IATEFL Poland Łódź 2013 Conference

Saturday 28th September: M-learning: using apps in English Language Teaching 11.45h

Summary: This session will firstly explore the concept and dimensions of M-learning (mobile learning). It will then focus on apps, providing a concise overview of the different types of apps; describe some of the latest and most exciting apps specifically created for language learning; and finally, provide a range of practical teaching ideas for use in-class as well as for learning ‘on the move’.

Sunday 29th September: Managing New Technology in Education 9.00h

Summary: We are in the middle of the biggest paradigm shift since the printing press: the digital revolution. Exciting as it undoubtedly is, embracing new technologies inevitably poses a number of urgent questions for educational managers. How can we make investment decisions, when technology is so fast moving? How can we best support ‘face-to-face’ learning? Are smartphones and tablets ‘disruptive’ technologies, or can they genuinely help learners? Why do some schools use Facebook, while others ban it?  This talk will explore several aspects of new technology when applied to foreign language education. Illustrating with some state-of-the-art learning material, the speaker will argue that only by putting the pedagogy as central can we hope to successfully manage new technology in education.