Whilst researching an assignment for Language Methodology a few weeks ago, I came across an article by Linda W Braun (unfortunately I am unable to find the link to the document again at this stage, but if you’re interested contact me and I can email you a pdf. version). Linda, an Education technology consultant, seems to be a a bit of a “guru” when it comes to integrating emerging technologies into the learning environment (which is why I have added her to my blogroll!) She did a reasearch project in which she enquired about 13-18 year olds reading preferences (they had to list anything and everything they read on a daily basis). The final list read as follows:
1) text messages
2) email
3) MySpace + Facebook
4) Orchestra Music
5) Seventeen Magazine
6) itunes
7) IM + Specific websites
Book reading was almost always related to school assignments. What Linda is saying is that adults need to realise that “non traditional” forms of reading are equally valuable and these resources can be tapped into in order to promote literay skills and get students to think of themselves as avid readers. I have come to accept that in Australian schools, reading (traditional) foreign literature is reserved for Extension courses. But in line with what Linda promotes, I aim to enhance all of my students’ reading skills in the foreign language by use of online texts (e.g. online newspapers, blogs, deducting information from authentic websites etc).
The Horizon Report is a publication that seeks to idenitfy and describe emerging technologies likely to have an impact on teaching and learning. “Collaboration Webs” is one of 6 areas outlined in the report, and it’s expected to enter mainstream use in learning focused organisations within 5 years (if it hasn’t already done so). In the language classroom, joint projects with students at other schools (e.g. the German International School and the French Lycee in Sydney or schools actually located in foreign countries) can expose students to authentic use of the target language as well as offering a new cultural perspective. Collaboration Web applications include those that allow students in different locations to work on the same document or multimedia projects (e.g. Google Docs, Zoho Office, Jumpcut and SlideShare). But the most exciting areas in relation to collaboration webs as far as language learning is concerned are (in my eyes) those that allow for the creation of a safe and secure and customized network. Ning is a prime example. Creating a workspace for a specific class, topic or assignment offers great opportunities for monitoring collective progress. I could also imagine how great it would be to have a space with a particular partner school in Germany or France, in which students exchange information about each other, their work, their progress and even showcase some of their work. Ning seems to remedy some of the concerns I had in relation to using social networking sites in the LOTE classroom. But it still involved a lot of effort and needs a teacher willing to set up, use and maintain such a space (…and you still need to find a suitable partner school at the other end who share the passion for integrating ICT….)
As part of Language Methodology, Dr Liam Morgan provided us with this interesting reading. An easy and enjoybale read. It is a comprehensive and thorough evaluation of IT in the LOTE classroom, located within a sound theoretical framework (for those in Sue’s and Liam’s classes – plenty of references to ol’ Richards and Rodgers). The report reinforces my own opinion on several fronts:
Technology Based Language Resources need to be carefully selected according to their paedagocial potential. There are many resources with al lthe “bells and whistles” which are dominated by technology and do not make the language use and learning the main concern
Learner differences; Even the best and “paedagogically sound” ICT material may not appeal to all students at the same time, highlighting the need to make it one of many varied approaches to language teaching.
And on the same vein – despite the fact that more kids than ever before are extremely tech-sazzy, ICT knowledge can’t be judged to be universal and a given for every kid in the classroom. So where we make use of ICT, we need to be sure that the kids are familiar enough with the technology to get learning out of the activity (and that’s not the type of learning related to being able to navigate around on a PC or MAC).
Another interesting point raised in the article was that with falling numbers of LOTE classes, ICT may offer a financially viable alternative to offering foreign languages. Where schools can’t put on a particular foreign language becasue there’s only 3 or 4 students interested, a “virtual classroom” (like we use for this subject) may be an alternative. But of course, there is heaps of logistical and techological groundwork to be done to set this up (plus finding a teacher who’s willing to take on such a challenge).
Overall the best read I had so far in regards to this topic and language learning.
This is a reaction to Mich’s blog on Social Networking as a learning tool, which itself is a reaction to Maree’s blog on the same subject. I agree with both of them that “in theory” social networking sites are powerful tools in engaging today’s students – they are after all, “Digital Natives”. I am trying to think back to the time when I was a student of English at high school, and how much fun it was to exchange information with a penpal. I remember there were organisations that would match your profile to a person in any chosen country – of course from there onwards it was all pen and paper. I guess with social networking sites all of this is quicker and easier, but I do share Mich’s concern about monitoring what is actually going on. Kids are so clever – how do I know that they’re not ‘facebooking’ they’re boy/girlfriends instead of using their French or German? And how do we even find the French/German Facebook user on the other end who is willing to participate? (I am not even mentioning ensuring their credibility and good intentions). And I think that schools share this sentiment, too, which is why social networking sites of any description have been blocked at any Australian school I have set foot in so far. So – maybe best to keep that pad of paper in the drawer for a few years to come?
I am very excited to be partaking in a web-workshop on a new “3D Multi User Learning Environment” designed to immerse kids in meaningful inquiry tasks. It is all about design based research. Part of the reading requirements for the workshop included an interesting article by the creators of QA, outlining their philosophy behind their approach to design based work. They basically ask the question when and why children stop seeing learning as fun and perceive it as a chore – and they’re using a good analogy to demonstrate the impact this has: “Much like eating one’s vegetable before getting dessert, schoolwork becomes a chore rather than an award”. And QA attempts to bridge that gap between learning and playing. They certainly got my attention. I’ll certainly be blogging about my experiences with this, so check back soon. In the meantime, if you want to read more about Quest Atlantis, click here.
