http://domo.goanimate.com/go/movie/0nd3yiWjUq60?utm_source=emailshare&uid=0opPozrPMdqA
Try this link for a random Domo story. Students can fill in the blanks.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Week 3
Technology.
It's pervasive! I feel like I'm constantly on a computer. Don't get me wrong--I love computers because they make the kind of work that I do in the MA-TESL program easier (and possible, in many cases). I have also grown to appreciate how they enhance my ESL class.
As a 21st century teacher, I think it's part of my responsibility to make sure that my students are technologically literate. They don't have to be super-savvy, but they do need to be able to do the basics (e.g., Word, email, Learning Management Systems). At an IEP, we are preparing students linguistically for the university, but in order to apply these language skills to university coursework, they will more likely than not need to use technology effectively.
CALL class has been enlightening for me so far. I've often shied away from technology because I myself am not so savvy, but that's no excuse not to take advantage of the wealth of resources offered in CALL.
My favorite line from the reading was "...teachers should select a technology palette and use the technology they are familiar with for the presentations" (DuBravac, 2013, p. 55). Technology palette strikes me as a nice metaphor, not to mention a creative noun-noun combination. What kinds of technology suit your taste? It helps me think about how I won't like all the technology available, but some of it will pair really well with my teaching context and personal preference.
Maybe our class diigo is like a technology tasting!
Maybe not.
It's pervasive! I feel like I'm constantly on a computer. Don't get me wrong--I love computers because they make the kind of work that I do in the MA-TESL program easier (and possible, in many cases). I have also grown to appreciate how they enhance my ESL class.
As a 21st century teacher, I think it's part of my responsibility to make sure that my students are technologically literate. They don't have to be super-savvy, but they do need to be able to do the basics (e.g., Word, email, Learning Management Systems). At an IEP, we are preparing students linguistically for the university, but in order to apply these language skills to university coursework, they will more likely than not need to use technology effectively.
CALL class has been enlightening for me so far. I've often shied away from technology because I myself am not so savvy, but that's no excuse not to take advantage of the wealth of resources offered in CALL.
My favorite line from the reading was "...teachers should select a technology palette and use the technology they are familiar with for the presentations" (DuBravac, 2013, p. 55). Technology palette strikes me as a nice metaphor, not to mention a creative noun-noun combination. What kinds of technology suit your taste? It helps me think about how I won't like all the technology available, but some of it will pair really well with my teaching context and personal preference.
Maybe our class diigo is like a technology tasting!
Maybe not.
Homework from 1-23
Evaluating a CALL resource for a listening class (just like everyone else, apparently!)
This is an actual non-LL video I chose to use for an achievement test (PIE level 5 L/S) in the unit on business ethics.
YouTube.com
Business Ethics Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmVu66Fpd9U)
This is an actual non-LL video I chose to use for an achievement test (PIE level 5 L/S) in the unit on business ethics.
- vocabulary
- Mostly appropriate for level 5. Some challenging words, but also many of our vocabulary words
- pace
- Natural pace for native speakers. I think my level 5s might have trouble to keep up in some sentences
- voice clarity
- Clear English.
- background noise
- None. Listeners can focus on the voice
- interest level
- This is an appropriate video for the assessment, though I don't think it's particularly interesting.
- authenticity
- While this was a staged lecture-conversation, I think the content, pace, and credibility of the speaker contribute to a sense of authenticity.
- register choice
- The register is suitable for academic contexts or more casual conversations that students may have at the university.
- length
- About 5 minutes--excellent for level 5.
- content
- This lecture is well-oriented to our unit on business ethics, so I think the content is a real strength of this site.
- cultural awareness
- I think this story is suitable for Saudi and Chinese students, like those I have at PIE. I think most groups of students would have something to say about it, but I don't think it's offensive.
- visuals
- Some ppt support helps students pick up main points as the speaker talks. Speaker is visible the entire time.
- copyrights
- No apparent need to ask copyright permission.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Evaluating Technology
Dear Readers,
This week's readings were about evaluating CALL resources for the L2 classroom. I chose this topic as my wiki entry for two reasons: 1) there were only two choices left, and 2) I'm actually very interested in learning more about how to pick the right resource. Using technology just for technology's sake has frustrated me in the past because I wasn't sure how to use the resources (limited as they might have been) effectively. When I taught in Cambodia, I remember putting on a pirated DVD of a hit movie in the media room, dimming the lights, and thinking I was really making the most of my technology (insert buzzer sound here). Not exactly. But, through the MA-TESL program, I have learned more effective methods and techniques for teaching in general, and now I'm uncovering more ways that technology can serve me and my students in the classroom and beyond.
While as a novice I often find a comparison of three or more evaluation frameworks daunting, the DuBravac chapter was an excellent introduction for the Jamieson and Chapelle (2010) article that I will be presenting on Wednesday. Chapelle's six-pronged framework includes these criteria: language learning potential, learner fit, meaning focus, authenticity, impact, and practicality. I think her framework shows the most essential things to consider in evaluation, while not overwhelming the selection committee with data. Other models with more thorough lists, for example the Susser and Robb (2004), seem a little cumbersome to use efficiently.
