NEC Report

Dick Kuettner, Washington and Lee University

Current Representative Dick Kuettner

Tech Talk One: Joining Aspirations and Needs with Technology’s Use
Friday at 12:30 - 1:45 PM. Session of 75 minutes.
Coordinator: Dick Kuettner (more than 100 attendees)

Sub-session A -- "Your Technology Questions Answered"
Drs. Robert Fischer, Southwest Texas State University; Dick Kuettner, Washington and Lee University; Mikle Ledgerwood, SUNY at Stony Brook
Twenty questions in twenty minutes gave insight as to technology use and misuse, i.e. is digital really better? Or is a language laboratory really necessary? Or how can the Internet really help us in our teaching? Attendees came with questions. Audience participation was mandatory.

Sub-session B -- "Getting Back to Basics: The Tools, Goals, and Pedagogy of Good Technology Use"
Drs. Anne Green, Bonnie Youngs, Carnegie Mellon University; Devin Browne, Pittsburgh Public Schools and University of Pittsburgh.
As teachers we need to focus on the how, why, and when of using technology in teaching. During this panel session, panelists described briefly pedagogical reasons for using technology, the language teaching goals that might be achieved by using technology, and what types of tools might be available to achieve these goals. Participants were encouraged to come with questions for discussion, as this session was driven primarily by their interests, issues, and problems.

Tech Talk Two, Applied Methods with Technology
Saturday at 9:45 - 11:00 AM. Session of 75 minutes.
Coordinator: Dick Kuettner (The number of attendees was in excess of 100.)

Sub-session A -- "Making the Most of Technology in the Classroom"
Dr. Ellen Mayock, Washington and Lee University
Mayock provided a demonstration of Web tools she has used at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of college Spanish and discussed the successes and failures of each of the tools. Topics covered were -- incorporating appropriate supplemental materials from the Web into course pages; incentives for students to use the Web on a consistent basis; how the Web works as the cornerstone of a course; assessment of student Web use.

Sub-session B --"The Problem Child -- Teaching the Third Year with Technology"
Drs. Linda Demerritt, Jochen Richter, and Courtenay Dodge, Allegheny College
There is a way to get the job done. And thanks to technological tools, the third year language course can be informative, organized, productive and fun. Attendees learned from experienced experimenters, and were encouraged to stop reinventing the wheel (especially the flat ones)!

Thursday, Preconference Workshop on HTML (five participants)
Kathleen Lewis, Haverford College; Mike Jones, Swarthmore College.
A six-hour workshop on the fundamentals of using HTML for web page development. The workshop was held in facilities provided by The George Washington University. Well organized and presented.

The booth provided information only. Those visiting the table wished to be able to purchase more items. CURRENT items are needed. This is one occasion where old stuff is not necessarily good stuff.

IALL's affiliation with NEC is very valuable. We have finally become a truly influential affiliate. The relationship established is beneficial for both parties. I feel good about being able to render a needed service (tech advice and assistance) to the NEC. The advice and service is on-going throughout the year, as I review, at a minimum, all tech-associated proposals submitted to the NEC, supply tech support to sessions at the conference, procure equipment, select off-site locations for workshops, etc. In doing so, I hope that I have been able to promote IALL's value to the tech and non-tech communities in the NEC. The affiliate is no longer just a figurehead.