Final Week: Course review and wrap-Up

In actual fact, this is extremely hard to believe that this 'Web Skills' has come to an end. This online course has been a milestone and created a new era of innovative practices of technology in my future professional career. But I am contented with the thought that this course has ended successfully leaving numerous wonderful learning events which are incredibly useful in shaping my teaching approach.

This course has also acted like childbirth of my technology enhanced project “Improving Learners’ Literacy Skills through Online Learning” which is likely to be continued in FLTC English Course. In this week, I have been occupied with growing my project mature and working effectively with my learners. I have been pleased to see that this project has made them engaging in learning English outside the class.

I am going to make a portfolio of all resources and materials provided in this course. It is really an uphill job to record all precious possessions I have achieved in this course in this limited space of my reflective blog. However, I will dare illustrate in brief the summary of my learning experience in each week.

Week-0 (Orientation to the course): Got a preconception about the course materials such as rubrics, sample posting, course requirements in orientation week that gave me adequate idea about the ways I would be expected to behave in this course.

Week-1: I have learned about class blog and its different uses for EFL/ESL teaching situations. I have created a reflective blog (URL: http://nahid-trainer-elt.blogspot.com) to record what I have learned and have done in each specific week. I created am account on nicenet for discussion board and started using it.

Week-2: I have got familiarized with different search engines such as noodletools.com, twurdy.com etc. and analyzed those web search engines. I have learned how to write ABCD learning objectives for a lesson or a class and write a behavioral objective for a class. I read the articles describing revised version of Bloom’s taxonomy and have learned which of the action verbs is used for writing objectives.

Week-3:  I read two articles on teaching listening and pronunciation through online tools and have reviewed different speaking, listening, and pronunciation web sites. I have created my own Delicious site for bookmarking web links with appropriate tags. I went through some project reports prepared by our previous participants of this course. I also started planning about my project and working for it.

Week-4: I have learned from two articles how to teach reading and writing through online tools and sites and reviewed reading and writing web sites in terms of prospect to use in my teaching context. I read about technology-enhanced lesson plans and reviewed sample of this type of lesson plan, and created a technology-enhanced lesson plan for my class.

Week-5: From reading materials I have learned about project-based learning and WebQuests and how to design a project based learning for a class. I have been aware of Alternative assessment and rubrics and practice creating rubrics for my class. I have created a lesson plan on WebQuest (URL: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=182926). I continued planning and designing my technology enhanced project.

Week-6: I read essays about different ways of making large class student-centered, interactive and have been aware of the techniques might be useful to create a student-centered environment in my teaching context. I have learned the ways to create active learning lessons while using PowerPoint and created an interactive use of PowerPoint.

Week-7: I have learned about how to foster and encourage learner autonomy. I have also learned about the one-computer classroom and the strategies to be taken in a one-computer classroom. I have created a class walwisher (URL: http://padlet.com/wall/wjzqqlv8de) and posted links and articles on it. Most importantly, we finished planning and designing my technology enhanced project.

Week-8: I explored teacher resources: online exercise generators and teaching tools such as creating a discussion board on nicenet, creating a wiki on Google Sites. I reviewed the teacher resources sites such as  http://www.toolsforeducators.com, Lanternfish Easy Test Maker, http://www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com/create.html, Hot Potatoes and saw some interesting exercises at http://eolf.univ-fcomte.fr/index.php?page=technically-interesting-hot-potatoes-pages. I also visited online sites Web Poster Wizard and SMILE. I found ANVILL particularly important and need to discover it more to make it work for my class.

The most important task I prepared a draft of my final project for peer reading. I shared my draft project report with my partner Yves and give feedback on his project report.

Week-9: I have learned about different learning styles our learners have. I discussed with our classmates how to feed and meet learners’ different learning styles in a class and prepare exercises that meet their learning styles. At I have finally prepared my technology enhanced project “Improving Learners’ Literacy Skills through Online Learning” and submitted it to our course instructor, Robert.

