Task 2----Drawing on your experience at your university, where do the language learning tasks (ideally that involve IT) fall on the flexibility continuum? Give one or more examples to illustrate. Can tasks that are "liberated" or "free" be easily incorporated into your teaching?
As far as my university---Xianyang Teachers' College is concerned, we have equipped quite a lot of multimedia rooms, but the traditional classroom with blackboards and chalk still dominate.
For our English department, we are required to lecture in the multi-media rooms. But the fact is we are using IT for the sake of it. In considering the 4-point flexibility continuum, it seems to me that point 1 is far beyond our reach and concern. We are now at point 3, only few of the courses are at point 2.
To be specific, I give the following examples.
1. In listening class, the teachers use tapes and CD-ROMs , while students passively listen to the contents. The teacher would repeatedly play the difficult part. This is the typical listening class in my school. The main purpose is to finish the listening material.
2. In reading and writing class, quite often the teachers don't use computer instead of the writing the notes in the board. Sometimes, the PPT slides are prestented for the main contents
3. We have the video-audio-speaking course in which I think IT is integrated fully to add value to the language teaching. In class, the teacher plays the video, students listen to it and respond to the questions and discuss with classmates based on the video.
However, on the whole, the class is more closed and teachers have more power control. Therefore, the 'free' and "liberate' tasks are difficult to incorporate in the teaching.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Revised Webography
My webography topic is "Collaborative Learning beyond Classroom in Teaching Vocabulary".
1. CJLT—Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology http://www.cjlt.ca/archivedissues.html
The AMTEC supports CJLT journal in education and technology issues. In order to contact the association, there is postal address as well as the board of directions in which e-mail addresses are provided.
The CJLA is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal published 3 times annually both in print and on-line and topics mainly involve the use of technology in the learning and teaching process published by AMTEC.
There are a lot of articles related to collaborative learning beyond the classroom in which teachers can be enlightened by the case studies and research studies in the Archived issues on its home page. Teachers can read and download the related articles and practice some of the findings in the teaching of vocabulary. Here is an article--- http://www.cjlt.ca/content/vol28.2/beatty.html in which it discusses the collaborative learning and presents some practical suggestions for enhance teamwork or collaboration with the help of computers.
In order to find the related articles, just open the site and key in the search words, the related articles all come out.
The journal is updated in 2005. The articles range from the year 2002 to 2006.
2. LLT---Language Learning & Technology
http://llt.msu.edu/archives/default.html
LLT is a refereed journal which began publication in July 1997 covering issues related to technology and language education in US and around world. There is an editorial board of scholars in the field of SLA and computer-assisted language learning.
It is sponsored and funded by the University of Hawai'i National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) and the Michigan State University Center for Language Education And Research (CLEAR), and is co-sponsored by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL). It is easy to contact these links by the provided e-mail address and web links.
The articles are published on the world wide web to reach vast and wide audience covering language learning and teaching as well as how they are enhanced by the use of technologies. Full articles can be read on-line and downloaded as you like.
Just open the website and key in the search words you are interested, then all related articles come out. There are a lot of articles related to vocabulary teaching based computer interaction which are rich resources for teachrers. This is an article http://llt.msu.edu/vol4num1/groot/default.html related to the vocabulary teaching.
It is recently updated in 2007.
CODI, starting in 1999, was sponsored project at the University of Arizona providing some projects related to collaborative language learning through the use of technology. The persons who are in charge of the site are contacted through their e-mail address in the Contact Us.
The projects related to the collaboration learning are provided in the way the projects are conducted in terms of description of the project, setting & participants, data collection, theory. Therefore, it is quite useful and helpful for teachers who want to conduct research. It provides some methods to conduct research.
Second language acquisition theory page examines the issues central to second language acquisition theory by presenting related data from the COHLab Project. Here you can easily find the materials and data on collaborative vocabulary learning among students beyond the classroom under the teachers’ proper guidance.
Although there are not quite a lot of projects related to vocabulary learning, but this teaching tips for vocabulary http://coh.arizona.edu/codi/vocab.htm are very helpful, and teachers can adapt some of them into their own practical teaching.
It is recently updated in 2007.
This site is supported by The British Council as well as BBC established in 2002.
In this site, teachers can find a lot of information and material on teaching English as well as activities and shared ideas on English teaching. There are a lot of articles related to teaching tips and lesson plans which teachers can adopt to use. It provides a lot of activities contents which are very practical in teaching including speaking, vocabulary, writing, pronunciation, listening reading and others related language learning.
