Perhaps next time we have to present in the computer labs we will be allowed time to create them in there as well and nut out all the technicalities. Good luck everyone.
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Webquest to Discover Sydney! Assignment 3 MAT
Perhaps next time we have to present in the computer labs we will be allowed time to create them in there as well and nut out all the technicalities. Good luck everyone.
Monday 12 September 2011
My Favourite Things Podcast
Here, hopefully, is the podcast we attempted in M.A.T. yesterday. You asked for it!
http://ar066.podomatic.com/entry/2011-09-12T16_27_48-07_00
http://ar066.podomatic.com/entry/2011-09-12T16_27_48-07_00
Sunday 11 September 2011
Wiki
Paul Hogan is a legend of the Australian Entertainment Industry. He first came to fame appearing semi regularly on A Current Affair in the 80's after being a rigger on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He went on to star in his own comedy/variety show on the Nine network and became well known for his commercials for Marlborough cigarettes. He was discovered by the Americans and was given a starring role in two movies: Crocodile Dundee and its sequel Crocodile Dundee 2 in which his friend and manager, John Cornell also starred. Later Paul Hogan married His early TV co-star, Delvene Delaney in Byron Bay, NSW. He is known in Australia as "Hoges" and has recently been exonerated from his supposed tax debt to the Australian Government.
These are the intentional mistakes in the text!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hogan
These are the intentional mistakes in the text!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hogan
Saturday 10 September 2011
EDGT 940 Materials and Technology - Assessment 2, part A
PART A: CURRENT APPLICATION OF AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
This paper will consider and examine one of the more recent innovations in computer-related technology: the interactive whiteboard, known as and referred to hereafter as the IWB.
The classroom of the 21st century is vastly different from those of a hundred years earlier. The most obvious change has been to the board which used to be dark green and chalk oriented and is now not only white and shiny favouring felt-tip markers and easy erasure, but also, increasingly, interactive. Today, technology in many forms, but particularly the computer, has transformed the whole approach to teaching and learning across the world and IWB manufacturers have embraced computer technology to provide innovative and exciting experiences for learners and teachers alike.
According to the eHow website (Barton, 2011), IWB’s were first developed in the 1990’s, initially for office and boardroom use but becoming increasingly incorporated into classroom applications. Their capabilities to involve students in either individual or whole class learning allows teachers to provide flexibility and versatility by presenting lesson activities, videos, websites, in fact, everything that is accessible with a computer, which is then projected on a large, interactive board that is visible to the whole class. On an IWB teachers can deliver lessons across all ages and in a variety of settings. In a critical review on interactive whiteboards, Smith, Higgins, Wall and Miller (2005) cite various studies identifying IWB application as occurring from nursery to higher and further education and even in distance education. The content and activities that can be utilised are also diverse and are only limited by the teachers’ imagination and the learners’ physical inhibitors such as the fine or gross motor skills of very young learners. Harmer (2007) refers to the teaching methodology he calls E.S.A. through which the teacher should deliver lessons that engage the students, provide study of the learning point and then activate the learning through consolidation exercises which activate their newly acquired knowledge. The interactivity that IWB’s provide enables ESA to be implemented in the classroom through a plethora of computer-accessible activities and the capability of moving text and images around the screen with just a pen or finger is appealing to all (2007). Of course, IWB’s must be used appropriately to enhance learning and teaching and provide the optimum impact as explained in an information document published by the Department for Education and Skills in England who were pioneers of IWB implementation in classrooms (DfES, 2004). They identify three areas of IWB use that lead to reaching their potential. Firstly, Presentation, demonstration and modelling if applied with appropriate software can improve understanding of new concepts. Secondly, actively engaging students, as previously noted, increases learner motivation and involvement and lastly, planning, pace and flow of lessons can be greatly enhanced with the IWB (DfES, 2004, p.5)
