Final Reflection: Bridging the Digital and Physical Worlds

The course of New Technologies helped us re-envision our language classrooms of the era of digital world. The shifts that we are experiencing now are having a profound effect on our traditional beliefs about learning, teaching, and schooling in general. While the technology is developing, our kids continue to outpace our own use of these tools. We, educators, need to take the responsibility not only for modeling and teaching the safe, effective, and ethical use of all the Internet has to offer, but also for equipping the students with the new literacies that are quickly defining our world. Due to this course, I had the greatest opportunity to take on this responsibility having gained the necessary knowledge, skills, experience, and confidence, for which I want to express my sincere gratitude to my instructor. Thus, I am ready and it’s high time to complement traditional teaching by implementing new technological tools before they become too recreational tools to be refused being used as pedagogical tools.

Knowing about these tools is not enough for making learning and teaching more effective. It is no less important to know how and why these tools are implemented. I found the educational benefits of blogs, podcasts, wikis, digital storytelling, digital video production, learning management systems, and Google for education really attractive and I am going to use them in my classroom to enable the students to practice the four new dimensions of literacy, to complement learning strategies, to support active learning, which forms the basis of constructivism, to provide anywhere-anytime access, and to foster learner autonomy. We need to be responsive to these innovations to bridge the growing divide between the physical and digital worlds.

                With the help of blogs I will bring my learners from knowledge-based to higher levels of thinking as blogs increase students’ awareness of their language learning process, foster reflective learning and collaboration, reinforce students’ confidence and motivation in learning, and develop learners’ sense of the importance of English. Moreover, the research shows that blogs serve as a new reason to enjoy reading and writing, increase the impact and quality of writing skills, encourage a lot of pre-class reading and post-class reflection, and enable students to recycle vocabulary.  

            Podcasts and podcasting will serve my students as a new source of inspiration, a fresh start to arouse interest in learning and exciting tools to improve listening skills, to provide exposure to native speakers, to add a dimension of immediacy to listening practice, to develop learners’ skills of selecting and evaluating listening materials, to solve the problem of unproductive use of learning time, and to improve speaking skills.

            I will definitely use wikis in my classroom as they can serve as an engaging platform for interactive activities and present course information. They can be ideal for building communities, collaboration, easy participation, valuable content, and evolution over time. Like blogs, wikis provide a new reason for reading and writing, hence a new technique to improve these skills.

With the help of digital storytelling and video production, I will empower my students to create products that are different than just papers and worksheets. Besides, developing technology skills, this creative work can enable the learners to synthesize a number of skills, including researching, assessing, organizing, problem-solving, presenting, and writing their own voice.

My hands-on project gave me a lot of practical experience in using the Moodle, as a learning management system, from the teacher’s perspective. I am going to use this online environment because it fosters active learning where learners are engaged in making meaning, analyzing, investigating, collaborating, sharing, building, and generating. This online space will help me organize the teaching and learning content related to both the traditional and new technological tools.

Regarding the mobile-assisted learning, I may or may not use it at this point, although I know about the twenty uses and benefits of its application. If we could achieve top quality education through open education resources and distance learning, this would establish education as a fundamental human right, would enable lifelong learning and a wave of innovation. I would like to see the results of the experimentation of education analytics which will open a new door to understanding the behavior of learning and assist in improving our own practices.

I am looking forward to the teaching opportunity where I will provide the learners with more flexible ways of supporting learning, using new technological tools in an appropriate way as supplementing approaches to the existing pedagogy.  This course allowed me not only to learn about the above mentioned tools, but also to experience the educational benefits myself and to answer how I can incorporate the best-known principles about teaching and learning using technology as a tool for innovation.

 

Google for Education

Googling for education is a wonderful alternative to learning and teaching. The reasons are numerous. It enables Ls to extend their learning outside the classroom. It serves the various needs, preferences, and learning styles of Ls. They can get thousands of results by one search and find the answer to their question in an instant. It allows for anywhere-anytime approach to learning, increases engagement, communication and collaboration among and between Ts, LS, and parents to make sure that Ls take the ownership for their learning. Using technology prepares Ls for future career as almost all fields of life require skills of using technology. Ls become not only consumers but also creative producers.

To be able to create this stimulating environment we need to choose the appropriate tools which are free. Google offers apps for education which include Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Groups, Talk, Sites, Blogger, Maps, Google News, Analytics, etc. For example, science projects can be formed using google sheets, assessments can be administered using Google Forms, guests can be invited using Google Talks, and so on. It is no surprise that this rich environment can increase Ls’ engagement rate.

Security and privacy have always been an issue in education. With the help of Google’s Cloud, the institution can guarantee scalability, security and efficiency. Besides, all the data is in our control.

If we want to get started, we need to go to www.google.com/a/edu and sigh up. I found the support provided by the help center 24/7/365.25 really necessary and helpful. We can even stay up to date about the new features through Google Apps Release Calender. The introduction of chrombooks is also a great idea as they are easy to scale, customize and manage. There is also the possibility to connect with other schools, colleges, and universities using Google tools. The online training center will help to acquire skills for using the core tools in the classroom. Moreover, Google provides training for educators who are passionate about implementing new technologies in education.