This address provided here is specifically related to vocabulary teaching using on line resources by adopting collaborative learning. Besides, there are audio materials on-line. But only some of the articles and audio available free downloaded.
The contents are quite helpful. Since it is supported by the British Council which is recently updated, therefore it is usable and current.
The Internet TESL Journal (iteslj.org) stared from the year 1997 till now. It is a monthly web journal.
This site contributes articles, research papers, lesson plans, classroom handouts, and teaching ideas. All these are related to teachers and learners of ESL. Articles are free to read and download.
In the subsection of articles and lesson plans there are articles related the ideas and teaching tips for vocabulary teaching. In the lesson plans, some teachers contribute their own teaching plans and steps in teaching particular aspect of English language, including vocabulary teaching.
The feature of the site is that on the home page there is link to the subsection “Activities for ESL/EFL students” http://a4esl.org/ in which there are numerous quizzes, tests, exercises and puzzles related to grammar, vocabulary to help learners of ESL. All these activities are contributed by many teachers. New quizzes and activities are added regularly. Therefore teachers can use these vocabulary quizzes and activities beyond classroom for students to do in groups or in collaboration.
It is recently updated.
6. OED---The office of Education Development
http://teaching.berkeley.edu/teaching.html
The OED is under the division of undergraduate education of UC Berkeley.
The division of Undergraduate Education provides information for faculty and students in the UC of teaching and learning. It also facilitates the use of the technology in teaching and learning.
The important feature is this site here provided. The subsections are rich and helpful resources for teachers in language teaching and students including consultation & programs, teaching materials, publications and resources.
Open the site, there are a lot of teaching tips and suggestions, sensitive topics, teaching discussions are all constructive materials which teachers can apply and adapt in their real teaching.
This article http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/collaborative.html here talks about group work and study teams in the teaching which I think can be applied in teaching reading and vocabulary.
This site belongs to the UC Berkeley and the materials are credible and also the articles can be read freely and downloaded. Besides the site is recently updated.
7. Concept to Classroom---A Series of Workshops
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/index.html
Concept to Classroom is initially supported by the Disney Learning Partnership in 2004.
It covers a series of workshops which are all hot topics including cooperative and collaborative learning; assessment, evaluation and curriculum design; inquiry-based learning; teaching to academic standards; interdisciplinary learning in your classroom.
Each workshops are introduced into four sections explanation, demonstration, exploration, and implementation. In explanation, the concept and theories are introduced by expert, then going to the demonstration, video, audio, and lesson plans other materials are shown how real-life teachers implement in their teaching. In exploration, some tips and suggestions as well as ways are introduced to guide interested teachers to get started. Then in implementation target teachers can apply what they have learned into practice by devising their own lesson plans, activities, as well as projects of their own.
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/coopcollab/index.html, this link here is a workshop about cooperative and collaborative learning. Teachers who are interested in this topic can read and learn it in the teaching vocabulary.
It is updated in 2004. But the source is quite helpful.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Responding to “Digital Distractions in a Wireless Classroom"
This article reminds me of the traditional classroom, in which the teachers try their best with the help of voices, gestures, facial expressions, instant interaction with students to convey the knowledge to students. But now, the scenario has changed to computer-aided teaching.
Every classroom is decorated with technology. It is a fashion. If some teachers are still using the old method, it seems odd. Here I don’t mean it is not good to use technology in the classroom. Teaching benefits a lot from the digital technology.
But technology brings the benefits, at the same time, it leads to some problems, too. Education and the advance of the society interact with each other. Education motivates the development of the society, but if we can not apply the education in an appreciate way, some problems may appear, as the example in this article.
So my question is “is this wireless classroom the technology problem or education problem”?
I think most of us would agree that this is not the problem of the technology or science, but because we don’t apply technology in the proper way.
Therefore, I suggest the following:
1. Schools arrange the digital literacy course for students to raise their awareness.
2. Schools and families work together to regulate the time, space and situation on the use of the computer.
3. Traditional etiquette education should be strengthened both at school and in families as well.
4. Perhaps most important of all, the whole society should work together to protect the innocent young students in the Internet.
Every classroom is decorated with technology. It is a fashion. If some teachers are still using the old method, it seems odd. Here I don’t mean it is not good to use technology in the classroom. Teaching benefits a lot from the digital technology.
But technology brings the benefits, at the same time, it leads to some problems, too. Education and the advance of the society interact with each other. Education motivates the development of the society, but if we can not apply the education in an appreciate way, some problems may appear, as the example in this article.
So my question is “is this wireless classroom the technology problem or education problem”?
