Learning Technology
publication of
IEEE Computer Society
Learning Technology Task Force (LTTF)
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Learning Technologypublication ofIEEE Computer Society
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| Volume 3 Issue 4 Editorial board |
ISSN 1438-0625 Subscription Advertising in the newsletter |
October 2001 Author guidelines |
Welcome to the October 2001 issue of Learning Technology. This has been a year full of activities in the Learning Technology Task Force. The IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Madison, USA (August 6-8, 2001) was successfully organised and turned out to be a very high quality conference. The conference report is available at http://lttf.ieee.org/icalt2001/. The proceedings can also be ordered at the website.
Now our task force is involved in the International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE 2002), as a supporting organisation. The ICCE 2002 will be held at Auckland, New Zealand during 3-6 December 2002. The call for paper is enclosed below.
You are also welcome to complete the FREE MEMBERSHIP FORM for Learning Technology Task Force. Please complete the form at: http://lttf.ieee.org/join.htm.
Besides, if you are involved in research and/or implementation of any aspect of advanced learning technologies, I invite you to contribute your own work in progress, project reports, case studies, and events announcements in this newsletter. For more details, please refer author guidelines at http://lttf.ieee.org/learn_tech/authors.html.
| Kinshuk Editor, Learning Technology Newsletter kinshuk@massey.ac.nz |
Organised by
AACE-APC
Sponsored by
College of Business, Massey University, New Zealand
The International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE) series aims to
foster the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the use of information
technology in education throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Since 1995 the ICCE
series has been organized by the Asia-Pacific Chapter of AACE (Association for
the Advancement of Computing in Education). Subsequent ICCEs have been held
in different Asian countries - Singapore (1995), Malaysia (1997, held annually
ever since), China (1998), Japan (1999), Taiwan (2000) and Korea (2001). ICCE
2002 will be held in Auckland, New Zealand.
Through ICCE 2002, New Zealand hopes to contribute enormously to the valuable experience of the ICCEs and hence to reinforce all the efforts to collaborate for the successful building of the new paradigm of education in the information society. Every effort will be made to make this a truly professional worldwide conference providing opportunities for discussion and dissemination of pertinent information in computers and education internationally. We invite you to ICCE 2002 New Zealand where you can view the 21st century through sharing ideas and prospects.
Conference theme
"Learning communities on the Internet - Pedagogy in implementation"
Some years ago there was a movement in education towards learning alongside peers. The recent increase in accessibility to networks, whether global or local, has provided an enormous impetus to practice and research in which learners study and work together. However, many questions on the effectiveness and efficiency of such learning environments remain unanswered or at least have little empirical or theoretical evidence to provide beyond intuitive responses:
- learners naturally have many misconceptions; would peer learning simply spread such misconceptions?
- learning is personal; why should a colearner give better help than a professional tutor?
- Internet resources are general; don't learners need resources designed to meet their specific needs?
- learners' culture leads them to expect to be taught; why should they have to work more?
- tutors' culture leads them to expect to teach; why should they change that role?
- and many more....
ICCE 2002 invites submissions with a good theoretical base or formalism that present new, yet unpublished, solid achievements based on experiments, that come to answer concretely one or more of the questions above or can point to possible answers. Survey papers are also accepted, if they are well documented, make a contribution to the field, and reveal new aspects and perspectives, as well as future directions.
Topics of Interest
The topics of interest related to the conference theme include but are not limited
to:
* Agents technology
* Application of instructional design theories
* Architecture of learning technology systems
* Authoring tools
* Best mix of face-to-face and e-interactions
* Cognition and conceptual change
* Collaborative learning/Groupware/Co-operative learning
* Computer mediated communication
* Country specific developments
* Design principles
* Distributed learning
* Evaluation of impact
* Evaluation of learning systems
* Implementation experiences
* Instructor networking
* Integrated learning environments
* Inter-and Intranet use in conventional universities
* Internet based systems
* Methodologies for system design
* Networked social learning
* Policies, ethics, standards, and legal issues
* Research perspectives
* Teaching/learning strategies
* Tutor role in virtual communities
* Virtual lab/classroom/school
* Virtual universities
* WWW-based learning resources/tools
Submissions
Submissions are invited in following categories:
- Full Papers
- Short Papers
- Posters
- Tutorials
- Workshops
- Doctoral Student Consortium
Details of submission procedure are available at:
http://icce2002.massey.ac.nz
Important dates
Friday 5 April 2002 : All types of submissions
Contact information
Julie Lyons
Conference Secretary
Department of Information Systems
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North
New Zealand
icce2002_admin@massey.ac.nz
Telephone: 64 6 350 5233
Facsimile: 64 6 350 5725
As a teacher with a diverse background in regular and specialised education, both in management and teaching, my fascination with computers and how best to use this wonderful, yet perplexing technology as a teaching and learning tool can be directly equated to times of intense frustration and a lack of understanding on my part in how to provide myself with a skill set which would enable me to arrive at a position of professional confidence and comfort regarding the when, how and why of using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a teaching and learning tool.
International research on effective pedagogy using ICT has sought to increase teachers' capacity to make informed choices about when and where to use ICT and to understand the implications of using this technology(ERO, 2001). The ICT professional development (PD) schools initiative can address the issues by developing teachers needs to be not only skilled but "informed and critical" (Kenway, 1995,p.57)and "empowered" users of the technology (Jones, 2001). This implies that teachers develop a way of thinking, of critically appraising, of assessing and, using a range of approaches to teaching, which includes ICT methodology(Engs, 2001).
Over the past few years, trends regarding the necessity to provide an integrated approach to developing ICT skills through school curriculum learning in New Zealand schools (ERO, 2001)and overseas; Australia (Cooper, 1996p.13) ,Canada(Collegium, 2001), England(Tearle, 1998,pp.14-16) and America (Riley, 2000,p.14)have increasingly been experimenting with integrated models of learning with IT to help address these issues. Evaluations of these programs have stressed the importance of all teachers having the appropriate IT skills and attitudes to facilitate such integrated models of learning.
The author believes that the focus has moved too rapidly from the classroom to an emphasis on on-line learning, this focus detracting from the need for practical, easy to use, curriculum focused , student-centred ICT strategies within classroom context to develop both teacher and student ICT skills.
In the same way as the New Zealand Technology Curriculum (Milne, 2001) defines the development of a shared language in technology education by teams of teachers involved in the delivery of the subject in a school by attending professional development courses together, the writer has developed a 5 stage multimedia model as part of a MA in Computing Degree through UNITEC, Auckland , New Zealand, using a software package called Illuminatus Opus to be implemented over a two year period through the ICT professional development (PD) schools initiative to encourage teachers who are part of a lead school programme within an identified geographical area to share ideas and confront difficulties collectively as they work to implement student- centred multimedia projects(Milne, 2001).
