My self-reflection about the technologies that applied in our group project
I want to talk about it from two aspects:
One is the application and use of Hot Potatoes and Dreamweaver;
The other one is the application and use of wiki.
1. Hot Potatoes and Dreamweaver.
Frankly speaking, these are the most difficult but also the most useful technologies that I learned from this course. These two technologies provide me a whole new and creative approach that can be used to design on-line exercises and edit webpage.
Hot Potatoes is really a practical technology which can be used to create various types of exercises, like cloze, match, MC, quiz, etc. We can also use Masher to mix different kinds of exercises together, making an integrated exercise.
Dreamweaver can insert videos, flashes and images which are relevant to exercises into the on-line quiz page. For example we can make an exercise page including the video of a song’s MTV and gap filling quiz of the lyric. By using this exercise, students can do the gap filling quiz and at the same time watch the video. I always believe that students like visual learning and practices, because students’ learning motivation and interests can always been inspired by visual learning materials.
Hot Potatoes and Dreamweaver are not difficult to operate and the exercise made through these technology are really practical and creative to assist both language learning and teaching, but there are also some problems that I found about my experience. One is that such kind of exercises is really condition-limited. That means students must need a computer-based environment when working on such on-line exercises, especially in class. Most of the mainland China schools can’t provide students the required computer-based learning environment. But if teachers prepare such kind of exercises for students to do as homework, the situation may be better because at present most students get computers which can get access to Internet at home. The other problem was found when we were preparing the group wiki. As our focus is IELTS, and IELTS listening don’t have practices based on videos, it was really difficult for us to insert audio materials by using Dreamweaver.
2 Wiki design
I think the design of our wiki homepage is really a challenge but interesting experience for every member of our group.
First, it was a tough task because we really met a lot of difficulties in both the use of technologies, finding materials and editing the homepage.
Second, I have to say that wiki is really a powerful tool that can be utilized by both teachers and students for specific teaching and learning purposes. It is an integrated on-line website which can incorporate various kinds of resources, like on-line exercises, on-line videos, on-line discussion board, on-line chat room and so on.
Although it is a practical teaching and learning tool, it also have problems just like the two technologies I listed above. Again it is condition-required. If there is no required computer-based environment, the wiki can’t exert its effectiveness and power to the most. Another problem is that to design a wiki and include the materials and practice you need is not an easy thing, it required some technological skills. I think a large number of teachers don’t have a good master of such skills.
2010年4月25日 星期日
Week10's reading reflection
- Week10’s reading reflection
Alderson, J. C. (2000). Technology in testing: the present and the future. System, 28(4), 593-603.
The topic of this piece reading is computer-based language testing. This paper discusses and lists the advantages and disadvantages about language test on computers, explores in detail development in Internet-based testing using the examples of TOEFL and DIALANG.
Disadvantages:
Computer-based tests are currently limited in the item types that they allow. Besides items types like MC, gap filling or cloze, other item type may be more appropriate. But they are really harder to applied in a setting wher responses must be machine-scorable.
There is a lack of computer literacy tutorial about various test techniques and test answer skills that would be used by students in the tests. For example, reading on papers is much more different from reading on the screen.
The most important disadvantage is the current limitations about language skills that can be tested on a computer. Speaking and writing are really hard to be assessed in any meaningful way right now.
Technical advantages of computer-based testing:
Computer-based testing removes the need for fixed delivery dates and locations that are normally required by traditional paper-based testing.
Results of such kind of tests can be available immediately after the test.
If tests are diskette- and CD ROM-based, tests delivered over the Internet are even more flexible if delivery or purchase of disks is not required.
CBTs can utilize specially designed templates for item instruction by using special software or just the Internet.
CBTs, and especially Internet-delivered tests, can access large databases of items, which mean that test security can be greatly enhanced.
Pedagogic advantages of CBTs:
Computer-based tests can be made more user-friendly than traditional paper-based tests. It also make is possible to give users immediate feedbacks once a response has been made. The concept based here is that feedback given immediately after finishing an activity is likely to be more meaningful and effective.
Computers can also be user-friendly in offering a range of support to test takers. For example, helpful facilities can be accessed on line, like on-line dictionaries. Such kind of performance can also been taken into account in deriving test results for test scores.
The conclusion is that a research agenda is needed, and such a research agenda flows naturally from two sources:
The issues that we found in the development of CBTs, like TOEFL.
e.g.: what should the entry point or level be? How is the best determined for any given population?