I think most of us would agree that this is not the problem of the technology or science, but because we don’t apply technology in the proper way.
Therefore, I suggest the following:
1. Schools arrange the digital literacy course for students to raise their awareness.
2. Schools and families work together to regulate the time, space and situation on the use of the computer.
3. Traditional etiquette education should be strengthened both at school and in families as well.
4. Perhaps most important of all, the whole society should work together to protect the innocent young students in the Internet.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Group Task: Chapter Four ---IT and Educational Policy-making
Country: U.S
Value given to education and IT:
American education is bolstered by IT education.
IT exposes students to a variety of perspectives and enhance students’ overall learning experience and their partnership.
At the same time, teachers, principals and administrators are able to better track student achievement and adjust instruction more effectively to individual needs.
Curricula can be individualized and adapted to students' specific learning styles.
Instructional technology has the power to enhance overall knowledge accumulation, instead of just focusing on content mastery.
Computer-aided learning is a lifelong learning procedure. It is expected to create the conditions for a creative and knowledge-based society.
Roles of teachers:
Facilitators or coaches // Translators and interpreters of policy
Resource manager // Editor
Planner // Guide
Organizer // Task-setter
Supervisor
Roles of students:
Learners // explorers
Active participants
Life-long learner
Open-minded learner
Collaborator
Creator
Developers in meeting the challenges of increasingly globalised markets
Roles of language and language learning:
Media of communication
Sources of information:
http://www.funderstanding.com/instructional_technology.cfm
http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml
Posted by cheng yanping; liu ran; shao juan; tan dinghua
Value given to education and IT:
American education is bolstered by IT education.
IT exposes students to a variety of perspectives and enhance students’ overall learning experience and their partnership.
At the same time, teachers, principals and administrators are able to better track student achievement and adjust instruction more effectively to individual needs.
Curricula can be individualized and adapted to students' specific learning styles.
Instructional technology has the power to enhance overall knowledge accumulation, instead of just focusing on content mastery.
Computer-aided learning is a lifelong learning procedure. It is expected to create the conditions for a creative and knowledge-based society.
Roles of teachers:
Facilitators or coaches // Translators and interpreters of policy
Resource manager // Editor
Planner // Guide
Organizer // Task-setter
Supervisor
Roles of students:
Learners // explorers
Active participants
Life-long learner
Open-minded learner
Collaborator
Creator
Developers in meeting the challenges of increasingly globalised markets
Roles of language and language learning:
Media of communication
Sources of information:
http://www.funderstanding.com/instructional_technology.cfm
http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml
Posted by cheng yanping; liu ran; shao juan; tan dinghua
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Coments on Bill Gates' perspective
A number of years have passed since the publication of Gates’ book. Concerning about my teaching situation, I am thinking of the following similarities and differences.
1. Similarities
a. Items like networks, multimedia presentation tools are now used in my teaching situation , but they are only limited in some particular courses.
b. We have school network in which teachers and students can share information and educational material to some extent.
c. IT makes learning and teaching more interesting and motivation and converts learners from passive to active learners.
d. When IT is used wisely, it can save teachers time and physical effort.
e. Some teachers use PPT to present their teaching materials and apply some of the on-line resources as teaching material in which the classroom is more learner-centered.
2. Differences
a. The majority of teachers and students are not psychologically and technologically ready for the changes ahead.
b. Some teachers just simply convert print-based resources into digital format.
c. Many teachers and students don’t know how to find and apply rich and useful e-resources in their teaching and learning.
d. Many teachers need training in exploiting and managing IT to its fullest.
e. For teachers and students, they are not aware of the Digital literacy which related to plagiarism.
1. Similarities
a. Items like networks, multimedia presentation tools are now used in my teaching situation , but they are only limited in some particular courses.
b. We have school network in which teachers and students can share information and educational material to some extent.
c. IT makes learning and teaching more interesting and motivation and converts learners from passive to active learners.
d. When IT is used wisely, it can save teachers time and physical effort.
e. Some teachers use PPT to present their teaching materials and apply some of the on-line resources as teaching material in which the classroom is more learner-centered.
2. Differences
a. The majority of teachers and students are not psychologically and technologically ready for the changes ahead.
b. Some teachers just simply convert print-based resources into digital format.
c. Many teachers and students don’t know how to find and apply rich and useful e-resources in their teaching and learning.
d. Many teachers need training in exploiting and managing IT to its fullest.
e. For teachers and students, they are not aware of the Digital literacy which related to plagiarism.
Monday, January 15, 2007
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