There are however, many cautions related to the use of IWB’s in the classroom. Lacina (2009) refers to a number of studies in her article that raise various issues warranting consideration such as whether adequate technical resources and professional development are provided; whether due consideration is given to the costs involved to set up IWB use and, if sufficient preparation to incorporate the technology into classroom instruction has been allowed. Furthermore, the possibility of less instructional time could result from using IWB’s only for whole-class instruction as ‘students must wait and watch as their peers interact one-on-one with the IWB’ (Lacina, 2009). Smaller classes would benefit more because of greater learner participation in the interactive components of a lesson. IWB’s initially require a computer and a projector as well as the whiteboard itself. In addition, accessories such as the special marker pens (for some brands) and speakers for audio production are essential accessories for the effective use of IWB’s. Other hardware available but not necessarily essential, such as individual wireless keyboards, student’s individual controls through which students can type and send responses which can be collated and displayed on the large IWB screen for the whole class to see (as in a vote on ideas) and smaller slate-like screens that enable participation for each student - or one for the teacher which allows classroom mobility while still maintaining control of the screen - are all available resources for IWB’s that could enhance learning, although at great expense. Teachers must be trained thoroughly to be completely competent and confident in their ability to apply the technology to its optimum advantage. One final caution noticed in several websites and publications was that of potential eye-strain for teachers looking directly into badly-positioned projectors. Importantly, overall, there is no conclusive evidence that suggests the use of IWB’s being responsible for increased levels of language acquisition, either in speed or competence.
Nonetheless, in the ESL/EFL classroom, an IWB represents a multitude of teaching and learning experiences. Teachers can ‘draw on and annotate a wide range of web-based resources’ (DfES, 2004) by accessing and presenting information computer technology (ICT) and integrating it into lessons that students can be engaged in through interactivity. The novelty and fun factor of using IWB’s instead of pen and paper or just looking at a standard whiteboard or chalkboard engages, and therefore enhances, learning. Also, the capacity of the IWB to save and print work facilitates returning to prior lessons and revision exercises minimising duplication effort and allowing teachers to readily share or re-use their lesson materials. Work samples created on IWB’s can be posted to learner’s blogs or ePortfolios for assessment and/or perusal by permitted others.
Dudeney & Hockly (2007) reaffirm this positive opinion of IWB use in the ESL/EFL classroom. Having access to such new and innovative multimedia technology has, they say, increased both teacher and learner motivation. IWB’s provide a multitude of tools which can be utilised for teaching and learning as activities such as matching, labelling, grouping, sorting, gap filling and ordering can be drawn from an inexhaustible supply of resources. Teaching the macro-skills, grammar and vocabulary become more interesting on the whiteboard because the technology presents them in new and exciting programs on a larger, interactive screen. Content from the World Wide Web, CD-ROM’s, video, audio and visual software as well as websites and word-processing functions can be utilised. Leading coursebook publishers like Headway have designed software programs such as iTools which utilise IWB’s in conjunction with their workbooks providing teachers and students with an extra dimension for learning as they allow for expansion of all the exercises in the books. For example, teacher trainer Gareth Davies provides a commentary for iTools programs on the Headway website and, talking about one of four permanent features of the programs, describes the sound feature which provides ‘interactive phonemic charts that are divided by consonants, vowels and dipthongs’ (Headway, 2011). Simply by clicking on any part of the script on the screen, opens up new interactive activity. Dudeney and Hockly in their book, how to teach english with technology, further describe the ease with which the IWB can be used:
‘at the touch of a pen a teacher can play a section of an audio CD, Bring up a transcript of the audio, highlight or underline part of it, make it disappear again while the audio is replayed, bring back the highlighted transcript, then move straight to a drag-and-drop activity’ .
(2007, p.123).
Specifically, in the ESL and EFL contexts, IWB’s can present authentic English as it used in a myriad of real-life situations, by accessing video and audio for the learners to hear and experience and then be able to participate in interactive exercises. Teacher-centredness can be avoided by using the IWB to model language, highlight pronunciation and sound construction of native speech and by allowing students to step forward to interact on the board and even present activities. Other technology-based lesson activities enhanced by IWB use are emailing, group presentations, class blogs, webquests, interactive games and reference tools such as concordances. Screenshots of websites can present opportunities for many activities.
