This post has been a long time coming.... I kind of lost track of time the past few months, and for some reason, I did not have much inspiration, pure and simple. My days of being on a constant roll, of blog title headings popping up all over the place, seemed to be a thing of the past..... until just now, I caught sight of this post via my daily scoopit feed, and it immediately grabbed my attention. I knew I wanted to embed this infographic on my blog, something new and exciting and futursitic! Thanks to Learning Bytes from The Consultants-E Scoop it, I was hooked into reading the infographic below from Elearning Infographics blog. In particular one innovation regarding wearable technology struck me more than anything, the word GoPro.
K has been using his GoPro camera for a few months now. It is mounted on his motorbike and it videos some of his trips. He uses it to get feedback on how the motorbike handles over different terrains...It is an extremely useful piece of kit!
Some videos I have seen of what can be done with a GoPro are simply sensational, in particular this Around the World in 360 Degrees - 3 Year Epic Selfie video by Alex Chacon. He filmed for 600 days around the world with a GoPro on a stick. The possibilities for using this piece of wearable technology are endless!
Can you unravel the words in the wordle above, which form a motto that was repeated during the course? Answer at the end of this post!
The fantastic 7-day short introductory course on mLearning (Mobile Learning) conducted by Nicky Hockly, Director of Pedagogy of The Consultants-E has just finished. The course was hosted by SEETA. I took the course, because I was curious to learn more about what mLearning entailed. It lived up to all my expectations and I have come out of it, feeling much more confident as to its current and future implications within a teaching context. This article from Nicky's EModeration Station blog has provided some great resources connected to this topic and also helped me to understand it more: Mobile Learning-6: Six key m-learning resources.
The practical daily mLearning tasks, which were manageable, included the following:
looking at current research journals
reading carefully selected articles
viewing blogs relating to the topic matter
references to academic papers
viewing videos
learning about mLearning projects around the world
reading case studies
contributing to forum posts relevant to the topic
I liked the structured outline of the course very much as it enabled me to reflect and then exchange opinions with the rest of the group. The global participants came from a huge variety of teaching backgrounds with different skills and technology-based experience. All of us, however, were united by one common goal. We all wanted to learn and share as much as possible in the 7 days. Luckily, the course content will remain open for the forseeable future and this will allow participants to review the contents and if they wish, continue to post in the forums.
From Newbies to Techies
I considered myself a newbie regarding the use of Smartphones, iPads, iTouches, Androids and all the various "apps" that are currently available on the market. A lot of the participants already had some experience of using mobile or handheld devices in class. In this respect, it was a fantastic example of a typical mixed ability class, and a huge one at that, with over 260 people on the course!! Despite the high number of people attending, our very experienced moderator Nicky was able to handle all our different levels and needs very skillfully.
Here is a feedback summary of the course from the tutor's perspective: MOOCS, mLearning and mobseeta. Don't worry if you are asking yourself "What on earth is a MOOC when it's at home??" All is explained very clearly in the article and more besides.
Below is a quick cartoon I created which partly sums up my impressions.
Not Just Mobiles!
Before the course, I thought that mLearning meant learning solely with the use of a mobile phone. Well, I discovered that mLearning is NOT just about using mobiles. It involves a multitude of different things. A mobile device is any device that can easily be carried ie "portable". "Learning on the go", being able to access learning possibilities on the move, whether it's via an iPod, Apple iPad Touch, Apple iPhone, mp4, cell phone, Smartphone, camera and other handheld devices. Using Flip cameras to video record students, asking students to do research with any of these means, all of these form a part of the mLearning revolution that is happening around the world.
A Tinkering Mind
I have come to the gradual conclusion that maybe I have already been experimenting or indeed "tinkering" with some basic form of mLearning for some time now by:
using a portable laptop with projector in class
getting learners to email me tasks from their laptops
advising different sites and tools for learners to explore OUTSIDE the classroom
allowing students to use their electronic dictionaries for translation if necessary
getting learners to do basic tasks in the classroom using their handheld devices (once!)
directing teachers to various ning groups and blogs on the web
directing learners to relevant web 2.0 tools
directing teachers to do cool e-courses such as this one!
advising learners how to develop their interest outside the class via their laptops
advising learners about Internet sites where they could expand and deepen their learning
Engage Me!
What I will remember from the course is that we as educators have to prepare ourselves for the Brave New Technology - based World of the Future. We cannot stop still and hope that this digital revolution will go away. It won't go away!! Let's embrace it and see where it takes us! It's here to stay. Young children nowadays expect their teachers to be up to date with what technology has to offer.
iPhone Info
The course has actually made me interested in finding out more about the different devices that I read about and in particular, the iPhone, caught my eye. I have started to build up a list of useful bookmarks for me to read, including the links below.
