tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23207309772193908612024-02-08T05:31:17.075+04:00Better Learn, Better TeachElmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-13706308043817421272011-11-30T22:36:00.001+04:002011-11-30T22:38:35.814+04:00Farewell poem -“Each word bears its weight, so you have to read my poems quite slowly”. Anne Stevenson<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My
Dear Dear Friends!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once
in summer I wrote a plan <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On
how to teach and learn online<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
good news then arrived so fast<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And
made me happy and relaxed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They
sent me on a long-long trip<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I
had to travel days and weeks <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Without
rest, and food and sleep<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The answer's
easy "Scholarship".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I
really enjoyed the course<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
tutor’s work and yours, of course<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We
read, and analyzed, and talked<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Created,
and discussed and lurked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We
had to give comments on blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To
mind deadlines and the clock<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once
I forgot to make a post<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As a
result – one point lost<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
we had our ‘profi’ guests<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We
worked twice hard to be the best <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They
made us search and learn ANVILL<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And
we were moving like windmill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
time to say Good bye has come<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> It’s not so easy, we had much fun<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We made
new friends and learned new skills<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Please
do remember: the course still thrills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My
best wishes to our tutor Robert and all my classmates.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I will miss YOU ALL!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Elmira.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-72264745026467344642011-11-30T22:05:00.001+04:002011-11-30T22:34:26.194+04:00Week – 10: "Everyone who got where he is has had to begin where he was." - Robert Louis Stevenson<b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Hello My Dear Journal</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">It
is very sad to realize that we are going to say “Good-bye” to each other. The
course was just SUPER!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">It
gave us so much that I think we need very much time to reflect on everything we
have learned so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">I think
I will start from the very beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Once
upon a time (actually it was in September) I got very good news from the
University of Oregon. They congratulated me on getting the scholarship which
gave me a unique opportunity to study online and build my teaching skills
through interactive Web. Of course, the
news made me very happy. I shared this happiness with everybody as I understood
that I was going to learn the new tools of integrating technology into the
classroom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Now
I can’t believe that the course is approaching its finishing point. The time
flew so fast.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> From being a digital” immigrant” I am
taking my firm steps and moving towards growing into a mature “digital native”.<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> I think it’s high time we reflected on our online
experience</span></span>.<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Before
the course started I had a slight hesitation whether I would be able to
accomplish all the tasks on time, before the deadline. I started very
enthusiastically, created the blog, made the first posts. I must confess that
at the beginning it was not difficult to do as I had already had some
experience of studying online, but this course was different from those that I
had taken before. The more we studied, the more challenging it became. To tell
the truth, at the moment I feel very proud as I could manage the challenges and
completed the course.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> I made a list (by the way it is very </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weighty</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">’)</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> of what I have
learned</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">:</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">How to
create a Blog and Delicious page</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> – the course gave me a chance and made me do it.
Now I have a blog with weekly posts and delicious page with more than 40 useful
links;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">What <b>Nicenet</b>
is and how to collaborate using this tool – We had to make our contributions,
and at the same time to read and comment on our classmates’ posts; it brought me more responsibility and time
management skills; <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">My students discuss their topics and share their
experiences using Nicenet internet
classroom.. They enjoy it very much. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Ground
Rules and Netiquette</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> – it was one more chance to revise them;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> <b>Writing objectives using ABCD model</b> – I
used to write the objectives in a totally different way. The course changed my
style, though at the initial stage it was very hard to do, but I tried several
times and at last succeeded in that;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> <b>How to define class issues and create a
Technology enhanced lesson plan</b> - I had difficulties and didn’t understand the
task at first, but with the help of the tutor I managed it;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Webquest</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> – it was a new
world for me. I even didn’t have the slightest idea of what Web Quest was, but
the course task led me even to create it; <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Rubrics</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> – as we started
using new curriculum standards 3 years ago (only in primary school) we didn’t
use the rubrics for assessing students’ achievements. With the help of Rubistar
I created the ones for Story Telling –
Me and My World;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Interactive
PowerPoint Slide show</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> – I thought that I knew how to create a
PowerPoint presentation. Actually I made them very often almost for all the
topics that are in our syllabus. I just used this tool only for making the
lessons more interesting and colorful. The slides could serve as a good
substitution for paper flashcards and other materials. While in course I
learned what a good power point presentation is, what it should contain and
what mustn’t be included; what colors are appropriate for making it more
readable and appealing to the audience. The course materials provided us with
so many useful tips that using them all brought difference not only to the
classroom but also to my personal teaching experience. Now I can create interactive
slides, make tests and add hyperlinks to
the Web pages;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">How to work in large one-computer
classes</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> –
Think-Pair-Share strategy: </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">in one-computer large classroom it will be a good solution to
the problems that a teacher can face; We created a lesson plan for one-computer
classroom. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">How to write a Project
Plan using template </span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">– It was a very good idea to have participants write Project
drafts and exchange them for peer-reading. Moreover, everybody could “see” one
another’s papers. So, exchanging project ideas and peer-reading brought us more
importance and confidence;</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Learning
styles Technology</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> - Before the course I even didn't think about my
students' learning styles. I just taught them the way that was appropriate for
me to achieve the aims. Of course, from time to time I changed my style as
there was demand for changes. I mean I altered it together with the
"time".</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Now I am sure that for successful teaching and
learning to take place we should know our students’ learning styles and adapt
our teaching strategies to a new teaching context</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEbilNNqSjH90fM1-mi52oDt3gg3coiD1VVEBWfzF8tviO3fDJnpUK515sNlDu0podtpJ3Y30I1ZYHOo3X8sMCwKtHMLtOEURxjJgt0WW5_p0PBxiJvwVX4eI_layHOBGv2HGl5Prkm4/s1600/23112011092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEbilNNqSjH90fM1-mi52oDt3gg3coiD1VVEBWfzF8tviO3fDJnpUK515sNlDu0podtpJ3Y30I1ZYHOo3X8sMCwKtHMLtOEURxjJgt0WW5_p0PBxiJvwVX4eI_layHOBGv2HGl5Prkm4/s320/23112011092.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2EhrF-nXlxYRBfqMkXs938DIZhCJm6hBljDSz2WRLzkoO3mRG-rdi25FCyrm4fzRLidc3ARvvIGL8tfUfIptOJ9ySJ4x4V3ta7J1GFD_UgtB7-xfVnPAMaKMt5Hxr8FVm0ToQWDW3e8/s1600/23112011090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2EhrF-nXlxYRBfqMkXs938DIZhCJm6hBljDSz2WRLzkoO3mRG-rdi25FCyrm4fzRLidc3ARvvIGL8tfUfIptOJ9ySJ4x4V3ta7J1GFD_UgtB7-xfVnPAMaKMt5Hxr8FVm0ToQWDW3e8/s320/23112011090.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">I decided to post some photos that I took when my students were writing their posts for the Nicenet discussion forum.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">Keep up the good work!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-49715560200609352452011-11-26T21:08:00.001+04:002011-11-26T21:33:14.962+04:00Week-9: "Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they're supposed to help you discover who you are." -- Bernice Johnson Reagon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hello My Dear Journal,</span><br />
<br />
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The week
that we are finishing now has probably been the most challenging one. We had to
finish our Project Report and post it on Wiki page. I had it posted two days
before the deadline. Thanks to my partner Avraham who read the updated version
of the project and gave me his invaluable suggestions. I hope that it will be
graded as “Pass”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">As soon as
the Project work had been done there appeared so many articles to read about
Learning Styles. Before taking the course I had some knowledge about different
learning styles, but</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I never thought about using technology to address a variety
of learning styles in my classes. So, it was the right time for learning and the best place
to start exploring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> My situation proves John Morton Finney’s
quotation: <b>“I never stop studying. There’s always lots to</b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">learn<span class="apple-style-span">. When you stop learning, that's
about the end of you”.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Learning Styles Technology</span></b></div>