New educational tools, which drive multimedia presentations, offer educators
a unique opportunity to design ICT focused learning environments using multimedia
to encourage synergy between ICT skills and New Zealand Curriculum learning
outcomes through student- centred multimedia projects. These multimedia environments
can lead to greater interest which, in turn, can lead to greater understanding
which in turn leads to greater success in defining and developing ICT strategies
that involve the learner(Combs, 1999). Recent literature research regarding
the use of multimedia as a teaching tool indicates that teachers need to move
through different stages of ICT proficiency and need to understand that the
introduction of ICT into the classroom changes the dynamics of the classroom
and impact on classroom management(Hill, 2000, p19). This suggests a definite
paradigm shift in approach to teaching and teacher attitudes towards the use
of ICT in the classroom. This research project will attempt to provide a teaching
model to assist teachers in making the paradigm shift from what research (Eadie,
2000) , (Riley, 2000,p.4), (Tearle, 1998,p.13) indicates as the 'traditional'
approach to classroom teaching to an approach that acts as a catalyst for changing
teaching and learning in New Zealand classrooms by supporting teachers in their
efforts to design and implement student-centred projects wherein students demonstrate
their ideas, knowledge and problem solving skills through multimedia (Means
& Golan, 1998,p.1). Teachers and their trainers have long professed to aspire
to the learner-centred approach, but have done little, even in their own practice,
to dismantle the entrenched power structures which are created through limits
on the ownership of, and access to, knowledge and skills. Lack of encouragement
for students to use ICT by teachers in schools compounds the issue(Murphy &
Greenwood, 1998,p.145). Students will be encouraged to experience empowering
learner-centred activities by deploying their ICT skills to generate pedagogical
resources in innovative ways that encourage problem solving skills through the
use of multimedia, a difficult challenge to teachers, but one which the writer
believes will be beneficial for teacher educators as part of their teaching
tools(Simpson, Payne, Munro, & Lynch, 1998).
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Patrick Baker |
This paper describes an on going program initiated by Prof. Edna Aphek and carried
out at the Alon School in MateYehuda, in Israel.
The program aims at minimizing the intergeneration gap and the digital divide by having elementary school children tutor seniors at computer and internet skills and at the same time write together with the seniors a digital "mini ebook" based on a chapter from the senior's personal history.
The rationale of the program:
1.The Hi -Tech information oriented society is a society, which places much
emphasis on the new and the changing. In such a world the past looses its importance.
The voices of past knowledge and experience become obsolete and the chasm between
the generations, the old generation and the young ones, becomes insurmountable
2.The new technologies have created a new situation, rather unknown in human history. A situation wherein young children master a skill much needed by adults in general and seniors in particular. In the new Hi-Tech world, where children speak the new language of the Information Technologies as their mother tongue, it would be most fitting to put their mastery to good use and train them to teach this new language to Senior Citizens, those unacquainted with the language of the computer and the internet.
3. Knowledge endangered: the dire need for preserving knowledge at risk of
disappearance
Precious knowledge is stored in the heads of senior citizens. Many seniors are
"walking treasures" of history, of folk art (their art work) and of
music about to disappear.
Project objectives:
The project aims at combining the vast experience and knowledge of the seniors
with the mastery of computer and internet skills of the young ones, thus fostering
new social interactions and minimizing the generation and digital divide.
Project history
The project started in 1998 at the Alon school, in Mate Yehuda. In this program children ages 9-13 tutor seniors at computer and internet skills, and together, the young teachers and their old learners write an electronic book describing a chapter in the personal history of the senior tutee. Thus, the element of reciprocity, wherein children tutor the seniors at computer and the IT and learn from the seniors about the past, becomes a key element in this project.
a. The model
The model, developed in light of our work 1998-2001 is a tri-stage model: The
preparatory stage, the activity itself and summary- evaluation and assessment.
I. The preparatory stage: (pre- teaching)
Young teachers:
Training in tutoring skills: breaking down a topic into sub- topics, learning
communication skills, acceptance of the other, distancing oneself from prejudice
and stereotypes, being patient and tolerant of lack of knowledge and slow pace,
criticizing and encouraging a learner.
seniors
A preparatory session with the seniors giving them some background about the
history of the internet and its components.
II.The activity itself: 10 weeks.
Meeting once a week, for 3 consecutive hours.
5 weeks: tutoring the seniors at computer and internet skills.
5 weeks: writing together an E BOOK, a computerized version of a chapter in
the personal history of the senior.
This stage includes: searching the internet, encyclopedias, books.
Scanning- pictures, documents, art work etc. all connected to the seniors past
history
Recording: recording what went on in the session by both the "young teacher"
and his/her tutee.
Reflecting over the session: each session ends with a discussion with all the
participants as to their feelings and suggestions for improving the process
III. evaluation and reassessment
On- going evaluation of the program, and reassessment at two major points:
At the end of first 5 weeks and at the end of the entire program.
The Ebooks: sample material
As previously mentioned, a key issue in the program is the co-writing of a"mini-
ebook", based on a chapter in the personal history of the partcipating
senior.
All the seniors who participated in the project this year wrote "mini ebooks"
based on their past history. Most of the seniors chose stories connected to
major events in their life.
The children were learning history from living resources, and they were taking
part in its recording.They were fascinated, captivated by the personal element
of the stories and at times extatic about their new role as "history writers".
1.A chapter from an ebook
written by ZIP 65+ and Y. a boy in 6th grade.
Chapter I : The Nurse
Jerusalem, 1936. It's the time of the MEORAOT : shootings and acts of terror.
We live in a southern neighborhood, not far from Beit Zafafa.
My mother went to a hospital in the city ( Jerusalem) to have me delivered.
Inlight of the shooting, getting to Hadassa Hospital on Mount Scopus, was impossible.
A maternity ward was set up in the center of the city, and there I was born-MAZAL TOV ( congratulations-Hebrew)
Fifteen minutes after my mother gave birth to me, a red headed baby girl, a terrorist's head appeared in the window.
My mother paniced. Her hands were paralyzed.
My father went looking for a nurse in Beith Zafafa.
Y, who has been working with z. was stupefied : why didn't they give you a formula and that's it? He asked, why go and look for a nursing woman? Z. gave Y. a lesson in history. She told him about the very many things that abound nowadays, but which didn't exist sixty + years ago.
Debunking prejudice
The work of the children with the seniors helps debunk unfounded myth and prejudice.
The Israeli society is a very torn society. Its torn between religious and non-religious
Jews, Jews and non -Jews, Ashkenazi and Sepharadic Jews, young and old and the
very young ones and seniors.
In such a deep situation of rift and alienation, there is a danger that each
party will close itself to the other parties, become intolerant and prejudiced
of other parties.
Volunteering and giving to other segments in population, helps mending the rift
and preventing the growth of prejudices. Getting to know the other through giving
and receiving- learning from the Third Agers about their personal history-helped
in creating a common denominator and a real dialogue as well as to the debunking
of prejudices.
We asked the "young teachers" what they thought about the Third Agers
prior to working with them and how their view of the seniors changed in light
of their work. Here are some of their comments:
The advantages of learning from Children
We wanted to learn from the seniors whether there was any advantage in learning
computer and internet skills from young children, or it was just a nice gimmick.
We decided to ask our "old learners" about this.
Here are some of their answers:
Q. what's the advantage of having children as tutors?
Summary and discussion
The success of this program stems from the following guiding principles:
1. Mindful Use of Technology
When a new technology becomes prevailing it brings about many changes: changes
in ways of thinking, in methods and tools for thinking and in social processes
and structures.
We often hear that the new Information Technologies are responsible for the
digital divide and as such increase the ever- widening gaps in society.
This paper describes the opportunity to minimize the gaps in society by using
these very technologies. I maintain that mindful use of the IT, based upon value
oriented pedagogic approach focusing upon volunteering, cooperation and the
acceptance of the other, will give us the tools to bridge societal gaps, create
new caring communities and establish innovative models of closeness as opposed
to individualism and alienation.
2. Careful preparation work
From our work 1998-2001, we learnt that there was much need for thorough and
careful preparation work, to be done with the "young teachers" prior
to the actual teaching itself, during the teaching and an in depth summation
session.
3. Reciprocity is a key element
A good program is a program in which people are both giving and receiving.
Both parties children and seniors, function both as teachers and as learners.
The children tutor the seniors at computer and internet skills and the seniors
teach the young ones a lesson in history. The children and the seniors write
together a computerized chapter based on the personal history of the senior
tutored. Together they surfed the Internet in their quest for information; together
they scanned pictures from albums and documents archives, related to the senior's
life story.
The seniors don't function only as receivers of technological skills mastered
by the young ones, but they are also contributors to the "young teachers"
from their vast knowledge and experience.
Reciprocity was and is manifested in many ways in this program.
M. a fifth grade pupil, had the following to say:
" I had a lot of emotional difficulties this year. But my "old lady"
listened to me and "fixed" my head.
Each meeting with her was like walking into a beautiful land"..
When we started out the project in 1998 we thought that the main beneficiaries
from the project would be the seniors: they would be tutored at computer and
internet skills.
For two first years 1998-2000 we limited the scope of the program to teaching
by the children of these aforementioned skills. After the first two years we
realized how much the children were to gain from this program and we expanded
its scope to include a lesson in history and a lesson in reciprocity.
A folk saying maintains, and I am quoting rather freely, that when an old person
dies, an entire library is set on fire.
In this program libraries are saved and the young children become the curators
of libraries endangered.
|
Prof. Edna Aphek |
It is freely accessible via VADS (the Visual Arts Data Service "providing, preserving and promoting digital resources for Research, Learning and Teaching") at:
http://www.vads.ahds.ac.uk/
Click 'search collections' in the left-hand column, then 'Exeter Cathedral' in the right-hand column. (The temporary 'pop-up window' will shortly be removed when the site is directly hosted at VADS.)
The interactive web-site will interest medievalists; art historians; architects;
lovers of Gothic cathedrals, sculpture and polychromy and anyone who would like
to know the often spectacular medieval carvings in Exeter Cathedral, Devon,
England.
The web-site will also interest anyone with funding for production of a similar
site relating words and images, for Tell Communications, who made the website
to my specification, can re-use or modify the template we designed. This template
could be simply modified to suit any discipline relating words and images: art,
illustration, geology, archaeology, medicine, history, etc .
The Navigation Buttons enable you easily to move from anywhere to anywhere else
on the site:
CATHEDRAL MAP gives access to catalogue descriptions and images of all the major objects treated.
SIMPLE SEARCH is self-explanatory.
CONTENTS is possibly the simplest way into the material.
CATALOGUE provides a complete, visual and verbal explanatory record of figurative medieval bosses, corbels and labelstops (with a few other interior carvings) which are an integral part of the medieval interior construction of the Cathedral.
INTRODUCTION contextualises the sculptures in the architectural history of the building.
IMAGES gives access to (clickable) thumbnails of all the treated objects in each cathedral area.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and FOOTNOTES provide the usual scholarly infrastructure.
Tell Communications' production of the web-site in accordance with my Specification was funded by a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship: without the imaginative support of the Leverhulme Trust the site could not have been built.
|
Avril K. Henry |
Discussion boards are often seen as an extension of the traditional classroom, however it is our contention that the true potential of this medium is in extending the learning space in new and different ways. Adopting the concept of the virtual sphere as a 'third space' (Rheingold, 1994) enables us to see the discussion board not as a teaching tool but as an enabler, extending the learning space by allowing dialogue and reflection to take place beyond the physical time/space constraints of the classroom walls.
Skills that students have acquired through earlier study, work or life experience are now applied in a higher learning setting compatible with a constructivist approach to learning, providing an environment in which the learner can "actively construct an internal representation of knowledge by interacting with the material to be learned" (Sherry, 1996, p.4). This in turn allows educational designers to create opportunities for students to develop skills according to the capabilities-driven graduate profiles that industry now requires (Denning, 2001), including the ability to:
In many programmes of postgraduate study students are encouraged to:
Entering the classroom environment for the first time, the student is situated in a personal space, hopefully attuned to their own means-end rationality but not yet a part of a community of learners. Whilst the traditional classroom setting can lead to engagement and foster community building, the teacher must be cognisant of pre-determined learning outcomes, which students are expected to achieve. In other words, the teacher is facilitating the acquisition of meaning. Learning activities that engage the learner and provide support, offering opportunity for discursive interaction can be used to achieve these outcomes and can include framing of tasks into a real world context (Laurillard, 1993). Students gain understanding through discussion and can then grasp meaning, integrate relevant language, signs and symbols, act upon this in the real world to understand content and gain frequent feedback. In this setting, teachers align learning objectives to performances of understanding in assessment through their teaching methods.
