Final Blog Post: Reflecting on My Journey with Technology in ELT

 

Before I started this course, I saw technology in English Language Teaching mostly as a side tool. I would say it could be helpful but not necessary. But after all the things we did and learned, my whole point of view has radically changed. Now, I see technology as maybe not just a sidepiece but indeed a very powerful agent in the teaching and learning of the language in the 21st century.

During the course, I experimented with various tools and performed creative tasks that really helped me understand how technology could be implemented in ELT. For instance, I made an infographic on cyberbullying, which gave me an appreciation of how such visual tools could be used for raising awareness and making the learning experience more meaningful.

Another task that I really enjoyed was making a "how-to" video with some of my peers on how to start a blog. We organized everything on Discord while we shared our personal experiences and edited it together. It felt real and collaborative, and I saw how students can create authentic content using technology.

The task I liked the most was the cyberbullying infographic because I had personal experiences related to the topic. It felt meaningful and emotional. The one I liked the least would probably be the movie review. While I liked the movie itself, writing a review didn’t teach me much new compared to the other tasks.

Overall, I learned that AI could help with writing and thinking, I could observe this when I enhanced my interview with Nikola Tesla using it. The AI gave feedback that I would not have caught by myself; hence, it enhanced my writing. However, I believe students must be careful in using it so that they do not become overly dependent on it.

For a better experience, I think the course is engaging, but maybe, we could incorporate more collaborative group projects. Doing tasks with friends was even more fun and helped me learn better.

Thank you for reading my blog posts this term!

Reflecting on Using AI in Language Learning

 

For this weeks task, I used AI tools to help me improve my interview writing about Nikola Tesla. At first, I wrote the original text, but I wasn’t sure if it was clear or correct in some parts. Then, I asked the AI to give feedback and suggest improvements.

The AI was quite helpful since it pointed out several mistakes that had escaped my notice, such as ambiguous pronoun references regarding the mother and uncle of Tesla. It suggested improving the flow of ideas, expanding explanations for some quotes, and maintaining tense consistency throughout. All these suggestions increased the clarity and readability of my work. There were also suggestions on how to shorten and make more natural certain sentences. It was a little challenging at times to understand what the AI precisely meant or how to rephrase some sentences without losing my own style. In general, though, it helped me with my writing a lot .I think AI tools like this could be a big help in teaching. Teachers could also use AI for immediate feedback on their students' writing, correcting assignments, and teaching new vocabulary or ideas through examples and explanations. However, they have some drawbacks. Sometimes AI might suggest changes that are too formal or complex for students; it may lose sight of cultural or personal details. And then again, students might rely too much on it and not try to think for themselves. In language learning, AI tools can be great for practicing writing, grammar, and vocabulary. But it’s important to use them as helpers, not as the only way to learn. Teachers should guide students on how to use AI well, so it supports their learning without replacing their own thinking.

In conclusion, I found my use of a couple of AI tools for this writing task very rewarding experience; it enhanced my work and taught me other ways to write better. I think AI will certainly figure in teaching and learning so long as we use it cautiously and with some thought.

Have you used AI for any task before, and what are your best experiences with it? Let me know down below!