Human mind is developing so fast, more than ever before, that it is challenging to manage to adapt to all these developments. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my instructor Dr. Madyarov for providing this fast array of educational opportunities which added a new platform to my teaching philosophy, hence to my teaching practice.

 

Cloud Computing

I got to realize how cloud computing can change the entire computer industry. By loading one application businesses will allow workers to log into a Web-based service which hosts all the programs the user would need to do his or her job. The network of computers that make up the cloud handles all the running of applications starting from the e-mail to complex data analysis programs. 

Businesses are running all kinds of apps in a cloud these days including custom-built apps. Moreover, you don’t’ need to pay for all the people, products and facilities to run them. They are more scalable, more secure, and more reliable, and cost less. You don’t buy anything as it is all in your monthly subscription. I read that Google and Amazon already have most of their IT resources in the cloud.

The flexibility that eliminates the constraints of traditional computing environment in terms of time, space, power, and cost, attracts not only businesses but also educational institutions.

The second youtube material provided an efficient way of using software and IT in education. The fact is that our expectations from IT have changed as we want it to work on a wider array of devices. These needs demand more improved IT services. The idea is that if we use on-premises software developed uniquely for our educational community, we will be concerned about the security and flexibility of its use, as the needs are evolving and resources are shrinking. On the other hand, if we use software delivered over the Internet, that is cloud computing, we will have worries about the protection, storage, and management of data. Also, we may not tailor the Internet services to meet our specific educational requirements. Thus, the solution is to combine the on-premises software and Internet cloud services because the limitations of one can serve as the strengths of the other and vice versa. This way we can achieve flexibility and choice which are very necessary to meet our ever evolving needs in this era of technology.

Analytics in Learning and Education

The article Analytics in Learning and Education opened a new perspective for me to look at the process of learning and teaching. It is likely to establish a new platform on which the future of the higher education will be based. Big data or analytics, as new tools of observation, will enable us to watch the educational processes from a new dimension which has never been revealed before, and gather an astonishing array of data that will have the greatest impact on higher education.

Every click, every update, every social interaction as also mentioned by Daphne Koller in the video material, can leave a digital footprint. I had a chance to examine this footprint in the file posted in the Moodle. I immediately started thinking about correlational studies which could find the relationships between a number of variables. This kind of learner-produced data will give us new insights in teaching and learning and transform our practice from ‘clinical’ to ‘evidence-based’ practice, as in medicine.

The difference between academic analytics and learning analytics is that the former focuses on data analysis at an institutional level, whereas the latter focuses on a specific environment in which learning takes place. Both can bring valuable impact on understanding the learning process. One of the biggest values that I could observe is that analytics can help us identify Ls at risk and provide immediate intervention to assist him in his educational success.

I strongly agree that the most crucial factor is not just the transformation of our perceptions or concepts about what is actually happening in the learning process, but the corrective transformation of processes connected with teaching and learning.

It was interesting to find out about the implications of the learning analytics, and one that I found, in the article is that assessment is no longer end-of-course activity, and each L can find learning content relevant to his background.

The same conviction was put forth by Daphne Koller in the video material who presented that the content of online courses they provide worldwide for free is divided into modules for different Ss with different backgrounds which allows Ss to follow much more personalized curriculum where every single S has to get engaged with the material.

She also presented the way they graded the Ss’ assignments. The solution is peer-grading or self-grading which very well correlated with the T’s grading. I believe this solution is also a useful strategy for Ss to learn from their learning experiences where there is a lot of collaboration. One interesting fact about feedback was the finding of the study that a S who would pose a question at 3 am was likely to receive a response within 22 minutes. I am quite sure that the ability to interact actively and receive immediate feedback or be told when or where you are right or wrong is really essential.

Technology allows not only for personalized feedback based for example on the distribution of wrong answers on the map but also solves the 30-year old problem connected with personalized curriculum.

Mark Twain’s words help me describe Armenian universities as a typical example of providing lecture-based format of education where “a professor’s lecture notes go straight to the Ss’ lecture notes, without passing through the brains of either”.

We need active learning, interactive learning, and the learner performance will increase in all parameters.

 

 

 

Learning Management Systems

Before reading and watching about the Learning Management Systems (LMS) assigned for our homework, I had already got familiar with this educational environment for my hand-on project presentation. Nonetheless, the video material presented by Stephen Downes provided a more general view and comparative perspective on LMS and PLE (Personal Learning Environment). The first difference that he mentioned is that LMS is used by an educational institution or corporation and provides a repository of content and services. Individual learners can access this management system and obtain the content, perform various tasks, have discussions, conduct online conferences with each other, etc. In contrast to this, in PLE the learner is the center and he or she can access content from different sources, like Google Docs, Facebook, iBook, and others. In short, as Downes mentions the difference is that LMS is centralized, whereas PLE is decentralized.      