The issues that come from the claimed advantages and disadvantages of computer-based testing.
IT-based assessment may not improve on current modes of assessment, because of the compensations of the medium in terms of convenience, speed, and so on, we need to be certain that IT-based assessment does not reduce the validity of what we do.
Week 8's reading reflection
Week8’s reading reflection: Hong Kong’s Amended Copyright Low
Guide for Teachers and Students
http://www.ipd.gov.hk/eng/intellectual_property/copyright/edu_guide.pdf.
No matter when I was a middle school English teacher, or as a student at present, I always thought that copyright was a word that was far from my everyday life and had little business with me until I acquired some knowledge form this course. Frankly speaking, this is also the first time I learn something about copyright from the aspect of teachers and student.
This leaflet emphasizes some changes brought to the Copyright Ordinance that affect teachers and students. These changes aim to instruct teachers and students to make accurate, legal and fair use of copyright words for teaching and learning purposes without breading copyright.
Four sections about fair dealing(41A), scanning and photocopying(45), performance, play of audio and video recordings at an educational establishment(43), liberalization in the use of parallel imports(35B) are discussed in this leaflet.
I want to talk about some of my own experiences relevant to some points of this leaflet:
As the unfair examples of acts dealing with a copyright work listed under 41A Fair dealing, the act that a student copying the whole or a large portion of a textbook because he believe the textbook is too expensive is unfair. Actually, the textbooks are really expensive here in Hong Kong comparing with the textbooks that I used in Mainland China. But an interesting thing is that I always buy books although they are expensive in Hong Kong, while in the mainland I did copy the whole portion of some textbooks and sometimes copying a book was usually more expensive than buying a book. What I want to say is that the situation about copyright is quite different between Hong Kong and Mainland China. In the mainland, people seldom take copyright into consideration when they do copying about hardcopies or downloading about on-line resources. I think firstly it is because the promotion of copyright is not enough, people don’t appreciate it and lack the knowledge of copyright, which means they don’t know what kind of acts follow or offend the copyright: secondly, there doesn’t exist effective institutions to supervise or restrict acts involved in copyright. Actually, there are rich freely downloadable resources including audios, videos or PDF file online.
The other example described another unfair act which confused me a lot, that is a teacher playing a DVD of a currently shown movie in class for students’ entertainment after exams were over. I don’t know why this act is unfair. The aim is for entertainment, so what is the difference between the students see a shown movie in a cinema or in a classroom? I will be quite sure students would enjoy more about the same movie when watching in class after exams with other classmate than watching in a cinema.
Guide for Teachers and Students
http://www.ipd.gov.hk/eng/intellectual_property/copyright/edu_guide.pdf.
No matter when I was a middle school English teacher, or as a student at present, I always thought that copyright was a word that was far from my everyday life and had little business with me until I acquired some knowledge form this course. Frankly speaking, this is also the first time I learn something about copyright from the aspect of teachers and student.
This leaflet emphasizes some changes brought to the Copyright Ordinance that affect teachers and students. These changes aim to instruct teachers and students to make accurate, legal and fair use of copyright words for teaching and learning purposes without breading copyright.
Four sections about fair dealing(41A), scanning and photocopying(45), performance, play of audio and video recordings at an educational establishment(43), liberalization in the use of parallel imports(35B) are discussed in this leaflet.
I want to talk about some of my own experiences relevant to some points of this leaflet:
As the unfair examples of acts dealing with a copyright work listed under 41A Fair dealing, the act that a student copying the whole or a large portion of a textbook because he believe the textbook is too expensive is unfair. Actually, the textbooks are really expensive here in Hong Kong comparing with the textbooks that I used in Mainland China. But an interesting thing is that I always buy books although they are expensive in Hong Kong, while in the mainland I did copy the whole portion of some textbooks and sometimes copying a book was usually more expensive than buying a book. What I want to say is that the situation about copyright is quite different between Hong Kong and Mainland China. In the mainland, people seldom take copyright into consideration when they do copying about hardcopies or downloading about on-line resources. I think firstly it is because the promotion of copyright is not enough, people don’t appreciate it and lack the knowledge of copyright, which means they don’t know what kind of acts follow or offend the copyright: secondly, there doesn’t exist effective institutions to supervise or restrict acts involved in copyright. Actually, there are rich freely downloadable resources including audios, videos or PDF file online.