Week-10: I have felt both sad as the course came to an end and excited because I have developed a number of skills to integrate technology and online resources into my class. I evaluated myself with the LoTI Framework and have become aware of their L0TI level considering my class and teaching context. I have come to know many interesting links from
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/about/my-best-of-series. I read  Seven Principles: Technology as Lever – specific, and also come to know about the future of CALL from Phil Hubbard’s article. 

Regards,

Nahid

Week- 9: Submitting Final Project Report & Learning styles teachnology can facilitate

I have been very busy throughout this whole week. It has been both challenging and exciting experience for me in preparing my final project report. At I have completed it with much care and minute observation from the practical experience. To prepare my technology enhanced project report, I have used the template given in our course website and have also got very practical idea from the sample of project reports completed by our participants of the previous batch of this online course. I have been delighted after I finished my project report. This report is going to help me a lot to improve teaching and learning practices in FLTC English Training course. Before my enrollment in this course “Web Skills” I reflected on the improvement of FLTC English Training course but I did it quite informally often for very short time. I also reflected on the teaching techniques and approach I used there. At that Time, project based teaching was also unknown to me. This is the first time I have reflected on the overall development of teaching and learning practice in FLTC course for a long period. I hope that I have discovered an innovative approach for making English language course very participatory and engaging where learners are expected both to acquire and learn the target language.

Finally I have also changed the title of my project and have been entitled “Improving Learners’ Literacy Skills through Online Learning.” I am going to share this project report with the Director of FLTC and ask for his feedback. I also want to bring some changes in the setting of this center and like to have some more logistic supports there, for example, I need to have some computers connected to internet for learners’ use at this center. If I have this facility, I expect that my learners will enjoy this course while participating actively in the course.

I have also gone through the articles recommended for our reading. There I have come to know about the different learning styles our learners have, and am also informed how we can facilitate and feed most learning styles while teaching my students in the class. We learn that technology can render a great support to feel learners’ different learning styles. From the discussion board, I have got some practical idea from my peers about how we can facilitate our learners’ different styles by incorporating technology and online tools into our class. Most of them are practically significant. I am now thinking how I can design some exercises which feed all types of learners.

In this week, I have also completed filling out a course evaluation. There I wrote about my learning experience in this online course “web Skills.” However I am very satisfied with this course and it has shown me a new direction of applying an innovative approach in teaching my learners English. I have been able to make my learners more engaging outside the class. Most importantly, they are spending much time in English environment and it helps them acquire and learner English as well.

Regards,

Nahid

Week-8 in Web Skills Course

I have been very busy and engaging throughout this week. For the first part of this week, I was involved in planning, reflecting and redesigning my project. I also worked collaboratively in Peer Reading of the Project draft activity and gave feedback on my partner project draft. My partner is Yves AGBANNON from Benin who has designed a project for the middle-aged learners who are professionally very busy and do not seem to be very attentive in an hour class. He has designed a technologically enhanced project for them and has expected to keep them engage in language learning activities through in-class and out-of-class assignments. I gave my reflection on his project by using a template i.e. Peer Review Tool called Project Report Checklist. But I have been unlucky as I have not yet received my partner’s reflection on my project. In this week, I have also been busy in implementing my online tools integrated project in my class. My project has been particularly designed for out-of-class assignments and has been developed to promote my learners autonomy so that they can purposefully practice the target language outside the class. My ultimate goal of this project is to make them lifelong learners of English and find their ways by getting acquainted with necessary tools to practice it even after the end of this three month long short course.