Build an App for Nokia Phones by Free Technology for Teachers. A Huge Thank You to Nicky, SEETA and my Fellow Course Participants!
I would like to say thank you once again to my fantastic tutor Nicky and also to SEETA for hosting this very special course. It has made me reflect about many new things and has directed me towards accepting that the future of mLearning has already arrived. Thanks also to all my co-learners on the course. It was great fun to share these 7 days with you all! Let's keep in contact.
M-learning motto which evolved via Lesley and everyone on the course! "Get ready, start slow, use what you have!"
Below is a video just done from my digital camera!! I have Kelly with me, who is recovering from being ill and Joey, who is very camera shy! In the background you can see Samantha viewing us with interest. I didn't realise she was there at the time. I am in front of my olive trees! The video quality isn't brilliant, and I'll have to learn how to improve on that if I can.
I'd like to congratulate all the winners of this year's Edublog Awards. There were a lot of worthy candidates and it must have been very difficult for the judges to choose only one in each category. You can find out who the winners were by clicking on the Edublog Awards page. I'd like to mention Free Technology for Teachers, which won 2 of these prestigious awards. I had the great honour of hosting Richard Byrne on Janet's Abruzzo's Edublog in March this year. His excellent post was called "Getting Started on the Road to Technology Integration".
The above picture shows 2 classes together on the final day of the Teacher Refresher courses.
It's time for me to get down to some TEFLing stuff after focussing on Abruzzo news recently. I had the great privilege to teach at the Said Business School on behalf of the Lake School of English during the whole of July. I was looking forward to it very much as I had never worked there before. The place is fantastic with excellent facilities and lovely big classrooms. My classrooms were fully equipped with computer and huge screen which I took advantage of most days.
A Cosmopolitan Mix
I taught approximately 54 primary school teachers in four different groups. They were delightful, keen and very receptive to my "Update your English" sessions. I taught phrasal verbs, everyday English, idioms, collocations and grammar points and we did a lot of speaking practice. I tried to integrate technology whenever possible. I used ideas from "Blended Learning" and "How to teach English with Technology.
Some of my lovely teachers on the last day of course 1
I introduced myself with this Xtranormal video here. I had made it specifically to use during the summer courses. It was different from the way I usually do Introductions and Icebreakers. I felt a bit nervous about using it for the first time. I hope it worked.
Blogs
I mentioned blogs and in particular my favourite ones such as Kalinago English. The excellent slideshow below hadn't been published then but I would like to include it here. The "Blog Carnival" consists of great advice for newbie bloggers and Karenne Sylvester has combined loads of brilliant information all under one roof. It is definitely a must-read post and an inspiration for anybody wishing to start blogging or who already has a blog. English Language Teaching Blogging
I highlighted "The English Blog" as being one of my favourites for keeping up-to-date with news of the day. Jeffrey Hill's use of cartoons is amazing and he always picks interesting ones which lead on to good debates. He always has his "finger on the pulse" and I can rely on his postings for interesting snippets. For example, today, there is a great post on "My English Images": Picture Resources.
I used Jamie Keddie's excellent Make and Do collocations lesson and it went down very well. For me, it was really stimulating to exploit something completely different with make and do verbs and I think it's a brilliant lesson, because it is very varied. We loved the Mr Men lesson as well!
I highlighted Nik Peachey's Learning Technology Blog and we looked through and commented on some of his practical postings.
I mentioned Larry Ferlazzo's amazing resources of lists and their implication for education.
Of course, it goes without saying, that onestopenglishblogs was highlighted as an incredible resource for teachers.
Primary School Blogs
Have a look at this blog by primary school children in New Zealand. It's called Moturoa's Blog.
This is Miriam's (Teachers Course B) class blog here.
Check out Guillermo's (Teachers' Course C) school website and activities here.
This is Maite's (Teachers Course B) blog, which includes some of her students' blogs, here.
The Importance of PLN Bubble.us is a cool tool for mind mapping and it is easy and functional to use. I demonstrated this e-tool when I was highlighting the subject of PLN in connection with CPD (Continuing Personal Development). CPD is indeed a Buzz word and it is a very important feature of a teacher who wants to keep up to date . See Richard Byrne's excellent slideshow regarding how to build your PLN here.
E-Portfolios
We discussed the validity and practicality of e-portfolios for young learners. We mostly agreed that this was the way forward. The following is a very interesting slideshow presentation by Ray Tolley from eFolio in the Uk
Read this interesting article by Ozke Karaoglu on e-portfolios and creating your digital self.