This is a Blog about what I call the the perfect solution for the teacher who can log on to the net in their own comfort at home but have nightmares about duplicating that success in a classroom environment. And haven’t we all been there. There it is, the perfect lesson on paper – heaps of challenging and constructionist orientated learning experiences. In your mind you play it all out – the kids love it (and you for it)….all you need in the morning is to connect to YouTube to play that video clip you have centered your unit of work around. But alas – you will soon be reminded of Brecht’s wise word (Die 3-Groschen-Oper): “Go make yourself a plan, be a shining light, then make yourself another, for neither will come right”….but WAIT. This is where Miro steps in. Miro is a free, open source software which allows you to temporarily (5 days) download You Tube and other Video content to your very own desktop. So that you don’t have to be connected to the Internet to watch the clip. It opens up in a neat and user friendly interface. All you need for your perfect lesson is a Projector and half decent speakers. Now, remind me – how do I book those with the IT department again…?
Great article by Brill, J., Kim, B., Galloway, C (2001). It oulines succinctly and with concrete examples what cognitive apprenticeship means and how it translates into the “digital classroom”. Two teaching approaches to the same topic are presented. Naturally, one is inclined to like the second one better than the first one…as it is”representative of a more novel, less familiar approach, one demonstrating many of the characteristics of cognitive apprenticeship”, whereas the first description reminds us of the classic model of teaching and learning – “didactic, traditional, instructivist, or instrumental”. Despite my enthousiasm for the second case study, I think that the first example was and still is the more realistic snapshot. The problems I see with “going all out” in creating a multimedia project with all the bells and whistles are mainly of a logistic nature. To gain access to a computer lab still can be (7 years after the article was published) a mamooth task. Concrete example: I am currently teaching at a school in the City. Staff are encouraged and expected to use the School’s Intranet to communicate with Service Departments (inc. room bookings). Despite the fact that I have finally obtained my laptop, my email and Intranet aren’t set up yet, so online bookings are not possible. Because ONLY online bookings are accepted, this means I would have to ask colleagues to make bookings for me….fine for the first 3 requests…not so cool if you ask them over and over again….Lucky for me, the library also has a PC area and the librarian may be contacted by (wait for it) a FACE TO FACE meeting….recording my requests in an old fashioned A3 sheet which she fills in by hand….! Secondly, I am not sure how ‘tech sazzy’ the kids in my classrooms really are. Facebook, MySpace and itunes – no problem. But to have them scan and manipulate photos for a multimedia project…in my experience asking for a Powerpoint presentation is already challenging for the majority! So – back to the old compromise…a little bit of Ms Beauchamp and some innovative additions by Ms Reeds….,I think this is going to be my reality for a while to come!
Having heard fab reviews about LAMS from all sorts of sources, I figured it was time I dedicate myself to Alexander’s (2008) overview of these so called ‘Learning Activity Management Systems’. It seems it is the next big thing in the digital learning universe. Here I was proud of having designed a few WebQuests around some authentic CONTENT from the Internet (which seemed to be working a treat in my Language Classroom) but after reading the article I had to concede that, alas, simply ensuring that students absorb and engage with material is SO YESTERDAY! Says Alexander: LAMS ensures “greater focus on “context” dimensions of e-learning (rather than simply “content”), a more “activity” based view of e-learning (rather than “absorption”), and greater recognition of the role of “multi-learner” (rather than just single learner) environments. Whilst I would argue that points 1 and 2 are desirable but not necessary prerequisites for language learning, I have to admit that by including a social component, LAMS is tapping into an area which my WebQuests failed to address: It’s all about INTERACTION with peer and teachers, which is key in LOTE, where the outcomes are above all, of a communicative nature. Naturally, I was especially interested to read about opportunities which LAMS offers to the language teacher in this respect: It seems that LAMS, due to drawing on reading and writing skills, lends itself more readily to higher level learners who “feel more confident about ‘publicising’ their ESOL writing” but is not readily offering opportunities to hone listening and speaking skills. Indeed, in the NSW syllabus for most languages, these are exactly the two macroskills on which the emphasis is laid. But having said that, there is unlikely to be one “wunder-tool” that is all things to all people at the same time, and I’d interested to experience for myself what LAMS can do in enhancing my students’ motivation and technique in speaking a foreign language.
This is a reaction to Miao’s blog entry. I had never heard of SIMS or SIMS 2 and have spent the last 30 minutes on a brief research (”Google is your friend”)….I think I get it….whilst I have yet to actually download the game and give it a try myself, the links Miao provides are promising in terms of suitability for the LOTE classroom. But I see one major flaw in making any kind of game a rich, lasting and useful learning experience. In both my practicums to date, access to computer rooms was not readily available. In the first instance the room needed to be booked and it was often impossible to get 2 or 3 sessions in a row. In the second practicum the room was rostered out, so that gaining access for a series of reasons involved major shifting around (and causing inconvenience to other teachers, who, on top of it all may also need their session in the LAB.) So would SIMS work if it was played irregularly? And without the continuity, would the benefits hailed still hold? To get students started – prepare the games, provide language basics and set them up for real ‘playful learning’ (bearing in mind not everyone is a Digital Native and we would want to ensure that everyone gets the most out of it and isn’t just clicking buttons for the sake of it), I would say we need at least 1 or 2 full periods. But learning time (aka full periods without interruptions) come at a premium, especially in the schools that I did my pracs at, where music, cadettes, sport and drama all invariably cut into LOTE teaching time. So whilst I love the idea of making use of games, I fear unless I manage to create a true link back to the syllabus, it’ll remain an option for “what to do towards the end of term when we have finished the programme”. Albeit, I may surprise myself oncs I have downloaded the game and tried it out. So stay tuned……