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Different people do things in different ways. They might see and acquire even
the same things but differently.<br />
So do the children. They go to the same school and have the same instructors
but they learn in many different ways – "by seeing and hearing; reflecting
and acting; reasoning logically and intuitively; memorizing and
visualizing".<br />
<br />
The teaching methods that we use may vary, too. Some instructors like to
lecture, others prefer practicing. Some focus on rules, others on giving
examples. In my opinion, the way of teaching very much depends on the
instructor's personal learning style.<br />
I think it is important to know what learning style you belong to. It can help
to obtain more information about yourself and your personality type, about your
likes and dislikes and preferences.<br />
I decided to do the online test that we were offered and get the info about my
learning style. I was a bit confused when I got the result. I am a mixture of
learning styles. I have always thought that I was a kinesthetic learner.<br />
<br />
How can the data about students' learning styles affect our teaching and their
learning? How can we plan the lessons and activities if our students are
mixed-learning styles personalities?<br />
<br />
Some instructors may assume that effective learning will not take place in the
classroom with students of different learning styles. "Teaching styles are
made up of the methods and approaches with which the instructors feel most
comfortable" (Richard M.Felder). The teachers might be puzzled by the
situation on how to set the goals, plan, design, compile the activities and
teach using different approaches for each style and moreover, be able to cover
the syllabus.<br />
<br />
The articles about learning and teaching styles and strategies by Richard
M.Felder suggest some ideas and provide the list of instructions for teachers
to use while teaching students with different learning styles. Besides, it
explains how the learners can help themselves.<br />
<br />
I added some ideas about using technology to each type of learners:<br />
• Active and Reflective Learners – are good at working in
groups. So, use blogs and discussion forums, where the students can post their
writing pieces, reflect on their learning and give comments on their peers
posts;<br />
• Sensing and Intuitive Learners – good environment for
implementing technology as they have patience, like variety of activities, are
careful, quick but sometimes careless; use online quizzes, surveys and Web
quests.<br />
• Visual and Verbal Learners – use PowerPoint presentations,
video materials; make students do reading using Web resources and listen to the
stories; use Voice thread and Voice boards; Live Chats.<br />
• Sequential and Global Learners – use case studies and
problem solving activities while doing which the students will refer to their
previous experience and knowledge.<br />
<br />
Our main aim as teachers is to find the right balance between the teaching and
learning styles. If there is a balance, all the students will have a chance to
be taught in a manner they prefer, which can increase their motivation for
learning. At the same time there is a chance for them to practice different
ways of thinking and solving problems while experiencing a different style
which may not be comfortable for the learners at the beginning, but which they
will have to acquire in order to get the knowledge and new experience. I
strongly believe that today’s education has two objectives <b>“Education for living and educating for making a living”.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Education is not preparation for
life; education is life itself.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">John Dewey<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Some people may doubt whether
exposure to different styles can give students better skills for their future
careers and lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">In my opinion, awareness of
different styles can do a lot of good, it can give the students opportunities
of adapting different ways to their learning context.<br />
If we recall to our personal experience of being students we'll probably
remember the teachers and their lessons. Some of them we liked and understood,
the others' lessons didn't appeal much. It doesn't mean that the first ones
were more professional than the others. I think they just taught us the way we
wanted to be taught.<br />
<br />
So, if our students are exposed to different styles they will gain more
experience and knowledge which they will definitely use in their career
development and future lives.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I think if people have opportunities
to study and learn, they must use these chances. At the same time they can have
preferences. They will be motivated to learn as much as possible about their
major, and in this way they will become a highly-qualified specialists. They
will do their work well regardless of the career they will choose. We have to
remember that we teach our students not only for taking and passing tests and
exams, but for Real Life.<br />
<br />
I remember Martin Luther King's quote:<br /><b>
"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even
as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote
poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth
will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job
well."</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">“Forget What You Know About Good
Study Habits”?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
After reading and analyzing the article "Forget What You Know About Good
Study Habits" by Benedict Carey I decided to reflect on my teaching
experience and ask myself the questions that the author discusses. The first
question that he raises is the matching of students' and new teacher's
approaches. When there is no interrelation then the instructors find the fault
with the students and assume that the child "isn't a good fit for
school". But maybe we'll try to ask ourselves if we are doing everything
right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The author provides the research data about effectiveness of different
approaches to learning and he points out the question that "matters most:
how much a student learns from studying". Does it depend on their specific
learning styles, that some are "visual learners" and others are
auditory; some are" left-brain" students, others
"right-brain"? Some psychologists didn't find any support for these ideas.
They tend to speak not about the learning styles but about the teachers who
"create a constructive learning atmosphere" and effective learning
environment. Daniel T. Willingham discusses this issue in his book "Why
Don't Students Like School?"<br />
<br />
The research shows that students can study better when they feel comfortable
with the tasks, and they can acquire the language much deeper "in a single
sitting" (for example, learning vocabulary and developing reading and
speaking skills) rather than concentrating only on one skill at a time.<br />
At the same time we don't have to overload the students with too much
information at a time. Most of the students quickly learn, they hold a new
"load for a while" and then "most everything falls out". If
we "pack" them carefully and gradually, they will hold everything for
a long time. When students forget something, it can give them a chance to
relearn the material and remember it till the next time they see it.<br />
<br />
The cognitive scientists found practice tests and quizzes as "a powerful
tool of learning". Dr.Roediger says: "Testing not only measures
knowledge but changes it". His experiments show that when the students
studied the same material twice they could do the test well, but after the test
they started to forget what they had learned. What is the problem? Is it lack
of intrinsic motivation? Or maybe it is high time WE changed our teaching
approaches and make them "match" our students' needs and
expectations? If we do so, then all the students will like school and do their
best to succeed not only in their learning, but in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> And it would be great if we remember that there is a</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b> "difference between school and life. In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given
a test that teaches you a lesson”. </b>(</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Tom Bodett).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">My Dear Journal,</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Here is all the news for today.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;">Next week we'll meet one more time.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px;">Bye.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-51888086774282635672011-11-19T22:51:00.001+04:002011-11-19T23:23:13.738+04:00Week – 8: “If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success”. John D. Rockefeller<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Hello
My Dear Journal,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Week – 8 was the busiest and the most challenging one. We
had to use all the knowledge that we had gained before and at the same to
practice something new. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="body"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I've
worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I
will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down”</span></b></span><span class="body"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>-</b></span></span><br />
<b><span class="body"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="bodybold"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Mia Hamm</span></span></span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The most difficult task was to prepare a Draft Project
Plan. I tried very hard, changed it several times. At first I was a bit
confused: I didn’t know whether to write what I have already done or what I
will do. The solution came itself. I decided to combine both. The first step
was about the things that we have started doing with my students, the second –
which we have never done before and hopefully will do when my students are back
from their autumn holidays. I am not going to post the draft here. I will
hopefully do it when I have the Final Version of it. My partner Avraham was one
of the first to post the draft. So I didn’t want to let him down and posted
mine by the deadline. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Teaching with Online Tools</span></b></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The real adventures started right after I moved to
another task to do: The Discussion Forum. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We had a guest moderator<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Jeff Magoto
who seems to know everything about technology and is a real professional. I
admire him. I have never met such a teacher. I wish I could be a student in his
classroom. Ten weeks is not a very long period of time to learn everything. I
am very lucky that I have a chance to be a part of this course. I know that I
wouldn’t be able to learn so much and meet so many bright personalities as I met
here.</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The topic that
we have for discussion is very interesting. I spent so much time on exploring
all the tools that ANVILL offers. ANVILL activities are intended mostly for
developing speaking and listening skills. It also offers the tool that would be
applicable in my situation. I am speaking about Forums. Forums are still widely
used. The users find this way of communication very easy and comfortable. The
users post threads to start discussions, ask questions and expect their peers
to comment on the posts. The teacher has to facilitate the discussion asking <a href="http://changingminds.org/techniques/questioning/socratic_questions.htm">Socratic
questions</a>, weaving and involving the students in the writing process. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Another option
is creating blogs. Nowadays they have become very popular and easy to create.
