My UBC block for ETEC 565
http://blogs.ubc.ca/droletetec565a/
(access may be denied after a certain time).
My UBC block for ETEC 565
http://blogs.ubc.ca/droletetec565a/
(access may be denied after a certain time).
From my flight path
As I contemplate what I learned since the beginning of this course, I realize that although my flight plan has been slightly altered during the process, my destination has remained unchanged: to discover pertinent technological applications in the field of digital communication. The difference is that, instead of exploring the digital film realm, I took a new route and redirected my course of studies towards the field of foreign language education.
What I originally put forward in my flight plan:
“Children and teenagers are the main target of the powerful mass media and their messages. We act, think, live and dream depending on what others think about us, so we create this imaginary world where we present ourselves as the reflection of a media constructed image” (Christensen, 2000).
I tried tackled the concept of identity when I selected a tool for my digital story. I found an appropriate type of content, a Mayan legend, and devised a project allowing the use of imagination as well as the exploration of Hispanic cultural settings.
What I explored:
Reflection on the eLearning toolkit experience overall
Reflection on the overall ETEC 565 experience
Selecting appropriate technological tools
Assessment Strategies
Digital Storytelling
The next steps in terms of my practice in educational technology
Conclusion
To close, a review of the 2007 ISTE standards clearly shows that innovative educational strategies were taken in consideration for this course: Creativity and innovation (digital story); communication and collaboration (assessment rubric); research and information fluency (social media); critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making (wiki activity); digital citizenship (copyright infringement laws); technology operations and concepts (e-learning toolkit: LMS; web design; communication tools; social software; weblogs; wikis; and multimedia tools).
It is with both regret and satisfaction that I complete my last course in the Master of Educational Technology program at UBC. It has been a fabulous didactic quest that I will bring with me as long as I teach. This online experience has changed the way I look at education. Thanks to the possibilities offered on the web, I will always look forward to my next learning adventure.
References:
Anderson, T. (2008). Towards a theory of online learning. In: Anderson, T. & Elloumi, F. Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca Unversity. Accessed Online 9, June, 2009 http://www.aupress.ca/books/120146/ebook/14_Anderson_2008_Anderson-Online_Learning.pdf
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
Chickering, A. W., & Ehrmann, S. C. (1996). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 39(7), 3-7. Accessed Online 15, May, 2009 from http://www.aahea.org/bulletins/articles/sevenprinciples.htm
Christensen, L. (2000). Unlearning the Myths that bind us: Critiquing Cartoons and Society. In reading, writing and rising up: Teaching about social justice and the power of the written word (pp. 40-47) A Rethinking Schools Publication.
The ISTE (2007), National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•S) and Performance Indicators for Students: http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007_Standards.pdf
Slide: http://www.slide.com/
Educause: http://www.educause.edu/ELI/Archives/MobilityandMobileLearning/5527
The Hidden Dangers of Social Networks: You can log-on but you cannot hide: http://www.slideshare.net/lisbk/the-hidden-dangers-of-social-networks-you-can-logon-but-you-cannot-hide
Literature Review in Mobile Technologies and Learning: http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/lit_reviews/Mobile_Review.pdf
A reflection upon my experience completing the assignment
While creating the multiple choice questions; the matching questions; the short answer questions and the essay questions, many thoughts crossed my mind.
Technical support:
Exploration:
Presence: (Anderson, CCM)
Conclusion:
I am looking forward to further my exploration of the Moodle assessment options in the hope to enhance my students’ social presence and to optimize my presence as a learning facilitator.
Hi all,
UBC Moodle site: drolet
Running head: MOODLE FOR AN ACCELERATED SPANISH PROGRAM
Creating a Moodle Course for an Accelerated Spanish Program:
A Proposal
(500 words / not including: preamble; cross-reference numbers)
Note: the numbers in the text are active cross-references and highlighted
By: Chantal Drolet
For: ETEC 565, John P. Egan
University of British Columbia
2010
Creating a Moodle Course for an Accelerated Spanish Program: A Proposal
Preamble
The following proposal is intended for the IT coordinator of an independent high school for girls. This educational institution, where I work, underwent major technological adjustments during the past few years and is encouraging teachers to find innovative ways to deliver their courses.