The case for use of IWB’s in the ESL/EFL classroom is very strong since they offer exciting and new methods of interactive learning and teaching methods with irresistible versatility.
Assessment of the amount of time given to the IWB application of learning, as determined by teacher knowledge of the learners, is recommended. An integrated approach where the IWB is combined with teacher-created materials or realia, and lessons designed in collaboration with the learners is likely to result in a satisfying experience for learners and teachers alike where boredom is avoided and motivation for learning optimised. IWB’s most definitely provide the ‘wow’ factor to provide such a positive learning environment.
REFERENCES:
Barton, M 2011 The history of interactive whiteboards. eHow website accessed 2/9/2011 at http://www.ehow.com/facts_6976419_history-interactive-whiteboards.html
Department for Education and Skills 2004 Embedding ICT @ Secondary: Use of interactive whiteboards in English. Accessed 2/9/2011 at https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/1281-2005PDF-EN-01.pdf
Dudeney, G and Hockly, N 2007 how to teach English with technology. Pearson Education Limited. Essex, England.
Harmer, J 2007 The practice of English language teaching. 4th edn. Pearson Education Limited. Essex, England.
Gramarye, 2011 Headway itools for ESL/EFL - Smartboard software review 80 accessed 3/9/2011 at http://gramarye.hubpages.com/hub/Headway-itools-Smartboard-software-review
Lacina, J 2009 Interactive whiteboards: creating higher-level, technological thinkers? In Childhood Education. Association for Childhood Education International. ISSN: 0009-4056 Issue: Summer, 2009 Source Volume: 85 Source Issue: 4 accessed 3/9/2011 at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Childhood-Education/198931292.html
Smith, H., Higgins, S., Wall, K. and Miller, J. (2005) Interactive whiteboards: boon or bandwagon? A critical review of the literature. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 21: 91–101. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2729.2005.00117.x
EDGT 940 Materials and Technology - Assessment 2, part B
PART B: Three emerging technologies.
1) I.W.B.’s
Being an older student, the introduction of new technology can be really daunting although I recognise that understanding application of technology will make me a more thorough teacher. That is why I have enrolled in this unit.
Years ago, I attended a parent/student orientation night for incoming year 7 students at a private college at which my son had been accepted. I remember being totally mesmerised by a demonstration of some new technology. At least, it was new to me. The Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) was a new feature at the college and I, along with most other parents, was fascinated by its capabilities for classroom teaching shown to us by one of the teachers. As he progressed through the many applications of the software, I heard sighs of amazement all around me. This thing was incredible! Everyone was experiencing the ‘wow’ factor referred to by Dudeney and Hockly when they explain that the IWB's ‘look and sound impressive’ (2007). The teacher presenting the demonstration was so familiar with the technology; clearly he'd benn well trained. And yet, he too was excited about the possibilities this technology offered for teaching and his enthusiasm was contagious. I couldn’t wait to have a chance to use an IWB and use it to teach ESL students. Now I have the chance to learn more about them. I look forward to the class in which we actually learn how they function. Still, it’s terrified anticipation!
What do you know about IWB’s? How do you use it for ESL/EFL teaching?
2) P.E.D.’S
Portable Electronic Dictionaries (P.E.D.’s) are used extensively in second language learning contexts. Is this a good thing? Johanna Stirling’s article titled ‘The Portable Electronic Dictionary: Faithful Friend or Faceless Foe?’ (2003), draws on various studies to present arguments for and against the use of P.E.D.’s in ESL/EFL learning.
Surveyed students consider P.E.D.’s a quick way to look up words; a convenient, manageable size and user-friendly. Some models offer audio functions for pronunciation and memory storage for search history. Students also identified negative aspects. No English to English dictionary function on some models was one problem although Stirling noted that even the few students that could access this function (a bilingual application where students type a word in English and get both a translation into their L1 and a definition and sometimes, some synonyms) still looked first and foremost to the L1 translation. Learners also suggested insufficient examples of contextual use are given and while some explanations were ‘over-simplified’ (2003) other words were given too many definitions which confused rather than clarifying contexts. Lastly, some admitted that the audio function produced inauthentic pronunciation and that many functions claimed by the manufacturer were seldom used.
