The use of information and communication technologies in teaching foreign language to cadets

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THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE TO CADETS

Senior Lecturer of the Department

of Philology, Translation and Strategic

Communication

of the National Academy

of the National Guard of Ukraine

The article deals with modern approaches to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching foreign language to cadets of the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine.

The paper outlines the concepts of information and communication technologies, blended learning. The basic ways of education informatization are examined; the requirements for educational ICT and the classification of ICT are presented. The basic information technologies used in the teaching process are summarized: interactive; computer-based learning; telecommunication means.

The main modern trends in the classroom work activation using information and communication technologies are outlined: the use of blended learning; Backchannel activation; integrated use of interactive learning tools (interactive whiteboard, multimedia projector and communication devices), gamification (the use of games, simulations and virtual worlds, or implementation of gamification mechanics in non-game processes). There have been identified several advantages and disadvantages of using information and communication technologies in foreign language teaching, in particular to cadets of the National Academy. The main advantages are the promotion of motivation for learning, the development of creative thinking; interactivity and multimedia clarity; authentic resources and materials for learning English; the ability to individualize learning process.

The main disadvantages of using information and communication technologies in teaching English to cadets are the complexity of preparing for classes (designing ICT-based plans; adapting material to curriculum goals, etc.); lack of computers / no Internet access; harmful impact of technology overuse; plagiarism. informatization technologie interactive learning

Key words: information and communication technologies, foreign languages teaching, education informatization, blended learning, e-learning, gamification.

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНО-КОМУНІКАЦІЙНИХ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ У ВИКЛАДАННІ ІНОЗЕМНОЇ МОВИ КУРСАНТАМ

Стаття присвячена аналізу способів використання інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій (ІКТ) у викладанні іноземної мови курсантам Національної академії Національної гвардії України.

У роботі окреслені поняття інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій, змішаного навчання, розглянуто основні способи процесу інформатизації освіти, вимоги до освітніх ІКТ, подано класифікацію ІКТ.

Узагальнено основні інформаційні технології, що використовуються у процесі викладання: інтерактивні; комп'ютерне навчання; засоби телекомунікації.

Окреслено основні сучасні світові тенденції активізації аудиторної роботи за рахунок використання інформаційно-комунікацій них технологій: використання змішаного навчання; активізація Васк; комплекс апаратних засобів, необхідних для забезпечення інтерактивного навчання (інтерактивної дошки, мультимедійного проектора та пристроїв зв'язку), гейміфікація (використання ігор, симуляцій і віртуальних світів, або впровадження ігрових механізмів у неігрові процеси).

Виявлено, що є кілька переваг і недоліків використання інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій у викладанні іноземної мови, зокрема курсантам Національної академії. Перевагами є сприяння підвищенню мотивації до навчання, розвитку креативного мислення; інтерактивність і мультимедійна наочність; автентичні ресурси та матеріали для вивчення англійської мови; можливість індивідуалізувати навчальний процес.

Головними недоліками використання інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій у викладанні іноземної мови є трудомісткість підготовки до занять (розробка планів на базі ІКТ; адаптування матеріалу до цілей навчальної програми, тощо); відсутність комп'ютерів і відсутність доступу до Інтернету; шкідливий вплив надмірного використання технологій; плагіат.

Ключові слова: інформаційні та комунікаційні технології, викладання іноземних мов, інформатизація освіти, змішане навчання, електронне навчання, гейміфікація.

The problem statement in general

Technologies became the integral part of our lives. Foreign language teaching has undergone significant changes with technological progress. Traditional methods of mastering a foreign language were not fully focused on practical skills. The newest technologies encourage people to learn languages and make this process more interesting.

Nowadays, lecturers of higher educational institutions need to meet the requirements of modern society, and modern society requires a high level of mastering a foreign language and the use of innovative technologies.

Analysis of recent investigations and scientific publications

At the same time it should be noted that theoretical and practical issues concerning the impact of ICT on the effectiveness of learning a foreign language is poorly researched.

