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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Transfer of Learning

Well, it's been a time I have not written. This time I am writing to celebrate the realization of my project plan that finally became real.

This week I have started using my class at NiceNet.

People are still registering. Some are ahead of others. I feel standing in Deborah's shoes now.

It is not an easy task, but I am pretty excited I am on line again with the experience that I gained ready to share.

Yours

Hanan

Friday, August 27, 2010

Week 10: Thanks and Advice.

HOPE has been my slogan since the beginning of the course. I just cannot how depressed I was at the beginning of the course when some of the things did not work out. I started thinking "how am I going to learn such skills without the instructor beside me ?", then I realized that I can have more than one person to help through this virtual class. So it was. I started to have control on things again. You can see the difference in my attitude simply by going through the posts on this blog.

It  is HOPE  and belief in a better future.

Another "slogan" that I notice on different webpages these days is "You can make a difference" . As a teacher, with the commitment, hard work and perseverance, we can make a difference.

Dwelling on the idea of "making a difference "and having the concept of "Multiple Intelligences" in mind , I would like to share the following pieces of advice:

On the intrapersonal level:
Two  words of advice to myself :
1. I can make a difference. I simply need to start by myself. Like most of other teachers ,I work in difficult situations. The key to the change is not waiting  for "GU DO", but to take the initiative. Next step,I  will be sharing what I learnt with my colleagues to have a community speaking the same language.

2. Technology is a means to an end .As  a trainer as a teacher,   I should carefully plan the integration of technology tools in any teaching learning activity. Educational goals should not be overlooked on the expense of technology.

On the interpersonal level, I'd like to thank three parties:

Delicious Deborah:

Sure I have borrowed the name from Arbi. You deserve it as you made the course a delicious one as well. Your participation, comments and notes were evident and valuable throughout the course. I hope that you keep designing wonderful courses among which I will definitely would like to be a member.

The University of Oregon and the US Regional Office (ALC):

Thanks for the initiatives of global learning and communications.Granting a scholarship for such a course is surely highly appreciated.  I see HOPE representing :
    E:  Engage
    P:  People
    O:  Opportunity
    H:  Help
This is what you have given me.

My Fellow members:

Thank you for being so supporting, professional, devoted, willing to learn and to share learning.
I will keep my Blog updated and I will write about my project plan here. You are always welcomed to comment on any post .I hope you keep yours open in future too.

Yours

Hanan

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Week 9: Learning styles, Multiple Intelligences and Project Plan:

Coming close to the end of the course.


During week 9 we discussed two concepts: Learning styles (LS) and Multiple Intelligences (MI). These two concepts are not new to me. In one of my projects that I did two years ago, I have tried training teachers on these concepts. What I noticed earlier is that the teacher’s preference plays the key role in choosing the method of his teaching. After presenting the two concepts to them, I noticed the integration of different LS in their teaching.




The MI originally emerged as Gardner criticized tests. However some of the limitations of the MI is that : “no valid measurement tool is available. This has made MI difficult to prove. It is therefore accused of being ambiguous and subjective, instead of objective. To further complicate the issue, proposed assessments are complex and expensive to design.” More on this topic can be found at:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_85.htm

The following matrix show the combination of the MI and Bloom's taxonomy in stating objectives. It is available at the above link.



Although I am not very much fan of the MI theory, we cannot deny that it is spread well nowadays. We even tried to feel changes in the matrix of the objectives based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. The following link provides an article about the aforementioned idea.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/409730/Integrated-Curriculum


This week  exposed us to different multimedia tools that may enhance MI. I would like to share Stephen in his opinion that “the trick is ensuring that teachers know how to use these new tools”.
Not only were the tools available this week, they were available every week of this comprehensive course. The technology tools that we have learnt about will be the main source for my relationship with technology in the near future. I will be visiting the sites more and more, exploring them in a profound manner. Moreover, I would try to get some e-mail alerts about new tech. to be updated with different issues.

During the week, we had to submit the project plan. Thanks to the valuable remarks of my partners, Izabella and Janet, I was able to update my plan and I uploaded my plan on Friday. Like Arbi, I also learnt from some of the project plans posted early at the week.

Finally, I will continue to hope that our learners will emerge as “digital natives ‘, although there is quite a percentage who are less fortunate and technology is like ,as Arbi said , “science fiction” to them.
I will miss most of the action that happened during each week. Sure I will miss my colleagies most.

Yours

Hanan

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Reflections :Week 8

We are approaching the end of the course, but it seems that we have lots more to learn.
At the beginning of the week , I read the tasks:
  • Preparing two drafts of the project plan,
  • Reviewing peer project plans and reports.
  • Surfing the tools provided by our mentor and then,
  • Preparing a  good classroom site or a good exercise as a credit

I thought that  would be easy. I will not need to spend too many hours working with my laptop.


The tools and the sites we were exploring seem endless. I had great fun at the beginning doing all the printable flashcards, crosswords, matching exercises with "Tools for educators" at : http://www.toolsforeducators.com/    .   It  took me quite a time.

