In recent years, the multimedia teaching aids has been growing gradually and spreading over the world in a very short period of time. Power points, computers, educational videos, OHPs and blogs are some of the examples. Before beginning the discussion, i would like to define what teaching aid is. Teaching aid is a tool used by teachers or facilitators or tutors:
- to help learner improve reading or other skills,
- to illustrate or reinforce a skill, fact, or idea , and
- to relieve fear or boredom since teaching aids are like games ( www.AboutLingualLinks.com).
In this essay i would like to discuss one of the example of multimedia teaching aids, that is BLOG. Blog is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog), sketches (sketchblog), videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog), audio (podcasting), which are part of a wider network of social media.( wikipedia.com).
Let's see how 3 teachers from different countries use blog in different way for their teaching aids. Carla from Brazil uses blog for her teaching aids. Once she was going to invite a mystery guest to her class, and her student are asked to find out who she/he is through blog. Another way is by asking her student to do international exchange through blog. They are asked to talk about certain subject with students in another country. She said that through blog, students are able to express themselves more, especially for shy student who has low confidence to talk in front of the class. Beside that, blogging makes them tend to write more. And the best part is that through blog, they learn to stay in one community and then learn about each other lives, interests, so that they are getting closer and connected to one and another.
Let's meet Rita from Argentina. According to Rita, language is one of a tool for communication with human being, that's why when we learn it, we have to use it as a tool for our communication. She said that blog is one of the tool for communication which is fast and comprehension. It is a tool where anybody are able to experience communication such as sending comments,sending messages, arranging meeting, or having a contact with student in another country. In another way students will find new vocabulary through blog features, which is available in English.
The last teacher come from Taiwan. In Speaking class, She asked her students to do certain presentation in group in front of the class. She record every group's presentation and the video recording can be up loaded online by her students. From the video, the students are provided by 2 advantages, skills and performance feedback. Then they are asked to write a report. Again, they are developing writing skills through this multimedia teaching aids.
In Indonesia, this kind of teaching aids has been used rarely because in certain area of our country, the internet is not accessible easily. Teachers are not also accustomed to use hi-tech media for their teaching aids.
In conclusion, there are many different ways in which a trainer can make the learning experience more interesting and memorable for learners. One of the most efficient one is blogging. So, give it a go! ^_^