We have already created ours and had our students do the same. Blog is the
place where you can post your own thread or discussion topic. It is also the
area where students can upload the videos, pictures and photos. At the same
time each blog is unique, it gives students the feeling of possession and pride
which can foster their interest in using technology and promote students’
independent learning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nicenet is a
tool that can be easily created and used. At the same time it the space where
students learn to interact, participate in the discussions, express their
opinions and ideas in the target language. While participating in Nicenet they
will practice and improve their writing and reading skills. Besides, they will become more responsible
while writing their posts as other group members will read and respond on their
writing. Using the manual I will try to create a Nicenet Class as soon as my
students are back to school from their autumn holidays.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As my project is
focused on developing writing skills I would prefer Forums, Blogs and Nicenet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At
the same time some other tools (Voiceboars, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">LiveChat)
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">also
appeal to me as learning the language is impossible without developing speaking
and listening skills. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Create an online course site or an exercise<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span class="body"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"If you want to
conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy"</span></b></span><span class="body"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. </span></span><span class="bodybold"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;"><b>Dale Carnegie.</b></span></span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I looked through all the tools that we were offered. To
tell the truth I got lost as I saw the things that I have never seen before. I
just wanted to create everything! It took me very much time to get acquainted
with all of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> First, I had an
idea of creating my own website, but then I thought of creating something that
will definitely be useful to do with my students as my main aim is to improve
their writing skills and encourage them to write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> I created my class
in Nicenet. (It doesn’t mean that I won’t create my site, I have already
started!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you follow the<a href="http://www.nicenet.org/ICA/class/home.cfm?r=B79AA298-07E2-FF09-CDC832D2285ABA15&CFID=6640648&CFTOKEN=b3a49bf31fb4429e-A0B30058-FC7D-634F-353E5B3EF20C9F12"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>
link</b></span></a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"> you will find
there the activities that I decided to use with my students as soon as they
come back to school after their autumn holidays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">a)What tool you used (please list the website) and what
you created?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I followed our Nicenet example and updated the topics. I
thought that it would be good to link them with the Web Quest that I created
before so that to have it as a whole topic together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The first topic is: Welcome on Board!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The second is linked to the topic “Changing Lives”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">b) How you will use it in your teaching - please be
specific?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When the students have learned the topic “A Good Life”
from our textbooks, as follow up activities we’ll discuss and write our
thoughts on the topic. In my opinion, the best way to do it is in Discussion
Forum. The link sharing has the links that the students can follow to get the
materials easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The other topic is ”Rainforest”. I have posted only links
in Link Sharing, as we are going to take this topic only in two weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">c) The type of students who would use it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My students are in the 6th grade. I thought of having
something more colourful for them. As soon as I finish creating the site I will
link Nicenet to it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">d) How you will encourage learner autonomy with this
tool?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My students do not like writing using pen-and-paper. It
seems challenging to them. When it comes to typing, everybody is ready. I will you use the tool that we have
practiced here. They will get grades for making posts and adding their
comments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Webinar<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(short for<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Web</span></i></strong><em><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; font-style: normal; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">-based sem</span></em><strong><i><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">inar</span></i></strong><i>,</i> a presentation, lecture, workshop or
seminar that is transmitted over the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Web)</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
got so excited when I learned that we were going to have a webinar. I started
my preparation long before it had to start. I checked everything, tried to get
online, but it said that I could do only 10 minutes before it was scheduled. I
couldn’t stand waiting and tried and tried and tried…. But nothing happened. I
don’t know what went wrong. I just remembered Avraham’s “disappointed”. Now it happened to me. As Robert mentioned
the quote <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“We do not learn so much by our successes as we learn by failures—our
own and others’. It has continuation:
“Especially if we see the failures properly corrected.”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">-- Frank
Lloyd Wright</span></span>. Hope next time I will be able to manage it and
improve the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Course tasks have come to an end, but there is one
more that, in my opinion, needs considering more. I am talking about <b>Peer-reading</b>
and filling in <b>the checklist</b>. I am working on it. By the way, it is not an easy
task to do. I have to read carefully, analyze and then give the feedback so
that my peer (Avraham) could continue working on his project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>My Dear Journal,</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Here is the last piece of news for today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I wish Good Luck to All the Classmates!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bye,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">See you next week. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-48804934281232891242011-11-13T15:00:00.001+04:002011-11-13T15:34:31.125+04:00Week - 7: “The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.” -Carl Rogers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 23.75pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Hello My Dear Journal.</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Again
we are together. One more week has
passed and I cannot keep all my thoughts and impressions. I must share
everything with you right away. So, let’s start.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; line-height: 115%;"> Learner Autonomy – Myth or Reality?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 27px;">I would like to start with the quote that I think is relevant to the
topic that we discussed.</span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 23px; text-align: right;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“The secret of the man who is universally
interesting is that he is universally interested</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 23px;">” (William Dean Howells).</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As a teacher I always think of
bringing up the generation of global citizens and preparing the students for
real life. If we can raise their interest in all the aspects of human life they
will grow as interesting personalities that will be able to cope with different
life challenges. Learning process can also be considered as a challenge.
Learning autonomously is a bigger challenge. How to make our students work
autonomously?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Having read and analyzed the articles on Learner Autonomy by </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Dimitrios Thanasoulas</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> and</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> Samuel P-H Sheu</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> I
obtained a lot of interesting information and useful ideas which are valuable
for my professional and personal development. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 27px;">When we speak about learner autonomy we assume “a more learner-centered
kind of learning” where the learners take their own responsibility for making
decisions, critical thinking activities and the learning process.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 27px;">At the same time we cannot
reduce the teacher’s role here. For effective learning to take place we as
teachers have to create such learning environment where students can feel
comfortable and confident, be aware that they are within the secure area where
the settings of challenge and the taking of risks are actively encouraged. The
teacher should also adapt the materials and resources for students needs and
while stating the goals take into consideration learner’s needs, motivation
(intrinsic or extrinsic), learning styles and strategies (cognitive or
metacognitive). We have to consider autonomy not as a product, but as a process
where “each learner brings their own experience and world knowledge “and can be
thought as the “authors of their own worlds”.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">The articles show a “good way of collecting information on how
students go about a learning task and helping them become aware of their own
strategies” by being assigned the task and reporting about their thoughts while
performing it”. Self reports, semi-structured interview and structured
questionnaires have much in common as they review the same information but
differently, and at the same time they are not perfect tools as they do not
bring the learners real awareness of their autonomy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">But how can we promote Learner Autonomy? What does it depend on? Where does the answer lie? In his article
Samuel P-H Sheu says that “learning autonomy of learner or teacher depends more
on the teaching system as a whole rather than on an individual teaching
situation”. In my opinion, every teacher can create her own atmosphere at the
lesson and make the learner autonomy happen and “develop in the classroom”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> In traditional classroom we
cannot step away from the syllabus and textbooks but we can adapt the
activities and make them relevant to the topic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">For example, two years ago we started writing diaries with my students.
Why and how did we do it? There was a great problem with the textbooks. The
ones we had did not motivate students’ learning. The exercises in our textbooks
were focused only on developing grammar skills:
filling in prepositions, opening the brackets, using the tenses and etc.
tasks. The students were able to read
and translate, but there was lack of real communication (written or verbal).
They also had problems with spelling and expressing their thoughts in the
target language. So, we started the work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> My main aim was to improve
students’ writing skills. We began taking very small steps: describing their
usual days and daily routines, then we made entries describing the weekends, we
learned about different domains of writing, then using some tips made the
stories narrative, afterwards we tried writing poetry. It took a long time but
it worked; the students got involved and even wrote their poems in the diaries
and prepared the posters. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> What is the next step now? Using the previous experience we can go
further and make posts in the students’ blogs.
