Hello everybody,
Well, this was our last week four our Building skills course. I can say that I feel satisfied with what I have learned in these ten weeks, and that I feel ready to put into practice the different tools and techniques we learned. I also believe that now, we are able to surf the net and find out what else we can use in our classes.
In the near future, I would like to share what I have learned in this course with my colleagues in my country. It is necessary to encourage teachers to start making a change and using technology as a resource for their classes. We have learned in this course that It is not necessary to be very skillful with computers or to have a well equipped computer lab to be able to use technology in our class. We just need their willingness to change our old patterns and engage in an effort to make things better for our students.
Finally, I would like to thank our instructors, Deborah and Sandra for giving us the chance to learn how technology can help us make the difference in our classes, and in the students lives.
Cristian
Friday, March 19, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Teacher Resources (Week9)
Hello everybody,
This week we discovered new sites which will help us a lot in designing activities for our classes. I really enjoyed learning about all these webpages and creating all kinds of exercises for the learners. The one I enjoyed the most was learning how to use hot potato, which gives the chance to create interactive exercises which the students can access any time and enjoy while learning. With this software you can create multiple choice quizzes, short answer quizzes, jumbled sentences, crosswords,matching exerces, and gap-filling exercises. It also allows the teacher to include feedback to guide the learner, and you do not have to be very skillful with computers.
One aspect that I find very important when using hot potato exercises is that it encourages the students to take control of their learning proess and that can lead to students to feel more motivated to learn. The exercises can be done over and over until the students get the answers correct, and that helps the students take control of their learning.
Now, I am looking forwar to putting all the actvities and techniques into practice with the different classes, and sharing all the information with my fellow teachers, so we can give the students more tools to be used in their learning process.
Cristian
This week we discovered new sites which will help us a lot in designing activities for our classes. I really enjoyed learning about all these webpages and creating all kinds of exercises for the learners. The one I enjoyed the most was learning how to use hot potato, which gives the chance to create interactive exercises which the students can access any time and enjoy while learning. With this software you can create multiple choice quizzes, short answer quizzes, jumbled sentences, crosswords,matching exerces, and gap-filling exercises. It also allows the teacher to include feedback to guide the learner, and you do not have to be very skillful with computers.
One aspect that I find very important when using hot potato exercises is that it encourages the students to take control of their learning proess and that can lead to students to feel more motivated to learn. The exercises can be done over and over until the students get the answers correct, and that helps the students take control of their learning.
Now, I am looking forwar to putting all the actvities and techniques into practice with the different classes, and sharing all the information with my fellow teachers, so we can give the students more tools to be used in their learning process.
Cristian
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Learner Autonomy and One-Computrer Classroom (Week 8)
Hello,
This week we learned about learner autonomy and one-computer classroom. Nowadays, many teachers talk about the need to encourage the students to take responsibility for their own learning, but we do not have give them the tools they need in order to take that responsibility and become autonomous learners. Students come to our classes with the motivation and the desire to learn a new language, but after a while, they feel frustrated and feel that they cannot achieve their goal. As Dimitrios Thanasoulas states in the article "What is Learner Autonomy and How Can It Be Fostered," motivation plays an important part in the learning of a language, but there are other aspects that we have to take into account. For example, we have to teach the students different learning strategies for them to succeed in learning the language.
This week we also learned about some activities and ideas that we can use in a one-computer classroom. There are different activities teachers can use to get the students involved in a one-computer classroom. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we just need some creativity to explore the different uses we can do to technology in our classes. I liked all the ideas presented by my colleagues taking this course in their lesson plans. Most of them are easy to use and I think that we can adapt them to our classes.
Cristian
This week we learned about learner autonomy and one-computer classroom. Nowadays, many teachers talk about the need to encourage the students to take responsibility for their own learning, but we do not have give them the tools they need in order to take that responsibility and become autonomous learners. Students come to our classes with the motivation and the desire to learn a new language, but after a while, they feel frustrated and feel that they cannot achieve their goal. As Dimitrios Thanasoulas states in the article "What is Learner Autonomy and How Can It Be Fostered," motivation plays an important part in the learning of a language, but there are other aspects that we have to take into account. For example, we have to teach the students different learning strategies for them to succeed in learning the language.
This week we also learned about some activities and ideas that we can use in a one-computer classroom. There are different activities teachers can use to get the students involved in a one-computer classroom. As I have mentioned in previous posts, we just need some creativity to explore the different uses we can do to technology in our classes. I liked all the ideas presented by my colleagues taking this course in their lesson plans. Most of them are easy to use and I think that we can adapt them to our classes.
