Using technology in the ESL/EFL classroom: some reflections based on practice,” in “Information and Communication Technologies in English for Specific Purposes: Academic & Professional Research

The present paper aims to provide an overview of the most commonly used and basic educational technologies in the language classroom. Starting with academic management systems such as Blackboard, among others, we mention advantages and challenges of these and other software resources that can be found within those management settings, such as Turnitin. As plagiarism is an issue in academia, the aforementioned program detects copying conflicts and provides the tools to correct them. Another key aspect of new learning environments is student interaction and participation, and that is the main purpose of Educlick, an application which has been specifically created for in-group interaction. Finally, mobile uses in the classroom and audiovisual materials are broadly revisited. These technical and technological devices will also help to cover all students’ different needs in the class, as software is flexible and can adapt to various circumstances.