I could identify two types of LMS. One is the Collaboration Management which can stand alone from LMS, and when someone doesn’t have access to LMS, he or she can join the collaboration. Another type is called Federation when two students access their LMS different from each other and these two systems then join a collaboration system. However, one disadvantage here is when someone wants to join the system, he or she will be locked out. The PLE network is different in that it connects individuals instead of LMS and here individuals are directly connected to each other by sharing resources, messages and other ways, and they are not required to join any LMS. If in PLE the learner is responsible for the management of his data, in the case of LMS when the learner leaves the institution, all their data remains there.

Although there is this disadvantage, I am sure that the organization of learning through LMS would be a great step forward for our Armenian reality. For example, Moodle is an alternative to online learning solutions whose modular design makes it easy to create new courses, adding content that will engage learners.
            Moodle is an ideal online learning solution for the following reasons:

·         Easy creation of courses from existing resources

·           Course content which can be re-used with different learners

·           Active learner involvement

·           Enrolment and learner authentication which is simple yet secure

·           Online learner and teacher management features

·           An active support community to help solve problems and generate new ideas

·         Affordability

 Activities are at the heart of a course management system. Moodle was designed by an educator and computer scientist, with “social constructionist” principles in mind.  A constructivist perspective views learners as actively engaged in making meaning, learners who can analyze, investigate, collaborate, share, build and generate based on what they already know, rather than what facts, skills, and processes they can parrot.

My exploration of the Moodle form the teacher’s position gave me a lot of practical experience, and I believe in the near future I will implement this online environment in my language classrooms.

 

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning

These days it seems mobile phones are used everywhere by everyone; maybe more than any other technological device. This prompts us educators to find ways to take advantage of mobiles and use them in language learning.

Very often instructors ask the students to turn off their phones before the class starts not to get distracted by them. Surely, this is still necessary, but there are certain ways to use mobiles for educational purposes. I discovered a number of educational reasons for using them in the language classroom.

Thus, students can use the notes feature to collect everyday language and send their notes to the teacher. This helps to break the boundary between class time and daily activities. Students can use the camera feature to take pictures of text. Through the voice recorder, learners can record conversations outside the classroom. Another useful technique is to use the text messaging feature to reinforce vocabulary learning. This function can also encourage learners to improve their writing skills. They can start with shorter texts and then expand them into essays. The challenge for educators is to encourage that type of writing from which students can learn the language.

I found the technique of tandem learning rather encouraging for interaction. This is when two students learn each other’s native language by exchanging text messages. Mobiles can also be used for microblogging on Twitter and social networking. Through this device a lot of listening and reading materials can be distributed.

Despite certain problems connected with mobiles, such as lack of access, noise and disruption in class, cost, increased teacher workload, mobile-assisted language learning can serve as one supplementary means to boost motivation and enhance language learning process.

Distance Language Learning

One of the greatest opportunities provided by technology is the Distance Language Learning. In this learning environment both Ts and Ss differ from their classroom counterparts in terms of the roles they assume, the way of interaction, and the attributes and expertise required of them. My vision about the distance Ts’ and Ls’ roles was reinforced by the articles “Towards an Understanding of Attribute and Expertise in Distance Language Teaching: Tutor Maxims” and “Independent Language Learning in Distance Education: Current Issues”.

When I put the Ts’ and Ls’ roles on the continuum from traditional teaching/learning to the distance education, I can see the multiplied roles of Ts and Ls in this remote environment. Thus, the article by Cynthia White et.al showed the findings of 3 studies, one of which revealed that e-tutors’ roles include collaboration skills, basic technology knowledge, interpersonal communication skills, and knowledge of the distance learning field. The second study conducted with novice Ts who “learned distance through distance” implies that direct experience of distance learning is useful but not enough for professional development and awareness raising.

I found the third study useful in terms of identifying all the roles and competencies of an e-tutor. Among the roles are content facilitator, metacognition facilitator, process facilitator, advisor, assessor, technologist, resource provider, manager, designer, co-learner, and researcher. The competencies are related to pedagogy, communication, discipline expertise, and technology. I think this identification of roles and competencies can be useful in forming expectations about the roles of an e-tutor and identifying the gaps which need training. Besides, the tutor maxims listed in this article are really necessary along with recognizing the above mentioned roles to enhance the quality of e-tutoring and e-learning.

The second article by Cynthia White gave me some insights into the current issues of distance education and the Ls’ roles. Obviously, in distance education Ls are involved in self- management and environment management. They have to make numerous decisions and take on some of T roles. However, there are certain issues here connected with the isolated study context, less availability to provide immediate feedback and assistance, more awareness on the part of the L, and new kinds of skills and motivation.

To address these issues, Ross Paul and Anderson and Garrison debated one stating that learner independence can be fostered through high-quality materials and the other arguing that it can be achieved through collaborative experiences. In my opinion, a course could be effective if it provided a mixture of both approaches. What I found really important is when Ls develop effective interface between themselves and the learning contexts, and a new view of what it means to be a language learner.

I believe that if there is a triangulated evidence of Ts’ roles, and context of delivery, which includes support services, organization structures, feedback opinions, opportunities for interaction and so on, the e-learners are likely to achieve effective learning.