In implementing my project successfully, I have noticed that some of my students still have difficulty in coping with this new teaching approach of my technology enhanced project and also operating these online tools. To help them handle these new teaching and learning tools, I am always encouraging them in peer sharing. Some of them are very attentive in completing these assignments. Most of them have been irregular in doing so. To make them active and serious in completing these online assignments, I have started evaluating their accomplished assignments and published their grade on last two tasks. As I have introduced this project almost at the end of their course and this is completely new to them, I have extended the time of submitting their assignments to motivate them to find pace with new tasks in future. I have also noticed they are facing some challenges in performing the assignments properly, and quite often they are out of the track. I, therefore, developed this week some sample of online postings on other comments and rubric on this sort of postings. Within few days, I am going to provide them sample of posting on reflective journal and rubric on this particular post. In reality, I want them to be regular and attentive in this project so that they can discover various online resources to continue their practice in the target language. I am constantly applying action research in order to successfully implement my project in the class. Above all, this project is being piloted and will be introduced with coming batches from the beginning of the course.   

In second part of this week, I have discovered a number of ELT resources and online tools to try out in my class. Among these, I like my new class creation on nicenet and ANVILL most. ANVILL seems to be very wonderful for me and works amazingly in designing out-of-class assignments. I am very much eager in introducing this online resource with my learners but I have to study it more to discover its various tools in order to implement it successfully. It works great especially in providing learners opportunities to have audiovisual oral communication with alien learners and connecting them for Cross Culture understanding. In all aspects, this week has been very significant for me.

Week # 7

This is the most significant week in this ‘Web Skills’ course. What we have learned and have experience so far in this course, this is this high time to implement those in my teaching practice. I am eagerly waiting for the successful implementation of my new online based teaching project. My learners have already started working with this project. Most of them seem to be very excited with this new teaching approach. I have already discussed the goal of this new project with my learners. In an open discussion, they were informed of the appropriateness and usefulness of this project. I shared with them the variety of learning outcomes and behavioral changes they would expect from this project. I have tried to motivate them to try out these new learning opportunities for their prospective changes. Actually one of my objectives of this project is to make them learn English autonomously. Last Thursday, I had introduced the new project with my students and had got them familiarized with two classblogs. They had been assigned with some writing tasks and had asked them to post their writings and comments as well. And last Saturday, I invited their feedback on this new teaching and learning approach with online technology. Most of them encountered difficulties as they are not very expert with the operation of this new system. Then I spent the whole class hours to give them firsthand experience of this new learning system and trained them how to operate it successfully. I asked for some learner volunteers from the whole group, and two volunteers came forward to helping the learners to learn how to operate these online tools. I really enjoy this peer sharing and teaching. As most of them failed to complete the task, I extended the time for posting their assignments in addition with the new tasks. I often feel the necessity to ask my course instructors for his suggestions and advices on some issues such as how to limit posting on blog within the members of a group only, some other online tools for managing discussion board. I have some more questions too. I have planned to write those on a notebook and request him to give me some guidelines just after this course.

I have also gone through the reading materials of this week assigned for us. I am very interested in the topic namely learner autonomy. I have read the article written by Dimitrios Thanasoulas entitled ‘What Is Learner Autonomy and How Can It Be Fostered?’ and have got some idea how to foster learners to develop autonomy learning attitude. I come to know “autonomy is a process, not a product. One does not become autonomous; one only works towards autonomy. One corollary of viewing autonomy in this way is the belief that there are some things to be achieved by the learner, as well as some ways of achieving these things, and that autonomy 'is learned at least partly through educational experiences.” I have also learned about conditions for learner autonomy, learning strategies, the role learners’ attitude and motivation, self-esteem, how to promote learner autonomy. From the articles about one computer classroom, I have got some practical tips how to maximize learning in one computer classroom. From the discussion board, I come to know about different teaching context with one computer classroom, and the ways my peers’ organize the class. The web tool named wallwisher has been appreciated. I am likely to employ it in my teaching context for publishing learner work, sharing learning resources, class photos, publishing class notices. I would like to have some constructive feedback from my instructor on my classblog so that I can make it more effective and interactive.                   

nahidferdous-bhuiyan-elt.blogspot.com

www.nahid-ferdous-elt.blogspot.com

Project Task # 6

At last, it seems to me that my dream is gradually turning into reality. I have introduced my project based teaching by using new technology in the class entitled "developing learners’ literacy Skills" in the class. I hope that it will consequently help them to become autonomous learners of English. It is just the beginning of a new chapter in my professional career and learners’ learning behavior as well. Some learners are still struggling in coping themselves with this new approach. They are improving gradually. Some of them are very excited about this new approach of teaching and have already started using it.

