Technology for Teaching and Learning 2

Reporters :
Jessa Alolor
Madelyn Bermejo
[Link] Ann Fernandez

MODULE 2 : Integrating Active Learning Approaches in Language Learning

Introduction
Language learning encompasses the development of the macro skills such as reading, writing,
listening, speaking and viewing. The concern of the language teacher is how to teach these skills in a
holistic manner as these skills complement each other when used by people in communicating. Its is
possible to target more than 2 or 3 of the macro skills in one learning activity? The answer is yes. However,
this largely depends on the approaches used by the language teacher in facilitating the development of
learning competencies in the language classroom. One way to achieve this end is the utilization of active
learning approaches.
Active learning approaches are characterized by learners engagement in activities that are geared
towards the generation of new knowledge or making meaning to an existing knowledge while developing
other 21st Century skills (such as collaboration, media literacy, critical thinking) in the process. Four of the
recent active learning approaches introduced to enhance the teaching learning process are Inquiry-Based
Learning (IBL) , Research based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and Project-Based Learning (PBL).
These learning approaches are designed to give more depth and breadth in the learning of content in the K
to 12 Curriculum. While these approaches are meant to provide opportunities for active exploration of
content, each of these approaches has a distinct characteristics that needs to be considered by teachers in
realization of learning competencies especially in language teaching. Knowing the distinctions among these
active learning approaches will help the language teacher in deciding what approach to adopt.
Central to active learning approaches is the construction of framing questions that will guide the
learners in their investigation either on a specific topic or unit. Investigations become more meaningful
when these are related to real life experiences or real world issues or problems.
As learners become active participants in the process of generating new knowledge, technology
whether digital or non digital, play an important role in the utilization of these active learning approaches.
With the ubiquity of technology tools that learners are exposed to, it is the teachers role to ensure the
appropriateness and relevance of such tools in the development of learning competencies. Aside from
learning language skills, it is also important to train learners of their responsibilities as they engage in
digital tools that are useful in enhancing their knowledge on the content of investigations.

LESSON 1: Inquiry-Based Learning and Research-Based Learning

To be able to attain the above stated lesson objectives, to the following exercises step-by-step

STEP 1 : The KWL Chart

Familiarize yourself with the concept of KWL chart and think of how you can use this chart in facilitating
your language lesson.

KWL CHART
Language topic :
Big Question :
What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned
Step 2 : Starting with an Essential or Big Question
Since inquiry-based learning usually starts with essential or big questions that elicit varied answers from
the respondents, think of a question that you would like to ask your student relevant to a specific lesson in
your language class. Do this in group with five (5) members. Some example questions may be:
[Link] do we need to learn how to listen?
[Link] is there a need to be engaged in public speaking?
[Link] to children with special learning need s communicate?
[Link] do we know the language struggles and stories of the people of long ago?
What is the main characteristics of a young children that helps them to know about the world they live in?
Write your big question on KWL chart.

Step 3 : Finding Out What We Know

Eliciting from your collective lived experiences as groupmates, provide an answer to the big question you
identified. Record your answers through filling in the first column of the KWL Chart. In this step, each
member is expected to actively participate to fully answer the KWL Chart. As you do the activity, writing
and speaking skills can be demonstrated by each member. This activity can be done at any level in your
language classes in the future. You need to allow some students like in the pre-school level to draw their
answers in the chart if they cannot write their answers in verbal form.

Step 4 : Finding Out What We Want to Know

To allow you to freely explore about what is in store in the world around you, fill-in the second column of
the KWL chart. By answering the second column, you will be able to think of other possible information
that is beyond the knowledge that you have about the big question. This activity contributes to the
development of inquisitiveness of student.

Step 5 : Find Out the Answer from Experts

To be able to learn better about the topic and big questions, get on searching for an answer to the
questions from reliable sources. Sources may refer to your language teachers or from the library sources
(digital or printed). Conduct interview with some teachers or other human resources who may give an
answer to the question or get information from your library resources. Record your interview data or
literature review data

Step 6 : Finding Out What We Have Learned

Finally, organize the results of your gathered data and write your answer in Column 3 of your KWL chart.

