Technology Era?

In this weeks reading i found the pages on choosing the correct book strange. Oddly enough i attended a teachers conference this past week and learned that a few important things one of which is the role technology plays in the classroom. I find this very intriguing. Books can be very boring. I am almost to the point of believing that books are not even necessary to teach ESL or any language for that matter. As long as students have access to the internet and other forms of technology they can use them instead of buying expensive books. I think that the activities created outside the book are more fun, relate to life bette, and challenge students to learn more compared to books. I think it would bring significance to learning.

However technology is not the cure all for learners. I do realize that books are important and that there are some drawbacks for technology. Some of these drawbacks are adult learner computer competence and access to technology. However the time spent outside of class especially in an EFL setting where students are not exposed to the language everyday. This time is being lost to expose the students to that langauge and with the advent of technology this can close that gap of advantage that ESL programs.

What i think would be more important than showing a sample checklist for textbook evaluation would be an evaluation for goal setting for classes. I believe knowing your students is more imporant than knowing the text. Like my blog earlier, teaching is like an art. Well what is more important in art the picture you see or the picture you want to paint?