The part that I liked best is "Peer E valuation" . It  is a new on-line peer assessment for me. I am accustomed to the idea of "Peer Coaching "and I would like to share a video with you at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-abWqXlkFY&feature=related

Then I did write my project plan and I mixed it with the project report. Doing it in a hasty manner, the first draft was not that good. I did  a kind of self assessment using the checklist and so, the final draft came up with many differences.

I have to apologize to my peers as they will be reading almost different versions.

I saved the hot part last. "HotPotatoes". When I started working with this wonderful programme, which is my first trial with it , I was depressed that I almost gave up. My first trial with a JMatch minimal pairs exercise was not that good. But I do not easily quit,.Being inspired by my classmates creations, I kept on trying till I ended up with  two exercises: "A gap filling sentence" and "A crossword'  which I think are O.K. I uploaded  all exercises at

https://sites.google.com/site/webskillssu2010/hot-potatoes-and-other-exercises. I'll be waiting for Dr. Deborah 's view of them.
 
The easiest tool to use for me was Nicenet  , and so I created my class site using this tool.

While Stephen and Khuloud  tend to agree with me , it seems that Luiza had some reservation about using Nicenet with students as it not so "attractive" and teachers have to "we have to stimulate them in the beginning."   .Her point of view is valid from a learners' point of view, but from a teacher's perspective, it is a record of students' work. Considering the management system at Nicenet, she ended up having a class.

Truly amazing sites. The question remains:"What would be some of the constraints?"
I would share my point of view with what my colleagues have mentioned in their posts.
  1. Some of these sites are not free, as Azhar stated . This will be an extra burden on the teacher if the schools do not get kind of regulations to pay for sharing the links.
  2. With the rapid changes in technology , we struggle with the constraint of time to follow up as Bella has mentioned.
 By the end of the week ,I ended up sitting more hours at my laptop than what I expected.Not only was I learning, but I was also  enjoying the nice work of amazing classmates like Cami, Luiza, Azhar, Khuloud, Arbi, and Arjana, not to mention the two clear plans that were provided by Bella and Janet. They saved no effort to make them so clear. I envisaged every step of it.
Some of the sites that I visited are:

   1.   EFL MA TEACHERS FALL 2010: Bella
    2. Mulitmedia in ELT : Bella
   3. Miss Azhar Classroom: Azhar
   4.   Boost Your English :Arbi
   5.  Elective English :Class Two : Arjana
   6.  Literature Class 11th grade :Khuloud




Finally:
I  feel jumbled with " Too many tasks"  at the same week




Yours

Hanan

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Teachers' different tools and exercises

I really need to begin with a "Waw". Amazing sites this week for all teachers whether their classes are net wired or not.
The "Tools for educators" at : http://www.toolsforeducators.com/
is a comprehensive site for teaching vocabulary. Teachers of younger learners will like it very much as it save them the effort looking for pictures, cutting, pasting,and designing worksheets. I tried picture cross words about months,days.food.body parts and feelings. Different topics that any language teaching will deal with. These toics are the main entries for different activities and different skill focus. If you are teaching about "Fruit", for example, then you will be able to create the picture sheet, writing tracing sheet and a listening quiz about the same items. Didn't I say that it is comprehensive.
Flashcards which are our basic tool for teaching the written form of any word can be easily generated at : http://www.educationalpress.org/index.asp.

The agony of every teacher , tests can be easily manages and created using EasyTestMaker: The easy way to make all your tests! at:  http://www.easytestmaker.com/default.aspx


I have manages to create mine,which is about the project I am preparing, at : http://www.easytestmaker.com/user/Test.aspx?TestID=3e197424-0a0a-4f9f-8e72-cb9cedbb53bf:

The "X word generator "at the "Edict page" http://www.edict.com.hk/xword/generator/

Offers avariety of activities. I found a very useful Roulette grammar game at:

http://www.edict.com.hk/vlc/roulette/

Hot Pot, a different story and I am still exploring the opportunity this software provides for making cloze tests , crosswords, jumbled sentences and other options.

I mentioned earlier that if classrooms are net wired then much fun can be added to classroom learning through games and on-line activities. If not, the created printable sheets can do the work to a certain extent. Moreover, since the creation of these sheets is so simple then it can be customized and even designed according to individual students' skills.

For learners, having more fun in learning and having activities that suit their levels is one of the pillars of learners' autonomy.

Teachers will benefit a lot from the tools as they save a lot of time managing the layout and the format of the printing word documents.

Blogger and Nicenet are our class tools. If they work for this class, then definitely they work for others. I have created my class on Nicenet. I will discuss later.

