

Abstract: In a society increasingly mediated by technology, t he medium has created unparalleled opportunities. As a result, it has refocused educat ors’ attention on how technological literacy is both an essential learning outcome in all higher education programs, and the intermediary, the means to achieve the digital competences expect ed from employees. In the field of English for Specific Purposes, and at a time when t echnology is perceived to enable quick and effective access to a vast number of sources of information and knowledge, teaching a language confronts teachers and students with diver gent views that converge into what we perceive to be interconnected paths. We critically reflect upon these interconnected paths in order to obtain further insights on how technology, namely Machine Translation and Computer-Aided Translation, is perceived by busines s communicators who are learning English in an ESP environment. Within the premises that translation is an act of intercultural communication, our case study addresses mirrored pe rce tions of the English language, the act of translation, and the use of technological to o s. Our study draws on both perspectives and discusses how mirrored images of students and t eachers converge through project-based approaches, rooted in practical, short visual tasks with a clear and immediately visible purpose. Keywords: English for Specific Purposes, Higher Education, T ranslation, Machine Translation, Computer Aided-Translation, Business C ommunication, Task-based approach 1. Introduction If today’s society is increasingly mediated by tech nology, then job opportunities in all fields increasingly reflect this context of emerging forms of new media. The medium has created unparalleled opportunities, redirecting teacher’s a ttention to how technological literacy is not only an important learning outcome in Higher Educat ion (HE), but also the vehicle to achieve the skills expected in the workplace. Current socie tal pressures challenge teachers of all subject areas to reinvent educational contexts, the ir educational practices as well as Teaching English with Technology , 15(2), 67-80, http://www.tewtjournal.org 68 themselves as individuals by rethinking attitudes, conceptions, methods and their relations in the educational process. As technology is perceived to enable quick and effe ctiv access to a vast number of sources of information, and appears to be readily a vailable (able) to be converted into knowledge, language teachers and students are confr onted with deviating perspectives that converge into what we consider to be interlinked tr ajectories. This is especially relevant in the context of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), in which teachers’ perceptions of professional skills needed in today’s labor market have repercus sion on their course design and the pedagogical strategies implemented. For 21st-century students, motivation, workflow, le arning processes, and attention span, among others, are molded by a silent revoluti on. Indeed, in today’s modern society, the majority of students do not know what it is to live without mobile phones or computers with Internet access. The technology that seeps into the ir ev ryday life is gradually changing the way they think, act, interact, learn and live. For these students technological gadgets are an integral part of their lives (Redecker et al., 2009 ; Oblinger, 2003). Prensky (2001:1) explains that “it is now clear that as a result of this ubiq uitous environment and the sheer volume of their interaction with it, today's students think a nd process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors”. The role of technology, namely Machine Translation (MT) and Computer-Aided Translation (CAT), in ESP is a clear example of the two divergent, yet interconnected paths that teachers and students, as the two main stakeho lders in education, pursue. On the one hand, teachers view technology as a means to help w ith translation tasks and focus on the process and overall student performance. On the oth r, students search for the tools that will provide them with the needed translation and the fi nal results for a suggested task. Students tend to prefer productive activities where technolo gy assumes a prominent role. Teachers and students assume, what we coined, mirrored perceptions of the learning path. Both arrive at the same result trailing different learning paths a nd strategies. This reflection is especially relevant for those wh o also teach translation as a means to communicate globally within business contexts, wher e the focus is on communication as opposed to the process of translation. Translation is ot taught per se, but with a view to achieve a business goal. In this case, “the purpose of informal translation differs broadly from that of formal translation since the mental process of translating is activated as a language learning tool rather than as a professional transla tor’s vocational skill” (Plastina, 2006: 87). Teaching English with Technology , 15(2), 67-80, http://www.tewtjournal.org 69 2. Current contexts and perspectives Criticism of the Grammar-Translation Method and the preference given to the Communicative Approach (Howatt 1984), among many ot hers, eventually led to the exclusion of the native language from the classroom . However, at the turn of the century, attitudes towards the effectiveness of translation in the language classroom seem to have shifted. Translation is again being considered a va lid pedagogical tool that can be included in communicative and other wide-ranging teaching metho dologies with many benefits (McLoughlin, 2014). Newmark (1991), Hurtado (1999) and Widdowson (2003) , for example, have argued that the inclusion of translation activities helps students develop their reading and writing skills, foster linguistic awareness and improvement as well as the development of cultural competence. Duff (1992) argued that translation is text-bound and therefore only develops two skills reading and writing. However, this cla im seems to be no longer valid. More recently, for example, Pintado (2012) claimed that r nslation is, in fact, a multilevel skill and its pedagogical use in the foreign language learnin g classroom enables the development of skills that range from the lexicon to pragmatics. With the widespread use of the Internet and digital technology, translation opportunities and access to language tools are at a n unprecedented level (Krajka, 2004). Automatic machine translations, online dictionaries and glossaries, among other tools, thrive at an alarming rate. As access to these free online tools is effortlessly at everyone’s fingertips, this may mislead users as to their reliability for competent multilingual communication, especially at a professional level. Undeniably, the silent technological revolution tha t s assailed current society has infiltrated classrooms across the globe, at all gra de levels and in all subject areas, including language learning and translation. Although some ma y argue against and pinpoint concrete disadvantages brought on by this silent revolution, the fact remains that the integration of technology in education has been acknowledged to br ing forth positive student engagement on all educational levels (Bates & Bates, 2005; Lat chman, Salzmann, Gillet, & Bouzekri, 1999; Laurillard, 1993). As students become not onl y consumers but also active content creators, literature demonstrates that technologica l integration, especially in the context of HE, may constitute an interesting strategy to motiv ate and support student learning (see Bates & Poole, 2003; Daniel, 1998; Garrison & Kanuka, 200 4; Laurillard, 1993; Rogers, 2000). The Portuguese HE context and its regulation are cl ear as to the relevance of technology manipulation and diffusion, as a central objective in HE. Indeed, social demands Teaching English with Technology , 15(2), 67-80, http://www.tewtjournal.org 70 have made digital technology the crucial lever of f uture socio-economic development. It is our opinion too that HE should reflect societal dem ands for development and, as such, shifts in society will inevitably have repercussions in ed ucational contexts, in an evident and unbreakable connection. The European Commission (wi th The Digital Agenda for Europe , for example), and other worldwide institutions such as the OECD and UNESCO, have emphasized the need for technological integration o ver the last two decades (see for example OECD, 2010 and UNESCO, 2008). This integration is s aid to stimulate a more flexible, comprehensive and efficient education, capable of m eeting current and unforeseen societal demands, namely regarding what is perceived to beco m an exponential increase in the need for media and digital literacy development. From a teacher perspective, students are often seen as more tech savvy than teachers, perhaps because they are born into a technological society. It is, in fact, part of their world, not an outside culture that needs to be studied, le arned or apprehended. Prensky (2001), as well as others (Conole, de Laat, Dillon, & Darby, 2 008; Redecker et al. 2009) have claimed that today’s students are different in terms of cog nitive development and information processing, which will inevitably influence and for ce changes on educational contexts. Within this scenario, the need to break with traditional t e ching methods, most often too theoretical and lacking practical application, marked by logica l knowledge transmission and relegating students to a predominantly passive role, has becom paramount. In the complex society we live in, with unforeseen future demands and the need for competence development, it has become widely acknow ledged that approaches to teaching and learning need to encourage greater student invo lvement anchored in constructivist perspectives. While traditional teaching and learni ng approaches seem to ignore or suppress lear