Technology Pedagogy and Content in Web-based Language Instruction for Secondary Vocational Students

Students in vocational schools in Greece are less motivated and have low performance in courses demanding academic skills, like language learning with reading and writing tasks (e.g. essay writing). If they were asked, they would say that they prefer to do things rather than study or get involved in traditional classroom language activities. School cannot provide them with language materials and methodology adjusted to their needs. Language teaching and learning is an academic task-oriented subject and teachers find it extremely difficult to arise their students' interest. So, from this point of view there is a gap between need and supply. How to overcome this obstacle? Is it possible that an educational e-Learning environment applying a purpose specific e-pedagogy, will do this? An experimental teaching intervention took place in a Greek Secondary Vocational Lyceum (1st EPA.L -Epagelmatiko Lykeio of Lamia city, at 2012-13 school year) in the Greek language curriculum of 11th Grade students so as the researcher to answer the above question. In an activity based situated e-environment for agriculturists, engineers, electricians, car mechanics, students were asked to solve real life technical problems and practise their mother language skills by producing technical textual 'genres' that are likely to use as future professional craftsmen.