Yours
Hanan

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Learner Autonomy & One Computer Classroom

This week was quite an experience. We did the following tasks:

1. Reading and reflecting about learner autonomy.


2. Reading and reflecting about some ideas for one computer classroom.


3. Planning a one-computer lesson plan that suits our situation.


4. Thinking of the addition a one computer can do to our classrooms.


During our discussions , I found that the idea of autonomy is "dynamic" process, which has three main components

• The learner,


• The teacher


• The teaching system and situation

Different ideas were proposed to enhance autonomy. Building on the readings of the articles suggested by Dr. Deborah and the ideas shared by our colleagues, autonomy can be enhanced during the different steps pf the learning situation.

In her lesson plan of the one computer, Bella suggested that it will be used for the introductory lesson. since the first lesson has "a great importance for the success of the learning process throughout the whole term."  A different approach of starting the coursed and more autonomy for the learner. I learnt about  the way to prepare an online survey http:// www.surveymonkey.com/ 

Stephen ideas and plan of the one computer learning station was quite interseting.

During the learning process , suggestion were made to cater for learning new items, facilitating the process of delivery, motivating learners and above all evaluating the learning outcomes. To list some of the ideas presented , I include:

Vocabulary lists :


• "Learning logs"


• Preparing evaluation sheets and rubrics will be easier with the use of the delicious programmes we have been introduced to.


• Using word processing programme is feasible in the case of working with vocabulary.


• Enhancing group work through PBL is another option.

Most of the ideas are shared by our classmates ,to mention Azhar, Janet ,Izabella, Stephen, Camilia and Arbi.
Thanks to Camelia, I came to the conclusion that autonomy is more of a metacognitive strategy.

I have learned new skill in using the MS word processing feature for correcting writing through 'Tracking Changes' and 'Auto Summarizing', after reading "Technology Tip of the month". By our trainer. Something that Elsa shares me with.

Finally, I prepared my one computer lesson plan which is uploaded at :

https://sites.google.com/site/webskillssu2010/participant-files

The lesson is a " 3th grade writing one which is about "Food Items" (Fruit) focusing on" Expressing likes and dislikes " using the Structure" I like ……. , I don't like ……."

Referring to the article :" Internet ideas" (Quick Individual Project for the lab) at:

http://www.susangaer.com/sgaer/onecomputer/internet.html

After going through the food project "Fruit" at http://susangaer.com/studentprojects/food.htm

I adapted the ideas to my situation. The ADCD objectives

1. Students (A) will remember the pronunciation and the shape of the fruit items learnt in the previous lesson (B) by doing a pair question activity (C) correctly (D)


2. Students (A) will recognize the pronunciation and the shape of the fruit items (B) after the teacher's presentation (C) correctly (D)


3 Students (A) will use "I don't like ….." to talk about some fruit items they chose (B) after learning the structure (C) correctly (D)


4. Students (A) will develop a short paragraph using the structure given and the model paragraph on the PC , (B) after checking up the PPT ( C) handing it with the picture of the chosen item colored neatly( D)

Moving through this process this week, and the other weeks I could say that I agree with Arbi on his reflection by saying that this course is based on learner autnomy.

Hope to learn more ...................

References:
http://www.susangaer.com/sgaer/onecomputer/wordprocessing.html
http://www2.drury.edu/dswadley/101/
http://coyote.miyazaki-mu.ac.jp/learnerdev/LLE/8.1/smithE.html
http://www.lburkhart.com/elem/strat.htm
http://coyote.miyazaki-mu.ac.jp/learnerdev/LLE/8.1/sheuE.html
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Thanasoulas-Autonomy.html


Yours

Hanan

Saturday, July 31, 2010

" Interactive Lectures & Large Classes " Is it a dream?

I can answer the question saying "Certainly not.". This answer is a result of the readings that we came across this week and the experience that we shared together.

When it comes to large classes the magical sollution is usually the lecturing technique. We do not have to consider lectures a one way mode of communication any more. The 36 different format for making a lecture interactive, at   http://www.thiagi.com/interactive-lectures.html  ,  is a proof of that. Some of these techniques happened to be familiar to some of us.Sometimes I use techniques like "Best Summary" ," Brainstorming","Fictional case study",and "Idea Maps" in teaching and training even if the classes are not large.
Izabella found the techniques presented by  Rick Finnan and Donna Shaw "Enhancing Learning by Engaging Students" at: http://umbc.uoregon.edu/eteacher/webskills/material/engaging_students_handout.pdf/,
similar to what she is using sometimes as well.

This is  a natural phenomenon. Theories are usually built around best practices from real world.

The best Practise is a result of the person's real situation Perhaps this is the reason that made me focus on the idea if interactive PowerPoint in my posts at  Nicenet  as a way of interactivity.

My classmates mentioned different  useful ideas related to making the large classes interactive in the assessment stage. Stephen  mentioned  SMART Senteos, Janet highlighted the Clicker technology,Others propsed on-line testing. I found these techniques useful but difficult to apply in my situation.

Technology sometimes fails. This week I suffered alot doing my tasks because of problems with PCs and net connections.
No matter how marvellous the things we can do with tech., it should not be our only source. "Naked teaching" is a source of power and interation.

I am happy I managed this post. I'll be leaving before things go wrong.

Yours

Hanan