The asynchronous nature of discussion boards allows time for reflection and the dissociation from time and space (Rheingold, 1994). The discussion board can provide an opportunity to build a learning model for enquirers who seek to create a dialectic and reflective learning network of like-minded individuals that goes beyond the limitations of the physical classroom. Yet our own research leads us to conclude that treating the discussion board as an extension of the classroom, rather than seeing it as extending the learning space, is a limiting factor in the success of online discussion boards. Three representative studies describing the nature and qualities of posts to online discussions in a tertiary setting were reviewed (Joyce, Williamson, & Nodder, 2001; MacKinnon, 2000; Pena-Shaff, Martin, & Grey, 2001). All three studies produced similar definitions, which tended to rate as positive the same characteristics. More importantly, the three studies attached negativity to certain postings that were considered to be off-topic and therefore, one supposes, did not lead towards the expected learning outcomes for the group. However, Freire (1972) argued that learning is itself a reflective process and it is dialogue (regardless of topicality) that is central to this reflection. Grundy (1987) describes a model defining curriculum as:
Where 'product' refers to control of the learning environment for the achievement of pre-determined outcomes; 'practice' is based on a consensus of understanding where learners are able to take appropriate actions and learning is relevant and meaningful and; 'praxis' is action and reflection informed by self and others. The three studies reviewed all place their emphasis on the communication of meaning, hence the relative valuing and devaluing of different posting qualities. Focus on meaning causes the facilitator to devalue any discussion that is seen as irrelevant or off-topic. However, if we transfer our focus from practice to praxis, it becomes the dialogue itself and the role of such dialogue in facilitating the reflective process that is important. According to Habermas (1987), the acquisition of knowledge and socialisation of the individual within a group requires that authentic debate take place. In this context, 'authentic' means that such debate assumes the veracity of Habermas' four validity claims, such that interaction should accord with them. In the context of the discussion board, this means that we see a process of student and facilitator moving beyond a teleological, means-end rationality to become socialised within the group and then become comfortable presenting their own subjective viewpoint. Ultimately the members of the group reach an understanding and coordinate their actions by way of mutual agreement through discursive action and reflection.
In this environment, the role of the facilitator becomes not one of facilitating the acquisition of meaning, since this is aligned with pre-conceived learning outcomes, but a facilitator of the process itself. The facilitator is not assessing what is said, rather how it is said and becomes reflexive to group postings. Further, postings that would previously be considered off topic can now be viewed as an opportunity to remove distortions that exist in the group and as having the potential to lead to useful outcomes through a process of scaffolding dialogue and reflection amongst the group. Such postings are no longer perceived as negative but in fact can be powerful catalysts to enhance group learning in an environment where the group mediates dialogue. The value of such dialogue is two-fold, firstly in shifting the locus of power from the teacher to the group in such a way that the group becomes a community of learners responsible for their own learning and secondly by providing a forum that not only enhances classroom learning but which actually extends the learning space beyond it.
References
|
Andy Williamson Carolyn Nodder |
Background
During August, several graduate degree programs were taught, we as lecturers,
and students both are the top of some elementary schools’ teachers in the
information education. The emphasis was the web technology for developing instructional
websites. Snatching the opportunity, we did a research on how them understood
the advanced learning technology in the one of classes. The outcome was very
interesting.
The level of students
During the research, our first there questions aimed at acquainting the level
of teachers in the English and computer field. We distributed 20 questionnaires,
17 copies came back. The outcome was as followed (everyone can select one from
four options):
1. Computer Field
a. Can complete routine operation in the PC (such as using CD-ROM, knowing how to create, copy, paste& save files, use mouse with click& double click, switching with English and Chinese input): 29%
b. Can expertly use common software (such as Word, Powerpoint, IE browser) and setup & uninstall software: 59%
c. Can use common professional applications (such as Dreamweaver, Flash): 6%
d. Can expertly use common professional applications (such as setup a website with Dreamweaver etc.): 6%
2. English Field
a. Jackaroo: 18%
b. Know: 65%
c. Expert: 12%Blank: 6%
From outcome we can know most of them have several knowledge in the English and computer, and most aren’t experts in each field of them.
The Research
The other questions were concern of the viewpoints of students in the advanced
learning technology:
3. Which field more probably students implement with technology or software
(such as ASP\CGI\PHP\Perl\Dreamweaver\Flash):
a. Instruction: 6%
b. Assistant instruction: 41%
c. Other: 41%Blank: 12%
4. Attention the field of the advanced learning technology:
Conclusion
According to the attitude of elementary schools’ teachers, we can decide
what kinds of advanced learning technology them want, to what level, how to
teach them, and what kinds of advanced learning technology we should develop.
|
Hai Zhang |
Abstract
As distance education technology advances, mandates for accessibility and appropriate instructional design for instructors and learners with special needs are shifting our perceptions to this critical area. This paper presents a distance education American Sign Language (ASL) pilot course designed to begin to address this need by blending the Internet, videoconferencing and newly created ASL streaming video learning objects developed specifically for the course.
Introduction and Background
There are nearly 20 million deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States and 500 million worldwide. More than 43 million Americans have one or more physical or cognitive disabilities. Historically, society has tended to isolate and segregate individuals with disabilities, and, despite some improvement, such forms of discrimination against individuals with disabilities continue to be a serious, pervasive and persisting problem.
The Americans with Disabilities Act, the Telecommunications Act, Section 508 of the 1998 Rehabilitation Act Amendments and the Workforce Reinvestment Act mandate that we address technology accessibility and curriculum design. A summer 2001, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) ASL distance education pilot course, utilized the blended technologies of the Internet, videoconferencing and newly created ASL streaming video learning objects, to begin to address this need.
UWM currently has the strongest program in Wisconsin for teaching ASL as a foreign language. All of the teachers are native ASL users, certified by the National Certifying body of the ASL Teachers Association. UWM initiated the ASL pilot course and extended it to a site at The Pyle Distance Education and Conference Center. Instructional Communications Systems (ICS), University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX), located in The Pyle Center, worked closely with UWM in all project phases and was responsible for the videoconferencing training. Funding from the University of Wisconsin System was used to develop and archive the streaming video learning objects, for use in the course and for eventual sharing nationally and internationally.
Project
The project involved a three-phase process: Phase I - Instructor Design and Preparation, Phase II - Implementation, Monitoring and Assessment and Phase III - Analysis of Findings and Implications for Practice.
Phase I - The focus of the course was on: 1) the natural acquisition of ASL as a conversational language, 2) a knowledge of aspects of the Deaf Culture and 3) everyday communication practices as demonstrated by American deaf people. Blackboard CourseInfo was chosen as the Web management and discussion technology and videoconferencing was selected as the major instructional technology. Streaming video was selected for the creation and archiving of the learning objects.
ICS developed and implemented an initial meeting with personnel involved in the course and an Orientation Training Workshop for the deaf instructor, site coordinator, and evaluator. The course was scheduled in the UWM catalog and sites were selected on the Milwaukee campus and at The Pyle Center in Madison. A brochure was developed to promote the course and ASL sign language interpreters were hired for the training sessions and the first class session. The interpreters assisted the trainers in both understanding and clarifying any questions or concerns.
The course timeline began in March 2001 with the course setup and training. The course ran for seven, three-hour sessions during the university summer session. The timeline will end in June, 2002 with a data analysis summary and the final report.
Phase II - A required ASL text and videotape formed the course framework and an extensive management and discussion Web site was developed. Streaming video learning objects of the instructor signing ASL words and phrases were produced and archived on the course Web site for learner review and rehearsal. A comprehensive evaluation system was developed that included: surveys, observations, learning assessment (quizzes, journals, and papers,) and a software program, integrated to provide evaluation statistics. The staff included: a deaf instructor, site coordinator and evaluator and two hearing videoconferencing/evaluation experts. Eight learners participated in Milwaukee and six in Madison.
Phase III - This Phase is still in progress. Preliminary course feedback resulted in the following:
An analysis of all of the evaluation tools will appear in the final report in June, 2002.
Implications for Practice
This course was a unique experience and broke new ground for distance learning. A number of challenges presented themselves and were resolved to produce positive results. Selected implications for practice included: 1) the need to change room configurations at both sites from that of traditional tables and chairs, with the instructor in front, to chairs (without arms) in semi-circles. The instructor was often a part of the semi-circle; 2) keeping camera pre-sets and camera movement to a minimum. We discovered that excessive visual movement was disorienting to the deaf instructors, perhaps because of their sensitivity to the visual world. Shots also needed to include enough room for body movement and arm extension, yet be close enough for facial expressions (facial expressions and body movement play a critical part in sign language;) 3) considering color and contrast. Instructors chose to wear black so that their clothing would contrast with their hands and arms, allowing the signs to be more clearly visible to the learners. 4) for the most part, eliminating microphones. Microphones were on mute for the full course, except during the training sessions, the first class session orientation and when noise was necessary to change the site view for taping purposes.
American Sign language is highly visual and interactive and, therefore, an excellent type of content for videoconferencing. Interaction took place on many levels: 1) instructor to learner, 2) learner to learner (between sites and within sites,) 3) instructor to instructor and 4) learner and instructor to technology and materials. The use of the blended technologies of the Web, videoconferencing and streaming video were excellent component tools for this course and worked well together to provide an in-depth learning experience.
One of the major benefits of being involved with the course was that of learning about the rich culture of the deaf community, the refined sensibility of those in the deaf culture and their wonderful humor.
Next Steps
As we progress toward the closure of this project we will continue to: work on the final project report, develop articles and presentations for the dissemination of the findings and work with the University of Wisconsin CO Lab to archive the learning objects for use nationally and internationally.
Bios
Dr. Rosemary Lehman is Senior Outreach/Distance Education Specialist at Instructional
Communications Systems (ICS), University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) at the
Pyle Center, Madison, WI. Rosemary holds a Masters in Communications/Television
and a Ph.D. in Distance Education/Adult Learning. She is the author of The Essential
Videoconferencing Guide: 7 Keys to Success (1996 and 2001, ICS, UWEX, Madison,
WI) and the owner/editor of the electronic newsletter, DESIEN. Rosemary has
29 years of experience in media production, design elements, training, materials
publication, conference coordination and conference presentations both nationally
and internationally. Rosemary is a member-at-large of the UCEA Futures and Change
Community of
Practice.
Dr. Simone Conceição is an Instructional Design/Technology Consultant for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) School of Education, and holds a Masters in Adult and Continuing Education and a Ph.D. in Distance Education/Educational Technology. She recently co-authored 147 Practical Tips for Teaching Online Groups: Essentials of Web-Based Education, (2000, Atwood Press, Madison, WI). Simone works with faculty providing training and consultation on instructional design and educational technology and has researched and contributed to many areas of good practice in online environments, as well as presented at numerous conferences nationally and internationally.
|
Dr. Rosemary M. Lehman Dr. Simone Conceição |
Overview
Computers and related technologies are now in schools across the world. Education policy efforts related to Instructional Technology include the integration of technology in curriculum standards and sometimes make technology skills a separate standard for students to achieve. As the focus on technology expands, policy makers and educators are asking researchers in educational practice to provide the data for thoughtful decision making on the use of technology for learning. At this time the decision-making is often hampered by the lack of adequate research, although there is considerable work from previous years to guide future study.
Many variables affect children's experiences with computers (Sutton, 1991). Access to computers at home and school, and socialization factors, such as differential expectations for males and females, equity issues at home or at school where children often have unequal access to or experiences with computers depending on their gender, age, race, economic status and type of school they attend and children's attitudes about computers and skills related to computer based technology are important variables to consider in understanding children's thinking about computer technology (Levin, Bary; 1997). This study looked at several variables relating to students' attitudes toward computers and especially Turkish children's attitudes toward computers. The focus of the study is on Turkish children because there has not been much research done in Turkey on this issue.
Computer Attitudes Research
A review of literature reveals that research in this area has been fragmented and sparse because of its recency. In a broad based assessment of computer literacy Smith (1986) examined eighth and eleventh grade students across Minnesota. While the researchers found generally positive attitudes toward computers among students, they concluded that many students lacked confidence in their ability to deal with and use computers. Research relating to computer usage and accessibility may provide information from which computer attitudes can be inferred. In a survey of research related to inequities in opportunities for computer literacy Onderson, Welch and Harris (1984) found disparities in usage and access to computer training. These inequities related to wealth; community size; region; gender; and race. Lack of access and opportunity for computer training would seem to imply attitudes that the poor, minorities and females are less suited to training in computer usage than are middle and upper income, Caucasian males. In a study of the impact of microcomputers in three geographically distinct school districts, Sheingold (1981) found differential access to computers, which are both planned (achievement determined access) and unplanned male dominant enrollment in classes).
Method
In this study data was collected from 481 Turkish Elementary second, third and forth graders using a computer attitudes survey. The study was conducted in four elementary schools in Izmir, Turkey. Two of the schools had computer labs as well as computers in some of their classes.
The Computer Attitudes Survey was administered by the class teacher to students without the interference of a third person researcher/ survey administrator. Students are asked by their teachers to give their own answers and they are ensured that the survey is not a test to measure their performance. The survey is composed of items that are taken from similar questionnaires that were developed by educators and researchers previously, translated and adopted to Turkish language. The survey is first developed in English and then translated back to Turkish. The survey that is in Turkish is then translated back to English by two English- Turkish teachers to check the clarity of meaning in items. Moreover the survey items were adapted to the level of elementary school children and developed in order to cover the range of meanings included with the concept of attitude.
The survey items came from previously developed surveys such as A scale of Children's Attitudes to Computers (reliability: 0.82) (Todman, File; 1990), Young children's Computer Inventory (reliability: 0.78) (Miyoshita, Knezek, 1992) and also Computer Attitude Scale (reliability: 0.81) (Shashaani, 1992).
