In Short

During our first three sessions we have been able to approach technology from a theoretical point of view but most importantly, from the practical side. I have found this workshop most "enlightening". To recap what we have learned so far I would list the following:

1. A simple "ice-breaker" or "warm-up" activity, when well organized , takes only a few minutes and can bring a lot of fun to the classroom as well as motivate students to participate and get involved.
2. Acquiring new tools, such as the ones new technology can offer, helps us do things better, facilitates class presentation by providing us with the richest source of material, ideas, videos, etc. from which we can choose what suits our needs best.
3. Technology also gives us the possibility to be up to date by "attending" video conferences where the ELT gurus talk about their experiences and share their ideas. Technology has made it possible "to bring the world" into our classrooms.
4. The development of technology has moved faster during the last years and that is why there are still some technophobics; however, having a positive attitude towar technology can transform them inot "digital immigrants" and benefit from all these new sources. On the other hand, there is an increasing number of "digital natives" since children become familiar with all different types of technology since they are very young, and some of them are the technophiles which will continue working on this technological growth.
5. We have also learned how to take the best out of Power Point, which is a very useful and versatile software. The internet makes it accessible a wide variety of already-made games, activities and presentations, which can be customized according to individual needs. An example of these useful games is "jeopardy".
   
6. Word processors, besides being an every day tool for teachers as well as students, also have a revision tool which is excellent and helpful to correct and revise written work, essays, exercises, etc.
7. Google offers useful tools called "modifiers" can save us lots of time by making tasks such as currency conversion and finding words' meanings, very easy and quick.
8. Through "Blogger.com" we can create a "Blog" to improve and promote communication within the classroom. Relevant information can be summarized and made available toall our students. Comments, questions, homeworks can be posted and easily checked. However, it is important to mention that private information should never be included in a blog.
9. Web pages are another excellent source of information. It is important to state what your objectives are in order to choose the right web page, may it be an authentic page or an ELT specific page. To find the right web site, it is very important to learn how to use "search engines" such as Google, Yahoo. etc.
10. Don't forget, it is a must to have in mind what we want to achieve and how we are going to evaluate it. Always be focused on: accuracy, currency, content and functionality.
    

We learned about another useful link where you can easily find the origin of borrowed words: krysstal.com/borrow.html