Highlighting previously unresolved issues of the common problem

In terms of the emergence of new forms of training, the use of information and communication technologies in teaching foreign language to future officers of the National Guard of Ukraine has not been sufficiently studied, however, to day, they need foreign language skills to perform their duties, to serve or study in Ukraine or abroad.

The purpose of the article is to identify the ways of using information and communication technologies in teaching foreign languages to cadets, define advantages and disadvantages of their usage.

Presentation of the main research material. Information and communication technologies (ICT), based on telecommunication systems worldwide, are recognized as the key technologies of the 21st century, which will be the main engines of scientific and technical progress for the next decades. Informatization of education is the part of this global process. Today's urgent problem lies in the development of educational technologies that are able to modernize traditional forms of education in order to increase the level of the educational process in higher educational institutions.

The world's practice of ICT development and usage in education shows a tendency towards changing the traditional forms of educational process organization in terms of the information society. The content of education, methods and approaches are changing concurrently.

Education informatization requires:

- implementation of innovative methods, tools and forms of professional development of new-age specialists;

- creation of a powerful information infrastructure in higher education institutions with advanced information and computer educational environment;

- implementation of web-based technologies, e-learning, communication networks (global, national, local).

In the modern sense, information and education technology is a pedagogical technology that employs specific means, software and hardware (audio, video, computers, telecommunication networks) to work with information.

The main information technologies that are used in teaching and learning can be roughly divided into three categories: interactive (audiovisual media); computer-based learning (including multimedia tools); telecommunication means (video conferencing, forums, etc.).

ICT do not replace traditional methods and approaches [4]. They allow us to bring teaching methodology closer to the up-to-date requirements. That's why new information and educational technologies, that are founded on modern computer-based technologies, new interactive methods, are more often used in education: audio-visual training, distance learning, video conferences, webinars, virtual labs, virtual worlds, etc.

The main modern trends in the classroom work activation using ICT are:

1) expanding blended learning through comprehensive use of social networks and web services;

2) activation of Backchannel (secret, unofficial communication channel) -interactive communication during the lesson by using smartphones, laptops and tablets;

3) integrated use of interactive learning tools;

4) gamification: the use of fictional games, simulations and virtual worlds.

Nowadays there is a chronic situation, known to all lecturers when struggling to motivate learners. We have now a generation of young people who were not familiar with the world without mobiles, videogames and the internet. And our groups of cadets are not an exception.

Traditional methods of education no longer work, learners are bored and demotivated. Previous methods were designed for learners to be fundamentally passive. They focus on drilling learners on certain narrow processes, before testing them on what they can remember of what they were told. Neither of textbooks or classroom time will help if learners are not engaged or motivated.

Information and communication technologies make it possible to combine the processes of studying, consolidation and control of acquisition of learning material. Information technologies make it possible to individualize the learning process to a greater extent by increasing the share of individual and group forms and methods of learning.

Moreover, information technologies help to increase motivation for learning, to develop creative thinking, to save study time; interactivity and multimedia visualization promotes better presentation and, therefore, better comprehension of information.

In order to analyze why learners sometimes responded to the lesson not in the way we had anticipated and also how we could help them to achieve more in the future using ICT, we should consider:

- Learner's ability. Normally there are several students (cadets) in the group and all of them are different in their cognitive abilities, short and longterm memory and the English language proficiency. That influences a lot the way how they cope with the task, how they react on the exercises we suggest and interactive activities that we suggest.

- Learning style. It is a known fact that the learners are divided into three groups according to the learning style. There are some learners who are easier with getting information from visual aids, the learners who get more information and who practice more from listening or presentation. And there are those who need doing something in order to understand the material. But it is not true that all the learners can be divided in these three strict groups. There are a lot of mixed type learners. So while using ICT we need to suggest everything that gives the possibility to all the cadets to meet the requirements of their learning style.