The other example described another unfair act which confused me a lot, that is a teacher playing a DVD of a currently shown movie in class for students’ entertainment after exams were over. I don’t know why this act is unfair. The aim is for entertainment, so what is the difference between the students see a shown movie in a cinema or in a classroom? I will be quite sure students would enjoy more about the same movie when watching in class after exams with other classmate than watching in a cinema.
Week7's reading reflection
Week7’ reading reflection
Liou, H. C. (1994). Practical considerations for multimedia courseware development: An EFL IVD experience. CALICO Journal, 11(3), 47-74.
The big explosion of technological innovations leads to high development of CALL courseware, and many theories and practice about SLA, instructional design concepts can be relevant. But the question that how should the course develop, especially for the most popular one, multimedia, immediately become a hot issue and the considerations for many people. This paper discusses this issue through introducing and exploring the development of a piece of EFL interactive videodisc courseware. Detailed information like objective, instructional design, on-line implementation, and the whole process of analysis are explained in this article. This paper aims to suggest a direction for those who will develop or use CALL multimedia material in the future
The part that I want to put emphasize on is the conclusion part. Two important issues are presented as practical implications and recommendations for those who are interested in the development of multimedia courseware.
One is the design of the “template” for the project described in this paper ensure a further step for layman language teachers who may have little knowledge and experience about CALL, or rather technology skills, but would like to use videodiscs in language classes. The reality is that more and more teachers are interested in CALL programs and materials, but few satisfying or practicable products can be got access to.
My experience in the mainland is that many teachers are interested in CALL materials and programs and want to introduce them to assist their teaching, but most of the teachers experience little about CALL, and are lack of training about targeted technologies or skills. They have the concepts to apply CALL program in teaching and briefly have positive attitude toward the effectiveness of CALL materials, but can’t provide a well-command over the equipment and technology which are included in CALL programs. This seriously limits their application of CALL programs. Sometimes they have basic media equipments but can’t exert them to the maximum extent. The other situation is that maybe the CALL programs or materials are really well-designed and effective, but teaching environment failed to provide the required technology hardware. These two situations are the most common realities in Mainland English teaching environment.
The other issue is that courseware development involving multimedia tends to be labor intensive and time consuming.
Liou, H. C. (1994). Practical considerations for multimedia courseware development: An EFL IVD experience. CALICO Journal, 11(3), 47-74.
The big explosion of technological innovations leads to high development of CALL courseware, and many theories and practice about SLA, instructional design concepts can be relevant. But the question that how should the course develop, especially for the most popular one, multimedia, immediately become a hot issue and the considerations for many people. This paper discusses this issue through introducing and exploring the development of a piece of EFL interactive videodisc courseware. Detailed information like objective, instructional design, on-line implementation, and the whole process of analysis are explained in this article. This paper aims to suggest a direction for those who will develop or use CALL multimedia material in the future
The part that I want to put emphasize on is the conclusion part. Two important issues are presented as practical implications and recommendations for those who are interested in the development of multimedia courseware.
One is the design of the “template” for the project described in this paper ensure a further step for layman language teachers who may have little knowledge and experience about CALL, or rather technology skills, but would like to use videodiscs in language classes. The reality is that more and more teachers are interested in CALL programs and materials, but few satisfying or practicable products can be got access to.
My experience in the mainland is that many teachers are interested in CALL materials and programs and want to introduce them to assist their teaching, but most of the teachers experience little about CALL, and are lack of training about targeted technologies or skills. They have the concepts to apply CALL program in teaching and briefly have positive attitude toward the effectiveness of CALL materials, but can’t provide a well-command over the equipment and technology which are included in CALL programs. This seriously limits their application of CALL programs. Sometimes they have basic media equipments but can’t exert them to the maximum extent. The other situation is that maybe the CALL programs or materials are really well-designed and effective, but teaching environment failed to provide the required technology hardware. These two situations are the most common realities in Mainland English teaching environment.
The other issue is that courseware development involving multimedia tends to be labor intensive and time consuming.
Week5's reading reflection
Levy, M. (1997). Theory-Driven CALL and the Development Process. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 10(1), 41-56.
The paper of week 5’s reading talks something about the natures of theory-driven CALL, particular as it relates to development process.