In this way we’ll be able to use technology in improving students’
writing skills and at the same time the learners will see their own progress
and gain more confidence and responsibility for their learning and its outcomes
and raise their awareness of autonomous learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Our guest teacher </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Courtney Cunningham brought so many
interesting ideas about promoting students’ autonomous learning and shared
personal experience of the subject. We got acquainted with a very useful
technique of assigning </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">each week, 2-3 students who lead a discussion about the reading
directly before the class begins the writing. I am going to practice it in
my classes this term. Hope it work as successfully as in Courtney’s classes and
I will be able to achieve my aims in making my students interesting
personalities that are universally interested and <b>learner autonomy won’t be a myth it will be a reality.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">One-Computer Classroom</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of
preparation,<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><b>hard work, learning from failure”</b>. - </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Colin Powell<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">The teachers are always
optimists. We spend a lot of time on preparation, work hard, sometimes make
mistakes and learn from them. These are the steps that we all take and in my
opinion, the ones that will definitely lead to success. How to organize a
successful lesson using technology if you have only one computer in the
classroom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">My first experience of using the computer in the classroom started
many years ago. I just brought the
computer to the classroom and wanted to have a more interesting lesson. You can
imagine: I placed the laptop on the
table facing the class and started my slide show presentation (without overhead
projector), after that we had some listening activities and even watched a
short movie. At that time I felt very proud that I was one of the first
teachers who used the computer in the classroom. The time passed and now it demands changes
that we have to bring into the classroom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Here are some examples of using one-computer (and projector)
classroom: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">PowerPoint slide show presentations - teachers and students;</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Watching movies and discussing them (predicting
the end of the film);</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Writing poems – I show the template on the screen
and the students have to create in their copybooks. It is good if they do it in
pairs or even in groups. The “poets” have a chance to type their poems and share them with the whole class;</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">For primary school students we use a lot of songs
and games, watch cartoons and listen to the stories, do matching activities
(students get handouts and do the task on the paper and after finishing the
whole class checks the answers). If we do not have internet connection, I
download the activities, cartoons and songs from <a href="http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/">http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org</a>
or YouTube and then bring them to the
classroom;</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">We are piloting the “Electronic school” project
so we have a chance to work with e-registers. We check the students’
attendance, grade them, write reports; and all this we do online;</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;">We organized a video-conference with the
neighboring school (also the participant of e-school project).</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">This term we have had some difficulties as we were disconnected from
internet, so all the online activities the students have to do at home. As for
me I download the materials and bring them to school. I believe that <b> h</b></span><b style="line-height: 18px; text-indent: 0px;">ard work and preparation will definitely lead to success.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">One-Computer Lesson
Plan</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b>“Practice Makes Perfect”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">One of the tasks for this week was preparing <b><span style="line-height: 115%;">a sample lesson for a one-computer
classroom.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Here is what I
created (first version)</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 27px;">Class: English language; Creative Writing; 6th grade students (age 11-12);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Duration: 1 lesson, 45 minutes;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Materials: computer, projector, handouts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Technology component downloaded from/accessed in class at:http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/lisa-lemur-activity.pdf; http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/songs/the-ballad-lisa-the-lemur</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">Objectives of the
lesson:</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">
After learning the vocabulary on topic "Environment" and practicing
it orally (Condition) the students of the 6 grade (Audience) will watch the
cartoon and listen to the song
(http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/songs/the-ballad-lisa-the-lemur),
discuss its content and do matching activity
(http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/sites/kids/files/attachment/lisa-lemur-activity.pdf)
based on the content of the story (Behaviour) which will encourage them to
create its end, find the solution to the problem raised in the song, and write the
story in the copybook as a home task (Degree).<br />
<br />
I think the activity will bring a change into the classroom and I believe the
students will enjoy it as it will involve them not only in watching the film
but it will also give them a chance to become decision-makers.<br />
The activity will be a good tool for giving the students
"bird-in-the-hand" which will definitely help them to take "the
responsibility for their own learning" and become more confident
autonomous learners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">I made my post and
was looking forward to the comments. The answer from Robert came very soon. It
was encouraging and at the same our tutor gave constructive feedback which made
me think more about writing objectives and setting realistic goals.<b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b>Here is a
new version.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">After
revising the vocabulary on topic "Environment" and practicing it
orally (Condition) the students of the 6 grade (Audience) will listen to the
song and do matching activity based on the content of the story (Behaviour)
which will encourage them to create its end and write it in the copybook as a
home task (Degree).</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
<span class="apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">As a follow-up
activity at the next lesson the students will have a discussion through share-</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">reading. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">This situation taught me a good lesson. Though I have never expected to
become a perfect teacher overnight,<i><span style="color: #226699;"> </span></i><span class="apple-style-span">but I am confident that <b>practice
makes perfect.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.4pt; margin-bottom: 15.95pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 15.95pt; mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Project Task 6:
Suggest a partner for peer review</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><b>“You need to
surround yourself with quality human beings that are intelligent and have a
vision”</b>.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">-<b><u> </u></b></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.woopidoo.com/business_quotes/authors/vince-mcmahon-quotes.htm" title="Vince McMahon quotes"><b>Vince McMahon</b></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">For the next stage
of implementing our technology-related change this week we had to continue
working on our project plan. Next week we will have to share draft Project or
Plan Reports. For this to happen we need to have a partner for peer-review. I
was a bit late and was afraid that everybody had already found the partners. I
was mistaken.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">There were some classmates who were still looking for the “buddies”. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My partner for the next step of the project is Avraham. He is a teacher who has
a big experience in e-learning so I am sure that his <b>professionalism</b> and </span><b style="line-height: 18px;">good vision </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">will be an asset in our
peer work.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Good luck to all of
us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">My Dear Journal,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">This is all my news
for today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Bye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">See you next week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-32524300771999855512011-11-05T21:00:00.001+04:002011-11-05T22:12:57.558+04:00Week – 6: "I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." — Pablo Picasso<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b>Hello My Dear Journal,</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I am very excited about everything that
has happened to me this week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As usual we had to do a lot of reading.
This time the topics were about <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Interactive PowerPoint and</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">about</span></span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Using Technology in Teaching Large Classes</span>, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Engaging Students and
Technology Aids. We even had to create</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> a short PowerPoint slide show with 1-3 interactive
elements. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I
will tell you everything step by step. Now my story begins. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Chapter 1 - “A Theoretical Expert”</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">After reading the material about
PowerPoint Presentation I learned how to prepare and use it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What are the tips that we have to
consider?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">First of all we have to keep in mind the
audience we are going to present the material to; take into account the
previous knowledge and experience of the audience; the expected outcome of the
lecture; the venue and the conditions for delivering the presentation.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If we think about all the items
mentioned above, we’ll be able to create a very useful presentation. As it has
become very practical for me, I decided to create DO’s and DON’Ts list:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">DO’s<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Discuss
with the students the goals for distributing handouts and their roles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Have
contact with the students for 99% of the lecture time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Mind
what to say and how to do say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Focus
on the audience<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Mind
their learning styles (visual, auditory)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Bring
up the new slide giving the students a chance to check it before you speak<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Use
blank screen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Make
your presentation interactive(e.g. using action buttons)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Hyperlink
pages to WebPages<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Use
arrow keys to navigate slides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Spend
time on sorting the slides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Practice
your presentation <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">DON’Ts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Overwhelm
the audience with too many slides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Use
too many bullet points and text<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Read
the visual presentation to the class<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If we remember all the points listed
above we will create the interactive PowerPoint presentation for the class use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> What can I do with my students? First of all I
would create a multiple choice test or quiz using the information on creating
interactive PowerPoint presentation. The students will have fun and at the same
time will get closer to technology. Besides, I can involve my students in
creating test questions. After learning a topical unit they will either give me
the questions with the answers, email or bring their ready-slides to the
classroom. We will compile them and then create the test. As a home task they
can get a link to do the test online provided it is placed on their teacher’s
blog or Web Quest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">There is also another option for the
students to do the test: they can do the tasks in class using their net books.