Five positive points were made by the teachers that were surveyed. First, they acknowledged that students could check definitions and translations fairly quickly. Secondly, seeing L1 translations gave students a sense of confidence and therefore improved affective factors of learning such as motivation. The improving autonomy of learners as they used their P.E.D.’s to solve misunderstanding or non-comprehension of words or concepts was identified. Further, the use of these devices encouraged the use of dictionaries as a resource in general applications and finally, using P.E.D.’s is better than students remaining confused about what was being taught.
Several disadvantages to P.E.D. use, some of which were identified by students, were recognised by the surveyed teachers. Many believed that the use of, and the noise produced by P.E.D.’s created distractions for everyone in the class. Some students became over-reliant on their P.E.D.’s resulting in their lack of concentration and class participation. P.E.D.’s often produced inaccurate, sometimes innumerable meanings for words and lacked aspects such as collocations and intelligible pronunciation from native speakers which led learners to incorrect application. Finally, the teachers believed that P.E.D.’s were deficient compared to the amount of information provided in paper dictionaries.
Read the Stirling article at http://www.elgweb.net/ped-article.html#_edn1 and add your opinion about P.E.D.’s in an ESL/EFL context.
3) ePortfolios
As I am aiming to teach adults in ESL or EFL contexts, scales of achievement, particularly those used by TAFE colleges – the CSWE scales, have become familiar to me. I believe they present the opportunity for accurate and unimposing assessment of learner achievement through a continual collection of work samples collated into a portfolio. In the modern classroom this task becomes more interesting for students and teachers alike through the implementation of electronic portfolios (ePortfolios).
Dudeney and Hockly (2007) explain that ePortfolios are advantageous over paper versions because they can include electronic media such as video, audio including music, blogs, websites and documents. Powerpoint and other presentations on IWB’s can be saved and posted to ePortfolios. Electronic applications are limitless and any computer-assisted classroom tasks can be saved and posted to the ePortfolio for more convenient, summative assessment by the teacher or external assessors.
An ePortfolio continues to grow as the author progresses through courses and other life experiences. It can be sent quickly to interested parties within or outside the educational institution; such as prospective employers. It can show a person’s skills and attributes in a range of areas not reflected by straight out test scores and can demonstrate such skills as group/team work and a record of the owner’s reflections on stages of achievement. On the other hand, it can be limited to elements collaboratively chosen by teacher and learner for assessment of specific outcomes. Dudeney and Hockly (2007) advise that free software packages are available to guide the creation of ePortfolios. They point out that ePortfolios are able to be kept private and access allowed only with the permission of the owner.
ePortfolios are convenient and efficient methods of storing achievements for assessment purposes, employment opportunities and self-reflection and analysis. ePortfolios are an ideal application for ESL/EFL contexts.
Pebble Pad is one software program available for creating ePortfolios. The website has a great range of videos describing the many applications it provides. You can browse this site at http://www.pebblepad.com/about.asp
References:
For part B of Assignment 2, the only resource accessed, apart from the websites listed at the conclusion of each identified technology, was:
Dudeney, G and Hockly, N 2007 how to teach English with technology. Pearson Education Limited. Essex, England.
