ASSIGNMENT 1 - Selecting technology

1. Briefly describe your chosen activity, assessment or resource, and the

technology you think is appropriate to support it.

The activity in which I am interested is the learning and practice of a Second Language
through mobile apps. I am a Private Teacher and many of my students can only talk
and practice with me, so encouraging them to interact with others students learning
another language would be a great help for their personal learning. Among the options
that I have found, there is an application called Tandem that serves the purposes I
seek, it is an open access technology and is free for mobile devices. The students are
familiar with technologies and have already used apps for learning.

2. Explain why have you chosen this particular technology instead of other
technologies to support your chosen activity, assessment, or resource.

I chose this option for two main reasons. First of all, because all my students are
college scholars or busy workers which do not allow me to get a particular follow-up of
each one. Therefore, motivating them to work on their SELF-LEARNING is useful so
that the lessons I would give them will be more meaningful and practical in a context
that goes beyond the classroom. The second reason is that this App allows them to
develop conversational and Speaking skills, which are usually the most complicated
part in acquiring a second language. The advantage I found in Tandem is that the user
can select several criteria about who he or she would want to talk to, so if there is an
inconvenient attitude, you can simply block the unwanted person. It would be
important, however, to provide a safety guide to prevent risky behavior and other
problems that could arise.

I am motivated that the technology can be incorporated to complement the class, as it

had worked with Duolingo, specifically for grammar and students are prolific at self-
learning. For instance, I have suggested to them to watch movies and listen to music in
the language they want to learn. From these activities, I followed up, traced and
recorder their experiences and noticed a good response, so incorporating another
technology I see as a simple but complex challenge to face.
 I myself have tried the App and I am pretty sure that the risks are minimal, with the
understanding that most of my students are adults and have the necessary criteria to
identify risks.

3. Is your chosen technology open access, or institutionally-supported? What are

the benefits and risks associated with the technology you have chosen? Think about
the relevant benefits and risks of open and institutionally-supported technologies in
your answer

As I mentioned, I chose an Open Access Technology, a mobile App called Tandem. I

also mentioned that I chose it because it allows the student of a second language to
find native speakers with whom to practice at their own pace, as well as self-regulate
their knowledge and detect deficiencies and strengths through guided monitoring. I also
mentioned that it is very useful to strengthen conversational and speaking skills, which
are the hardest point to polish in the process of acquisition of another language.

Still there is some other benefits with specific advantages that I will list below:

a) Benefits of the application:

Conversation exchanges with native speakers
There's over 1 million members
Conversation with new people interested in learning languages
Free register and free membership

b) Other advantages for Open Access technologies:

Customization of the app (Profile settings)
Intuitive (as said in the 2nd Lecture of the course, Open tech is really easy to use)
A high range of privacy options

C) Considerations (I would like to revisit considerations in the lecture as comparing

it to Tandem)

Not integrated with administrative systems: That is not really an issue, because I
am not a part of an organization, I teach per pay lessons, so Im not following some
general curricula but adapting to my student's goals and necessities.
Fragmentation of the learning experience: this is an issue I have to face because
there is no way I can modulate the interaction of my students, but I could suggest
them to record conversations and talk about difficulties they have founded.
Records of interaction are not secure.
No on-site technical support. That is the biggest issue, it's frustrating when you can
solve the technical issue.
 Personal responsibility for protecting students privacy. By the way my students are all
grown up adults so they can identify risks on their own. I think theyll better not
disappoint me.

In general, I think Open Access technologies could be better meanwhile you do not are
in an organization, I mean when giving free-lance work or being a private teacher as I
am. Otherwise, I know how Learning Management Systems / Virtual Learning
Environment works and I like pretty much the order it brings. Possibly in a few time Ill
start teaching in a College and this course is giving me a wider perspective of how I
could introduce and use technologies for learning and its good to be open minded to
the see the big picture and think in better strategies for a better learning.

Thanks for your review!! (Im sorry for grammar, English is not my native language and
I write pretty quick for submission)

Muito obrigado!!

Resources:

Tandem app site! https://www.tandem.net/#learn

Developing Cognitive Skills with Mobile Learning: a Case Study. Ramos, A I.

Comunicar; Huelva17.34 (2010): 201-209.
[http://search.proquest.com/openview/d648e3457ac5b65245c0b17ef886456c/1?pq-
origsite=gscholar&cbl=436388]

Practicing 8 Languages in 30 Minutes with Tandem (Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOgFbjbNQHw