Another fruitful week! I enjoyed every bit of it.
What is interesting about this course is that people bring in different experiences and perspectives into the class. For instance, I know games can be fun, but I haven't really explored this area much before. But I was really inspired by the great ideas and resources my colleagues kindly shared this week. I really liked Taboo shared by Liliana and the story prediction game suggested by Colomba. Those games sound like a lot of fun! I would like to thank Gulnara and Robert for starting the wonderful discussion on games. I also had a good laugh, like Colomba did, when I watched the scene from the film, Pink Panther, "I would like to buy a hamburger". (My wife also loved it, and we decided to rent the video to see the whole thing sometime soon.) I do not have a projector in a regular classroom right now, but I am hoping to get a portable one probably next year. There seem to be a lot of interesting videos out there, including the ones at Real English.com. I should start collecting short video clips to show during my lesson. Videos are powerful and it's always nice to have a good laugh in class.
As for the final project, I started to think about things I could do after I read the past projects. I haven't used computers in class this semester, but I, together with my students, have learned to use the learning management system called Moodle. All my students are registered in the system, and they are already familiar with it. Also, my time with my students will be over in the first week of December, so it is not a good timing to introduce a new system to them. So, if it is ok, I would like to create a mini online course on Moodle. In April, I tried an international discussion forum for my students and Taiwanese students in the online course I created. It was my first attempt of this sort, and it did not, unfortunately, work as I wished. So, I would like to try one more time utilizing the things I learn through this course. I should not be too ambitious, but I would like to give it a try if allowed.
The mid-term exam is over, and I am off to mark all the exam papers!
Hi Sam, your reflections on week 3 read as nice and easy as your simply good looking blog. We use Moodle offline and I am interested in learning how can we set up an online Moodle course. I would also appreciate your comments on making blogs and wikis more exciting and interactive for learners.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Rajonder
Hi, Rajinder,
DeleteGlad to know that you use Moodle. I would like to know how you use it, but let me first share my part of the story.
I don't have knowledge about setting up a server, so the only option I had was to use a rental server off campus. But this might create a problem a problem since you will be storing information about your students outside though it is protected with passwords. I get a permission from the principal to use an outside server.
As for the activities in my Moodle course, I mainly use quizzes and forums in the blog format. I am still learning how to set up good discussions. I used Wiki once to make a list of arguments, pros and cons, which were raised in the discussion forum. It was helpful especially because discussions were messy and arguments were all over the place. Another good use of Wiki was transcription of an audio file. This is a good additional activity for advanced students who finish the required assignments quickly. I just put an audio file, and they transcribe the whole passage. Some of my students liked this challenge. And you will get a almost complete script of an audio file.
Sam
Here's the proposal I wrote to invite a Taiwanese school to join the Moodle project 6 months ago. You can see it here. If you take a look at the pages from 2 to 5, you can see what my students did using Discussion Forum, Wiki, and the results of surveys.
DeleteSam
Hello Sam,
ReplyDeleteI've noticed we both chose the same project report for reading. To my mind this project is very useful for students as well as us-teachers. I've already tried to do a kind of a project some time ago. Just that one was a bit different. Now, I think I'll try do the project again similar to the one we read about but I'll do it in a different way. Have you ever tried something like that?
I see that you are quite inventive and you do lots of interesting things at your work. In your week 3 report you wrote that you are not experienced in using games in the ELT classroom, aren't you? Do you use any CD-ROM's in the ELT classroom? They most often have enough games based on vocabulary your students are learning. Also you can try any other CD-ROM just for fun. Students like that.
Regards,
Egle
Hi, Egle,
DeleteYes, the project looked really nice. I started to use computers last year and I have been learning a lot since then. It is just nice to know how others are using computer in a language class. I liked the project because there seemed to have a lot of collaboration between students. I would like to take that idea into my future lessons, since I have been focusing maybe too much on individualization of learning by using computer.
I have never used CD-ROMs in my class. I have been using a textbook that does not have a CD-ROM. But the publishers has just started to make digitalized textbooks. I am sure they have some interactive contents including simple games. I need to learn to use them effectively very soon. Thank you for the suggestion. I will start looking what is available.
Sam
Hello Sam,
ReplyDeleteI was shocked to learn about the number of students you are teaching (at a time) from the nicenet discussion thread. It is quite amazing how you can deal with such a large group. In Moldova the English learning groups are not over 15 (in middle school and high school) and 27 (in elementary). So that we are very "spoiled" in this concern.
I wouldn't imagine playing games with large groups. That would probably take a lot of preparation and organization just to keep everybody involved.
Thank you also for mentioning moodle. I checked it out. I might want to use it at some point. :) It is good to know that such a thing exists. I thought nicenet is the only option.
I really enjoy reading your posts both on your blog and on nicenet. They are concise and to the point. Moreover there is something new to them that I learn.
Keep up your work!
Kind regards,
Liliana
Hi, Liliana,
DeleteTeaching situations are quite different from country to country, and each situation presents different challenges. You have smaller groups, but, come to think of it, I may be spoiled some other way. I really appreciate your concern, and you may be right to say that games may not work well in my situation. But I believe there is always a way to pull it out. I also believe that I should be as open as I can to different possibilities. For instance, I know Moodle works great in my situation, but familiarizing myself with other options will certainly benefit me. We have just spent only three weeks, but we learned so many things we would have never learned otherwise.
On a final note, I try to be concise on purpose when I post my comment, but I do this partly because I have no other choice. I really enjoy reading beautiful expressions some of you with profound literature background. I hope I can acquire some skills by the end of this course.
Sam
Hi Sam,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you when you write:"it;s always nice to have a good laugh in class", otherwise we would find teaching boring and our students would suffer from that.
I would also like to add that you don't need a projector to use videos in class; a computer and a TV set which can be connected to the computer with a VGA cable or a USB key will do. There are lots of interesting videos available online; I generally download mine from YouTube but the web search this week showed many other good alternatives. So, give it a try, Sam , and enjoy!
Colomba
Hi, Colomba,
DeleteThank you for the tip, but unfortunately I don't have a TV in the regular classroom. We are now planning to rebuild the school building in 5 years, and I am trying to convince everyone that we should have a TV or a projector in every classroom. (And it is not an easy task.) But I cannot wait 5 years, specially after learning so many goodies!
Sam