Task 3) New Media equipment at school
In this portfolio entry I will create a rough sketch how a school could spent 10 000 € or 50 000€ for new media equipment. Since every school already has got at least some technical devices and I do not want to start buying basic stuff, I will take the technical equipment of the MLS (Martin Luther Schule Marburg) as a starting point (for futher information see first paragraphs of Reporting of field trip).
How I would spend 10 000€ for new media devices at the MLS:
Note that most of the costs for the devices are roughly estimated!
- a better Internet connection/ bandwidth as well as one WLAN-spot for students (there will be aquisition costs as well as running charges) ~1000€ for the first few years
- 30 mp3-player with a digital dictating machines ~ 50€ each
- two digital cameras ~ 150€ each
- five cheap camcorders ~ 250€ each
- one media kit (laptop, data projector, sound system in one case) ~ 1750€
- one SMART- board ~4000€
(200€ left over: maybe for SD-cards for the cameras/camcorders)
WHY???
Without a fast Internet connection it would not make sense to work with the world wide web. As the Internet offers more than almost any information for your lessons as well as useful web tools it is essential to have a fluent connection if 30 or more students are online at the same time. It would take too long to describe the possibilities the Internet offers but on the following page you can find interesting links how you might use the internet depending on which subject you are teaching: lehrer-online.de (Of course, there are many more to be found!)
The dictating machines can be used for roleplays, interviews and podcasts. 15 devices might also be enough because usually those tasks are done in groups. The dictating machines create equal learning conditions if students have to do a podcast which is important at school. Moreover they can be used for example in biology or physics when students have to do protocols. The Mp3- player can be used for listening comprehension so that every student can work at his /her individual speed.
The digital cameras can be used for picture stories or the description photos in connection with new vocabs. I thought that two cameras should be enough because almost every student has a mobile phone camera. Moreover the MLS already has got a good digital camera.
The camcorders can be used for roleplays. If you do not have the possibility to record roleplays it will be harder to discuss them later. With a record tape you could point out specific situations or mistakes of the students and discuss them in detail. Moreover one could record student lectures and the lecturer has to reflect on his own presentation by watching the tape.
An additional media-kit would limit the possibility that all of them are used and no room with a TV, a data projector or a SMART-board is available.
There are many more ideas for the use of these devices in the English classroom but I do not want to go into detail any further. I think it is important to get at least some equipment I mentioned above for a school because they provide a good basis to work with new media in the EFL classroom.
How I would spend 50 000€:
First of all I have to say that I do not really think that it is necessary to spend that much money for new equipment. Of course, often it would enhance the quality of the lessons but if you have an appropriate use of methodology, it is not essential to have all those devices I am going to propose to buy for the MLS. Here are some ideas to improve the quality of teaching.
- 10 000€ ( see "How I would spend 10 000€ ")
- Wlan in the whole school ~1500€ The idea is that every student gets his/her student account like it is the case at the university of Marburg. The difference is that they can only access if they have the permission of a teacher who wants them to use the internet - so the teachers would be able to activate individual student accounts so that they would not be able to use the Internet when they are not supposed to do so. Moreover the students are allowed to use the Internet after school or during their free classes.
- 30 laptops ~500€ each (including an integrated camera and microphone). The laptops are necessary to use the internet constantly. Moreover they offer a wide range of different tasks with which the students can work for example webquests, researches or learning software.
- a high solution data projector ~ 2000€ (so that more than one class could watch a movie on a large screen)
- 5 additional TV's ~ 1000€ each
- 3 SMART-boards ~ 4000€ each
- the rest of the money can be used for additional teacher training programs in connection with new media so that they learn the about the wide range and possibilities the equipment can be used.
