Page 43 - ELG1804 Apr Issue 456

INTERVIEW . REVIEWS & RESOURCES

example.’ So what makes a good classroom
app? For Strasser the answer always comes
back to methodology, what actually works
in a classroom and what can help kids to
learn.
‘I am developing a taxonomy that sheds
light on quality criteria of browser-based
educational apps.
It’s a work in progress. But, in a nutshell:
digital tools should be quick and dirty
focusing on collaboration, communication,
reflection and creation.
‘Eduapps have become an integral part
of modern foreign language teaching they
should not be seen as just an incentive for
students.’
Strasser champions the use of mobile
phones in the classroom. He dismisses
teachers that say students using them
will just switch off in the lesson or go on
Facebook.
‘It’s important to stress that mobile
phones should not be some kind of pars-
pro-toto scapegoat.
They are not responsible for every
Plug into the learning/teaching failure. Students also
switched off in analogue times.
‘It‘s always a question of methodological
digitalzeitgeist design of your lesson: if your lesson is
boring, learners will drift away, with or
without smartphones.’
Strasser thinks we should drop our
prejudices against mobile phones and follow
the evidence.
‘Research says that the dominant form of
Digital tools for the classroom should be ‘quick and dirty’, media consumption among teenagers/young
focusing on four key areas, Thomas Strasser tells Melanie Butler learners is mobile but unfortunately our
educational system does not reflect this.
n academic once told me that I asked him about his first experience ‘Why shouldn‘t you use mobile devices in
if you think long enough, you of taking technology into the language the EFL-classroom? They are more or less
can explain anything simply. If classroom. a vital component of many young learners’
Ayou can’t explain it simply, you ‘Among the first tools I tried in the everyday lives.’
haven’t thought about it hard enough. classroom were Hot Potatoes and JClic. The media environment has drastically
I am sure Thomas Strasser would They were pretty cool software-based tools changed and 21st century learners
agree. The Hochschulprofessor that generated multiple choice quizzes or constantly use their smartphones for
für Fremdsprachendidaktik und matching exercises.’ knowledge creation and curation.
technologieunterstütztes Lehren/Lernen, ‘Apps like Spreaker, for podcasting or
to give him his full title, this Viennese Research says that the Lyricstraining, which involves learning a
professor must have spent many hours dominant form of media language with music, have been shown to
thinking. motivate students.
He specialises in the use of technology consumption among This is especially true with inhibited
in the language classroom and if his latest students. Using technology that fits in with
book, Mind the App! 2.0, is anything to go teenagers/young learners a young learner‘s zeitgeist enables them
by, he has perfected the art of explaining is mobile but unfortunately to perform well, both productively and
things simply. receptively.’
Even I, over 60 and barely able to our educational system But what would Strasser take with him if
use a smartphone, was able to follow his does not reflect this he was sent to teach on a desert island, and
instructions on how to make a quiz. I wrote was only allowed to take one resource?
to congratulate him. He was impeccably His answer is simple:
polite. The problem was: you had to be a very ‘Evernote. It‘s my digital brain in the
‘Thank you so much, much appreciated.’ tech-savvy and patient teacher in order to cloud. Ubiquitous and encrypted access to
But when asked how he fell in love with set up simple interactive quiz formats. It my creative pool.’
teaching with technology, his answer was firm: took you ages to produce a simple digital
‘I did not fall in love with technology but cloze exercise.’ Thomas Strasser is the
with methodology. But things have changed. These days author of Mind the
‘That is why I always emphasise the even old technophobes like me can handle App! 2.0 published by
“educational” in Edtech because we should the latest software offerings. Helbling. He works at the
always exploit digital tools methodologically ‘Nowadays digital tools are far more Pädagogische Hochschule
and never focus too much on the “bling dynamic, user-friendly, interactive and
bling” of digital tools.’ intuitive, like Learning Apps or Kahoot, for in Vienna, Austria.
42 April 2018