I also teach at a community college, and I also agree there are access issues when it comes to technology. Labs have to be scheduled, and some departments have sole access to the labs. In fact, I'm involved with an issue right now regarding the scheduling of labs. Most classrooms are not mediated meaning that they do not have media equipment in them. Media equipment can be ordered, but you have to remember to order it 48 hours ahead of time and it has to be available. Interestingly some newly mediated rooms have actually had some media that I like removed. Our licensed software cannot be accessed outside of certain computer labs because of licensing issues. I give my students a list of websites to go to, but not all of them have easy access to computers. If they only get access once a week, they forget by the next week. Also even though we are a suburban county, people in the northern part of the county only have dial-up access, not broadband which
 can make it difficult to view and use many sites. My average class size each semester is 20 - 30 students times 3 or 4 classes, so I cannot buy computers for students. (By the way, when I taught in a school system adult ed program my class size was 30 - 40.) Most of my students are recently arrived refugees or residents receiving unemployment, so I would not feel right asking them to buy a computer nor would I be allowed by the college to sell it to them. Some branches of public libraries in our area have closed because of budget restraints, so that has made it more difficult for students. I certainly encourage my students to use media, but it isn't always easy.

Terry Pruett-Said
ESL coordinator
Macomb Community College
Warren, Michigan

 



________________________________
From: Paul Rogers <pumarosa21 at yahoo.com>
To: The Adult English Language Acquisition Discussion List <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:29:52 AM
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 5061] grants for hi tech


Allan et al,
1. First, the community colleges and libraries here in Southern California nearly all have computer labs. One lab holds 200 computers. Many of them say that they are funded by private individuals or corporations.
Where there is no space, trailers are put up. Plus mobile labs.
There are free computers available for community colleges, and, for the studnets, there are free or low cost refurbished computers. 
Many programs provide cds of their programs for those not connected to the internet.
Plus there are cds on learning how to type, etc.
2. I am not sure what you mean by "hi-tech."
And therefore I do not understand your point on professonal development.
We are, after all is said and done, talking primarily about the use of computer based instruction to teach people ESL.
3. In my opinion, it all gets back to what my mother used to tell me:
"Where there's a will, there's a way."
Using computer based instruction at this point in time should be looked upon as a necessity. 
So I think the problem can be solved, but what is needed is a clearinghouse to provide information on what is available and how to get funding, etc.
Paul Rogers
805-258-3310
pumarosa21 at yahoo.com
PUMAROSA.COM

--- On Tue, 10/13/09, French, Allan <afrench at sccd.ctc.edu> wrote:



>From: French, Allan <afrench at sccd.ctc.edu>

>Subject: [EnglishLanguage 5060] Re: grants and technology

>To: "The Adult English Language Acquisition Discussion List" <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>

>Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 2:46 PM

>

>

>Thanks for responding Paul!

> 

>What I am referring to is a much larger problem.  Community Colleges that I am familiar with don’t have sufficient hi-tech capacity to allow instructors to use hi-tech very well in their classrooms and on campuses.  Individual grants won’t help here.  We need more smart rooms and more lab space. 

>By professional development I mean training in the use of ever more sophisticated IT, and in how to administer online courses.  One-hour presentations just don’t do the trick, especially with faculty who are already very busy just to stay afloat. 

>  

>Allan 

>  

>  

>Allan D. French 

>  

>ESL Instructor and Assessment Coordinator 

>Basic & Transitional Studies Division 

>South Seattle Community College 

>206-768-6836 

>afrench at sccd.ctc.edu 

>  

>  

>  

>From:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Paul Rogers

>Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 9:01 AM

>To: The Adult English Language Acquisition Discussion List

>Subject: [EnglishLanguage 5059] grants and technology

>  

>Allan and all,

>The sad part is that there are lots of grants available under the heading of "Bridging the Digital Divide."  But how many programs encourage teachers to write grants for computers?

>Local businesses will provide funding. 

>All ya gotta do is ask.

>As for professional development-

>I am not sure what this means. In the field of English language instruction, those websites and computer programs that are available are either very easy to use or come with a free workshop provided by the company.

>I think it is more a question of 

>1. udnerstanding the benefits of and the need for technology

>2. The will or incentive to work toward implementing a program.

>Paul Rogers

> 

>There is another very important reason why many instructors don’t use computers as an instructional tool, and that is lack of technology in the classrooms and a deficit of labs and software on the campuses.  >From what I am seeing now, this problem is not going to be remedied quickly because of budgetary constraints.  Administrators and policymakers need to find some way to provide more resources because technological advances are not going to slow down just because our classes can’t keep up.  Linked to capacity is resources for proper professional development.  

>  

>Let’s not put all of the blame on the individual instructors.  We need to shout to those who control the resources that improved education requires, in part, more resources for high-tech tools. 

>  

>Allan 

>  

> 

>

>

>Paul Rogers

>805-258-3310

>pumarosa21 at yahoo.com

>PUMAROSA.COM

>

>--- On Tue, 10/13/09, French, Allan <afrench at sccd.ctc.edu> wrote:

>

>>From: French, Allan <afrench at sccd.ctc.edu>

>>Subject: [EnglishLanguage 5058] Re: importance of technology

>>To: "The Adult English Language Learners 

>>Paul and Everyone:

>>  

>> 

>Allan D. French 

>  

>ESL Instructor and Assessment Coordinator 

>Basic & Transitional Studies Division 

>South Seattle Community College 

>206-768-6836 

>afrench at sccd.ctc.edu 

>  

>  

>  

>From:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Paul Rogers

>Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:39 AM

>To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

>Subject: [EnglishLanguage 5058] importance of technology

>  

>Computer based instruction helps students learn English faster and should increase interest in class and probably also should increase retention bu decreasing the drop out rate.

>But at a CATESOL conference that I attended over the week-end, I foud out that a lot of teachers are still not using computer based learning in their classes. There are a few reasons for this: 

>1. fear and trepidation

>2. lack of information and knowledge

>3. miscellaneus

>The only thing I can say about point #1 is, to paraphrase someone I met, it is a good thing to put the shoe on the other foot.

>Point #2 could be remedied by setting up a clearing house.

>Miscellaneus is a little tricky.

>As part of using technology, I also recommend that everyone consider methods of providing students and families with low cost or free computers. Some cities are even providing free internet access to low income households (San Francisco, I think).

>As they used to say in the old days: "The future is now."

>Paul Rogers

>805-258-3310

>pumarosa21 at yahoo.com

>PUMAROSA.COM 

>  

>

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