Effectiveness of Teacher Training in Using Latest Technologies

Introduction

Teachers who teach English as a second language (ESL) in a developing nation often feel the need for updating their knowledge of new teaching trends by attending in-service training programs or professional development courses. It is believed that such learning paves the way for providing a curriculum that integrates the use of technology within and beyond the language classroom. In this context, it must be stated that teacher training programs prove to be effective when they offer practical experience to teachers in new teaching methods. OECD (2009)’s comparative report defined effective professional development as, “on-going, includes training, practice and feedback, and provides adequate time and follow-up support. Successful programmes involve teachers in learning activities that are similar to ones they will use with their students, and encourage the development of teachers’ learning communities” (p.3). Mathew (2014) defines the terms, teacher training, teacher education and teacher development. She quotes Widdowson (1983) and Richards and Nunan (1990), according to whom training, “deals with familiarising student teachers with techniques and skills to apply in the classroom” (p.29). Mathew explains teacher development as “a voluntary process, ongoing, bottom-up, since the starting point is the teachers’ own experience where new information is sought, shared, reflected on, tried out, processed in terms of personal experience and finally ‘owned’ by the teachers” (p.29). Similarly, Evans (2002) quotes Grossman (1994, p. 58) according to whom professional development of experienced teachers could be in the form of “workshops, study groups, Ž reside chats, a district-wide colloquium for middle school teachers, action research projects, and conversations with the professor-in-residence …’(p.3). A professional development experience could be presented as a workshop or other formally related meetings. (Quattlebaum, 2012). In this chapter, the author would elaborately discuss the workshop, which she conducted for teachers (who represented various Indian states) and trained them in using the hand-held devices for teaching language skills. Further, she would throw light on the responses given by the participants, which reflected the effectiveness of the program.