I wrote this article in January 2009 called "The Era of IE" in which I discussed the role of e-Portfolios. I received a very in depth comment from Ray Tolley, who created the slideshow presentation above.
Wordle
Class D created 3 beautiful word clouds on the last day of the course. The themes were pubs, slang and experience in Oxford. They looked absolutely lovely! We didn't save them, unfortunately, but they can be viewed on the open web.
A Cliltoclimb blog has got an excellent idea for using Wordles in class. Click here for a slideshow
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Here is an example of a Wordle I created a while back. Can you guess what the article is about??
Dvolver
I used Dvolver to teach some phrasal verbs and it added a different dimension to the usual way I teach them. I found it a bit frustrating that I couldn't control the music and so it seemed to come on all the time. Maybe it was just me and my lack of technological ability! I do like it as an e- tool, however, as it is quite fun to use.
Twitter
We talked about the Number One e-learning tool of 2009 and its application in education. Here is a link to an interesting article from Time Magazine about how twitter will change the way we live. As a result of my mentioning twitter in class, I now have 4 new friends from my teachers groups! Happy tweeting! Check out my MakeBeliefsComix on the subject of "fun Twitter expressions" here and read this very interesting posting from English Raven Blog here.
The Picture Dialogue Game
This is a fun writing activity which involves a selection of pictures of people talking( from magazines, the internet). You put the pictures of the couples in the middle of the table or on the classroom floor. Ask students to secretly choose one of the couples talking and then give a time limit for students to create a short dialogue between their couple. Students are invitedto read out their mini dialogues open class and the class members have to guess which picture the dialogue refers to.
There are many alternatives to this activity. Another version is I show them a picture of a famous couple and get my students to guess what they are saying. I then reveal the dialogue which focuses on slang/idioms/phrasal verbs etc and I invite students to create their own, which can they be placed around the classroom for others to see and comment on.
This is a short dialogue for the picture above.
David: Hey Babes. Come on! Give a big smile for the cameras! Victoria: I'm really not up to it today. Can't we put this meeting off? David: Too late, babes. They're all looking forward to seeing us. Victoria: Right! Let's get down to it then! David: Ok here goes!
Language in Motion
New words coming into the English language were highlighted and discussed. One of the words was "staycation". Have a look at this video regarding "staycation" posted by Jeffrey Hill from the English Blog.
Carrotmob was a new word which I personally learned about during the course. Before that I would have thought it was a mob of carrots getting together! (Only joking). Seriously though, I wouldn't have had much of a clue to its meaning prior to its inclusion in Wordspy.
We discussed where new words came from and, hey presto! Hot off the press is this new worksheet with answers from Macmillan English Dictionary.
I explained the meaning of ASBO, and today, two buskers have been given Asbos because they played the same 2 songs again and again. Read the story here.
The C-Factor
We brainstormed the important qualities of the Survivor Teacher. All the qualities had to begin with the letter "C". Below is a photo of the whiteboard with the list of brainstormed adjectives. I am embarrassed to say my board work does not look neat and tidy and that is why I don't usually do a lot of boardwork! It's not my forte. I have always envied teachers with lovely writing. Angus: take note - your boardwork is brilliant!
Can you think of other adjectives beginning with "C" which would apply to a "Survivor" teacher?
Personal Feedback
I thought it went very well and I certainly enjoyed the experience. It was good for me to branch out with integrating technology and it was a chance for me to showcase a few of the e-tools I have been learning about. It was nice to share my knowledge and to have some good discussions about the future of e-learning. I shared my classes with Catherine and I'd like to say a big thank you for being such a lovely, calm co-teacher. It was good fun liasing with you!
The Meaning of Teaching?
For me teaching is all about learning together and collaboration and hopefully, my students learned something and will go back to their schools armed with some new techniques to use in their classes.
Fancy a Cuppa?
I taught this expression to my teachers and now that I have finally finished my feedback, I am going to make myself a nice, relaxing brew!
Click here for an interesting post by the English Blog on The Power of Tea.
I have just been contacted by Carmel Engin, one of the directors of The Lake School of English in Oxford. The school is looking for an EFL teacher to cover for maternity leave, starting in October 2009. It is my great pleasure to follow up this request to place the job advertisement on my blog and here it is below. Take note. It is a prestigious Oxford-based school, with excellent staff and wonderful teacher-support. I spent more than 20 very happy years there and you never know, I might see you, the successful applicant, in the future! Have a look at some of my previous Lake School postings on my blog sidebar and see what the school is like. Good luck!