As the curriculum leader of a three year accelerated Spanish program, one of my responsibilities is to convince our IT team that a Learning Management System (LMS) would be ideal for our Spanish courses. To start the process the most advanced course, Grade 12 Advanced Placement Spanish, could be piloted online within a Moodle shell.
What is Moodle?
Any time, anywhere. Moodle, a Learning Management System (LMS), brings together resources and tools in one place and is accessible any time anywhere through a web browser. For our purpose, Moodle would be used as a blended learning strategy to supplement the face-to-face Spanish language learning experience. However, the LMS would be designed to accommodate a possible full online delivery in the future (1). Advantageous features include: course information; access to electronic readings; multimedia content including audio files, videos and wikis, just to name a few (2).
Creating a Moodle Course for an Accelerated Spanish Program:
A Proposal
Introduction
An important part of a 21st century skills’ approach to education is second language acquisition. Since this didactic perspective is also linked with technological advancement, I propose the creation of a pilot grade 12 Spanish Moodle course.
Why Moodle?
Interaction. The communication approach in second language acquisition is one of Canada’s claims to fame in the educational realm. Communicative language teaching (CLT) emphasizes interaction as the main process, as well as the chief objective, of linguistic skills (3).
Technological environments using constructivist processes, like Moodle, are compatible with the CLT focus on interactivity. Such learning platforms develop communities of practice encouraging asynchronous and synchronous communication activities in the foreign language. As part of the linguistic experience, grouping students in discussion forums or chats facilitates collaboration and feedback (4, 7).
Safety and opportunities. Our school’s present Moodle site ensures the privacy of students by using a password protected access to the courses. It is also linked to our library to guarantee a safe connection to web 2.0 resources such as blogs and journals.
How to Evaluate Moodle’s Implementation
Low cost. The cost, for maintenance and technical support, is already part of the current infrastructure.
Ease of use, reliability, accessibility. The system, monitored by the school, is virtually crash free. The course participants have computers at home and can also easily access computers at school. Furthermore, Moodle runs on systems supporting the widely used Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), minimizing accessibility problems.
Organizational issues. Enrolment would be limited (for a pilot course given in combination with face-to-face interaction) and students already have access to technical support (5).
Teaching and learning. The impact of technology resides in the functions that educators allocate to it (Zhao, 2005). For Moodle, special linguistic functions may consist in: open forums or posts for students; online oral assessment practice, etc.
The arbitrariness of Web searches relieves students from the predictability inherent to artificially structured language learning environments (Warchauer, 2004; as cited in Lai & Kritsonis, 2006). In their presentation for the computer assisted language instruction consortium (6), Rheinhardt & Thorne (2009) list technology mediated activities such as: CMC (or LMS), blogs, texting and social networking. They see the need to bridge the gap between on-line communication tools and in-class linguistic activities, which is exactly the aim of this proposal.
Authentic material would provide relevant and current information, including links to Spanish news broadcast agencies, for research and oral comprehension. A variety of assessments, including audio-visual presentations would offer opportunities for practical application of the linguistic knowledge. Each student would build an E-portfolio, within the Moodle shell, in which selected artifacts could be displayed.
Speed and knowledge transfer considerations. One of the great advantages of Moodle is that the speed allows effective knowledge transfer.
Novelty. Moodle has already been tested successfully for other courses in our school.
Conclusion
As the first of his kind in the language department, this innovative Spanish Moodle pilot program would be easy to operate; appeal to learners and provide participants with access to educational opportunities otherwise not available.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory)
Recognized international clearinghouse and leader in computer assisted
learning and instruction. It is a premier global association dedicated to
computer-assisted language learning (https://calico.org/page.php?id=240)
Also inspired by:
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
Communicative approach: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communicative_language_teaching)
Constructionism: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory))
Moodle – About, available at: http://docs.moodle.org/en/About_Moodle
Moodle Accessibility Standards, available at: http://docs.moodle.org/en/Moodle_Accessibility_Specification
Moodle Design Philosophy, available at: http://docs.moodle.org/en/Philosophy)
Moodle Features, available at: http://docs.moodle.org/en/Features
Moodle Support, available at: http://moodle.org/support/
Moodle Why? http://clt.lse.ac.uk/Why-Use-VLE.php
http://www.open4yourbiz.com/docs/moodle.pdf
Panettieri, J. (2007). Addition by subtraction. University Business, August, 58-62.