The teacher will copy all the files on their net books and the students will do
the task first on their own, then with their partners and after that all the
class will discuss the results with the teacher. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The teacher can also provide the links
to different sites using which the students will do their tasks. For example,
if your topic is about English-speaking countries, you can give<a href="http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/language-games/easy/english-speaking-countries"><b>
a link</b></a> to the students and they will get the answers and total score.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But when we are speaking about
one-computer classroom, we can give the task on the handouts and check the
result with the whole class after pair and small group discussions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Think-Pair-Share</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">I would like to add some words about the strategy
that has become very effective in the classrooms – Think-Pair-Share. What are the benefits when we use it in the
large classes? Can this strategy be effective in the classroom with small
number of students? In my opinion, we can use it in both classrooms. The only
thing we have to do is to organize the activity so that all the students could
get positive learning environment created by the teacher. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Who benefits from Think-Pair-Share? The answer is
obvious: We and our students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> It keeps the
students on the task, increases quality of the students’ responses as they have
time to think over and do it aloud and then discuss; it improves analytical
skills, and develops listening and critical thinking skills. Besides all the
mentioned above, it is easy to use and it doesn’t make students feel shy or
speak in front of the big audience, it can also bring more confidence to
students’ interaction.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">The role of a teacher is very important here. The
teacher monitors the activity, listens, gives advice, supports shy students and
prevents the most active ones from dominating in the discussions giving the
others a chance to make their contributions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">If we use PowerPoint Presentation we can give the
task or case study on the slide, and then ask the students to think on their
own, write their thoughts on the paper, then share with the partner and only
after that discuss with the group. It will also serve as a good training for
memory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">This strategy appeals to me as in one-computer large
classroom it will be a good solution to the problems that a teacher can face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Chapter 2 - Time
for Practice</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> I can say that
“theoretically I am an expert”. When it came to practice I tried very hard to
do my best and apply everything I learned into creating the PowerPoint
presentation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Though my first steps were a failure I
didn’t give up and tried again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> Our tutor Robert (a real expert) anticipated the
problems and gave us a very interesting link that I followed as I was sure it would
help me. I found there very many attractive ideas. Actually the author put
together the tips that we had read about in the materials provided by the
course task.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Alexey Kapterev (the author) shared his
attitude to boring PowerPoint presentations and “how to stop killing the
audience” with these presentations and he pointed out four items: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Significance –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span> make the info meaningful; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>mind
what you do and why it matters;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>don’t
present, if you can’t find meaning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Structure –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>“How
you place the building blocks”;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span> should be convincing, memorable and scalable<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span> must have ‘problem-solution-reason’ chain<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Simplicity – <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>everything
should be as simple as possible; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>one
point per slide; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>use
photos not clipart;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Rehearsal – <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span>Practice
before you present to the audience<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">The time for the second trial arrived. I revised all
the techniques on creating a PowerPoint Slide presentation so I could try it
again. I watched the video, read the
manual and still I had problems. I must confess that
for a long time it has been my dream to create an interactive quiz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Creating interactive tests was challenging, but I
managed it and made a short slide show where I included video, links,
hyperlinks based on students’ responses and l<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">inked it out to my Zunal web quest. I
cannot say that it was perfect as there were some points that needed improving.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">I liked Robert’s idea about changing the colors for “Correct”
and “Incorrect” answers which I will definitely use for the future presentations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">It was my first experience and I felt proud that I
could create the PowerPoint Slide show (though a short one) and made “The
Dreams Come True”. I am sure that<b> “in theory, theory and practice are the same,
but in practice they are not”</b>. They just cannot exist without each other. <span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b>Chapter
3 - Project Task 5 – Bringing Change</b></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“</span><span class="body">Change brings opportunity” (Nido Qubein).</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I can agree with the
quotation as it vividly describes the present situation. We were aware of the
change we had to bring into the classroom, and now it’s the time we expected
the progress. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Does it take place? My
answer is ‘Yes’. How did it happen? The students brought their fantastic
stories about their last weekend. Some of the stories were descriptive, others
were narrative. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">At the beginning of the
lesson each student exchanged and read the partner’s story and then gave their
comment on it (pair-work). Then they
shared the information within the group (4 people) and wrote a letter to the other
group where they shared their Group’s Adventures. The students wrote using
their net books. As there was a problem with internet connection at school,
they promised to send the letters by email from their home computers.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> It was<b> a real change that brought good
opportunity</b> for everybody to practice off- and online activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">My Dear Journal,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I think I told you
everything I have had this week.<b> I did that which I couldn't do and learned how to do it.</b></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Bye.</span><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">See you next week.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>P.S</b>.I will be away from the
city for a long weekend.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-29923069468396033582011-10-30T12:30:00.000+04:002011-10-30T12:42:42.793+04:00Week – 5 - ''The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.'' (Marcel Proust, French novelist)<br />
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<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;">Hello My Dear Journal,<o:p></o:p></span></b></em></div>
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<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;">One more week finished and there is so much I have to reflect on. <o:p></o:p></span></b></em></div>
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<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;">At the very beginning we went on a trip to a new land. The design of the voyage route was full of new
destinations that we had to achieve that I decided first to explore the content
and only after that to set off.<o:p></o:p></span></b></em><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ok6-xLQ0rLtp83NpejGLoZma7WMP-4qHX3BQO-xWVFI9Ymj8VaWOmrgu4NnCjE9qoDSpUMCzAtaHLc4tgrOLlMyOuVUlb6lgT2sqFimxud8zz74Zx_CdKdJxKgQSsFLX5t-LaS1jP_U/s1600/sea_voyage_3d_screensaver-119027.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Ok6-xLQ0rLtp83NpejGLoZma7WMP-4qHX3BQO-xWVFI9Ymj8VaWOmrgu4NnCjE9qoDSpUMCzAtaHLc4tgrOLlMyOuVUlb6lgT2sqFimxud8zz74Zx_CdKdJxKgQSsFLX5t-LaS1jP_U/s320/sea_voyage_3d_screensaver-119027.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></em></div>
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<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></em></div>
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<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;">Alternative
Assessment<o:p></o:p></span></b></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<em><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%;">The first task was a bit challenging as we had to analyze several
resources on</span></b></em><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> alternative
assessment and the tools used to assess students’ learning<em><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><em><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></em></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How to assess?
There are a lot of different ways to do it: multiple choice tests, fill-in
blanks, True-False, matching that have become common in education. These tests
are teacher-created. But how can we help our students to develop into ‘productive
citizens’? There is a solution: to give them meaningful tasks and watch if the
students can apply their knowledge and are capable of doing so. It’s essential
that we teach our students how to apply their knowledge into a real context. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Having analyzed the article on Assessing
Learning “Alternative Assessment” I found out that the alternative assessment
methods (checklists, rubrics) are not only different from traditional ones in
structure, but they have a different grading system. The teachers’ role here is
crucial as they have to decide upon the most and the least useful assessment
tools taking into consideration what is appropriate in their teaching context. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">These tools give opportunities for teachers
and their students to focus on communication, learn to negotiate, share and
develop. In my opinion, the students should be informed that their activity is
assessed according to the rubrics provided. This will keep students motivated
and involved and moreover, it will lead to creating a learning community where
everybody is expected to take their own responsibility for assessment. The
learners will have opportunities for self- and peer-assessment. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">For incorporating alternative assessment into
classroom activities I created the Do’s and Don’ts list which I would like to
share with you:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">Draw up very clear
assessment criteria and make these known to the students;</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Use
checklist and rubrics to evaluate student performance;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Make sure
that you can use it; <o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Explain the
benefit from alternative assessment to the students. </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">Students need to get comfortable with the process;</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Familiarize
them with the use of checklists and rubrics to make them start assessing
their learning and provide feedback to the peers;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Be
supportive and be aware of group dynamics when observing students working
in small groups;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Make
it beneficial, decrease isolation; <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Be
positive and objective while giving feedback and grading.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Don’ts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Make tasks
too complicated ;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Isolate the
students from the process;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Focus on
wrong or right answers;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Focus too
much on the grades required, opposed to the quality of learning.<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To tell the truth while reading the article I
learned so many interesting things that I wasn’t aware of. I do use different
tools for assessing the students’ progress, and I have always found it
difficult to do. Probably it happened because I still use the traditional
assessment.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is the fourth year that educational system
in our country has implemented new curriculum. We started from the Primary
school and next year we are going to have new curriculum standards for
secondary school. So using checklists, rubrics for assessing students’ progress
is something new in our teaching context which we are learning to apply now. I
believe that our course will help me to become more proficient in this area and
moreover, improve my teacher skills through interactive web.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I have already
created rubrics for assessing my 9 th grade students’ writing in “Write On”
project.</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="float: none;">The task is to write a story based on the set of pictures
"Are We Alone in the Universe?”. The students can give different titles.