Week 6: Creating Student-centered Classes and Interactive PowerPoint

Week 6 has been found practically relevant and helpful in our teaching context. I have learned here how to ensure interactive and collaborative teaching in large class. Ours is a developing country and owing to financial and resource constraints, the classes are unusually large. It often poses different challenges on the teachers to establish interaction with the class and collaboration in student learning. From assigned articles for week 6, I have got some pragmatic suggestions on how to teach a large class successfully in collaborative approach. There are many ways to make our lecture interactive in the large class. It does not consume much time to make students perform the collaborative work and inclusively solve the problem assigned by the teacher. Once the teacher and the students get accustomed to working collaboratively in groups/pairs, it takes short time to complete. Richard Felder in his article ‘Beating the Numbers Game: Effective Teaching in Large Classes’ rightly said,  “You don't have to spend a great deal of time on active learning exercises in class: one or two lasting no more than five minutes in a 50-minute session can provide enough stimulation to keep the class with you for the entire period. The syllabus is safe!”

I have come to know that there are some ways to enhance student learning in large class such as variation in activities, pacing in dictation, rapport-building, setting up routines, speaking tone and intonation, collaboration, think-pair-share, think-pair-square, teaching in small group. In large class, a teacher usually delivers his/her lecture in traditional approach which has less positive impact in active learning process in a class having more than 50 students. We must introduce and apply in the class such activities which make them actively involved in learning process and keep their interest up. Richard Felder’s saying is worth remembering in this regard, “Lectures as a rule have little educational value. People learn by doing, not by watching and listening.” From the discussion board, I come to know that technology can actively engage the students of large class in learning activities and make a bridge between their in-class activities and out-of-class activities. I have also learned class blog can promote interaction between teacher and students outside the class. Shy students in a large class may have a vague idea about the topic they have been taught in the class. In this situation, class blog can be very useful for the teacher to make them clear about the taught topic and develop a close bond among them. I have also learned how to make an interactive powerpoint presentation which is practically useful in a large class.  

Project Task # 5

My final project has been entitled ‘Developing and Practicing Student Literacy Skills.’ I have been planning to make a technological change in my class to implement this project. I would like to develop this project to extend my students’ English practicing hours outside the class duration. By making technological change and utilizing online tools, the goal of this project is to develop my learners’ literacy skills on their own, and make them lifelong and autonomous learners of English. One of my objectives of this project is also to make them confident in corresponding with others in written English. For my final project, I would like to make use two types of online tools new to my class such as blog and selected websites designed for developing language skills together with grammar and vocabulary. I have already talked to my class about this new project, and their duties and their approximate learning behavior with these new technological tools. Many of them seem to be quite excited while few of them feel nervous. I have noticed some of them seem to be less confident in operating online tools. I have reassured them that there is nothing critical to be worried of, and am trying to help them in every possible way from my part. I have already provided them the rubrics which will be used to evaluate their assignments. It will help them become self-judgmental of their assignments. I have developed the ground rules in dealing with this web tools and have planned to provide them sample of writing assignments. I am really excited and can not stop myself bringing this technological change in my class and using online tools to teach them English.

I have mainly planned this project for out-of-class activities/assignments for my students. The activities will be based on and centered around class blog. According to my advice, they have already opened account in gmail so that they can post their comments on the class blog. I have almost developed two class blogs, and they are asked to use it from today. One class blog will be discussion board where they will post one of their own on the main idea/topic and then comment on any two other postings by the due dates. Word limit for the former is 200 words whereas for the latter is 100 words. Another class blog will be for reflective posting. Here they will post what new language, vocabulary, grammar and interesting information they have learned from the class and from the referred websites. I expect that my learners will enjoy this way of learning English through interactive web skills.