Results
A total of 481 students (Males: 233 Females: 225 Missing: 23) between ages 7 and 10 with an age mean of 8.73 and a standard deviation of .823 filled out the survey. 60% of students knew how to use computers and 34% had computers at home. According to the independent t-tests conducted, there is not a significant difference between males and females in their attitudes toward computers (p=. 719, t=-. 360). A factor that made a difference in student's perceptions is found to be age. Children who are older tended to have more positive attitudes toward computers (F= 4.260 p=. 006 with 3 and 449 degrees of freedom). Moreover children who had access to computers at home and/or at school had significantly more positive attitudes toward computers (t=4.192 p=. 000 with 437 degrees of freedom). 58% of the children reported that their teachers and 66% reported that their parents encouraged them to use computers. The alpha reliability coefficient for the survey was .71.
Conclusion
The children see themselves as computer users now and express the belief that they will be computer users in the future. It has become a necessity to understand children's attitudes toward computers to use this technology efficiently and also to help students achieve higher levels. According to this analysis, access is a significant factor for positive attitudes toward computers. Access has also been found to be one of the major determinant for positive attitudes in other studies conducted with other populations. For future, this research needs to be expanded across cultures and repeated on a regular basis to assess whether or how attitudes change overtime.
References
|
Ipek Yildir |
We are teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at a small liberal arts college in rural Japan. We have been designing and implementing web-based courses, conducted in computer laboratories, that attempt to concurrently introduce students to technology, expose them to environmental issues, and develop their language skills. Upon completion of these courses our students have sometimes complained, either directly or through end-of-term surveys, that they feel they are not sufficiently improving their listening and speaking skills when working with technology. In response to this feedback, this year we decided to develop and incorporate a unit specifically designed to help students improve these skills. For the sake of others wishing to create similar web-based activities, this article describes in detail the process of preparing the listening component of that unit. Also, it points out the possible advantages and disadvantages inherent in this use of technology as perceived by us as well as by our students.
As our source material, we decided to use the video "Jam Packed: The Challenge of Human Overpopulation" because it was only 25 minutes long, informative, and suited the overall environmental theme of our course. After some initial previewing activities, we played the entire video on the first day of the unit. During the following four weeks (eight total classes), the students worked intensively with eight small QuickTime® clips we created from the video. Finally, the unit concluded as students watched the video again in its entirety and gave us feedback on whether or not their comprehension of the video had improved since the beginning of the unit. We also solicited feedback and comments on the individual online listening activities.
Preparation
|
Activity |
Comments |
Hours |
|---|---|---|
|
Preview the video |
We watched the video three times in order to clearly understand its organization and scope. We began to select the segments we would later use and we came up with ideas for additional activities based on the video |
1.5 |
|
Select 8 short clips |
We viewed the video separately and then agreed on 8 clips of about 20 to 30 seconds apiece. While making our final selections, we kept three criteria in mind: 1) the content of each clip should reflect essential information of the thematic unit; 2) the clips should include a variety of speakers and speaking styles; and 3) the majority of the linguistic features of each clip should not be overly sophisticated or obscure for our intermediate-level students. |
1.5 |
|
Convert analog to digital video |
We have a video player that dubs large-format VHS video to digital videotape. We are fortunate that we have access to this equipment through our work. Even using a digital video camera and regular VCR, the cost of assembling the equipment to digitize material might be prohibitive for individuals unsupported by institutional funds. |
.5 |
|
Download the digital video to the computer |
We did this by connecting a digital video camera with a firewire to a Macintosh G3 computer. Using Apple’s I-Movie application, we downloaded the selected video clips. This was the first time we used this software so part of the time was spent on learning how to use it. Even though Apple applications claim to be intuitive and easy-to-use, the learning curve was still quite steep. |
3.0 |
|
Manipulate the digital clips |
We added titles, instructions, credits, and transitions to each clip for a more professional appearance. Parts of this step were perhaps somewhat superfluous and it is debatable whether they added anything to student learning. |
2.0 |
|
Transcribe the clips |
As we watched the clips again, we transcribed each
one exactly. This meant including features such as fillers (e.g., ah...), false starts (e.g., th...their), and grammatical mistakes (e.g.,
There is so many problems).
Such features were then addressed in the related language activities. |
1.5 |
|
Create language activities for each clip |
We converted each transcription into a cloze passage for students to fill in while listening to and manipulating the video clip. In addition, we created a variety of micro- and macro-level comprehension questions. |
4.0 |
|
Create the webpage |
This step was time consuming because we had to create a webpage design that would let students complete the language activities at the same time they were viewing the QuickTime clip. This was accomplished by using frames and embedding the video in one of the frames. We used javascript to make the language activities interactive. Once students made a selection, feedback on the correctness of the answer would appear. The script also kept score of how many correct answers the students got on the first try. Subsequent corrections after the first try were not scored. |
4.0 |
|
Total |
|
18.00 |
Using the Activity
The students surprised us with how quickly they were able to complete the listening activity the first time we tried it in class. We had estimated that it would take them at least 30 minutes to finish, but in reality, the exercises took them at most 15 minutes.
Though the scope of this module was too limited for us to attempt to measure actual improvements in students’ listening ability, we did administer a survey in order to gather student impressions about the perceived effectiveness of this type of listening activity. All 20 of our students responded to the survey and, as the results in Table 2 show, none of them were negative about the experience. The remarkably similar patterns of responses to the first and second questions suggest that students believe these activities are not only assisting them with the specific listening tasks at hand but also contributing to the broader goal of developing general listening ability. Question three was the only question that did not specifically mention the video clip listening activities and, interestingly, it received the least enthusiastic dispersion of “yes” answers. This suggests that our students, while apparently somewhat hesitant to make non-causal claims about their own listening gains, were firmer in their belief that whatever gains they were making were directly attributable to the video clip activities we prepared.
Table 2: Survey feedback questions and results
|
Question |
No |
Yes, but only a little |
Yes, some |
Yes, a lot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Did the questions help you to understand the video clips? |
0 |
2 (9.5%) |
7 (33.3%) |
11 (52.4%) |
|
2. Do you think these activities help to improve your English listening ability? |
0 |
1 (4.8%) |
7 |
12 |
|
3. Did you understand the Jam Packed video better the second time we watched it? |
0 |
4 |
12 |
4 |
|
4. Do you think the Jam Packed video clip listening activities helped you to understand the whole video better? |
0 |
1 |
9 |
10 |
We also asked open-ended questions about the advantages and disadvantages of this module. All twenty students were able to think of advantages. Ten of the comments mentioned general listening ability improvement, while four other comments such as We can stop the video whenever we want when we can’t understand or listen singled out the ability to individually manipulate the clips as an advantage. Three other students commented on the advantage of being able to simultaneously read and listen (e.g., I think the sentence that is written which people said in the video helps us to understand the main idea better), while the remaining three comments (e.g., It is fun) are best classified as “other.”