It depends on their imagination and creativity.</span></span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">It was my first
experience of creating
<a href="http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=2110022&">a rubric</a> and I liked it.</span></span></span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 16pt;">Some Issues and their solution</span></b></span><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are some issues that need considering
while implementing new approaches into my assessment. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Last week when writing about class issues I
pointed out one big problem that really exists in my class. The students do not
like writing. They like to read, speak English, analyze texts, and discuss the
movies. When it comes to writing they find it not important and it draws them
back. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I think the problem lies in the assessment
that is traditional. The parents insist on having tests that are more
traditional and teacher-created. Why? Because when the children have to take
final exams or entrance university exams they will have to do multiple choice
tests mostly based on grammar-translation method. So, this is a big issue.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am trying to change this old approach in my
classes, but at the same time I don't have to forget about the 'assessment' the
students have to be ready for at the end of the semester and school year.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am very
thankful to our tutor Robert who gave a fantastic idea about</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> having students create
the tests for the class or unit. I think it would be alternative assessment which
will bring a valuable difference into the class. <br />
<br />
I even didn't think of giving students the chance to create the tests
themselves. I am sure that the students will feel more responsibility for their
learning, as before creating the tests they will have to learn all the
material.<br />
If they do it in groups or with the partners, there will be another chance for
them to revise the topic and share their knowledge. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Less Teaching and
More Learning – Project Based Learning<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The next port that we had to reach was: "Less Teaching and More Learning".<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The article “Less Teaching and More Learning”
by Susan Gaer gave me more confidence in my positive attitude towards Project
Based Learning. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Three years ago my 5<sup>th</sup> grade
students participated in the Project “Bat Chen Diaries”. Within the project my
students had to start writing their dairies. It was a bit challenging for all
of us. Some of my students didn’t have any desire to keep the diaries
(especially boys); others even if they wrote didn’t do it regularly. Then I
asked the students to prepare a poster where they would describe one memorable
event or just write a poem “My Diary”. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They were informed that the activity would be
graded. It motivated them so much (the grades) that even those who were not
very happy about the task at the beginning produced the posters that impressed
everybody. While assessing I created some rubrics which were agreed with the
students: presentation skills, content, fluency and organization. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The students enjoyed the activity so much that
asked me to have such presentation every month as they had a lot to share and
there was only one rule to follow: they had to continue writing their dairies.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Summarizing the main ideas of “Less Teaching
and More Learning” by Susan Gaer and my personal experience we can conclude
that Project Based Learning:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Motivates
students in their learning;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Makes
learning purposeful and meaningful;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Provides
real life experience and promotes learning for life;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Creates
learning community where each member’s efforts are valued and contribution
is appreciated;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Creates
opportunities for self- and peer-assessment;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inspires
students for doing research work;<o:p></o:p></span></b></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is an
effective tool for integrating technology into curriculum</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Webquests can also be considered as one of those
effective tools for integrating technology into curriculum.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I created one. It was a bit difficult and at
the beginning I even didn’t click on ‘Publish’ and it wasn’t saved. Thanks to
my classmates, when they followed the link and couldn’t find my WebQuest they
wrote to me about the problem and I had some time to change the content and add
some images. I cannot say that I finished everything with the WebGuest, but it
was a great experience of mine. Again my tip “Yes, I Can” worked. If you click<span style="color: #0070c0;"> <a href="http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=120248"><span style="color: #0070c0;">here</span></a></span>, you will have a chance to see it.
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Port of
our Destination <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> Project Step # 4- Technology Related Change<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;"> Writing is
fundamental not only in learning the language, it is also essential in all
other subjects.</span></b></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;">I defined developing writing skills as one of the most important changes that I need to bring into my teaching context.</span></b></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="float: none;">I have always
worried about my students' writing. I get my students to keep dairies and write
short stories. They bring them to school only twice a week (Monday and Friday)
just to show that they keep them and share some stories with us.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span> When
the students gave comments on their peers’ writing some of them expressed their
desire to </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> bring their new stories and read them in class, others (not very
many) who had already created the blogs promised to post theirs in the blogs.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="float: none;">I felt very happy
when the children mentioned the blogs as it meant that they would create their
writing pieces using the keyboard and afterwards post them in their blogs.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="float: none;">I reminded the
students about the procedure: first to show their stories to me for checking
and proofreading, and only then to make their contributions to the blogs.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="float: none;">Now I see that
little by little we are moving from pen-and-paper to word processing. It is our
first and the most noticeable achievement in changing my students' attitude
towards using the computer for writing.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="float: none;">I am sure that
reading the posts and giving comments will bring more motivation in improving
their writing skills using technology.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="float: none;">There is one
disadvantage that we experience now. Our school is moving to another place due
to the building reconstruction, and therefore we were disconnected from
internet. So, the students and the teachers will have to do all the work at
home (provided they have internet access).</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;">I was a bit confused about the situation and thanks to Massa , my classmate, who suggested having
off-line activities with the students and get them to write, analyze, peer-check
and leave a comment about their pieces of writing . <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We
all are here to share and care. </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We learn from each other.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I really appreciate all the comments and support that
I get from our captain Robert and other ‘crew’ members (my classmates) while “we
are on a voyage to new discoveries” which we see now "with new eyes”.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bye,
my Dear Journal.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Have
a good time and enjoy your weekend!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">See
you next week.</span></b><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-57583959384287417982011-10-22T22:25:00.003+05:002011-10-22T23:10:22.649+05:00Week 4 - The most important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them. Sir William Bragg<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hello
My Dear Journal,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I haven’t talked to you for a week but it doesn’t
mean that I forgot you. All this time I have been thinking about you. I just waited till I have enough to tell you.
Now the moment has come. So, if you are ready to listen, I’ll start.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As usually I began the week with <b>exploring the materials and the content of
Week 4</b>. I can divide the tasks into two categories: challenging and
enjoyable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> First I will
tell you about th<b>e challenging ones</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was about reading some of the articles about ways to use computers to
enhance ways to teach reading and writing. We had several multi-skill websites
on our list and the task was to find two or more</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">specific</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">web pages that would work in your class.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Having read and analyzed the resources on using
internet in ESL <a href="http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Krajka-WritingUsingNet.html"><b>writing
instruction</b></a></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> I got a lot of information on how we can use internet as a teaching aid,
through which students will be able to write and create.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What
do we want our students to write?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> It can be </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">a letter to a friend, a formal letter, a
biography, a description of a person, a description of an event and a place, a
description of a book, essays, a newspaper report, etc.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The authors focus on teaching writing using different approaches in
achieving the goals: cooperative learning in an online classroom; use of email
writing as an instructional and learning tool. The articles also give the
advantages of using Web that provides the students with the opportunities to
use email for collaborating and working together with other classmates and
their teachers. Also learning how to use computer motivates students’ learning
intrinsically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Computer literacy can give a lot
of opportunities to the students: from setting up a class page, creating blogs
and teaching basic searching skills to participation in the international projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b>What are the benefits?</b> The students learn how to interact, write
emails both to each other and to their international pals, use discussion
forums, make posts, learn the great possibilities that Web provides them with.
Moreover, it is a good way for making students use English regularly not only in-
but also outside the classroom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When all the goals are set, the next <b>step is integrating online activities into the syllabus</b>. Is it an
easy task to do? The teacher should be aware of challenges of the online
learning environment. There are a lot questions that need clarifying: Are all
the students computer-literate? Can they search for the sites and then save and
print them out? Do all the students have computers and internet access outside
the classroom to complete their tasks?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The teachers’ role here is invaluable as they have to be well prepared
for the lesson, considering every detail in advance, know the content of the
sites, how long it might take them to load and how much assistance the students
need; anticipate technical
problems, have an emergency
lesson plan in case of a connection breakdown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How often can a
teacher have online lessons?</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> The authors give a suggestion of a
balanced syllabus of the course including online elements. For example, four
hours out of six should be given to grammar, vocabulary activities based on the
course book materials. One hour can be spent on working online giving students
samples of different pieces of writing for analysis or exploring the Web. In
order to make students writing purposeful, meaningful and relevant, the teacher
can give them chance to participate in real writing exchange and then giving
different topics stimulate students’ writing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The online lessons should be followed by another off-line giving the
teacher time to correct students’ writing pieces and post them on the class
website for reading. In this way the students’ performance can be discussed,
students will develop listening and speaking skills while reflecting on the
online class activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All the students are offered a lot of choices to use the internet sites
and each student must be encouraged to do something different and then compare
what they found orally. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So, online writing lesson can be divided into pre-, while- and
post-stages, which can integrate all the language skills (reading, vocabulary
work, listening and speaking activities).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> What are the advantages of online lessons?</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> This is a contrast
to the traditional course book; the Web is multi-national and without borders,
students increase their cultural awareness, they get to know and appreciate
other cultures, giving them chance to feel the whole world, moving freely from
one place to another. Moreover, the internet lessons are rewarding when the
students realize that what they read or read belongs to outside the world and
they themselves are the members of the global community.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Taking into consideration all the information and
tips that the resources gave me I followed the<a href="http://fog.ccsf.edu/~lfried/"> <b>link</b></a> that
was recommended to explore. <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;">The website is focused on developing
different language skills: grammar, reading, writing and listening. The target
audience is 6<sup>th</sup> grade students. The materials are designed for students and
teachers to use in an online lesson. At the same time the page structure allows
the users to work autonomously as the activities are followed by the answer
keys. The reading section offers a number of stories and reading comprehension
tests. The grammar section appealed to me as it has the tests on different
grammar aspects and they can be done both in class and as a home task. The
writing section displays students’ writing on different topics. I think my
students will like creating (writing) a story as it will involve them in making
their own efforts and contribution.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The opportunities that<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://a4esl.org/">site</a></span></b> gives the users are hard to overestimate. I would use the tests with my 6 grade
students to enrich and practice their vocabulary and improve their grammar. The
tests have different levels from easy to difficult ones. Bilingual quizzes may
attract more users. It also has the section that can assist teachers in
creating their own tests and quizzes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Technology
Enhanced Lesson Plan<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The next two tasks can be defined as enjoyable ones.