First, the author gives a brief introduction, review and discussion about theory-driven CALL. Theories derived from cognitive psychology and SLA are the most common points of departure. One question is that some studies testified that not all the CALL projects were driven directly by theories. Some projects began with a theoretical orientation, some started at a lower level and more determined by conditions in which governed actual practice or problems arising directly from it. The other question is about the reliability of theories which were used to instruct theory-driven CALL. A theory may be well-testified and widely accepted in some fields, but in other fields may be less certain.
Second, the author gives a literature review of the development process, and a CALL development survey is described and discussed in this paper for further investigation the processes of materials production.
The conclusion is that the development process is first and foremost a dynamic process. The theoretical orientation should be reconciled with technological environment in which it is realized and the working CALL program should be well-validated within the context.
I am most interested in the difference between formalists and proceduralists. Formalists represent people who prefer to apply theory at first to solve a problem, a deductive approach. Proceduralists represent people who prefer to write CALL programs to solve specific language learning problem, an inductive approach. The weakness of proceduralists is that they may be led purely by what the technology can do without any coherent theoretical basis to support their work. The disadvantage of formalists is that the theory they applied may not exert the technology to best effect, which means the power of the theoretical basis is not powerful enough and the effectiveness of the technology is overlooked.
The paper of week 5’s reading talks something about the natures of theory-driven CALL, particular as it relates to development process.
First, the author gives a brief introduction, review and discussion about theory-driven CALL. Theories derived from cognitive psychology and SLA are the most common points of departure. One question is that some studies testified that not all the CALL projects were driven directly by theories. Some projects began with a theoretical orientation, some started at a lower level and more determined by conditions in which governed actual practice or problems arising directly from it. The other question is about the reliability of theories which were used to instruct theory-driven CALL. A theory may be well-testified and widely accepted in some fields, but in other fields may be less certain.
Second, the author gives a literature review of the development process, and a CALL development survey is described and discussed in this paper for further investigation the processes of materials production.
The conclusion is that the development process is first and foremost a dynamic process. The theoretical orientation should be reconciled with technological environment in which it is realized and the working CALL program should be well-validated within the context.
I am most interested in the difference between formalists and proceduralists. Formalists represent people who prefer to apply theory at first to solve a problem, a deductive approach. Proceduralists represent people who prefer to write CALL programs to solve specific language learning problem, an inductive approach. The weakness of proceduralists is that they may be led purely by what the technology can do without any coherent theoretical basis to support their work. The disadvantage of formalists is that the theory they applied may not exert the technology to best effect, which means the power of the theoretical basis is not powerful enough and the effectiveness of the technology is overlooked.
2010年2月7日 星期日
Learning in virtual environment
I agree with the point that virtual environment does benefit to second language learning, especially for the reduction of anxiety when communicate with native speakers or speak in an open environment.
I am a second language learner and I used to be an English teacher, I find that most English learners in mainland have great anxiety when speaking English, especially speak in public. This is a common phenomenon and I think most second language learners have such kind of experience. As a student who wants to be a future teacher, if the teaching environment permits, I’d like to lead students to learn second language in the virtual environment. If face-to-face communication makes students feel anxious, why not provide an environment which can make them feel more relaxing.
Class discussion on-line, chat-room, and e-mail with native speakers are all good way to increase their opportunities to participate in communication and language production. Keeping sending e-mails with native speakers can help students improve their writing skills, since you always write something or discuss something in more formal language with each other. Before sending the e-mail, you have plenty time to think over your choice of words, the native speakers can also check the correctness of you sentences. Communicating in chat-room or MSN on-line can help students improve their abilities in language fluency. Since most on-line language is informal and oral style, it can help learners to improve the ability of speaking and feel more freely and easy when communicate with others.
All the theories need to be test in real teaching practice, and several problems should be pay attention to carefully for both teachers and students, so there are still much knowledge to learn and lots of researches to do in the future before you can use virtual language learning environment to make efficient teaching and learning.
I am a second language learner and I used to be an English teacher, I find that most English learners in mainland have great anxiety when speaking English, especially speak in public. This is a common phenomenon and I think most second language learners have such kind of experience. As a student who wants to be a future teacher, if the teaching environment permits, I’d like to lead students to learn second language in the virtual environment. If face-to-face communication makes students feel anxious, why not provide an environment which can make them feel more relaxing.