Nature of Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry, in it’s simplest definition, is a process of asking question. This has spurred the enumerable
developments that we continue to enjoy in our society today. It continues to usher the study of so many
fields that enables various scientists and experts to provide solutions to emerging issues affecting the
society in general. In the classroom, in particular, the process of inquiry is a basic learning activity that
every teacher is expected to facilitate. The development of the ability to ask among learners is basic in the
age of the Fourth Revolution. According to the Future of Jobs Report during the world economic Forum,
the top three of the ten skills needed in the are complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity
(Gray, 2016) which all start from the process of asking. Inquiry Based-Learning (IBL) as an approach
essentially involves tasks requiring learners active participation in finding answers to curricular questions.
The questions can run from very specific simple questions to more complex questions in relation to the
curriculum. Learners are given opportunities to engage in self-regulated activities as they pursue their
investigation. Using this in the language classroom can facilitate the development of communication skills
as it involves activities such as writing questions, deliberating on ways of finding answers to curricular
questions, and presenting outputs as evidence of inquiry among others. This approach encourages to work
together in accomplishing their task.
The process of inquiry starts from positing a question aligned to a content standard in the K-12 curriculum
for English. Investigation proceeds using various sources of information and presentation of outputs of the
students using a productivity tool. Depending on the required output, the assessment tool that will be used
should be given to the students before the inquiry commences.

When to use

Chisholm and Godley (2011) purport that inquiry-based instruction (IBI) offers an especially appropriate
approach to learning about language variation, identity, and power since IBI can provide students with
opportunities to learn about current issues in sociolinguistics through sharing and debating on a personal
experience with language from multiple perspective.

TYPES OF INQUIRY

VIU (2020) presented four types of inquiry that can be used in facilitating classes are:

 Structured Inquiry- This lets the students follow the lead of the teacher as the entire class engages
in one inquiry together.
 Controlled Inquiry- The teacher chooses topics and identifies the resources that the students will
use to answer questions.
 Guided Inquiry- The teacher chooses topics or questions and students design the product or
solution.
 Free Inquiry- Students are allowed to choose their own topics without any references to a
prescribed outcome.

Role of Teacher

The success of IBL largely depends on the careful planning of the teacher in relation to the curriculum. The
language teacher needs to look into the learning competencies that can be satisfied by a simple inquiry or
more complex inquiry. He/She controls and prepares the topic for investigation and guides the learners by
setting the question to be explored. Learners are allowed to design their own way of investigation and
present their outputs using technology tools that are afforded to them. When technology is coupled with
IBL, a gateway to information is opened and students can have access to information at anytime and
anywhere. It is assumed that the teacher is knowledgeable of the sources of information and whether the
learners have access to these resources.

When designing an IBL, the teacher has to consider the following fields propose by Avsec and Kocijncic
(2006):

 Prior knowledge and capacity

 Context- Learners require meaning from experience
 Content and learning materials
 Process
 Strategy of reactions and behavior
 Courses outcomes

Role of Technology

The internet or the World Wide Web offers lots of platforms for mining information. It has become the
most sought out source of information because of the variety of tools that abound. Language is no longer a
barrier in one’s search information. Depending on the unit of study in a language curriculum, there are
many free educational websites that are available for the language teachers and learners. Due to the
vastness of sources of information from the WWW, any language teacher who is using IBL has the
responsibility to direct learners to websites that provide the proper information. The technology tools that
are made available for the learners, whether online or offline, should support the object of inquiry which is
aligned to the learning competencies in the K to 12 Language Curriculum.

It should be noted that the use of technology in IBL is just one of the many other sources of information in
the process of inquiry. This does not exclude the other resources, human and non-human, in gathering
information. However, learners are undeniably familiar and probably more adept in exploring the internet.
Guiding them in locating online resources that are relevant in developing their research and
communication skills will let them learn the importance of using educational resources in an explicit and
implicit way.