Author Archives: TechNut

Education technology, or at least the marketing of education technology, promises to make the learning process more efficient, effective and enjoyable. It has been suggested that technology can facilitate education almost by osmosis. Computers were first introduced into classrooms in the 1980s and they were of limited utility. However, software developers and hardware manufacturers have worked relentlessly to ensure constant innovation and development. This has led us to an era where technology is no longer limited in utility and no longer an intimidating phenomenon. It has been the standard in business and industry and the education system has been pressured into ensuring that the next generation of the workforce are competent and comfortable operating computers and other machinery.

Technology should he viewed as a tool which can and has changed the nature of learning. Ultimately, educators want students to learn. Many teachers would relish the opportunity to change the way in which they teach. Technology offers such an opportunity. Technology facilitates exploration, which is a vital component of a well-rounded education. It enables the acquisition of information to change from a static process to something more dynamic and engaging. Students are able to access and present information in numerous different ways. This encourages diversity of thinking and breeds creativity, whilst still ensuring that the fundamentals are covered. Students no longer need to be reliant on pen and paper alone and can gain familiarity and confidence in a range of contexts. Importantly, technology also fosters team building. Teachers and students alike can move away from individual efforts and engage in larger teams. Technology also has the ability to close geographical gaps. Active leaning is not easy process and specifically designed technology takes account of this. Students must come to understand that exploration doesn’t simply mean running around and doing as they choose. Educators need to recognise that if students are exploring, investigating, asking questions, writing about their discoveries and doing so in a context that simulates the real world, they are a better prepared further forms of education and eventually, the workforce. In a teaching environment rich with technology, students are able to enjoy an authentic leaning experience. Technology is the means and not in and of itself an ends. Technology provides educators with opportunities; they can deviate from the norm and seek higher standards of learning. Technology can also be used for homework help, enabling the learning process to continue outside school hours.

However, it is important that teachers select the right tools. Not every form of technology is educational and not every form of education needs to be associated with technology. Time is the most important commodity, particularly in early education. Consequently, educators have an important decision to make when determining what forms of technology to introduce into the classroom. Teachers need to make themselves accountable and help their colleagues to determine and develop the most effective use of technology. Obviously, teachers cannot be expected to single-handedly revolutionise the education system, however, they must take their responsibility seriously. Technology has already made an enormous contribution to the education system. Tech developers have done and continue to do their part, however, it is the educators who carry the most responsibility; they are the gatekeepers and need to ensure nothing but the most effective forms of technology enter the classroom.

Spanish is currently the 2^nd most popular and fastest growing language in the world. As a consequence, one would be well served to acquaint themselves with the fundamentals of the Spanish language. Employers are increasingly looking for employees with Spanish language competence. However, potential employees must be aware that mere familiarity with the Spanish language will not suffice. Spoken and written Spanish needs to be flawlessly executed so as to prevent the conveyance of an unintended meaning. The following discussion will outline some of the most common mistakes made by non-native Spanish speakers.

Not paying attention to phonetic

One of the most common mistakes made by Spanish language students is their approach to pronunciation. This is often attributable to the fact that students are restricting their learning to mere text-based translation. Whilst this approach is likely to enhance a student’s vocabulary, it fails to offer an effective overall learning experience. A student will be unable to correctly pronounce Spanish words without repetitively hearing the spoken language. Consequently, it is important that students listen and learn Spanish to facilitate a well-rounded education in the Spanish language. This includes listening to audio of spoken Spanish. Audio of this nature can often be accessed on Spanish language learning websites.

Getting tricked by false cognates

The English and Spanish languages share many similar-looking words. Many students fallaciously assume words of similar spelling to carry the same or similar meanings. However, it is often the case that pairs of words which appear to similar in-fact carry entirely unrelated meanings. For example; a student might reasonably assume the Spanish word “asistir” to mean “to assist”. However, despite its slight resemblance to the English word “assist”, it actually means “to attend”. This example demonstrates the perils that a student may face if they indiscriminately assume words of similar spelling to carrying similar meanings. Consequently, a student learning Spanish ought to be wary of false cognates.

Capitalization problems

The English and Spanish languages do not adhere to the same rules in regards to the capitalisation of letter. Capitalisation in Spanish is much less frequent than in English. It is important that students bear this in mind when writing in Spanish. A sensible approach would be to create, and then refer to, a list of words which would usually be capitalised in the English language but are not capitalised in Spanish. Examples include; composition titles, personal titles, religions, ordinal numbers and calendars.

Word-for-word translation

When learning a new language, there is a tendency for students to translate sentences word-for-word. However, this is not the correct approach, because different languages have different ways of arranging their sentences. Students need to pay careful consideration to the differences in sentence structure between the two languages and avoid thoughtless, word-for-word translation.

Improper use of Por & Para

Both the prepositions mean the same thing – “for”- but their usage is different. Many

“Por” and “para” carry the same meaning, namely; “for”. However, their usage is different and it is important that students become familiar with these differences. “Para” is used to in the context of a specific destination, whereas, Por is used for general movement or with regards to a location.

All the best or shall we say– Buena suerte!