Class discussion on-line, chat-room, and e-mail with native speakers are all good way to increase their opportunities to participate in communication and language production. Keeping sending e-mails with native speakers can help students improve their writing skills, since you always write something or discuss something in more formal language with each other. Before sending the e-mail, you have plenty time to think over your choice of words, the native speakers can also check the correctness of you sentences. Communicating in chat-room or MSN on-line can help students improve their abilities in language fluency. Since most on-line language is informal and oral style, it can help learners to improve the ability of speaking and feel more freely and easy when communicate with others.
All the theories need to be test in real teaching practice, and several problems should be pay attention to carefully for both teachers and students, so there are still much knowledge to learn and lots of researches to do in the future before you can use virtual language learning environment to make efficient teaching and learning.
Something about Week Three's Reading
Many findings of some previous researchers show that a virtual environment may create a more relaxed atmosphere than a classroom, and the low level of inhibition and social anxiety would be good for foreign language learning and increase language production.
A project called Virtual Department for Minority Language (VDML) is a two year project which aims to produce guideline for students and teachers of less widely taught languages on how to create a virtual language department including making templates for a shared resource bank and suggesting ways in which collaboration between institutions of three UK university can take place. The project provides new experience for both students and teachers to learn how to work in a virtual environment and gives new teaching implications with regard to computer assisted language teaching. For second language learners, it is really important to participate in L2 language conversation, but students may always feel anxious in a face-to-face learning situation, and furthermore decrease the opportunities to join in the communication. However, if speaking in a virtual environment reduces anxiety in language learning, it would be a hidden benefit of computer assisted language learning. This article will focus on research into the psychological aspects of using the computer and internet in an education setting
Students always feel quite anxious when speaking to native speakers, but if instead the language students e-mail the native speakers, their anxieties would immediately be reduced. There is an illusion that language learners experience less anxiety when communicating via computer, and our behavior changes in a variety of ways when working online.
The study investigates a group of students’ behavior in the virtual learning environment through an on-line task in a chat room. Every student’s behavior is carefully examined and analyzed.
The results of the study show a number advantages for language students when working online. One of the advantages is that there is no accent to be distracted by, no time pressure and no interruption, which are all factors that would make students to feel anxious and reluctant to speak. In addition, there are no immediate reactions such as giggles or raised eyebrows. There is an illusion that online work gives a definite advantage to the shy and introvert language student. Finally, there is the advantage of increased participation.
There are also some issues that teacher and learners need to pay attention to when working in a virtual environment. First, exchanging the classroom for a virtual environment may change the old group dynamics; secondly, a virtual learning environment is likely to lower the level of language anxiety, but this does not solve the problem for students of foreign languages.
A project called Virtual Department for Minority Language (VDML) is a two year project which aims to produce guideline for students and teachers of less widely taught languages on how to create a virtual language department including making templates for a shared resource bank and suggesting ways in which collaboration between institutions of three UK university can take place. The project provides new experience for both students and teachers to learn how to work in a virtual environment and gives new teaching implications with regard to computer assisted language teaching. For second language learners, it is really important to participate in L2 language conversation, but students may always feel anxious in a face-to-face learning situation, and furthermore decrease the opportunities to join in the communication. However, if speaking in a virtual environment reduces anxiety in language learning, it would be a hidden benefit of computer assisted language learning. This article will focus on research into the psychological aspects of using the computer and internet in an education setting
Students always feel quite anxious when speaking to native speakers, but if instead the language students e-mail the native speakers, their anxieties would immediately be reduced. There is an illusion that language learners experience less anxiety when communicating via computer, and our behavior changes in a variety of ways when working online.
The study investigates a group of students’ behavior in the virtual learning environment through an on-line task in a chat room. Every student’s behavior is carefully examined and analyzed.
The results of the study show a number advantages for language students when working online. One of the advantages is that there is no accent to be distracted by, no time pressure and no interruption, which are all factors that would make students to feel anxious and reluctant to speak. In addition, there are no immediate reactions such as giggles or raised eyebrows. There is an illusion that online work gives a definite advantage to the shy and introvert language student. Finally, there is the advantage of increased participation.
There are also some issues that teacher and learners need to pay attention to when working in a virtual environment. First, exchanging the classroom for a virtual environment may change the old group dynamics; secondly, a virtual learning environment is likely to lower the level of language anxiety, but this does not solve the problem for students of foreign languages.