Cristian
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Large Classes and Interactive PowerPoint (Week 7)
Hello,
This week, we read about how to make student-center classes and use interactive PowerPoint. I am not used to working with large classes, but many of the activities mentioned in the readings can be applied to small groups as well. The use of pair, group activities gives the students the chance to interact with their classmates as well with the teacher in a more personal way. The use of technology like a PPT can also help to get students' attention in the class, but we learned this week that we have to make the PPT interactive. We have to include relevant information and give time for the students to process that information. We have to be careful not to include all the information in the presentation because it will make the students focus only on the presentation rather than the teacher. Besides, there is not much to say if you have included everything on the slides.
I have used PPT in my classes a few times, but must admit that they were not interactive. I had not the chance to explore all the benefits that this tool has for our classes. This week we learned how to make an interactive PPT and how to use it for large classes. As I said before, it is a gfreat tool to use not only with large classes, but also with small ones. If used properly, we can bring many activities for the class. We can do interactive games, quizzes, review of vocabulary, pre and post reading activities, etc.
We are getting close to finish the course, but all the learning experience is changing and will continue to change the way I used to see the incorporation of technology in my classes. I am looking forward to share some of this information with my peers and continue to encourage teachers to use technology in their classes as well.
Cristian
This week, we read about how to make student-center classes and use interactive PowerPoint. I am not used to working with large classes, but many of the activities mentioned in the readings can be applied to small groups as well. The use of pair, group activities gives the students the chance to interact with their classmates as well with the teacher in a more personal way. The use of technology like a PPT can also help to get students' attention in the class, but we learned this week that we have to make the PPT interactive. We have to include relevant information and give time for the students to process that information. We have to be careful not to include all the information in the presentation because it will make the students focus only on the presentation rather than the teacher. Besides, there is not much to say if you have included everything on the slides.
I have used PPT in my classes a few times, but must admit that they were not interactive. I had not the chance to explore all the benefits that this tool has for our classes. This week we learned how to make an interactive PPT and how to use it for large classes. As I said before, it is a gfreat tool to use not only with large classes, but also with small ones. If used properly, we can bring many activities for the class. We can do interactive games, quizzes, review of vocabulary, pre and post reading activities, etc.
We are getting close to finish the course, but all the learning experience is changing and will continue to change the way I used to see the incorporation of technology in my classes. I am looking forward to share some of this information with my peers and continue to encourage teachers to use technology in their classes as well.
Cristian
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Project (Week 6)
During the last weeks we have been working on different tasks to complete our final project for the course. The idea is to start using a technology tool or technique that is new in our classes. My idea was to cerate a class blog and WebQuests for my Literature Class. This is what the students are expected to do: They have to read the novel The Old Mand and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. After reading the story, they have to create a new beginning in which they have to say what happened to the main characters before the actual beginning of the book.
In the webQuest, I give the students different tasks and links for them to better understand the novel. I also included a link to an animated movie that narrates the story in about twenty minutes. After watching this movie, they are expected to complete the tasks. They have to identify the elements of the story using the online Literary Elements Mapping in the following link: http://wwwreadwritethink.org/fils/resources/interactives/lit-elements , answer some questions with a classmate and come prepared to discuss in class, identify three main themes of the story, and finally write the new beginning of the story. When all the stories are completed, the students will present their new chapter to the class.
These are the ieas that I wanted toshare with you about my final project. I am looking forward to receiving your feedback.
Cristian
In the webQuest, I give the students different tasks and links for them to better understand the novel. I also included a link to an animated movie that narrates the story in about twenty minutes. After watching this movie, they are expected to complete the tasks. They have to identify the elements of the story using the online Literary Elements Mapping in the following link: http://wwwreadwritethink.org/fils/resources/interactives/lit-elements , answer some questions with a classmate and come prepared to discuss in class, identify three main themes of the story, and finally write the new beginning of the story. When all the stories are completed, the students will present their new chapter to the class.
These are the ieas that I wanted toshare with you about my final project. I am looking forward to receiving your feedback.
Cristian
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles (Week 6)
Hello Everybody,
This week we read some articles about Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles, and how we can use technology in our classes to include the different MI and Learning Styles. According to Gardners, we all possess different intelligences. He has classified them into nine, and he states that everybody s able to develop all of them even in a small scale. These intelligences are present in our lives since the moment we are born; however, we have a tendency to develop one or two more than the others.
I had been hearing about MI and LS for many years, but had never thought about how technology could bring to the class oportunities to address the different learning styles. I always thought about auditory and visual activities using the tape recorder and/or video in class and I was not paying attention to the kinesthetic and visual learners. This week, I discovered that it it is possible to address all the MI with the use of technology inour classes.