I tried to complete these by completing the online assessment questionnaire and doing the language learning course. While the questionnaire helped me gain understanding of the skills necessary for e-learning and build up expectations for the course, the course itself helped me make numerous decisions about my own learning, and this is an essential factor to argue that distance learning is a great means to foster learner autonomy which is a crucial criterion for effective learning.

 

Open Educational Recourses

It is true that we are entering a world in which we will have to acquire new knowledge and skills on an almost continuous basis, as the world is changing at a rapid speed. To address the problem of growing global demand for lifelong education, the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement was put forth in 2001.

Throughout this course I learned a lot about the educational potential of the Internet as a global platform that has vastly expanded access to both formal and informal educational materials. The so-called Web 2.0 has blurred the line between producers and consumers supporting multiple modes of learning. The article titled “Open education, the Long Tail, and Learning 2.0” by John Brown and Richard Adler, was a new revelation for me. I got familiar with the idea of OER and its role in the modern world. I think, this new movement is a very necessary development for providing lifelong learning opportunities, as it provides open access to undergraduate and graduate level materials and modules for more than 1,700 courses.

One significant feature of the Internet is fostering social learning which focuses not so much on what we are learning but on how we are learning. I agree that knowledge is not a kind of substance transferred from teachers to learners, but it is the understanding of content which is socially constructed. My teaching experience has taught me that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to others.

Another aspect of social learning is the opportunity not only to learn about the subject matter, but also to learn to be a full participant in the field. The traditional Cartesian educational system can very well characterize the Armenian educational system where students spend years learning about a subject and only after receiving this explicit knowledge they start getting the tacit knowledge of how to be a professional in a field. In contrast, the open source communities follow John Dewey’s perspective of “productive enquiry” which views learning as a process of seeking the knowledge when it is needed to carry out a particular task.

Although these extended connections were not developed to serve educational purposes, there are a number of examples of study groups which have been created to help students benefit from social learning. Such examples are the Terra Incognita project, the Harvard Law School course called “CyberOne: Law in the Court of public Opinion”, the Digital StudyHall, and others. The role that I see in these types of informal learning is that they can coexist with and extend traditional education. Some other examples of e-science and e-humanities communities, such as Faulkes Telescope project, Hands-on-Universe project, or Bugscope project, enhance the social leaning which creates a participatory architecture where participants learn about learning.

I strongly support the new demand-pull approach, in contrast to the supply-push approach, as the former provides students with access to rich learning communities built around a practice where understanding is formed through active, passion-based learning, and fosters lifelong learning that extends beyond formal schooling. As the article concludes, ‘this is a major step toward creating a 21^st-century global culture of learning to meet the demands of our constantly changing world.’

In the podcast about OER, Cable Green and Joel Smith speak about the challenges of access, impact, and sustainability, and how to deal with these challenges. They mention that the ultimate goal of OER is to increase the number of educated people and increase the quality of education they are getting. To meet the challenges of this movement, it was decided that having open licensed content is not enough; there should be data analytics to collect assessment data for the improvement of the quality of OER. This can also guarantee the accuracy, the completeness and the context of the content which is very important for the individual learner. OER needs to provide an instructional strategy, interactive exercises, and comprehension checks to provide effective instruction. High quality open content can be achieved if it is analyzed and revised on a regular basis, if it is useful and appropriate, and if it is shared, as sharing can bring better things; there is always someone outside who will find the gaps and fix them. First of all, we, educators should be responsible for providing this quality.

Virtual Worlds

While reading the first article titled Educational Frontiers: Learning in a Virtual World, I asked myself the question “What is it that we can do in the Second Life but cannot do in our real teaching?” – the same question which was posed in the article Virtual Worlds: Moving Beyond Today. These two articles, as well as the exploratory case study on learner participation patterns and strategy use in Second Life, helped me formulate my own understanding of the use of virtual worlds in an EFL environment.

It’s true that virtual worlds are engaging, stimulating spaces which differ from traditional courses due to 3D graphical design. They increase the sense of community, allow to make mistakes which are great opportunities for learning. Shifting Ss from the passive roles of survivors to the active roles of researchers and explorers requires a change in their perception of themselves and their willingness to participate. Another benefit is that virtual worlds can support Ls with different learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.

Moreover, the exploratory study mentioned above found that the highly learner-centered nature of interaction represents a positive finding that lends support to one of the main benefits hypothesized for network-based learning. This kind of interaction may facilitate learner autonomy. Also, the participants commented positively on low stress atmosphere of virtual worlds compared to a regular language class. These findings coupled to the presence of errors suggest that Second life can be useful in developing fluency rather than accuracy.

However, both Cynthia Calongne and Donald Welch remind that’s it is not easy to set up a successful virtual environment. The latter requires a blend of technology, tools, content, student ownership, engagement, course structure, feedback and other factors.

I believe that this is s big challenge for course designers. Donald Welch hopes that soon we will take a step further. But in the Armenian EFL context, taking into consideration of the current situation in our EFL classrooms, I feel that this step is very far; but how far is this far, is a question.

