Dolors Reig's Conference: TIC, TAC and TEP

Hi there! Such a long time!

Today I will comment on some concepts that Dolors Reig – a Spanish social psychologist, consultant, and lecturer at various universities, companies, organizations and events – has put forward in her conference "Educar para las TEP (tecnologías del empoderamiento y la participación)." She made reference to three acronyms: TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación), TAC (Tecnologías para el Aprendizaje y el Conocimiento), and TEP (Tecnologías para el Empoderamiento y la Participación).

The concept of TIC has already lost its meaning since the appearance of the web 2.0. Nowadays, we are accustomed to actively participating in blogs, forums and the like in order to share our own opinions and beliefs. Still, that was not possible with the web 1.0 since users were able just to read and obtain information but not to make comments or refute someone else’s ideas. That’s why another concept has developed: TAC, which puts particular emphasis on both teachers and students making good use of the new technologies for teaching and learning. Although the concept of TAC broadens our minds as regards students playing a role in this technological society, it still lacks “how” teachers can empower their students to participate, as well as “what” it really means to participate. As a consequence, Dolors Reig incorporates the concept of TEC. For her, it is not significant that students collect and exchange information if they are not critically reflecting upon it. It is not about students remembering or learning things by heart; it is far beyond the scope of the school and the classroom – it relates to us becoming critical human beings, which implies much more than teaching students to surf the net. Reig suggests that teachers adapt their current teaching methods to the student’s language, leading to new ways of teaching. Traditionally, group work was carried out at home while during the lessons, students were expected to gather information. Now, we can change that procedure and devote the time of the lessons to foster group work, as well as the communicative competence and ask students to gather information at home.

To summarise, it is deemed necessary to bear in mind the concept of TEP in the classroom, together with the concepts of TIC and TAC to help our students become autonomous individuals. We must show our students the potential of the internet to learn, but we must also advise them against believing that everything they read is the unique truth. We must help them have their own say on whatever topic they get to read.

If you are interested in these acronyms, take a look at Dolor's website El Caparazon.