It didn’t take me much time to write the Technology Enhanced Plan as I was sure
of its content having taken into account my students needs and expectations.
Here is my plan:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Class</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
: English language; Creative Writing;<span style="color: #6c370f;"> </span> 6<sup>th</sup> grade students (age 11-12);
visual, kinesthetic learners;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Duration</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
6 lessons a week; each lasts 45 minutes; <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Material</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">s:
computers, net books<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Technology
component</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> downloaded from/accessed in class at: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://fog.ccsf.edu/~lfried/stories/stories.htm">http://fog.ccsf.edu/~lfried/stories/stories.htm</a>;
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Other
materials: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">students’ dairies<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Review
of previous lesson</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: Students will revise descriptive and
narrative domains of writing; and read some extracts from their own dairies “<b>It Happened to Me</b>”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Objectives
of this lesson </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: Using descriptive and narrative
domains of writing and addressing the real audience students will be able to
produce texts that show appropriate sentence fluency, word choice and
organization and after proof-reading, checking and finalizing it to post them
either in blogs or send them via email to their peers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Procedure
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Presentation</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
At the beginning of this stage the teacher writes the title of the series It
Happened to Me “Working in the Bank” on the board and asks the students to give
their associations with the title and think of the vocabulary that can be used.
The teacher introduces the vocabulary (Pre-reading activity): <b><i> (<span class="dict">bulletproof glass,</span><u>
</u><span class="dict">secret signals,</span> <span class="dict">suspicious,</span>
<span class="dict">dropped down)</span> </i></b>and asks the students to think
about the content of the story. Then the
teacher directs the students to the site to do the task.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Activity
(student</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">): The students go online <a href="http://fog.ccsf.edu/~lfried/stories/stories.html">http://fog.ccsf.edu/~lfried/stories/stories.html</a>
and start working on the story. First they read the text, then do online tests
on reading comprehension; after giving the right answers (as they won’t be able
to go further if the answers are not correct) they will go to the vocabulary
section. The students together with the teacher analyze the answers and work on
the vocabulary making up sentences of their own using new vocabulary. The final
stage of the task is to create the continuation of the story.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Learning
styles addressed</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: As my students are mostly kinesthetic and
visual learners I will ask them to act (role-play)the end of the story in class
and use pictures and animated images for creating a story for posting in blogs
or sending via email to their classmates and the teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Technology
alternative</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (in case things don't work as planned):
If there is technology or internet connection breakdown, I will prepare hard
copies of the stories and hand them out to the students and have them work in
pairs. In this way they will be able to prepare a role play and act it in the
class; and later when they are at home (provided that they have internet
access) send their pieces of writing to their classmates and the teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Review
before the end of the class session</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: Students will revise
and practice sending emails with attachments and making posts in the blogs. My
students are provided with net books, so in case there is reliable internet
connection they will be able to accomplish all the tasks within 5 days (1 day
for creating the end of the story and sending it to the teacher; 1 day for the
teacher’s error correction; 2 days for designing and posting, 1 day for
reflection and assessment).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Homework</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: Read the story
“Working in the Bank” from series “It Happened to Me”, think about the end of
the story, write it using new vocabulary and send it to your teacher for
proof-reading and finalizing. After receiving it back from the teacher, design
it and post in your blog or send it to your peers via email in the attachment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Class
Issues</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When the lesson plan is ready, we teachers will have to think about anticipated problems if there are any. There should be, I think. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The learners are 6<sup>th</sup> grade students (age
11-12) who started learning General English as a foreign language in the second
grade (age 7-8). Their learning is based on developing four language skills:
listening, speaking, reading and writing. Most of the students have
low-intermediate level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The project is focused
mainly on developing writing skills. <span style="color: black;">Writing is fundamental
to learning in all disciplines. Writing in English for non-native speakers is
also challenging. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So, one of
the most important issues is how to make our students write. I must confess
that using technology in the classroom is something new in our context that’s
why our students would prefer writing using keyboard rather than using pen and
paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Some
students do not have good computer skills, others get lost while browsing in
the Web. Some prefer to work in groups as they do not feel confident enough to
work autonomously, they prefer watching other people working. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So, <b>summarizing </b>the class issues we can
highlight the following ones: lack of computer skills, experience and very low
motivation; lack of confidence and fear of risk-taking, limited internet access. The students prefer lurking
to working; they still have false beliefs about using computer assuming that
computers are in the classroom only for playing games. Here we must expect
parents’ support which is essential in students’ learning process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>My Dear Journal,</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
time flies so fast indeed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Still
there’s so much we need<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">To
read and write and analyze<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
then create the online class<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
worked all nights and days so hard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That
it affected our heart<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t
worry it is not at all disease<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s
our Learning that’ll never cease.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank
you for being so patient. :-)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hope to see you next week with new stories of mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bye.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-54758770530682515062011-10-16T13:52:00.002+05:002011-10-16T14:33:49.657+05:00Week 3 - " We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give".<b><br /></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Hi, My Dear Journal.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I must confess that I missed you. I have always thought
that writing what you have experienced is very easy, but now I see that there
is so much to reflect on that I even don’t know what to start with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Probably I will start with my<b> first steps in Week-3</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I began with exploring<b> the learning
objectives and the tasks.</b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><b>The first task – creating Delicious page</b> - appealed
to me so much that I decided to create my delicious page as soon as I understood
the procedure. When I succeeded in that I felt really proud. Again my tip “Yes,
I Can” worked and made its input.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> All internet
users have their favourite sites and I am not an exception. I have always
wanted to bookmark mine and sometimes instead of doing it I copy-pasted the
links and saved them in word doc., and very often I lost them. So, creating
Delicious page is a solution to the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This time I am sure my bookmarks will be safe and I
will refer to them without any problems. Moreover, I have already told my
colleagues at school about delicious.com. Some of them have already started
creating theirs after they visited mine at<b> <a href="http://delicious.com/elmisha/">http://delicious.com/elmisha/</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I like about taking the course is the fact that
whatever you learn you can probe and apply, share and make your peers use the
tools that you have already practiced. At the same time studying is not an easy
thing to do, as we also have a lot of reading materials for analysis and
discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For<b> the second task</b> we had to read one of the articles
about CALL, review two websites and share comments about the sites in
discussion forums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I read Lyndsay Miller’s article </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Developing
Listening Skills with Authentic Materials and found out that it gave very interesting
information on improving listening skills. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">While reading the article I had a feeling that I had
already read it, but then I figured out that this was exactly what we thought
we had to do when I started teaching. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The main question for us teachers, who
had never met native speakers or spoke to them, was how to make our students
understand the spoken language and respond properly. At that time we could well
very read, translate the texts and learn them by heart. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"> Whenever we met a native speaker the tongue "froze" and all the vocabulary disappeared. Later I understood why it happened.
The key lay in the lack of real communication which implied speaking and
listening</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #363636; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At the same time very much depends on the methods of
teaching and the materials that the teacher uses. The lessons on listening
should</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> “allow learners
a greater degree of independence when confronted with listening to the foreign
language in a real world context, and that means using authentic texts”</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What can the
students listen to in the classroom? What can the teacher bring to the classroom
to provide the students with authentic listening materials? Radio, TV and
Video, CD or DVD or Internet resources? All of these resources are available,
but to what extend are the valuable and effective?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Radios – They
are easy to access, but at the same time they are the most difficult of aural
text for learners to listen to because the non-verbal information is missing.