 

Digital Games

There is the impression that computer games have always been attributed at best an insignificant, and at worst a negative role in children’s learning life. It seems that the only function of games is to create fun or relaxing atmosphere. However, studying all today’s material for homework Ts can discover digital games as a powerful educational tool in the 21^st century. The main perspective in all these materials was to advocate the media literacy in education.

Thus, I totally support the argument in the video material “No Gamer Left Behind” that putting people in the environment where they can experience what they need to learn, where they can make mistakes, take risks, and try new things, can bring better learning than just sitting in the classroom and throwing info at them. These simulated environments can help beginners become experts. Moreover, when Ss become not just consumers, but producers of simulation technologies, they are able to express individualization and creative skills. Similarly, these skills of innovation, creativity, problem solution, collaboration, production are advocated in the material titled “Grading with Games”, as they are necessary to survive in the developed world. I’d like to quote the speaker’s idea that we need to be able to work in a group where the group is smarter than the smartest person in the group. One important thing for me was that games do not separate learning from assessment, which is really a painful part of learning for Ss. The frequent feedback given by games motivates the learner, when he fails, to continue on to success. The same idea is stated be Sasha Barab who says that failure is motivating and not smth to be avoided. It’s true that we limit our Ss in the classroom to be vessels to be filled with information. But games can allow them a vast opportunity of trying on various roles, which helps them see themselves as people who could possibly have that future.

Obviously, we cannot do this in the real world for a 10-year-old boy, but in a game. This is the reason that Sasha Barab and Marc Prencky voice their concern about “powering down” our Ss at schools. We, Ts, need to win this competition be creating a space where children can be passionate about learning.

We need to understand the reason behind the increased interest in games. Thus, the reason is the combined weight of 3 factors, which is discussed in the article Digital- Based Learning by Richard Van Eck. The first factor is the ongoing research conducted by DGBL proponents. The second involves today’s “Net Generation” or “digital natives” who have become disengaged with traditional instruction. And the third factor is the increased popularity of games. I believe that time brings cognitive changes as well which dictate fundamental shifts, in this case, in education. Marc Prensky in his book Digital Game-Based Learning has identified the 10 main cognitive changes in the Games Generation. There are twitch speed vs. conventional speed, parallel processing vs. linear processing, graphics first vs. text first, random access vs. step-by-step, connected vs. standalone, active vs. passive, play vs. work, payoff vs. patience, fantasy vs. reality, technology- as- friend vs. technology- as- foe.

Along with all these incentives for the use of digital games, there is an issue raised by Harvard Health Publications where some researchers claim that exposure to violent media can contribute to real-life violent behavior, while others argue the opposite. Although there is no foolproof evidence that any particular behavior could produce the profile of a likely “shooter”, parents should protect their children from the hazardous effects of games by providing limits and guidance as necessary.

The game that I chose to play was Darfur is Dying. I immediately started playing the game without reading the instructions. I composed this experience to the argument stated in grading With Games that scientists have always learned the language of science by doing science. I will describe my experience by the principle of situated cognition explained by Richard van Eck in the article Digital Game-Based Learning. I practiced multitasking skills, inductive reasoning, frequent and quick interactions with content and visual literacy skills. This interaction required a constant cycle of hypothesis formulation, testing, and revision. And this happened with immediate feedback. From the language learning point of view, it practiced active reading skills, and from the moral perspective, it taught perseverance, sensitivity, and humanism.

I would sum up all my exploration described above in the consideration that games thrive as teaching tools when they create a continuous cycle of disequilibrium and resolution while also allowing the player to be successful, and the implementation of DGBL requires careful analysis and matching of the content, strengths, and weaknesses of the game to be studied.

 

 

Digital Video

I recognized the fact that digital video brings the power of studio production to the personal computer. With just a video camera or a phone, a computer, and a proper software, Ls can create their own innovative and unique movies for personal and educational use. They can take advantage of today’s technology and to make their learning more engaging, more purposeful and more efficient. This tool provides a huge audience, which makes learning more responsible and meaningful.

As a learner, I learned new interesting things from this lesson as how to shoot my footage effectively, how to transfer it to the computer, how to use editing software to build and enhance material. And how to export it to the Internet. The video material by Santa Fe University taught me the 7 steps of video production, starting from the Treatment step to the ‘getting it seen’ step. The Tutorial by Lights FilmSchool illustrated various framing shots, such as a fool shot, a medium full shot, a close shot, a close up, etc. Curtis Brownjohn’s material revealed a lot of filmmaking techniques including camera shots, camera angles, camera movement, conversation shots, focus techniques, composition, animation, and editing. Moreover, the other two materials helped me understand the basics of lighting and discover some interesting tricks of camera angles.