Another article we read this week was about teaching large classes. I found the activities in this article extremely interesting because that is a common problem teachers and students face in my country. Most of the activities are easy to do and help the teachers get all the students invlolved in the classes. Finnan and Shaw also present some ideas on how to enhance lecture-style classes to promote studnets' learning. Among the ideas presented, the ones I found more helpful are the use of different material other than the textbook, to establish a routine in the class so it always follow a logical order, and students are aware of that order, and the the combination the class with pair and groupd work to promote collaboration in class.
The task for this week was to create a rubric or an alternative assessment tool to share it with the participants. I had been using rubrics for my classes for some time and I think it makes the assessment process easier for th eteacher and clearer for the students. I usually give the rubric to the students in advance so they know what it is expected for them to do. It is not easy to make rubrics, but it is important to know exactly what we are going to evaluate from students' work or performance.
Cristian
This week we read some articles about Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles, and how we can use technology in our classes to include the different MI and Learning Styles. According to Gardners, we all possess different intelligences. He has classified them into nine, and he states that everybody s able to develop all of them even in a small scale. These intelligences are present in our lives since the moment we are born; however, we have a tendency to develop one or two more than the others.
I had been hearing about MI and LS for many years, but had never thought about how technology could bring to the class oportunities to address the different learning styles. I always thought about auditory and visual activities using the tape recorder and/or video in class and I was not paying attention to the kinesthetic and visual learners. This week, I discovered that it it is possible to address all the MI with the use of technology inour classes.
Another article we read this week was about teaching large classes. I found the activities in this article extremely interesting because that is a common problem teachers and students face in my country. Most of the activities are easy to do and help the teachers get all the students invlolved in the classes. Finnan and Shaw also present some ideas on how to enhance lecture-style classes to promote studnets' learning. Among the ideas presented, the ones I found more helpful are the use of different material other than the textbook, to establish a routine in the class so it always follow a logical order, and students are aware of that order, and the the combination the class with pair and groupd work to promote collaboration in class.
The task for this week was to create a rubric or an alternative assessment tool to share it with the participants. I had been using rubrics for my classes for some time and I think it makes the assessment process easier for th eteacher and clearer for the students. I usually give the rubric to the students in advance so they know what it is expected for them to do. It is not easy to make rubrics, but it is important to know exactly what we are going to evaluate from students' work or performance.
Cristian
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Project Based Learning and WebQuest (Week 5)
Dear friends,
Another week has gone so fast, and I am happy to have accomplished my goals. This week we learned about the use of PBL and webQuests in our classes to help the students become autonomous. I had never heard about PBL before this week, but I have to say that I certainly think that the students can benefit with the implementation of it in our schools. One of the aspects I like the mosrt about PBL is that students work together to accomplish a goal. It creates a sense of community in the classroom; the members of the groups play different roles, but everyone is working for the same purpose. I would recommend my colleagues to start using it in the classes.
The second reading this week was about webQuests. I had heard about them, but had no idea how or why to use them. When I first read about them, I thought it was going to be really difficult and time consuming. I was afraid I was not going to be able to use create one or to use them in my classes. But at the end of the week, after checking many sites giving unformation and presenting different webQuests, I decided it was time to make mine. I discovered that it is not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Yes, it is time consuming because you have to think about the different activities and the resources the students are going to use. What I found to be the most difficult part was the evaluation because you have to create your rubric or customize one alredy done.
I also found that there are many WebQuests ready to be used in your classes. You just need to adapt them to your class needs and you do not have to spend too much time creating one. Now I am looking forward to the following weeks to develop our own projects in class.
This is the link to my WebQuest: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=52088
Cristian
Another week has gone so fast, and I am happy to have accomplished my goals. This week we learned about the use of PBL and webQuests in our classes to help the students become autonomous. I had never heard about PBL before this week, but I have to say that I certainly think that the students can benefit with the implementation of it in our schools. One of the aspects I like the mosrt about PBL is that students work together to accomplish a goal. It creates a sense of community in the classroom; the members of the groups play different roles, but everyone is working for the same purpose. I would recommend my colleagues to start using it in the classes.
The second reading this week was about webQuests. I had heard about them, but had no idea how or why to use them. When I first read about them, I thought it was going to be really difficult and time consuming. I was afraid I was not going to be able to use create one or to use them in my classes. But at the end of the week, after checking many sites giving unformation and presenting different webQuests, I decided it was time to make mine. I discovered that it is not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Yes, it is time consuming because you have to think about the different activities and the resources the students are going to use. What I found to be the most difficult part was the evaluation because you have to create your rubric or customize one alredy done.
I also found that there are many WebQuests ready to be used in your classes. You just need to adapt them to your class needs and you do not have to spend too much time creating one. Now I am looking forward to the following weeks to develop our own projects in class.
This is the link to my WebQuest: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=52088
Cristian
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