Sunday 28 August 2011
EDGT 940 Assessment 1 Part A
EDGT 940 Materials and Technology - Assessment 1.
a) Review of a Textbook: New Headway Video Intermediate
a) Review of a Textbook: New Headway Video Intermediate
Along with a Teachers Book and DVD, this Student's Book is part of the overall New Headway Intermediate Series that features previously-introduced characters in a progressive 6 episode drama. The aims of this coursebook package are to provide opportunities through exercises that develop listening skills which promote comprehension and oral fluency. To enable optimum benefit to students, each episode is divided into three sections: 'Before you watch', While you watch' and 'After you watch' with a variety of exercises to be completed in each. For example, in episode 1, before watching the DVD, students are shown a written advertisement for a rental flat which they read and then answer questions. This allows for learning of new vocabulary, pair-work discussion, prediction and comprehension of the context of an authentic scenario. The Teachers Book provides answers for immediate feedback to all activities. The DVD is then played in small sections and students have to answer brief questions while they watch which tests their observation and comprehension skills through a simple, tick the box method. Answers are given and subsequent discussion confirms student comprehension. The following activities in this section progress in level of difficulty. Activities provided for 'After watching’ the DVD include discussion and role-play which allow free speech and consolidation of comprehension skills, grammatical aspects and vocabulary. The DVD transcript is also available for students to check spelling of unfamiliar vocabulary and dialogue they may have missed.
The Students Book in this package presents clear instructions, coloured photographs and a variety of activities.
A different language focus for each episode is clearly outlined in the Teachers book. The format of watching a DVD in soap-opera-like episodes engages students and presents learning in a cohesive, user-friendly process through diverse activities including music. It provides revision and extension exercises while also consolidating grammatical, functional and lexical aspects of the English language that learners have been taught in the New Headway Video Beginner, Elementary and Pre-Intermediate courses. However, the Intermediate-level activities would appear to have appropriate, stand-alone applicability and can be successfully utilised as supplements to other textbooks aimed at the Intermediate level.
Highly recommended. ****
English Language Teaching Worldwide. New Headway. Six-level general English course for adults. Image accessed 23/8/11 from http://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/adult_courses/new_headway/intermediate_fourth_edition/9780194581882?cc=global&selLanguage=en&mode=hub
Hardisty, D and Russell. R 2005 New Headway Vidoe Intermediate - Student's Book. Oxford University Press. Oxford, England.
Friday 26 August 2011
EDGT 940 Materials and Technology - Assessment 1.
"TELL ME MORE"
accessed 23/8/11 at http://www.tellmemorestore.co.uk/Articles.asp?ID=247
Tellmemore is a comprehensive Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software package offering language learning in 9 languages at ten levels. In the preamble on the home page, it claims to be the top-selling product of its kind in Europe with over seven million users including corporations, governments, schools, universities and libraries. Chapelle, (2001) asserts that recognised second language acquisition theory should be applied to CALL products and Tellmemore claims to deliver a program with a proven pedagogical approach, that of Communicative Language Teaching. The program is delivered under the acronym P.R.I.M.E which represents Progressive, Real-world, Interactive, Motivation and Effective. A guided tour explains the layout of activities and a free, seven day trial accesses whichever level and unit interested customers want to try.
In the beginner to intermediate level, units such as greetings, the alphabet, age, countries, occupations, my family and pets were offered providing authentic application of learning to manageable and meaningful situations (Murray and Barnes, 1998). Progression through each part of the unit titled Introductory Skills 1 is made prior to advancement. This particular level contains 9 hours 44 minutes of activity which involves all macro-skills but listening and speaking as the prominent foci.
The activities are diverse with opportunities to complete comprehension exercises, picture-word association, crosswords and word scrambles. Many exercises in all units allow listening to spoken words, making several attempts at production and hearing back the attempts along-with analytical data provided by way of pictures showing placement of lips and tongue for sound production and wave form diagrams which illustrate weaknesses in pronunciation allowing for learner self-correction. The International Phonetic Alphabet is also utilised in speech pronunciation exercises. All activities have a high level of interactivity ensuring fun and engagement. The native speaker has a North American accent resulting in suprasegmental features such as stress and pronunciation being slightly different from Australian and British English perpetuating some cultural stereotypes such as the difference in production of the /t/ and /d/ sound as in “writer” (Murray and Barnes, 1998).
Feedback to each activity is instantaneous allowing for repetition or progression. Tests are provided to assess starting level or to measure competency against official standards through practice for standardised tests according to the Council of Europe Levels equivalents.
Tellmemore would suit classroom integration providing opportunities for self-paced learning.
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