Portafolio de Sistemas y Contextos Portafolio sistemas y contextos | Page 45

SISTEMAS Y CONTEXTOS EDUCATIVOS xlv appropriately didactically adapted. Educational materials consist of books, encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, textbooks, and so on; that is, mostly written materials, which can be either printed or available in electronic form (on digital media or on-line). Both printed and electronic educational materials are indispensable in the teaching process, since they are – in addition to the teacher’s direct explanation and other learning activities – an important source for students (Castro, 2015). TYPES OF DIDACTIC MATERIALS Conventional resources The first category makes reference to materials also known as commercial resources, such as books, dictionaries, printed electronic worksheets, flashcards, audiotapes, and videos. Next, authentic materials are created with a different approach to language learning, including magazines, newspapers, games, and lectures. Then, the third category has to do with materials developed in-house because resources are unavailable, unaffordable, and/or inadequate. One of the main features of this type of material is that they can be cheap in terms of monetary cost, but in contrast, they are very time-consuming because teachers spend lots of time selecting, preparing, creating, and adapting them (Araujo, 2016). Electronic Resources Electronic resources are also known as ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies). Electronic resources involve any computer-based or digital resources. The great variety of electronic resources includes e-mails, the internet, any kind of language software, tools used on video conferencing, among others (Araujo, 2016). 24