Schedule: 2009-09-12 (10:45 - 11:30)
Parallel Session 4 (Room A-24)

Title: Using interactive whiteboards to support learner-centred approaches to language teaching and learning
Authors: Euline Cutrim Schmid, Ton Koenraad
Abstract: The research literature points out several positive pedagogical benefits of Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) in education, such as a) facilitating the integration of new media in the regular language classroom, b) enhancing the scope of interactivity and learner engagement in the lesson, c) supporting the development of so-called “electronic literacies”, and d) meeting the needs of students with diverse learning styles (aural, visual and kinaesthetic) through the use of multiple media. A review of the recent research literature shows that for IWB-use to contribute to the improvement of student attainment teachers’ pedagogical views, knowledge and media literacy are important factors.
As IWBs also gradually find their way into language classrooms across the world, the investment in good quality training on the pedagogical use of this technology becomes increasingly important. The more so since the current, relatively rare documentation and research of IWB-practices in modern language education has also triggered the debate on the potential threat of this technology to the principles of communicative teaching. Central in the concerns expressed by a number of researchers and educationalists is the question whether use of IWBs in the language classroom will lead to a return to the whole-class teaching of the last century?
This paper discusses possible ways of exploiting electronic presentation technologies to support the development of a pedagogical practice based on a socio-cognitive view of communicative teaching, which is in line with the latest developments in language teaching research and practice.
The illustrations are drawn from a professional development project in Germany and a Dutch initiative to remedy the shortage of good practice descriptions and publicly accessible IWB-materials for modern foreign languages. The German study investigates English teachers’ pedagogical needs and developmental paths as they integrate interactive whiteboard technology into the curriculum. The study is being carried out in the form of seven in-depth longitudinal case studies with English teachers at different levels of technology expertise and teaching experience.
The presentation of this paper will be supported by a live demo on a Smart Board.
Keywords: Interactive whiteboard, iwb, pedagogy, interaction, presentation technologies, classroom teaching, technology, media literacy, methodology

Main topic: Pedagogical change in technology integration

Biodata: Euline Cutrim Schmid taught applied linguistics and did her PhD on the impact of Interactive Whiteboard technology on the English language classroom at the Department of Linguistics of Lancaster University, England. Currently she works as an assistant professor at the English Department of the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany Ton Koenraad works as an ICT-E consultant at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. His activities involve the acquisition, coordination and evaluation of national and EU-projects in the fields of modern languages, teacher education and e-learning. His publications and contributions to conferences are available from his personal pages at: http://www.koenraad.info
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research & Development

Target educational sector Secondary education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project No

Schedule:	2009-09-12 (10:45 - 11:30) Parallel Session 4 (Room A-24)
Title:	Using interactive whiteboards to support learner-centred approaches to language teaching and learning
Authors:	Euline Cutrim Schmid, Ton Koenraad
Abstract:	The research literature points out several positive pedagogical benefits of Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) in education, such as a) facilitating the integration of new media in the regular language classroom, b) enhancing the scope of interactivity and learner engagement in the lesson, c) supporting the development of so-called “electronic literacies”, and d) meeting the needs of students with diverse learning styles (aural, visual and kinaesthetic) through the use of multiple media. A review of the recent research literature shows that for IWB-use to contribute to the improvement of student attainment teachers’ pedagogical views, knowledge and media literacy are important factors. As IWBs also gradually find their way into language classrooms across the world, the investment in good quality training on the pedagogical use of this technology becomes increasingly important. The more so since the current, relatively rare documentation and research of IWB-practices in modern language education has also triggered the debate on the potential threat of this technology to the principles of communicative teaching. Central in the concerns expressed by a number of researchers and educationalists is the question whether use of IWBs in the language classroom will lead to a return to the whole-class teaching of the last century? This paper discusses possible ways of exploiting electronic presentation technologies to support the development of a pedagogical practice based on a socio-cognitive view of communicative teaching, which is in line with the latest developments in language teaching research and practice. The illustrations are drawn from a professional development project in Germany and a Dutch initiative to remedy the shortage of good practice descriptions and publicly accessible IWB-materials for modern foreign languages. The German study investigates English teachers’ pedagogical needs and developmental paths as they integrate interactive whiteboard technology into the curriculum. The study is being carried out in the form of seven in-depth longitudinal case studies with English teachers at different levels of technology expertise and teaching experience. The presentation of this paper will be supported by a live demo on a Smart Board.
Keywords:	Interactive whiteboard, iwb, pedagogy, interaction, presentation technologies, classroom teaching, technology, media literacy, methodology
Main topic:	Pedagogical change in technology integration
Biodata:	Euline Cutrim Schmid taught applied linguistics and did her PhD on the impact of Interactive Whiteboard technology on the English language classroom at the Department of Linguistics of Lancaster University, England. Currently she works as an assistant professor at the English Department of the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany Ton Koenraad works as an ICT-E consultant at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. His activities involve the acquisition, coordination and evaluation of national and EU-projects in the fields of modern languages, teacher education and e-learning. His publications and contributions to conferences are available from his personal pages at: http://www.koenraad.info
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research & Development
Target educational sector	Secondary education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	No