Here, I’d like to mention that I read a lot, but I learned through my experience. The point is that if listening, speaking, reading, or writing can help the learner retain 60% of information, doing can help him retain 90% of information. This means that technology as an educational tool provides the opportunity which fosters collaboration and creativity where real learning takes place.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJVMXr2WGog

Creativity is an important component of learning as it brings the learner from the knowledge-based level to a level of the higher-order of thinking. I think educational technological tools can serve this goal providing room for exploring, reflecting, creating and sharing their creations with others across the globe.

 

 

 

 

 

Digital Storytelling: a powerful tool for learning

I started my research on digital storytelling with Tonya Witherspoon’s podcast which gave me insight into the role of digital storytelling in an EFL classroom. It’s true that pen and paper have never been a motivating tool for Ls in writing. Now, with the invention of digital storytelling we can help our Ss create smth more than just a text. This is the ability to weave images, music, narrative and voice together to create stories and give more dimensions and colors to situations, characters, and experiences. This ability can help kids get what’s in their heads out. The programs that can be implemented are paint, clay animation, virtual field trip, wiki, kidspiration, photostory, and Bubble share.  I found Paint and Adventure stories in Wiki rather engaging. At this point I would like to quote the famous philosopher Galileo Galilei’s remark as “You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it in himself”. This is what information and communication technologies can offer now.

The examples of digital stories on the suggested websites were really so attractive that I wanted to watch all of them. I saw that this tool enabled them to represent themselves.

The project conducted by Clifford Lee and Yumi Matsui with immigrants revealed that the Ss were impacted by the project as they knew they were going to share their real life experiences with an authentic audience. Still another study that revealed the Ss’ increased engagement was the one conducted by Janette Hughes and Lorayne Robertson. I was truly touched by Hilary’s digital literacy story dedicated to her Mom. In both cases, the Ss were given the opportunity to share their identity texts with real audience. This experience helped them make gains in self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of community. I think Hilary’s digital story was emotionally charged not because it had images or lyrics but because she had the chance to write her own voice.  I remembered one story I read once about a teacher who taught his Ss how to write an essay telling them to write their own voice. At the same time, his Ss helped him to open up and finish his unfinished book.

I would sum up my findings with Paige Baggett’s list of skills that digital storytelling synthesizes and adds one more skill. These are: researching, writing, organizing, presenting, interviewing, problem-solving, assessing, employing personal and technology skills, and writing your own voice.

Educational Wikis

 

The article “Educational Wikis: Features and Selective Criteria” by Linda Schwartz gave me an understanding about the role of wikis in education and identify the differences between blogging and wikis. The quote “A wiki can be a blog, but a blog does not have to be a wiki” led me to see all the features that wikis can have. What was a significant distinctive feature was that while in blogs it is easy to identify contributions or establish the authority of the content. From a teaching perspective, wikis can be used for interactive activities which can foster collaboration and build communities of practice.

To be able to understand how wikis can be implemented for effective classroom practice, I think, Ts should read the research on discussing the factors contributing to Ss’ involvement in a wiki project. Nature of the tasks, student presence of  working style, quality of S contributions, and instructor attitudes are all factors that can affect  the effective use of wikis in collaboration. This particular research shows that certain factors such as share of workload, appreciation of different opinions, constant communication facilitated S engagement; while factors like asynchronous communication, time pressure, personal incapability, roles not taken seriously hindered this collaboration. Hence, I would agree that first of all it’s necessary to create a mandatory collaborative environment, and through time Ls will be motivated not just to fulfill a task, but to build a sense of community, to sustain good collaboration without delays.

I will use wikis in the classroom for collaborative tasks, because they can enhance such higher order skills as group problem solving, brainstorming, critical evaluation, synthesis, idea refinement, and group consensus.

 

Podcasting in Language Learning

The reading and listening materials on podcasting gave me a new insight in implementing podcasts for language learning purposes. The research paper by Palitha Edirisingha revealed the three main features of podcasts identified as facilitating student learning. I think the first benefit, that is learner choice and flexibility, provides a unique opportunity for learners to shift the control over the pacing of learning activities from the teacher into their own hands. This means they can listen to podcasts at a place, time and pace of their choice, even on the move. What is very attracting is that they can replay the podcast in case they missed some part of the speech or didn’t attend the lecture. The second benefit is that learners have access to peer knowledge. They can listen not only to their tutor’s voice but also the real conversation between peers and tutors. This friendly tone can really attract students’ interest. Besides, as Manning states, voice humanizes and personalizes, and helps the listener connect with the speaker. There is also potential for students to create their own podcasts for peers. And the third benefit which I find no less important is the possibility of carrying out formal learning through informal processes which motivates students more in the academic context.

I believe that podcasting can serve well for improving learners’ study skills. As was found out in the research, podcasts helped students in the preparation for workshops, presentations and portfolio development. Taking into account all the advantages of podcasting, I myself am going to implement it in my classroom. Jeff Mehring’s paper on Recipe Exchange Podcasts was helpful from the practical point of view. To be able to use the activities described in his paper, first I will need to set up a webpage or weblog where students will post their podcasts and listen to their peers. The RSS feed will allow to easily track down their work. Students will need a computer with Internet access and a microphone to create and listen to podcasts. Next, it’s important to introduce them to podcasts – where they are located, how students can access them, and how podcasts can be used for their learning.

