Week 7 Teacher and Technology

This week we tried to discuss about the use of one computer in a classroom and about learner autonomy. Both the topics have been very interesting and thought provoking. I believe learner autonomy is the first thing a learner needs to be able to pursue any type of learning. It is like a pre-requisite for learning.

To talk about one computer in a classroom is really brilliant idea because not everyone has the luxury of a computer each for her/his students, at least here in India.
I am fortunate to have digital boards and a CPU in almost all my classrooms, this makes experimenting easy and teaching and learning have become fun.
My one computer classroom lesson plan is also a fun activity that helps promote quick-thinking and structure analysis.

The next thing we did this week was to find a partner for our final projects, my partner is Miguel and I decided to comment on Miguel's blog this week but unfortunately there's no post on his blog , so I'll have to comment on someone else's blog. So I have commented on Bonjana's blog.

Cherry

My WebQuest

Tried to make a WebQuest today.
The experience was very good but I am not sure about the quality of my WebQuest.
The URL of the same is http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=152096.
Please check it and comment.



Cherry

Week 6 Gearing up !

Week 6 is almost half way through and it is time to start thinking about the final project, at least form a mental picture. I am not very clear about my final project right now but am happy and satisfied by all I have learnt on this course so far and feel content with all I have been able to do so far in my classes for my students.

• To speak about student-centered classroom I try to engage students as far as possible in a more constructive role of taking the discussion further and to be truthful using one and more techniques all the time is not possible but as teachers we know what to do, when to do and how to do? to keep it going, I do the same. Sometimes I use one or more techniques shared through Nicenet post or sometimes just thinking on my feet does the trick.
• The task this week i.e. to create an interactive PowerPoint was an interesting one but at the same time a challenging one, because here in India teachers are not very computer/technology friendly and i am also trying to better my IT skills day by day. But anyways trying this was a good experience and I hope my attempt is liked/praised by all.

•  When it comes to implement technology related changes in class, I 'd like to talk about how there has been a change in my two major classes, one is class X that I have taken up as my target group for my project. The other is my class XII, a group mostly lazy, uninterested and unwilling to spend time to learn a language. They rather prefer studying other optional subjects. But it has surprised me to see that even they find PBL and technology enhanced lessons very engrossing and have been fully geared to do what is told.

One instance I can share is of trying to teach them some idioms and proverbs in one of the classes, the moment I showed them the fun and the ease of communicating well by using these through some recordings, they were very curious and keen to learn more and very happily have taken this up as their holiday assignment.

The other group i.e. class X is quite active and are in touch with me through internet (facebook, emails) during the holidays also. It is so motivating to see this.

• This week I got a chance to look at Stefani's blog and found her reflection(Week 4) quite interesting. She has talked about the problem of students engaging in self-talk using their native language and freezing when asked to speak in English. This I must say is also the problem in my scenario, students engage in their own talk using Hindi and just become dumb, if asked to speak in English.Though with constant encouragement and motivation they have started trying break their cocoon and to my relief have started talking in English in class when needed.

Week 5 Alternatives For Language Teaching

This week has been the mid junction for our course and has been interesting as all other past weeks. The task, assignments and the project step have all led us forward towards exploring and sharing newer ways of assessing teaching and learning of English, which is not an easy job.
The use of Rubrics is not new to me and I remember last year at a training session I had worked out an acronym for it, which is R= Rules
                                   U= Used
                                    B= Before
                                    R= Remarking/Rewarding
                                    I= In
                                    C= Class (for our)
                                    S= Students (by us)
Also the use of P B L is a very good idea, it helps foster collaborative learning and at the same time instills a lot of formal and informal language skills.
I have shared one of the project based assignment on Nicenet Conferencing myself. That project turned out to be a very good example and was appreciated by all.

The idea of WebQuests is although a new one for me and I have to certainly work more on it before I can use it for my students. Hope to be able to use it and know it by doing the Extra Credit Assignment.

Cherry
      
                                    

Week 4 - Developing Skills

Hi everyone!
Week 4 has now come to an end, its really fascinating to see how I am learning and getting to know about best practices being used around the world. How using the internet is not only facilitating learning but also making teaching more interesting, challenging and innovative.
In the past four weeks, I have seen the immense amount of resources available on the internet, these resources as we have seen/viewed are very useful and interesting.
The journey on this course I believe has brought us almost mid-way  where we have identified the materials/resources which can be used. The challenge now is to select and make use of these resources in our classes for our students.
I have also chosen some websites I found really good, i shared these with my students and some of my colleagues and I am so happy to get a positive feedback from all of them.
During this week we researched some websites for the development of aural, oral and listening skills in particular. We also shared some challenges we face, might face during the use of technology in our classes.
The writing of a problem was an immensely difficult thing in itself because as teachers we face problems, big or small everyday. Picking one to be shared with others made me think for about a day before I could post it.
Next writing a technology based lesson was also thought provoking. We use technology to teach in some or the other way but planning one based on technology was not an easy task especially when we are tied with syllabus-constraints, time, examination, discipline issues, etc. on one side and lack of equipment and large number of students on the other.
Well I planned one and shared it, lets see what my friends have to say about it.

Finally, feel really excited about what comes in WEEK 5.
Till then, Happy Teaching!

Cherry