Only nine of the twenty students were able to come up with any disadvantages when prompted. Of the nine comments, four centered on the difficulty of listening to authentic English, and the remaining five comments were too diverse to classify. In class, when all twenty students accessed our server at the same time, the video clips sometimes took as long as five or six minutes to load, and this was one of the most irritating technological shortcomings of the activity from our standpoint as teachers. Surprisingly, though, only one student mentioned loading time as a disadvantage. Another student commented that We rely on written words, indicating that a minority might view the simultaneity feature (being able to read the transcript while listening) as a disadvantage rather than an advantage.
Finally, when asked if they would like to do more or less of these video clip listening activities, fifteen students answered more, five said this amount was perfect, and no one answered less. Despite the clear enthusiasm for even more listening, unlike previous semesters, we did not receive any feedback at the end of this course complaining about a lack of listening skills development. Thus, we feel that we accomplished our goal of adding a listening module to our course that is extensive enough to satisfy students but is also compact enough to allow us the time to achieve the other curricular objectives.
Is It Worth It?
To answer this question, the following must be considered: access to equipment, technological training, administrative support, and time. In our case, we had the right equipment and, although primarily self-trained and supported, we didn’t run into any technological glitches that were too big to overcome. Time, however, was a major issue: 18 hours of preparation produced only about 2 hours of actual classroom activities. Because we teach the course together we were able to divide the preparation duties in half, but they were still time consuming. On the other hand, it is likely that we will be able to use slightly modified versions of what we have created in future courses. Also, a portion of our preparation time was devoted to familiarizing ourselves with new technologies. Thus, it may have been time well spent after all.
Give It a Try
To best understand the possibilities of this technique, it might be easiest to try the finished product for yourself. You can access the video clips and their accompanying listening activities on our course website at http://www.miyazaki-mic.ac.jp/classes/spring01/sci151/home.html. The video/listening activities begin on June 7. QuickTime must be installed to view the videos.
References:
|
Katharine Isbell & Tom Mach |
Introduction
One of the biggest challenges foreign language teachers have to face today in
Latin America is the integration of the new communication technologies into
the classroom. English for Academic Purposes courses (EAP) have been offered
to professionals from various scientific fields at the National University of
Río Cuarto for many years. Since the beginning, the aim of these courses
has been teaching reading comprehension in the areas of education, social and
political sciences.
Nowadays, with the advent of new means of communication many aspects of teaching
EAP courses have changed radically. In fact, advances in new technologies have
caused changes not only in the content of the courses but also in the way, the
means and the materials used to develop them. The traditional perspective of
English for specific purposes based on teaching reading comprehension using
authentic paper-based texts taken from textbooks or journals from the student's
major area of studies had to be revised to include an emphasis on communication
skills using electronically-based texts or hypertexts from the students specialized
area of studies.
The primary purpose of this paper is to present a communication technology approach,
based on an experience carried out with university students in an EAP course.
Students needs
One of the circumstances that brought about this change of perspective was the
fact that both teachers and students realized that future professionals needed
not only the traditional four skills: reading writing, listening and speaking,
but also competence in the use of the new communication technologies. Whenever
an English-speaking teacher came to the University or new scholarships or international
internships were offered the students recognized their necessity to develop
electronic skills for oral and written communication.
In fact, their needs were widely justified by new academic and professional
requirements. Taking into account these new needs, the course goals were widened
so that they could satisfy the student's expectations. After an informal survey
among the students the following objectives were established:
Course organization
The first step was to design a course organization, which included using the
e-mail and the World Wide Web to enhance the students´ language learning
skills, to develop a variety of Web searching abilities, as well as a repertoire
of strategies and procedures that ensured the participation of all students.
On the whole, the course was organized on the assumption that by using communication
technologies learners could "interact, ask questions, provide explanations,
compare interpretations and work, with teachers, fellow students and peers in
other parts of the world toward mutual understanding" (Kern, 1996).
Activities
Regarding activities, we set up a series of technology-supported tasks for reading
and writing that could foster the development of cognitive strategies such as
exploring, searching, selecting information; socioaffective strategies such
as peer collaboration, interacting with teachers and specialists, asking for
and giving advice and help; metacognitive strategies, such as reflecting on
their tasks, monitoring their comprehension and evaluating their own progress.
The assignments included composing text-based e-mail messages and asking for
information about upcoming conferences in their area of interest. In some of
these activities the students were asked to search on the Internet updated texts
dealing with the latest advances, reports or news; in others, they sent messages
via e-mail to their teachers, classmates and even to professionals working at
universities in English speaking countries. Besides, they gave and asked for
personal information, reported on daily activities and made comments on their
main interests and hobbies.
One of the tasks that helped create a friendly working atmosphere was writing
and exchanging a biodata with their virtual correspondents. E-mail interactions
also provided the opportunity for meaningful learning through descriptions of
their own city and country, as well as comparing life-styles.
They made full use of navigation features such as hypertexts or hyperlinks that
allowed them to find the target text excerpts. In order to design their class
assignments they organized information by arranging texts in their own word
processing documents and manipulating text and graphics. Moreover, they could
also copy or save Web graphics and add them to their text-based designs. It
was also interesting to notice that students worked at their individual pace
playing an active role by interacting with resources (dictionaries, grammar
references), materials (texts, graphics, CD-ROMs) and people (classmates, professors
and off-campus professionals).
Together with their assignments students were required to keep a journal in
which they could write about their own learning process. This was a good instance
for them to monitor their difficulties, evaluate their own learning progress
and develop metalinguistic awareness.
Teachers, on the other hand, played a distinctive role in the organization of
the course. They acted as designers of more creative original activities, as
facilitators in helping to solve doubts, as well as guides in fostering collaboration
among students.
Final comments
The experience was motivating for most of the participants; the novelty of working
with the new communication technologies as well as the flavor of communicating
with people around the world fulfilled the expectations of both teachers and
students. Besides, some of the students improved their knowledge of computers,
which gave them a feeling of personal empowerment. By developing metacognitive
strategies, they gained insights in their own nature as human beings as well
as knowledge of others. Moreover, the development of new strategies for sharing
their views with classmates and teachers, and for using the new technologies
allowed them to communicate with people in other parts of the world, thus joining
a more global community. In fact, they learnt from each other and about different
peoples and cultures.
This English for Academic Purposes communication technology approach was rewarding
not only for the students who could successfully fulfill their expectations
but also for the teachers who were able to meet the new challenge.
This first experience was successful and it paved the way for further research
on telematics and language teaching.
Bibliography
|
Alba C. Loyo & Mabel R. de Magnago |
Recent developments
A lot has been said about the role of educational technology as a stimulator of real communication and, as a result, as a facilitator of language learning. It is amazing to notice how technological innovations have come to influence the teaching and learning process. In the last years, the so called "digital revolution" brought the computer into the classroom in order to support and enhance pedagogical practices. As a result, multimedia, e-mail communication, and Internet navigations are becoming more widely used in different educational levels, and are thought to have a positive effect on language education, motivating students, promoting learning, and changing classroom interaction. As Hanson-Smith pointed out, "…as computers become our new tools, we will find that the technology demands new kinds of student-teacher relations: students must become more autonomous, active learners, and teachers must relinquish some of their power and authority -not to the computer, but to the students themselves" (1997:8).