Christopher Shamburg’s interview presented in the ISTE Podcast added to my general understanding of the role of podcasts in language learning. Thus, kids learn how to synthesize, identify, and choose different mediums, how to develop ethical skills and knowledge on the rights and responsibilities in the digital world, how to connect their personal interests with real-life activities. Podcasting allows for meaningful participation not just in the classroom but in the world and makes learners effective and ethical consumers of media.     

How I would use blogs and twitter in an EFL class

An increasing interest to using blog for pedagogical purposes suggests its application in teaching and learning English. As an EFL T, I am going to use this tool for pedagogical purposes as I acknowledge its benefits which include: fluency and accuracy in writing, collaboration, social learning, authenticity, sharing ideas, real communication, increase in sense of responsibility and self-improvements, motivation, peer-reviewing, online portfolio, different levels of language proficiency, etc. For example, I will use blogging with undergraduate students studying English at the university. First, I will explain to them the purpose for and application of blog writing and Twitter in their language learning. Then, they will have practice over one semester when on a regular basis they will have to produce both personalized and reflective writing on the content around which the interaction should happen. The evaluation of the Ss’ work will be based on process and post-process approach and on certain criteria, such as evidence of supplementary reading , style transference, self-quotation for clarification, and organization of content.

With the help of RSS, I can easily keep track of my Ss’ blog activities in one site without manually visiting every individual weblog.

Certain challenges I might encounter in this process can be: Ss’ lack of interest, inappropriate peer feedback, correcting Ss’ errors, the selection of appropriate topics, and distraction. To avoid these challenges, using blogs should be customized to the needs of the program, pedagogical design, the interest of Ss and proficiency level. It is essential that Ss be explained the purpose of blogging and how it is used.  Also, they need to learn how to give effective feedback to each other. Ts must use this tool in the way that meets Ss’ needs and interests.

Blogging and Microblogging

After reflecting upon the materials for the previous blog posts, I felt the need to more deeply understand the use of each technological tool for educational purposes. Thus, I had the chance to get more exposed to blogging and microblogging which affected my beliefs about teaching, learning, and schooling and gave me more confidence about how to implement them in my EFL classroom.

As Will Richardson states in his book “Blogs, Wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms”, there are still too many students for whom these opportunities occur only outside the classroom walls. The ways in which we connect and learn continue to look less and less like what happens in the classroom. I completely agree that kids continue to have very few people in their lives who are modeling and teaching the safe, effective, and ethical use of all the Internet has to offer. Therefore, in order to prepare our students for networked learning and fully understand the pedagogical uses of these tools, we must first experience those environments for ourselves.

The audio presentation “Weblogs in School” by Will Richardson offered me a helpful insight in blogging. The combination of the theory and the practice that I am doing now enabled me to see the rationale behind implementing blogging in my classroom. Blogging is a space where more learning and more investigation happens in contrast to an archive of ideas. It’s a hyperlink which requires more intellectual engagement in the content around which the interaction happens. I totally agree with Will Richardson arguing that although blogging is a writing tool, it starts with reading, what I am experiencing myself now. I read from different sources and put them together in my blog linking back to them in the post. Thus, this is a tool which enables learners to synthesize critical thinking and critical reading before they write, and allow for continual learning. It’s necessary to know about blogging policy and guidelines on how to use this tool well, about what successful bloggers do, and what is a good post.

Having gained information about the use of blogging, I became more curious about the assessment of blog writing. Murran Etal’s research paper “Blog Writing Assessment” enabled me to draw some parallels between our course and the researched course in terms of the provided framework for blog assessment. The article revealed certain important issues for me: process and post-process approaches were considered in the assessment of writing. Learners had to produce content that was both personalized and reflective. They wanted the learners to personalize their content in order to place more emphasis on their roles as learners in the language learning process, to allow them to become more creative and reflective. It was hoped that the post-process reflection would help learners to monitor their sense of focus and commitment. Another point that I found important in the article was the list of criteria used in the assessment of blog writing. It includes: evidence of supplementary reading, style transference, self-quotation for clarification, discourse, and organization of content. With all this in mind, I feel more confident to say that I will implement blogging in my EFL classroom which will make the distinction between ‘recreational’ and ‘academic’ blogging where the student self-expresses and reflects upon self-expression.

I will definitely try using Microblogging tools, such as Twitter, which enable users to post short messages that are distributed within their community. As it is stated in the research article on microblogging by Kerstin Borau, microblogging allows for a chance to actively produce language and the chance to use English as a tool of communication. The study found out that it is suitable to train communicative and cultural competence anytime anywhere without face-to-face interaction. I believe that online communities enable the exchange of information and motivate the individual to conform to the community’s learning behaviors.

 

The Connection between the Digital Youth Portraits, "The World is Flat", and "The Hole in the Wall"

While and after watching all the materials assigned for homework, I had to reevaluate my teaching philosophy and come up with new ideas or concepts. One general teaching value of these stories is that language learning through technologies goes far beyond just learning the language; it fosters the development of a personality both culturally and socially. I myself uncovered a lot through this assignment, and I would like to discuss their meanings for me as a TEFL professional.