Accessed online 11 March 2009. <http://www.universitybusiness.com
/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=845>
Reinhardt, J., & Thorne, S. (2009). Developing technology mediated language awareness through bridging activities [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from Calico 2009 web site: http://www.u.arizona.edu/~jonrein/presentations/TMLABA_CALICO09.pdf
Zhao, Y., (2005). Technology and Second Language Learning: Promises and Problems.
Michigan State University: Technology in Support of Young Second Language Learners
Project, University of California: William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Retrieved June 22, 2009 from: http://www.ucop.edu/elltech/zhaopaper011505.pdf
Also posted here:
The Members of Group 4:
Brian Barkhurst; Chantal Drolet; Claudia Jack; Christine Little; Vicki Schrader; Denise Stoney-James
Click here to see the evaluation rubric: Final Group Rubric
PRÉCIS
Our group scenario was the following:
Interest in Royal Roads University’s MBA in Greater China has been huge!
1. There’s no shortage of ambitious, qualified students;
2. But the increased student numbers has also seen an increase in server “issues,” i.e. crashes.
RATIONALE
A rubric is an effective tool for conducting assessments. In choosing learning management systems, we need to ensure that it has the relevant characteristics which will make it suitable for the educational purpose and the context.
According to Bates & Poole:
“…teachers or educational administrators making decisions about educational technology should have some theoretical model or framework that guides the choice of media and technology. If not, they will be constantly driven by the latest technology development, whether or not they are appropriate” (2003, p. 80).
A well defined rubric can increase the chances of choosing appropriate technologies.
As a group, we discussed the selection of criteria for evaluating a Learning Management System (LMS) compatible with the scenario we were given.
We based the choice of our criteria on:
The initial scenario suggests that Royal Roads University is concerned with server crashes. It follows that their most urgent concern would be with server requirements, reliability, and technical support.
Additionally, the university’s Chinese enrollment increase suggests the need of special care given to multiple linguistic capabilities.
Bates & Poole’s SECTIONS model (2003), applicable to most educational contexts, inspired (some of) the categories selected in this rubric. We combined the characteristics of the SECTIONS MODEL (Bates & Poole, 2003) and the features of the LMS system to produce our final product.
This model assisted us in providing a holistic approach to evaluating the features of the product. It also allowed us to examine the LMS from different perspectives: that of the students who are the main users; that of the administrators who need to be convinced about its value and affordability; and that of the teacher. We also examine the interactivity and other relevant features.
We used a rating scale (0-1-2) to facilitate the measurement of each criterion so as to assess the overall quality of the rubric. Therefore, if required, a quantitative value may be determined. The possible scores range from 0-2 with 2 being the highest (and best) possible score per section, giving a total of 16 possible points. The result of the assessment can help determine the extent to which the important issues, relating to the technology from the perspective of different stakeholders, have been addressed.
Our rubric is designed for this specific scenario, but could also be used for other educational institutions and learning environments.
References
Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Chapter 4: a Framework for Selecting and Using Technology. In Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. (pp. 77-105). San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
Panettieri, J. (2007). Addition by subtraction. University Business, August, 58-62. Accessed online 11 March 2009. <http://www.universitybusiness.com /viewarticle.aspx?articleid=845>
La tristeza del maya: Digital story
Summary of story for non-Spanish speakers:
A long time ago, there was a Mayan man who asked the animals to help him become happy. In order to be happy, he wanted the sight of the vulture; the strength of the jaguar; the knowledge of the snake, etc. At the end of the story, the wise owl says that human beings will never be happy unless they learn how to want less and give more.
Alternatively:
Reflection:
This story is worth telling because legends are an intrinsic part of the Mayan culture.
“Spanish teachers are always looking for opportunities not only to make their students practice the grammar studied in class but also to learn more about the culture they are studying” (Rogríguez, M., 2004).