Teachers' inquiries
Educational technology, then, seems to be a well established area, closely
connected with and informed by pedagogy and educational psychology. Nevertheless,
whenever there is a need to make decisions and justify the use of technology-mediated
learning, teachers are confronted with more than one dilemma. Can technology-mediated
instruction be implemented in all learning environments? What aspects should
we take into account when designing, developing, implementing, and testing materials?
Is computer-assisted learning simply appealing and fun? Does it present any
other advantage for EFL/ESL students? Which would be the positive aspects of
self-directed learning as compared to the traditional form of instruction? With
the objectives of clarifying these points, several issues of instructional design
should be considered, and the advantages of technology-based learning and self-instruction
and their potential for influencing the classrooms of tomorrow should be discussed.
To begin with, it is important for teachers to bear in mind that when designing
instruction they should take the whole situation of teaching and learning into
account. According to Keirns (1999), instructional design has to be based upon
theoretical notions (what, where and how to teach) and practical aspects (creating,
using and testing materials). In addition, teachers should decide which learning
theories will inform their choices, how the objectives and content will determine
the use of instructional strategies, and what learner characteristics will have
an impact on design. Teachers should also be well-informed as to how to integrate
various abilities for developing materials, and as to what criteria of assessment
they can use at the evaluation stage.
These considerations show that the design and use of instructional technology
can be implemented in any course, if carefully planned and evaluated in relation
to each educational context. From my teaching experience, I have learned that
not losing sight of contextual factors contributes to define needs and positively
influences teachers' choices. Take, for instance, the case of multimedia. More
often than not, the use of this type of materials in an English for Specific
Purposes class, as the one I teach for university students, would involve a
previous design of the material, since commercialized products usually do not
address the needs of these courses. For such a situation, it is the teacher
who will be in charge of creating and implementing instructional material. At
present, there are some teachers already involved in this demanding task, which
requires specific knowledge drawn from many different fields, including technical
and practical aspects regarding the manipulation of technological tools. Fortunately,
the existence of more user-friendly programs for developing multimedia applications,
will facilitate this task and demand less effort for teachers in the near future.
Self-oriented learning through e-mail communication
When it comes to the advantages of self-instruction, there is more than one
reason to visualize technology as a facilitator of learning, especially for
advocators of a process-oriented methodology and of a constructivist, learner-centered
approach to learning. Computer technology is believed to provide students with
the means to control their learning, to construct meaning, and to monitor and
evaluate their own performance. At the same time, new technologies have the
potential of presenting information and practice opportunities in different
modes (sound, graphic and text), thus addressing a variety of learning preferences.
What is more, computer-assisted learning gives students the opportunity to have
quicker access to a great amount of information, and to interact with the content,
with the teacher, among themselves, and with other people in a truly communicative
and risk-free environment.
These reflections are thought to be relevant for all learning situations, and
to have a vital importance in the case of foreign language instruction. Recently,
I have had the possibility of implementing an e-mail communication project between
my students (learning English) and American keypals (learning Spanish). This
experience has been, in my view, extremely fruitful as regards affective factors,
linguistic development, and cultural awareness. I think that, on the whole,
both groups of students benefited from using the target language in real interactions,
achieving independence in their task, developing self-instructional strategies,
and gaining cultural knowledge.
Concluding remarks
To conclude, it is nowadays well accepted that the use of technologies enhances language learning as it offers new opportunities for better practice. However, the use of computer-based instruction should not be carried out without careful planning or theoretical support. Nor should computers be seen as a substitute for teachers. Both self instruction and technology-mediated learning have to be viewed, in my opinion, as alternative means to reinforce and improve classroom instruction. In Strommen's words, "…we believe that technology in and of itself cannot be the focus of the changes that are needed in education". He goes on to assert that "the key to success lies in finding the appropriate points for integrating technology into a new pedagogical practice" (1992:5). Almost 10 years have passed since this specialist expressed this idea, and we are still claiming for needs analysis and the continuous evaluation of instructional materials. That is to say, irrespective of how advanced and complex technological devices are, it will always be necessary to assess and justify their use for educational purposes.
References
|
Romina Picchio |
Teacher candidates often express concern with the conventional pedagogy of their methods classes, complaining of a need to see challenging, reform-oriented teaching in action (Ferdig, Hughes, Packard, & Pearson, 1998; Hughes, Packard, & Pearson, 2000). They describe instruction that is limited to articles, books and lectures about methods of teaching reading and writing (Ferdig et al., 1998). Most universities have responded to this call, supplementing students' in-class experiences with classroom observations and internships. However, even when provided with these opportunities to 'watch' pedagogy in action, pre-service teachers often fail to see (or are failed to be provided with) teaching models that align with the focus of university pre-service preparation programs (Kinzer & Risko, 1998).
In response to these concerns, we developed the Reading Classroom Explorer (RCE). Originally a CD-ROM product for the Macintosh, the current iteration of RCE is a web-based learning environment for pre-service teachers studying literacy instruction. The goal of RCE is to provide multiple opportunities for teacher candidates to develop rich understandings about teaching and learning in classrooms where diversity of pedagogical approaches and diversity of student populations are evident (Ferdig, Roehler, & Pearson, 2001). An RCE user logging into the system is provided with an opportunity to search over 300 movie clips using four different search mechanisms.
First, they may decide to search by school or "case." RCE contains movies from ten major elementary school 'cases' from throughout the United States (i.e. Hawaii, San Antonio, Harlem, and Lansing). Students may choose to watch the entire video from a case (~45-60 minutes), or they can select specific components within that full case. A second option is to select movie clips by choosing a Theme. Much like a table of contents, the themes are broad categories divided by "Teacher", "Student", "Curriculum", and "Context." Examples of themes include "Assessment", "Planning", and "Management Strategies." Users might want to search more specifically, and thus they would chose the third option of searching by Keyword. If the themes are like a table of contents, then the keywords are the index for that book. Keywords are much more specifically designated, and include words like "book clubs" and "decoding." A fourth and final way to search is to use a free-form text search, referencing text that is either in the transcripts or the general description of a clip.
Once a movie clip is selected and the title is clicked, the user is sent to a webpage that contains the video and any related information for the clip. Using Real Player, a user only has to wait 3-4 seconds for the video to begin playing-one of the major benefits of a web-based system. The transcript, related keywords and themes, links to artifacts that may appear in the clip (e.g., pictures of students' work shown in the clip), and any other related information also appear on the page. In order to stimulate further thought on the video, questions-and a notepad to s
