UNIVERSIDAD MAGÍSTER

FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN

CARRERA DE LICENCIATURA EN LA ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉSTESIS PARA OPTAR AL GRADO DE LICENCIATURA EN ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉS

A STUDY OF THE USE OF PROMETHEAN INTERACTIVE BOARDS AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE

LISTENING SKILLS IN 7TH GRADERS´ AT COLEGIO DR. RICARDO MORENO CAÑAS, 2016

LINDSAY CHAVARRIA BARRANTES

SEPTIEMBRE, 2016

PROBLEM STATEMENT

How can English teachers, whowork at Dr. Ricardo Moreno CañasHigh School, use the Interactivewhiteboard in English classes, toimprove listening skills in 7th

graders?

OBJECTIVES

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To scrutinize Promethean Interactive whiteboard-based methodologies to use in English classes for the improvement of seventh graders´ listening skills.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

To determine the use of the components of the Promethean Interactive whiteboard at Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas High School.

To determine the use of the ActivInspire software used at Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas High School

To assess the improvement of listening skills of 7th graders with the use of the Promethean interactive whiteboard.

To develop a training guide for English teachers at Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas High School in the use of the Promethean interactive whiteboard.

VARIABLES

Promethean Smart Boards

Activinspire Software

English teachers´ skills of the use of the Promethean board

7th graders.

English listening skills

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas High school was born in 2000 with the nameof Pedagogical Unit Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas.

On 2015, the institution was part of two important projects, withPROMECE an PROEDUCA, also the institution is part of a nationalprogram called: “Calidad de la educación” that will help the schoolimprove more and more. On 2016 the school is working with excellentconditions, the library was equipped with computers and internet accessand also with a Promethean Smart board.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

INTERACTIVE WHITE BOARDS.

According to the book The Interactive Whiteboard Revolution (Betcher, Lee, Mal,2009), there are a number of factors that make IWB technology different to anyclassroom technology that preceded it.

LISTENING SKILLS

According to LeLoup and Pontero: “Listening is arguably the most important skillused for obtaining comprehensible input in one’s first language and in anysubsequent languages. It is a pervasive communicative event. We listenconsiderably more than we read, write or speak.” (LeLoup and Pontero, 2007)

AUDIOLINGUAL METHOD

The audio-lingual method, Army Method, or New Key, is a styleteaching used in teaching foreign languages. It is basedon behaviorist theory, which professes that certain traits of livingthings, and in this case humans, could be trained through aof reinforcement. The correct use of a trait would receive positivefeedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negativefeedback.

METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

According to Kothari (2004,) research methodology is a way to systematically solvethe research problem. It may be understood as a science of studying how research isdone scientifically.

TYPE OF RESEARCH

In regards to the general aim of this study and its achievement, this investigation wascarried out by a descriptive and considering both quantitative and qualitativeapproaches.

INVESTIGATION STAGES

This investigation tries to acquire from the instruments helpful data. Suchinformation, and the analysis of it, is expected to provide solutions that help toachieve the final objectives.

POPULATION

According to Easton and McColl (1997) a population is any entire collection ofpeople, animals, plants or things from which we may collect data. Thisinvestigation is being done at Dr. Ricardo Moreno High School, with studentsfrom seventh grade and all the English teachers who work here.

SAMPLE

A sample is a group of units selected from a larger group (the population). Thesample of this study was formed by 40 students, from seventh grade, that werechosen randomly, and who were exposed to the use of the prometheanInteractive whiteboard.

SOURCES

Observation

Test

Questionaire

ANALISYS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE

RESULTS

GRAPH No 4: ENGLISH TEACHER´S CAPACITATION ON HOW TO USE THE INTERACTIVE BOARD

YES NO

GRAPH No 6: IMPROVEMENT OF SEVENTH GRADERS LISTENING SKILLS LISTENING SKILLS

VERY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE VERY DISAGREE

GRAPH No 9: APPLICATION OF LISTENING EXERCISES

VERY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE VERY DISAGREE

GRAPH No 12: ACTIVINSPIRE SOFTWARE

VERY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE VERY DISAGREE

GRAPH No 13: INTERACTION OF THE STUDENTS WITH THE BOARD

VERY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE VERY DISAGREE

GRAPH No 14: FUCTIONING OF THE INTERACTIVE BOARD SUPPLIES

VERY AGREE AGREE DISAGREE VERY DISAGREE

GRAPH No 15: STUDENTS SCORES

BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED

º

DESCRIPTION COST PER UNIT

(COLONES)

QUANTITY TOTAL COST

(COLONES)

TOTAL COST

(DOLARES)

Profesional Hours 12.645 150 450.000 925

Printing 2.600 20 booklets 52.000 97.66

Transportation 1.500 30 bus tickets 45.000 83.17

Promethean Smart board 1.500.000 1 1.500.000 2771

Total 2. 047.000 3876

Fuente: Chavarría, Lindsay, 2016

Exchange Rate: September, 2016. Sell ₡528,89/

Purchase ₡541,44

CONCLUSIONS

Promethean interactive whiteboards are an amazing resource in any school, theyincrease motivation in both, teachers and students, are easy to use, and increase thepossibilities not only for listening exercises, but also for other skills and school subjects.

The activinspire software is very easy to use, you can download it quickly and very easily,it provides many tools and ideas for use in class

There is a clear need for professional training and pedagogical resources to assistteachers in exploiting IWBs in the foreign language classroom.

They are very motivated and happy to use this resource, and they learn to be careful andresponsible with it.

RECOMMENDATIONS It is necessary to have a more affordable option to that kind of technologies

They feel that using this kind of software is making their learning process moreinteresting and fun, they can stop a listening exercises and repeat it as many times asthey need, they can add notes to the board, and participate more in classes.

It would be important to have teachers observe each other. Peer-to-peer learning is aprofound form of professional development.

Students need also to learn how to use it, so it is important to train not only teachers,students also need training to feel more comfortable when using it.

PROPOSAL

As an effort to help teachers and students ingeneral, with the use of the Promethean InteractiveWhiteboard, a teaching training guide based on theuse of the “ActivInspired” software and its use toimprove listening skills in students from seventhgrade, came out based on this study.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To develop a training guide for English teachers at Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas High School in the use of the Promethean interactive whiteboard.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

To specify the requirements needed to install the ActivInspire software in the teacher´s laptop.

To explain the installation of the ActivInspire software in the teacher´s personal computer.

To create a guide for the use of the promethean interactive whiteboard in listening exercises.

CHART 15. COST OF THE PROPOSAL

DESCRIPTION COST PER UNIT

(COLONES)

QUANTITY TOTAL COST

(COLONES)

TOTAL COST

(DOLARES)

Profesional Hours 12.645 50 632250 1168

Printing 600 12 booklets 7200 14

Promethean smartboard 1.500.000 1 1.500.000 2770

Total 2139450 3955

Fuente: Chavarría, Lindsay

Exchange Rate: june, 2016. Sell ₡552.90 / Purchase ₡540,33

Proffesional hour Colypro ₡12.546 (26/6/16)

FIGURES

FIGURE 1:Speaker from the Promethean Interactive Whiteboard used at

Colegio Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas.

FIGURE 2:Remote control, and smartpen from the

Promethean Interactive Whiteboard used at Colegio Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas.

FIGURE 3:Projector from the Promethean InteractiveWhiteboard used at Colegio Dr. Ricardo

Moreno Cañas.

FIGURE 4:Promethean Interactive Whiteboard used at

Colegio Dr. Ricardo Moreno Cañas.