As it was presented in Cameron’s story, there are different ways of communication most of which come off from screens. I was mostly struck by Cameron’s endless strive for technologies. It proved that the integration of technologies in education can improve creativity, problem-solving skills, and imagination. It can be more enjoyable and engaging. We shouldn’t be afraid of assigning learners creative tasks when they use all their strengths, become explorers for new ideas, research and investigate. Most importantly, they learn by doing and become learners-teachers. 
Dana’s story showed me that technology can really enable them to become autonomous learners. They do what is appropriate for them and follow their passion. This prompts that students should not learn the language just for the sake of learning it or because it is on their curriculum, but learn it for and by satisfying their language learning needs and interests. Hence, language should not be taught as a subject but as a means for meaningful interaction where all the dimensions of language use are explored. This will help learners better understand the importance of language learning. 
While watching the story about Dylan, I imagined how technologies can allow for interaction not only at a local, but also at a global level. Language learning is not limited to a textbook, but ranges from a textbook to a vast interactive learning environment where learners become more engaged and take more responsibility for their own learning. Furthermore, technology allows expressing their concerns through their own video materials, coming up with solutions and feeling the positive impact of their social role inside and outside the country borders. 
The other two materials about Nafiza and Olivia made me think of a role of technologies as a source of multi-skills development. They use and improve different skills at a time, relate their learning to real life, learn how to use the language via technologies and how to use technologies via language. Learners develop confidence and become leaders.

In his work “The World is Flat”, Thomas Friedman acknowledges that the global economic playing field has been leveled, meaning that a much larger group of people can compete for global knowledge. He argues that there are primarily ten forces that flattened the world. In my perspective, the most amazing of these flatteners is the workflow software, i.e.
technologies that allow work to flow and create a global platform for multiple forms of collaboration. The next six flatteners sprung from this platform. 
Quoting Friedman’s words “when the walls came down and the windows came up”, we understand that due to technologies, everything started becoming faster and faster, and more and more widespread. In terms of teaching and learning, one implication if this idea is that curiosity and passion are more important than intelligence now, which means individuals must possess the ability to learn how to learn. Hence, the role of technologies is tremendous in developing this ability. Another implication is that in the flattening world we need to be more open and willing to change our teaching and learning practices in order to have the best chance for success. Again, the adoption of technologies becomes a vital component in today’s education. Without this, the continuous process of world flattening will disempower people who are responsible for teaching and learning.

Sugata Mitra, in his project “The Hole in the Wall”, discusses certain factors that affect education. These are the remoteness and quality of education, integration of technology in schools, particularly in primary education, and self-instruction. His experiments revealed that unprivileged children in rural areas, not knowing any single word in English and being computer illiterate, had to learn the language through the exploration of the computer and the Internet, in groups, where mostly young kids taught the older ones how to use it; which means learning by doing and not by not doing. One final outcome from these experiments was that primary education can happen on its own; it can be a self-organizing system. 
Thus, my impressions about the connections of all the materials described above can be expressed by a brief conclusion that to succeed in this flat world the integration of technologies in the teaching/learning process is necessitated as it can stimulate curiosity and passion, and encourage people to learn how to learn. 

Introduction

I would like to start my blog discussions with some introductory points that are relevant to the issue of the integration of technologies in our language classrooms. There are various positive factors behind this process which will be discussed in the coming blogs. 
As stated in the research study from the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Linguistics, Information Technologies are in a position to help students succeed, boost their academic persistence and performance, and enhance other key activities. The challenge of change in Armenian classrooms is imbedded in our culture, our governance, and in our capacity to suffuse the technology with a vision and with our passion for our mission. Another challenge might be the small number of funding sources for the implementation of technology platforms of higher levels. However, the research shows that an institution that has invested in more complex technology platforms is achieving better institutional outcomes. 
According to the article on Penetrating the Analytics in Learning and Education, technologies offer the prospect of bridging the divide between the physical and digital worlds. Similarly, educators can be integrated with data from learners’ activity in online environments, providing additional insights into factors that contribute to learners’ success. Technologies in education will obviously alter existing teaching, learning, and assessment practices. For example, instead of being an end of course activity, assessment will be performed in real time as learners demonstrate mastery of important concepts and ideas. Besides, learning content will not be provided in a textbook, but computed providing each learner with recourses relevant to his/her learning goals and the knowledge domain he is attempting to master.
In fact, technology adoption in education requires a consistent and challenging model. One, which I found worth implementing, suggested by SOLAR Society for Learning and Analytics Research is the integrated learning platform which provides an open infrastructure for researchers, educators, and learners to develop new methods. Learners are provided with information on their attendance at lectures, and online activities, participation rates in forums, pass rates on the online tests, and marks on formal written assignments. These are ‘visual mirrors’ that suggest ways in which they might become more effective learners. Educators can track and gain insight into the range of different factors known to impact sustained learner engagement.