Multimedia in modern language teacher education

This paper discusses the professional development of primary modern language teachers through the use of new technologies. It explores the principles upon which the development of a multimedia learning environment (FLiP – Foreign Languages in Primary) was constructed. These entail principles of effective modern‐language teaching, principles of teacher education, and a conception of the effective teacher. In addition, ways in which technology can support the principles of effective professional development are discussed. Information technology can be extremely empowering, extremely motivating and extremely conducive to creating new and exciting teacher‐education environments. The most outstanding contribution is that multimedia environments can make teachers look beyond the immediate context thanks to the incorporation of indirect observation.Les multimédias dans la formation des enseignants en langues étrangères. Cet article discute le d´eveloppement professionnel des enseignants du primaire en langues modernes, grâce à l'utilisation des nouvelles technologies. Il explore les principes selon lesquels le développement d'un environnement multimédia a été construit (FLIP - Foreign Languages in Primary). Ils impliquent les principes de l'enseignement efficace des langues modernes, les principes de la formation des maîtres, et une conception du maître efficace. De plus, les façons dont la technologie vont soutenir les principes d'un développement efficace sont discutées. La technologie de l'information peut être très puissante, très motivante pour créer des nouveaux environnements excitants pour la formation des maîtres. La plus importante contribution est que les environnement mulitimédia amènent les maîtres à regarder au delà du contexte immédiat grâce à l'incorporation de l'observation indirecte.Multimedia in der Ausbildung von Lehrern für neue Sprachen. Dieses Papier erörtert die professionelle Entwicklung von Material zur Ausbildung von Grundstufenlehrern für moderne Sprachen durch die Verwendung neuer Technologien. Es vermittelt die Prinzipien, auf denen die Entwicklung einer Multimedia Lernumgebung ('FLIP - Foreign Languages in Primary') aufgebaut wurde. Diese enthalten Prinzipien modernen Sprachunterrichts, Prinzipien von Lehrerbildung und ein Konzept des 'wirksamen' Lehrers. Außerdem wird diskutiert, welche Technik die Prinzipien wirksamer professioneller Entwicklung unterstützen kann. Die Nutzung von Informationstechnologie kann extrem verstärkend, extrem motivierend und äußerst dienlich sein, neue und aufregende Möglichkeiten für die Lehrerbildung.zu schaffen. Der hervorragendste Beitrag ist, daß Multimediaumgebungen es Lehrern ermöglichen können, sich öber den unmittelbaren Kontext durch die Integration indirekter Beobachtung zu informieren.     

An Australian Proposal for Doing Critical Literacy Assessment: The Case of Writing

In this article we present current thinking and practices in Queens land, Australia, about how to do critical literacy assessment in the English classroom. In taking this focus, we propose and discuss a framework that brings together interest in text analysis and social practices. Then, we apply the framework showing how it can be used to generate writing tasks and assessment criteria that are consistent with critical pedagogy. Finally, the challenges of moving to a socially critical, discourse‐oriented approach to assessment are considered.     

When Cyberresearch Goes Awry: The Ethics of the Rimm "Cyberporn" Study

Like most things that we take for granted, we rarely pay attention to ethical issues in research until something goes horribly wrong. Focusing on a recent cyberresearch project gone awry, this essay illustrates why ethical issues should be continually confronted and discussed by scholars and nonscholars alike.     

Asynchronous and synchronous online teaching: Perspectives of Canadian high school distance education teachers

This paper presents the results of an inductive, interpretive analysis of the perspectives of 42 Canadian high school distance education (DE) teachers on asynchronous and synchronous online teaching. The paper includes a conceptual overview of the affordances and constraints of each form of teaching. Findings provided insight into the following aspects of asynchronous and synchronous online teaching: degree of use; the tools used; the contexts in which each occur; students' preferences; and limitations. Pedagogy emerged as more important than media for both asynchronous and synchronous online teaching. Synchronous online teaching relied on teacher‐ rather than student‐centred approaches. Asynchronous online teaching provided support for self‐paced, highly independent forms of secondary DE supplemented by synchronous online teaching for answering questions and troubleshooting.