This is the information that helps understand the message, and the learners
have to focus on the listening skill which is most difficult for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">TV and Video - Television and Videos in the classroom
gives the learners opportunity to have more information when listening. The
students can both see what is happening and listen to the text. Non-verbal information
is now available to the learners and the learners can improve “their listening
skills in a richer language context”.</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Watching</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">films or TV shows in English</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">is a great way to help you improve your English. Especially
your listening skills, but you can also improve your spoken English too.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"> Nowadays internet resources have become a part
of our and the students’ everyday life. So I explored the net and found some
sites that I would like to share.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
decided to begin with one site that gives a lot of possibilities;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.learnenglish.de/ImproveEnglish/improvelisteningpage.htm"><b>http://www.learnenglish.de/ImproveEnglish/improvelisteningpage.htm</b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It provides the users not only with links to films
in English but also offers the tips on how to use films to improve the language<span style="color: #c00000;">. </span>Moreover it recommends film pages. The only
thing that I felt not very comfortable about was that the films were not free
(though the price was not very high, still we have to pay).<span style="color: #c00000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
site also provides a lot of links for audio books, so while listening read the
script one can read the script. Besides, there are many vocabulary and dictation
pages. Every Wednesday there is a
listening session on Skype.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
site is good and I would recommend it for use with adult learners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> This site <a href="http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/"><b>http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/</b></a>
I use in my classroom with the children who just start learning the language as
it is a great tool for those who want to improve the basic skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
site provides the teachers, students and their parents with free games, songs,
stories and activities for children. It
also has all types of pre, while and post-listening activities in the “Listen
and Watch section”. It has great variety of songs, short stories, kids talk, kids’
news and tongue twisters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
have used this site for several years; it has listening materials for all the
topics from A to Z.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
strongly recommend this site for the Primary school teachers, their students
and parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>The
Project task</b> was the one as that gave us the idea of the Final task – Writing a
Project. It was great to read and analyze real projects created by the teachers
who took the courses previously. When I looked one of them through I asked
myself: “How long did it take the author to create such a project?” Then I reread it and found there the rubrics
that we had already learned. So, I think it will not be hard for us to create
the similar one only provided that we study well. :-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Camellia Pagila, the author of the project, is
from Romania. Her class is similar to
mine (the one I selected for the project). The class consists of 30 students
(age 12-13) and is divided into two groups – 15 students in each. The students have English twice a week, each
class lasts 50 minutes. All the students are familiar with computers and internet
and have internet access at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
teacher analyzed her students’ needs and set the goals and the learning
objectives. The first stage of the project is focused on developing writing
skills and creating three blogs: creative writing, off-class English Drama
activities and in-class activities. The timeline of the project is 14 weeks –
13 weeks for implementing the project and 1 week for assessment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
project is well organized and is based on the textbook: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">English
Scrapbook-OUP which gives the teacher opportunity to organize her lessons
according to the syllabus and integrate technology in the classroom. The author
of the project also provides the rubrics for assessing the students’ work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">All the activities are described in details and the
tasks are clearly understood. The author of the project also provides the
rubrics for assessing the students’ work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe the students enjoyed the project as they
had a great chance to make their posts, respond to other students’, work in
blogs, report on their in- and off-class activities, and write dairies. In my
opinion, all these activities are designed to motivate students’ learning and
build their web skills through interaction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Camelia did a
great job and I am sure she was one of the best online students. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Week 3</b> brought me more confidence and one more time proved
the meaning of the saying:<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"> </span>“ Better Learn, Better Teach”.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bye, My Dear Journal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">See you next week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-63803942970143643572011-10-09T14:19:00.001+05:002011-10-09T16:34:20.986+05:00Week 2 - "Writing is easy. It’s the thinking that is tough.” Jon Green<br />
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<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Reflective Journal</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Hello, my Journal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The time flies so fast! The second week of our course has already
finished. So much has been done and learned! Now I will try to tell you everything
in details.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">When the week started I wanted to know the content and, of course, I went
online. I found out that there was so
much to read. I looked through and started web searching. When I saw the
number of the search sites to look through and analyze I got a bit confused.
After Robert’s clear explanation the work went more smoothly.</span></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />I gave preference to INTUTE (though it was closed), iSEEK Education and
Academicinfo Subject Guides, but there was one more that appealed to me. It was
“Bing”. Anyone can get the info about the most important events of the week and
the latest news; you can sign up for Bing Newsletter, search and even download
the images and videos for free. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;">Writing ABCD objectives didn’t seem to be a very difficult task as I had
read all the suggested materials.
However, when I started working on it I had to “lurk” and then to write my
objective. I used to have another model
of writing, and this time the ABCD version had to be applied. The most
challenging point was not creating the objective, but indicating cognitive (application, comprehension and problem solving levels) and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">affective</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 115%;"> ones.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I must confess that ABCD model made me think more than I had expected, and at the same time it showed a better and more productive way of writing objectives so that both
teachers and their students could benefit and be aware of the expectations and outcomes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Project task: “Describe your class as it is now” didn’t cause any
difficulties and was finished in no time as I gave the info about the topic
that I was familiar with. The thing that I needed to improve was the class
profile. I didn’t give clear description of the number of students or the
teaching environment. Thanks to Robert’s comment I added necessary details so
that to make the project task clearer. </span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;">The main goal of this course is to improve students writing, reading, analyzing skills using computer technology in the classroom, and the initial stage is mainly focused on developing writing skills through interactive web. I am sure we'll achieve our goals and become better writers.</span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 20px;">Bye. See you next week.</span></span></div>
<div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">P.S.</span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">My students like poetry writing. Last year within the project "Write On - The World is Small" they created many stories and poems. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-10932141489919079252011-10-02T00:24:00.001+05:002011-10-02T00:33:18.461+05:00Week 1 - Reflection<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hello,
my Journal.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I can’t
believe that the first week of our online course came to an end. The time has
passed so fast. So many things have already been done.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
To tell the truth, before the course I had a slight hesitation whether I
will be able to be an effective participant. I asked myself:”Can I be a good student? Am I
prepared enough for this? When I start, will I be able to accomplish all the
tasks before the deadline?” I must
confess that the answer was not always positive. For me it was something challenging.
The first week has passed, my fears have disappeared and my story has begun.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> At the</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> beginning I was so excited that I started my acquaintance
with the course program long before it was officially opened. I set many goals and continued my way with
introducing myself, making friends and creating blog, discussing ground rules and
rubrics and using Nicenet. It was something new and challenging for me. First I
got lost, but then I concentrated and told myself magic words “Yes, I can” and
everything went well.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;"> I
created my blog, uploaded my photo, and wrote a short introduction. Though I
was a bit confused, but when I managed it I felt really happy and proud.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> The next day I wanted everybody to know what I had
learned and I shared my experience with my colleagues at school. We even
created blogs with some of the students!</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> I also wanted to teach my students how to make
their communication effective and productive. Thanks to the discussion on the Ground
Rules that was going on in the course, it helped me to make my list of rules:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;"><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> Be Positive – Whatever reply you receive try to be
positive and show your positive attitude towards everything;</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> Be Prepared – there can be different opinions
about the same things, so we should be ready for that;</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> Be Respectful – people should feel that they are
within the secure environment where everybody's opinions are respected and
valued; the discussion group should feel safe for everyone;</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> Be Responsible - All comments should be clear,
meaningful and relevant to the discussion topic and to what others have said;</span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"> Be Helpful - our goal is to help each other.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;"><br />
<span class="apple-converted-space"></span>After everybody had contributed the
list became longer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;">"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success" - Henry Ford.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;">Hope we'll be working and learning together within the next nine weeks.</span></span></div>
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Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2320730977219390861.post-22500751391928172692011-09-25T00:17:00.002+05:002011-09-25T01:06:52.309+05:00Week 0 - Managing the challenge<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: RU;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Macmillan English Dictionary defines “challenge” as something that needs a lot of skills, energy, and determination to deal with or achieve, especially something you have never done before and will enjoy doing. I think this definition perfectly suits for the situation with my first experience of creating a blog. I must confess it was not an easy task to do, but I managed the challenge.</span>Elmirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429495115104701472noreply@blogger.com9