A legend can be an excellent tool to achieve those goals. As a language teacher, I constantly seek activities that will encourage my students to use the target language (Spanish). If these activities are also engaging and fun, students tend to remember the vocabulary and structure more easily.
The best types of language learning activities are the ones that possess cultural characteristics. Songs, for example, can be a wonderful way of presenting a country. Legends are also very useful. They are narratives, created a long time ago, and are very meaningful to the people of the regions they represent. Such stories can make it easier to understand certain nations and their traditions.
The tool I chose, “Slide”, was definitely appropriate to create this pedagogical activity.
In a nutshell:
See my slide show here (created on Slide at http://www.slide.com)
E-portfolio activity #1:
Flight path during ETEC 565A
(500 words – not counting the references)
Chantal Drolet
Introduction
My professional career started as a regional reporter and then as a national correspondent (Radio Canada). Later, the journey intensified with my quest for active learning in education. I now work (at an independent high school for girls) as the digital film communication curriculum leader. I am also responsible for the accelerated Spanish program.
Basically, in the film program, we make movies: public service announcements, short narratives, music videos, etc. The language program (English, French & Spanish) offers the option of trips to various countries. For example, a few years ago students went to Ecuador, where they volunteered in a shelter for disadvantaged kids and where they also created a documentary about the program to help them get more funds.
All my courses focus on culture & communication. My research interests could be summarized by saying: Let’s put the “C” back in ICT- as opposed to IT only. “C” is for: communication; creativity; culture and cinema!
Learning Objectives for the ETEC 565 course
Learning Management Systems (LMS). I have created some courses on Moodle, but I still need to investigate the various interactive as well as assessment options, available on this platform.
Assessment: One of my goals is to investigate the assessment challenges created by computer technology and its connected resources (audio blogs, video streaming, online mediated communication, information retrieval tools such as the Internet, search engines). The intent is to explore procedural frameworks in which assessment devices (including technological tools) correspond to modern educational rationales.
Social software: Research on courses delivered on the web demonstrated that the general strength of e-learning education consists in: active student participation; communication between learner and teacher; and an integral respect for diversity. The researchers also found deficiencies that needed to be addressed. Among others: lack of cooperation between learners; need for timely comments; and problems with interface usability were noted (Graham, Cagiltay, Craner, Lim & Duffy, 2000). I would like to investigate the ways in which these deficiencies could be addressed.
Media studies: Children and teenagers are the main target of the powerful mass media and their messages. We act, think, live and dream depending on what others think about us, so we create this imaginary world where we present ourselves as the reflection of a media constructed image (Christensen, 2000). Can we harness the power of social media to provide students with a vehicle for exploring and creating original content?
Multimedia: I would like to continue investigating the validity of digital film communication literacy as an alternative form of media literacy well suited to support female youth’s interests in communication and socialization.
Resources:
References
Graham, C., Cagiltay, K., Craner, J., Lim, B. – R. & Duffy, T. M. (2000). Teaching in a web based distance learning environment: an evaluation summary based on four courses. Centre for Research on Learning Technology, Indiana University. Technical report no. 13-00. Retrieved October 21, 2009 from http://crlt.indiana.edu/publications/crlt00-13.pdf
Christensen, L. (2000). Unlearning the Myths that bind us: Critiquing Cartoons and Society. In reading, writing and rising up: Teaching about social justice and the power of the written word (pp. 40-47) A Rethinking Schools Publication.
Sanders, J. (2005). Gender and technology in education: a research Review. Retrieved October 8, 2008 from: http://www.josanders.com/pdf/gendertech0705.pdf
Framework from: Chickering, A. W. & U. Ehrmann, S. C. (1996). “Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever”:
Good Practice Uses Active Learning Techniques (p.4)
Good Practice Emphasizes time on Task (p.5)
NETS / Discussion: Digital Age Teaching Professionals
In your own teaching, in what ways do you:
Step 2
Learning goals in ETEC 565, in light of the competencies listed in the NETS.
My pet peeve: Having to use a “prescribed” technology that does not do what is needed for the learning outcomes that the students and myself have established.
What I love: Technologies, processes and pedagogical strategies that focus on the message, the content, the learning… rather than the technology.
Hi all,