The Lake School of English in Oxford is recruiting an enthusiastic English language teacher to start October 5th, 2009.
A lively, dynamic professional is required to join a friendly, experienced teaching team in a well-established school in the centre of Oxford.
The contract is fixed term (6 months' maternity cover), with a possiblity to extend.
Candidates must be graduates, DELTA qualified native speakers of English, with a minimum of 4 years' recent teaching experience, and available for interview in the UK.
The successful candidate will be expected to teach 21 contact hours per week and to attend occasional social activities and regular academic meetings.
The Lake School directors are committed to ensuring that teaching in our organisation is a positive, interesting and enjoyable experience, with opportunities for professional development. Visit our website to learn more about the range of courses we offer: www.englishinoxford.com
Our lives are changing dramatically as I am writing. The constant ebb and flow of technological innovation is startling. We cannot fight against this new age of the Technological Super Highway. I am trying to keep up in my own modest way and that is all I can do- in my own modest way. I have a stark choice: try to follow what on earth is going on or bury my head in the sand and get completely quagmired. The following 2007 video created by Karl Fisch is truly fascinating. Thank you Terry for mentioning it to me tonight. I had a choice. Go to bed early or see what "Shift Happens" was all about. I'm glad I chose the latter!
Integrating technology into your classroom instruction can seem like a daunting task the first time you try to do it. The first attempts at technology integration can be extra daunting if you started teaching before computers were the ubiquitous machines that they are today. But even if you're a digital native, integrating technology may not be as easy you expect, because as we know, being able to do Algebra and teaching Algebra are two separate tasks. Likewise, being able to use a computer and being able to teach with a computer are two separate tasks. I learned this the hard way, hopefully I can help you avoid having to learn the hard way too.
Logistics In schools that do not have one to one computing programs, using a computer may not be a daily occurrence in a student's life. The school that I work in has over 1200 students, but only four computer labs with a total of less than 80 computers between them. Students who are not regularly in one of the computer labs often forget their network ID's and or network passwords. If you plan an online activity and get to the computer lab only to discover that 25% of your students have forgotten a piece of their log-in credentials you either lose time trying to get them onto a computer or they lose out on the activity. To prevent this situation from happening, I maintain keep a list of all of my students' network log-in credentials. Once your students are online, if they are using a program that requires them to have a user name and password, make a list of these too. While this may seem like an obvious thing to do, it wasn't obvious to me the first time I took a class to a computer lab.
Cloud computing is awesome. Every document that I have created in the last year is on my Google Docs account because I know that I can access it from any Internet connected computer. Web 2.0 tools like wikis and blogs are great too. Wikis and blogs give students the power to create and share with a small audience or a global audience. The one thing that these tools must have though, is an Internet connection. If you do enough activities online, eventually you'll run into a situation where your class is paralyzed by a slow or broken Internet connection. Have a back-up plan. This is something that we're all taught in teacher training, but for some reason I see teachers forget this when they plan Internet based lessons.
If you're a digital immigrant this scenario is more likely to happen to you than it is to a teacher that is a digital native, but the solution is the same. Your class is settled in, they're working on the task you've given them, they're learning and enjoying creating content online, and then someone runs into a problem that you don't know how to immediately fix. Rather than getting flustered or trying in vain to fix the problem, turn it into a learning opportunity for you and your students. If you present the problem to the class and let each student try to solve it, chances are one of your students will figure it out. As long as they have a saved copy of whatever they are working on, students (particularly younger students) are willing to try just about anything on a computer.
Selecting a resource Selecting a resource to use in your technology based lesson plan is much like selecting any other material for a lesson plan. Consider the objectives of the lesson or assignment then choose an appropriate web resource. There are way too many choices of resources for me to begin to give specific recommendations for each subject area, but I can offer some general recommendations. You can find more than 1200 resources for all subject areas linked to my blog Free Technology for Teachers. The search box in the top, left corner of my blog is very useful for finding resources by tag words. The key to successful integration of any web resource is to have a good understanding and familiarity with that program.
Blogs are great tools for a variety of classroom objectives. Students can create individual blogs or contribute to a group blog as an exercise in journalism. Group blogs are also great to have as a living and growing record of the topics studied and knowledge gained by your students.
In some applications wikis are a better tool than blogs. In most cases it is easier for the first timer to add pages to a wiki than it is to add pages to a blog. If you would like your students to create a reference resource, wikis are a better choice than a blog. Last year students in my Contemporary World Studies course built a wiki about Africa. Each student was assigned a country to research. Each student then shared what they learned on their own page in the wiki.
With a little planning and practice technology integration can become a seamless part of your lesson planning.
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