2010年1月24日 星期日
Week Three's Reading
Chapter 7: Sample Web Projects
This chapter describes several projects which explain how teachers use the Internet in different contexts. There are ten examples in total, five from K-12 schools and five from universities. I’m going to explain it one by one.
1. Primary School Webfolios
This project was carried out by Rachel Arenstein, who teaches English at Arazim in Maalot, Isreal. Fifth- and sixth- students were asked to create portfolios and design their own web pages on webfolios in English during the computer laboratory time.
Topics and tasks for the portfolios corresponded to the specific elements of a portfolio recommended the national English Inspectorate of Israel.
The merit is that the project has tapped students’ multiple intelligences well, but the downside is that it takes a great deal of time for children to master the computer skills and carry out the tasks.
2. A Primary School E-Mail Cultural Exchange
This project was carried out by Teresa Almeida d’Eca, who teaches six-grade English in Portugal. D’ designed a whole-class cultural exchange project via e-mail as part of her curriculum. The project began in October and lasted until early January.
Students were asked to work in groups of five with some topic, including Christmas decorations, shopping, and the meaning of Christmas during class, with d’Eca’s assistance. After school, volunteers from each group took turns typing the letters on school’s computers, and D’ sent the e-mail from her home computer.
Students’ enthusiasm for English increased a lot because of this project. Their writing skills also improved a good deal.
3. A Middle School Web Publishing Project
A web publishing project in a seventh-grade English class based on a detective story was carried our by Markus Kneirum and Alexander Mokry, who teach English and social sciences in Germany.
Aim of this project is to give their students the opportunity to develop their writing skill for more natural and communicative purposes.
Students need to finish three writing assignment for the project, including a short summary of the book, a writing activity with students working in groups to develop ideas on a topic, and a personal home page that were include in the site.
This project imposed many new expectations on students, like independence, creativity, cooperation.
4. A Junior High Virtual Classroom
Jack Tseng, who teaches junior high in Taiwan, created a bilingual virtual classroom on the WWW called Jack’s English Classroom to assist his in-class teaching of a grammar-based curriculum.
Students can access the virtual classroom through their computer at home. They can post homework and discuss them on-line, and sometimes they discuss the on-line activities during the regular class time.
5. A High School E-Mail Exchange Project
A collaborative, task-based e-mail exchange project was developed by Roseanne Greenfield , who teaches English at a secondary school in Hong Kong.
Exchange between Greenfield’s students and a class of native English speakers from the U.S involved three elements: project-based learning, cooperative learning, and process writing.
In the e-mail exchange, student in this project worked on essays in two genres of academic writing, descriptive essays and imaginative essays. First, they exchange personal letters containing their own descriptive essays; second, they work in groups at each home school to propose topics for the imaginative essays; then, students employed peer-editing techniques by using a grading rubric developed by teachers.
The project helped students see English as a valuable tool for international communication rather than only as a subject required for the national examination.
6. An Internet Research Project in an Intensive English Program
7. A University-Level Content-Based Course
This content-based language course which was taught by Randall Davis in a university in Japan called Crossing Borders via the Internet. This course can help students to develop skills and knowledge about hands-on technical, language and intercultural communication via the Internet.
Students need to learn how to get information and materials from a variety of Internet sources. A research paper and home page project were also included in this project.
8. A University On-line Writing Course
John Steels’s on-line writing class is set up to maximize students’ opportunities to communicate in writing with each other while teaching them to access resources from the www. Students can get textbook, post homework, get teacher’s answers and other’s comments through the home page and e-mails.
9. A University-Level Problem-Based Learning Course
This course was established by Susan McGregor to help students develop their Internet and English skills while solving a practical problem related to their own life goals. This language courses focuses on many things, including planning projects, preparing curriculum vitae, developing written communication skills and oral communication skills and so on.
This course helps students develop language and technical skills as they work on a task important to their own future.
10. A University Environmental Project.
This chapter describes several projects which explain how teachers use the Internet in different contexts. There are ten examples in total, five from K-12 schools and five from universities. I’m going to explain it one by one.
1. Primary School Webfolios
This project was carried out by Rachel Arenstein, who teaches English at Arazim in Maalot, Isreal. Fifth- and sixth- students were asked to create portfolios and design their own web pages on webfolios in English during the computer laboratory time.
Topics and tasks for the portfolios corresponded to the specific elements of a portfolio recommended the national English Inspectorate of Israel.
The merit is that the project has tapped students’ multiple intelligences well, but the downside is that it takes a great deal of time for children to master the computer skills and carry out the tasks.
2. A Primary School E-Mail Cultural Exchange
This project was carried out by Teresa Almeida d’Eca, who teaches six-grade English in Portugal. D’ designed a whole-class cultural exchange project via e-mail as part of her curriculum. The project began in October and lasted until early January.
Students were asked to work in groups of five with some topic, including Christmas decorations, shopping, and the meaning of Christmas during class, with d’Eca’s assistance. After school, volunteers from each group took turns typing the letters on school’s computers, and D’ sent the e-mail from her home computer.
Students’ enthusiasm for English increased a lot because of this project. Their writing skills also improved a good deal.
3. A Middle School Web Publishing Project
A web publishing project in a seventh-grade English class based on a detective story was carried our by Markus Kneirum and Alexander Mokry, who teach English and social sciences in Germany.
Aim of this project is to give their students the opportunity to develop their writing skill for more natural and communicative purposes.
Students need to finish three writing assignment for the project, including a short summary of the book, a writing activity with students working in groups to develop ideas on a topic, and a personal home page that were include in the site.
This project imposed many new expectations on students, like independence, creativity, cooperation.
4. A Junior High Virtual Classroom
Jack Tseng, who teaches junior high in Taiwan, created a bilingual virtual classroom on the WWW called Jack’s English Classroom to assist his in-class teaching of a grammar-based curriculum.
Students can access the virtual classroom through their computer at home. They can post homework and discuss them on-line, and sometimes they discuss the on-line activities during the regular class time.
5. A High School E-Mail Exchange Project
A collaborative, task-based e-mail exchange project was developed by Roseanne Greenfield , who teaches English at a secondary school in Hong Kong.
Exchange between Greenfield’s students and a class of native English speakers from the U.S involved three elements: project-based learning, cooperative learning, and process writing.
In the e-mail exchange, student in this project worked on essays in two genres of academic writing, descriptive essays and imaginative essays. First, they exchange personal letters containing their own descriptive essays; second, they work in groups at each home school to propose topics for the imaginative essays; then, students employed peer-editing techniques by using a grading rubric developed by teachers.
The project helped students see English as a valuable tool for international communication rather than only as a subject required for the national examination.
6. An Internet Research Project in an Intensive English Program
7. A University-Level Content-Based Course
This content-based language course which was taught by Randall Davis in a university in Japan called Crossing Borders via the Internet. This course can help students to develop skills and knowledge about hands-on technical, language and intercultural communication via the Internet.
Students need to learn how to get information and materials from a variety of Internet sources. A research paper and home page project were also included in this project.
8. A University On-line Writing Course
John Steels’s on-line writing class is set up to maximize students’ opportunities to communicate in writing with each other while teaching them to access resources from the www. Students can get textbook, post homework, get teacher’s answers and other’s comments through the home page and e-mails.
9. A University-Level Problem-Based Learning Course
This course was established by Susan McGregor to help students develop their Internet and English skills while solving a practical problem related to their own life goals. This language courses focuses on many things, including planning projects, preparing curriculum vitae, developing written communication skills and oral communication skills and so on.
This course helps students develop language and technical skills as they work on a task important to their own future.
10. A University Environmental Project.
Helen's feedback about the presentation
After the presentation on Monday’s class, I find that the situation in Mainland China is quite different from the situation in Hong Kong.
Many teachers in Mainland, especially primary and secondary teachers, use less new technology in their classes. I think there are several reasons for this issue. Firstly, many schools are equipped with poor hardware facilities, teachers or students are not permitted to get access to enough technological tools or tools of high quality. This is a common phenomenon in Mainland China. Secondly, teachers don’t have enough knowledge about new technology or skills of using technological tools. This maybe because new technology in language teaching hasn’t been taken so important recently and teachers really lack such kind of training. Thirdly, PPT is usually the most common skill and the only skill that many teachers can use in their classes. Its effect is limited Students would lose freshness and feel boring when looking at it every day. Fourthly, Mainland English course is always strictly carried out according to the teaching syllable. Teachers always have corresponding teaching tasks of every class. They usually don’t have time to give specific training programs of language skills to their students. Using on-line programs in schools is often impossible because the condition of network doesn’t permit. Lastly, class number of students is also a problem, too. It’s quite common that most classed in Mainland have over 60 students. It’s really hard for teachers to control such big classes especially when students get excited.
Comparing the presentations between full-time and part-time students, full-time students usually talked about learning experience of new technology, and a few of them who have teaching experience provided some information about new technology in language teaching in Mainland, but really limited information. Oppositely, Hong Kong teachers often had much to say. They shared a lot of useful and interesting experience and ideas about using new technology in language teaching. I think they are quite familiar and skilled to use different kinds of technologies and tools in their teaching. For me, I am most interested in their on-line English programs, and I think using on-line programs is really an effective way in language teaching.
Many teachers in Mainland, especially primary and secondary teachers, use less new technology in their classes. I think there are several reasons for this issue. Firstly, many schools are equipped with poor hardware facilities, teachers or students are not permitted to get access to enough technological tools or tools of high quality. This is a common phenomenon in Mainland China. Secondly, teachers don’t have enough knowledge about new technology or skills of using technological tools. This maybe because new technology in language teaching hasn’t been taken so important recently and teachers really lack such kind of training. Thirdly, PPT is usually the most common skill and the only skill that many teachers can use in their classes. Its effect is limited Students would lose freshness and feel boring when looking at it every day. Fourthly, Mainland English course is always strictly carried out according to the teaching syllable. Teachers always have corresponding teaching tasks of every class. They usually don’t have time to give specific training programs of language skills to their students. Using on-line programs in schools is often impossible because the condition of network doesn’t permit. Lastly, class number of students is also a problem, too. It’s quite common that most classed in Mainland have over 60 students. It’s really hard for teachers to control such big classes especially when students get excited.
Comparing the presentations between full-time and part-time students, full-time students usually talked about learning experience of new technology, and a few of them who have teaching experience provided some information about new technology in language teaching in Mainland, but really limited information. Oppositely, Hong Kong teachers often had much to say. They shared a lot of useful and interesting experience and ideas about using new technology in language teaching. I think they are quite familiar and skilled to use different kinds of technologies and tools in their teaching. For me, I am most interested in their on-line English programs, and I think using on-line programs is really an effective way in language teaching.
2010年1月17日 星期日
First Post
Blog is really a good place for communication and sharing experience, especially for people who are not good at talking, just like me. You can know more about me through browsing my blog, and I'm also quite happy to share opinions with all of you.
Here is my first blog, and I'm going to introduce a bit about myself and share something that I think useful with you.
As an English learner, I usually use PPT and WORD to do assignments and papers. I like surfing the Internet and doing some English listening and watching. Fantastic literature, horror fictions and movies are my favorite. There are also some websites that I usually use to get materials and learn English, and I want to share some of them with you:
http://som.twbbs.org/klee/notebook
http://www.eslpartyland.com/default.htm
http://www.eslcafe.com/
http://www.englishbaby.com/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com
http://www.eztalk.to/
http://engsite.ncu.edu.tw/database
http://www.nationalgeographic.com
http://chinadaily.com.cn
I will be very glad if these websites would interest you and give you some help in you teaching or learning.
Talking about this course, I hope to learn more concepts about new technology in English learning and the teaching implication it brings to us. I want to know how to choose and use the right technology in specific learning contexts and apply it to my future language teaching.
At last, welcome to Helen's small house and give comments. I'll be really appreciate.
Here is my first blog, and I'm going to introduce a bit about myself and share something that I think useful with you.
As an English learner, I usually use PPT and WORD to do assignments and papers. I like surfing the Internet and doing some English listening and watching. Fantastic literature, horror fictions and movies are my favorite. There are also some websites that I usually use to get materials and learn English, and I want to share some of them with you:
http://som.twbbs.org/klee/notebook
http://www.eslpartyland.com/default.htm
http://www.eslcafe.com/
http://www.englishbaby.com/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com
http://www.eztalk.to/
http://engsite.ncu.edu.tw/database
http://www.nationalgeographic.com
http://chinadaily.com.cn
I will be very glad if these websites would interest you and give you some help in you teaching or learning.
Talking about this course, I hope to learn more concepts about new technology in English learning and the teaching implication it brings to us. I want to know how to choose and use the right technology in specific learning contexts and apply it to my future language teaching.
At last, welcome to Helen's small house and give comments. I'll be really appreciate.
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