- Personality. We try to teach all our students, but the successful ones are usually those who take on some responsibility for their own learning [2]. So personality is also an important factor. I work with the cadets. And they are future military leaders. And some of them show their leading skills even nowadays, being cadets. Thus they tend to lead the discussion, to be constantly involved in expressing their opinion. So that creates the situation that other cadets are very calm and they do not actively participate in the discussion. That is why to provide equal possibility for my cadets to discuss I need to suggest some ways to get everybody speaking. For this purpose I form small groups that contribute to each of the cadets to have a say and also I appoint a leader for a particular discussion bearing in mind that each of my cadet should lead this time or another and should develop their leading skills, speaking skills etc.

- Gender. It also should be taken into account that in some my groups there are only males. That is why while choosing audiovisual media for them I would never choose something romantic. It is not because it is wrong. It is just because they are not that interested. While finding audiovisual media for the class I prefer to get something “boyish”, because this gives me more opportunities to get everybody involved and to get everybody express their opinion.

To motivate cadets speaking some gamification mechanicsar eusedintheclas sroom: levels (pointslead to rewards); badges (visible / digital signs as rewards); progress display (visual depiction of progress, always increasing); quests (a mission with objectives, as in project-based learning). There are free badge creation tools Online Badge Maker and Web 2.0 Badge Maker that you can easily use. Such game elements help to create a novel feeling and achieve goals, such as enhanced motivation and engagement [3].

Some other information technologies used in teaching foreign language to cadets are:

- online My English Lab (interactive environment, where cadets can learn outside class, practice speaking, listening, reading and writing round-the-clock). For the weak learners studying during the lesson is not enough. They must invest more time into their special individual home assignment and control their work and progress, that is easily done in online lab;

- mobile applications: Alias (to explain to teammates as many words as displayed on the screen), TuneIn (to listen to podcasts, news, radio from around the world);

- platforms Edmodo (to send messages, share class materials, and make learning accessible anywhere); Kahoot (to implement game-based learning of any topic in any language);

- Free Infographic Maker / Piktochart. Infographics combine words, numbers, and imagery into visually stimulating and dynamic ways of representing information and data. Infographics can be used in English language classroom for: summarizing reading assignments, presenting information about themselves/ historical or famous people, introduction to research and research presentation [1].

Advantages of using ICT in teaching English to cadets:

- ICT provide cadets with authentic resources and materials for English learning in a real situation practice.

- However English coursebooks contain a lot of pictures, photos and tables not all of them provide video recordings that are very essential for cadets, as visual learners. So it is reasonable to supplement the coursebook and use video materials to provide learners with richer, more readily absorbed language data.

- Cadets can study independently. ICT make it possible to individualize learning process.

- Information technologies help to increase motivation for learning, to develop creative thinking, to save study time, etc.

- When ICT are used more or less regularly all the materials created by the teacher become even more feasible and successful. I welcome the use of ICT in language learning and try to use them as often as possible.

Drawbacks of using ICT in teaching English:

- Lesson plans are quite time consuming to prepare (e.g design Internet based lesson plan; adapt it to support the curriculum objectives; visit sites to select something appropriate for classes).

- Low income facilities (poor Internet access at the academy; no computers / no Internet access at home);

- Reliance on technology (harmful impact of technology overuse);

- Plagiarism (sometimes cadets overuse cut-and- paste technique for grade).

Conclusions

ICT make it possible to combine the processes of studying, consolidation and control of acquisition of learning material; to individualize the learning process by increasing the share of individual and group forms and methods of learning.

The main advantages of using information and communication technologies in teaching English to cadets are the promotion of motivation for learning, the development of creative thinking, interactivity and multimedia clarity, original resources for learning languages, ability to individualize learning process. Among disadvantages there is the complexity of preparing for classes, lack of hardware, overuse of technology, plagiarism.

The perspectives of further research lie in a more detailed analysis of the use of information and communication technologies for training and self-study.

References

1. Crystal Bock Thiessen. Infographics for Language Teaching and Learning. 2018.

2. Edge J. Essentials of English Language Teaching. London: Longman, 1993. 142 p.

3. Healey D. Gamification for teachers. Game mechanics. 2017.

4. Sutherland R., Robertson S., John P. Improving Classroom Learning with ICT. Routledge, 2009. 257 p.

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