One takeaway that I had from this week is that evaluating technology is not that different from choosing a textbook. In many ways, knowing the curriculum, the learners, and the culture surrounding the use of a technology are some of the most important considerations. With some guidance, teachers are capable of evaluating whether a technological resource is appropriate for their purposes.
This week's readings were about evaluating CALL resources for the L2 classroom. I chose this topic as my wiki entry for two reasons: 1) there were only two choices left, and 2) I'm actually very interested in learning more about how to pick the right resource. Using technology just for technology's sake has frustrated me in the past because I wasn't sure how to use the resources (limited as they might have been) effectively. When I taught in Cambodia, I remember putting on a pirated DVD of a hit movie in the media room, dimming the lights, and thinking I was really making the most of my technology (insert buzzer sound here). Not exactly. But, through the MA-TESL program, I have learned more effective methods and techniques for teaching in general, and now I'm uncovering more ways that technology can serve me and my students in the classroom and beyond.
While as a novice I often find a comparison of three or more evaluation frameworks daunting, the DuBravac chapter was an excellent introduction for the Jamieson and Chapelle (2010) article that I will be presenting on Wednesday. Chapelle's six-pronged framework includes these criteria: language learning potential, learner fit, meaning focus, authenticity, impact, and practicality. I think her framework shows the most essential things to consider in evaluation, while not overwhelming the selection committee with data. Other models with more thorough lists, for example the Susser and Robb (2004), seem a little cumbersome to use efficiently.
One takeaway that I had from this week is that evaluating technology is not that different from choosing a textbook. In many ways, knowing the curriculum, the learners, and the culture surrounding the use of a technology are some of the most important considerations. With some guidance, teachers are capable of evaluating whether a technological resource is appropriate for their purposes.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Introductions, experiences, and goals
Hello Cyber-world,
I'm Jena, and while I am no stranger to the blogoshpere, I still a novice when it comes to using technology in language teaching and learning. In the MA-TESL program at NAU, applications of technology have been introduced as important elements of language teaching in the 21st century. The introduction of these resources has been useful, yet, since I haven't necessarily had a chance to implement them into my classes (ENG 105 or PIE Listening/Speaking), I don't feel that I have gained solid command of them.
My goals for this course, then, are to gain command of more resources that I can use immediately in my PIE class, and also take with me after NAU. In particular, I would like to find a reliable, user-friendly voice recording software program for my students to use in completing spoken homework online. I've used voxopop.com with some success, but the site often crashes for days at a time, which is frustrating for students and teachers alike. The daunting amount of videos on youtube have also been a resource in my classroom, but I'd like to learn how to use this kind of mega-resource more effectively. Moreover, many of my job interests will take me to places that have limited access to technology. A colleague and I presented on making the most of these kinds of contexts at AZ-TESOL last fall, and the topic is still important to me. Even though the access to technology is unequal, the case could be made that most students in this digital age need technological literacy skills to be successful in the English-speaking world. I hope that this class addresses the varying resources available in different langauge teaching contexts. Another goal that I have for the class is to gain a checklist of sorts for deciding when it is appropriate to use technology, and how to use it to best meet students' needs. As I have signed up to create the evaluation wiki next week, it sounds like I'm the master of my own destiny and that this goal will be met very soon.
Until next time.
I'm Jena, and while I am no stranger to the blogoshpere, I still a novice when it comes to using technology in language teaching and learning. In the MA-TESL program at NAU, applications of technology have been introduced as important elements of language teaching in the 21st century. The introduction of these resources has been useful, yet, since I haven't necessarily had a chance to implement them into my classes (ENG 105 or PIE Listening/Speaking), I don't feel that I have gained solid command of them.
My goals for this course, then, are to gain command of more resources that I can use immediately in my PIE class, and also take with me after NAU. In particular, I would like to find a reliable, user-friendly voice recording software program for my students to use in completing spoken homework online. I've used voxopop.com with some success, but the site often crashes for days at a time, which is frustrating for students and teachers alike. The daunting amount of videos on youtube have also been a resource in my classroom, but I'd like to learn how to use this kind of mega-resource more effectively. Moreover, many of my job interests will take me to places that have limited access to technology. A colleague and I presented on making the most of these kinds of contexts at AZ-TESOL last fall, and the topic is still important to me. Even though the access to technology is unequal, the case could be made that most students in this digital age need technological literacy skills to be successful in the English-speaking world. I hope that this class addresses the varying resources available in different langauge teaching contexts. Another goal that I have for the class is to gain a checklist of sorts for deciding when it is appropriate to use technology, and how to use it to best meet students' needs. As I have signed up to create the evaluation wiki next week, it sounds like I'm the master of my own destiny and that this goal will be met very soon.
Until next time.
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