WHY TEPBLL IN SCHOOLS?

After my first and second week doing this subject, I can say that I have had my first contact with TEPBLL “world”(Technology-Enhanced Project-Based Language Learning). So that, I feel that I need to summarize the main ideas that I have embraced about this type of projects. However, I would like to point out that I feel a little bit insecure because I have very general ideas, but I hope we will take a close look at the different aspects that form TEPBLL. 

My question is: WHY TEPBLL IN SCHOOLS?

Answering to my question, first of all we should bear in mind that technology plays an important role in our society nowadays. Moreover, the use of technology is quite commonly featured in education too.

The mentioned above plus becoming a language teacher means that we need to teach our students how to adapt to new ways of communicating. To do that and according to the introductory videos that our professors provided, I would like to highlight that pupils will probably need some competences:

1. Ability to work collaboratively:

This idea was even before computers were developed. In 1934, Vygotsky claimed that all human learning is attained through interaction with other people. For this reason, he created the concept ZDP (zone of proximal development) which refers to the benefits that learners can have from social interaction when the tasks they are engaged can not be accomplished alone. Furthermore, in 1971, Hymes assumed that language was a socially constructed phenomenon.

Referring back to Vygotsky and ZDP, I would like to recommend the article "Teaching in the zone" by Angela Lui. I strongly believe that it is really useful to understand this theory and apply it in an educational context (http://www.childrensprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/free-white-paper-vygotsky-zone-of-proximal-development-zpd-early-childhood.pdf). 

" What the child is able to do in collaboration today, he will be able to do independently tomorrow", Lev Vygotsky. 

2. Think flexibly and creatively

3. Be innovative

At that point of the course, these two competences are the most difficult for me. I strongly believe that this is because I am used to traditional methods of education. So for me it is really difficult to think on motivating and creative activities. However, I hope that at the end of this course I would have so many resources and strategies to teach these two competences to pupils. 

4. Language & Communication

From my point of view, this competence is the most important and it is related with the others mentioned above, because if we do not have language, we can not think and if we can not communicate, we can not collaborate.

So, language teachers are essential for the next generations, and we can integrate all this concepts through TEPBLL:

PBLL + TECHNOLOGY = TEPBLL

PBLL (project based language learning) is for authentic purposes, it requires cognitive engagement, it is audience centered, it involves all kind of interaction, it is linked to other content and learning activities, and it is a carefully planned sequence of activities that sequels one sub-task into another while aiming for a final product. Furthermore, when we introduce technology, the project can expand the world and go beyond the classroom. 

Where am I starting from?

In order to help myself to organize my previous knowledge, I have took some ideas from the "personal checklist" (https://www.dropbox.com/s/ul4uc34t2aj5mvf/EPOSTL_Checklist.docx?dl=0). 

This has been the result of my initial self assessment: