Week 8 Reflection

We are almost there!! I can't believe I have spent  8 weeks for this course.

This week, I was supposed to finish the first draft of final task.

As I haven't taught since this course started, I created an interactive web plan. 

Fortunately, I had an easy start with Linda who approached me first. :) 

I have tried several web tools from the beginning of this course, so it took a while to decide which tool I should use for this final plan. Finally I chose Socrative.com and Nicenet.org and started to create a plan to overcome the major problems that my classroom has. : Big class size and lack of individual feedback.

What I like about this task was that I was asked to write down not only the tools I am going to use, but also the related problems that I would face while using the tools and how to solve the problems. Also, I had a chance to think about the expected response of related people such as colleagues, parents, students, and administrators at school. When I took other teacher training courses, I was only asked to come up with the plan and that was all. So the plans were too fantastic for me to actually use in a real classroom. When I actually tried to use what I planned, I faced unexpected problems (whether they were related to students or colleagues) ,and finally I could not put my plan into action. Through this detailed plan, I learned that it was so important to think from different angles so that I could minimize the restriction to my classroom.

Another task was to create a resource that I would use in my classroom using several tools. I chose a website called 'Tools for Educators' and made a board game using it. I thought teaching students how to manage learning materials can enhance student autonomy in that students no longer have to wait for their teachers to provide them with resources. If students can make board games about the target language, teachers give students opportunities not only to learn the target language but also to have the ownership of their own learning and I think this can be a very good life skill that students can use throughout their lives. 

The new semester begins next week. I am nervous and at the same time anxious about what kind of students I would have in year 2015. With the knowledge and wisdom I learned over the last two months would hopefully make a valuable change to my classroom ahead of me. :)

Week 7 Reflection

This week was the seventh week since I started this course.

Meanwhile, the winter vacation ended and Lunar new year's day has passed. 

The topic of last week was about how to engage students using technology. The goal of all the teachers is helping students to stand on their own feet, and the topic of this week was enhancing autonomy of students with or without technology. Also I was asked to come up with an activity for a class with one computer.

First off, I thought about a learning log and a collaborative blog about learning. As I have written on the blog for this web-skill course, each week I had a chance to organize by writing what I learned and to plan what I should do, and I think this helped me a lot. Also, I could get immediate feedback from other trainees, so I could broaden my perspective while communicating with other trainees. While writing on a blog, learners are able to recall what they learned as well as to express how they felt while learning. This is not about just accepting what their teachers give them, so it can eventually enhance students' autonomy.

The second task was to come up with an activity using one computer. I thought about making a brochure or small poster to recommend a nice restaurant in a local area. Using a topic which is quite familiar with students seemed to be a good way to use a computer at a minimum(since students can use their prior knowledge). Using a sand glass to limit time was another solution for a one-computer classroom. I have not used the activity and a sand glass, but I think I probably use these in the near future.

Thanks to Linda, I finally found a partner to share feedback for each other. My plan is still on the way, and I am going to spare time everyday to revise the plan in order to meet the goal. :) 

Week 6 Reflection : On tasks and the final project

In a few weeks, the new semester begins. In Korea, school year begins in March and ends in next February, so a few days ago, students I taught finished grade 8 and moved to grade 9 from this coming March. Having taken this web skill course, I am looking forward to implementing at least the simplest tools into my class from the beginning of the semester.

This week, as well as the past five weeks, has been a fun week learning new things and actually coming up with how to use what I learned in my future lessons.

Tasks of this week were as follow,

1. How to engage students using tools

2. Creating an interactive Powerpoint slide

I think that what matters is not what tools a teacher uses, but how those tools can be used in class. If tools are used only to teach the tools to students, the class I will teach would be just an ed-tech class, not English language class. In that sense, I liked the first task which was to think about ways to engage students using tools. The keyword seemed like 'interaction' this week, and I started to recall my past classes, and at the same time I searched the internet for tools for engaging students. First off, I shared my experiences with other teachers such as Think-Pair-Share, 'writing at the same time.' and one technique using post-it notes.

Through the reading, I learned several different techniques such as Conceptest and Minute Paper. These were probably what so many teachers have used so far, but this was my first time learning them so I felt like making one using those techniques. Having decided to get myself accustomed to using 'Socrative,' I made a quiz which is similar to Conceptest.. With Minute Paper, I would use photos in a way I have used in my own class.

Like I mentioned above, the most important thing when using technology in class seems that teachers should be very very careful about how to use it, especially without being disturbed by 'using the technology' itself. Before, I tended to use technology in class just because I liked to use technology, not because I wanted to teach a lesson more effectively and efficiently. Later I realized that the only reason I had to use was only to teach a lesson, and from then on, I started to stop being obsessed with technology.

The second task was to make an interactive powerpoint slideshow with techniques and skills introduced in the reading articles. I used hyperlink and jumps and I connected the slides with Youtube and Socrative. I found it so interesting to see other teacher trainees' work. We all use different contents and target language, however, we all used technology, and every single teacher used the given techniques differently in their own way, which I liked a lot.

For the final project, since I do not teach students yet, I am going to develop the techniques for the lesson plan. I looked through the project template and read the expectation briefly.
I saw I was required to create a timeline,which I was not sure what that meant. As soon as I find out the expectation in detail, I will start to fill out the template and revise it over and over. Surely, the roads to the final project would be not paved, but I hope with the help of Robert, Russell, and other trainees, I can finish the project as I wish.


I feel I am getting better and better at Webskills, and I am so grateful that I can share my thoughts and ideas with other teachers and that I can learn from them no matter where they teach and how long they have been teaching.

Week 5 Reflection

The winter vacation has been over. One month of break from work was good, but still it was good to be back to school.

Four weeks have passed, and I am on the halfway until I finish this course. Tasks are getting more challenging and exciting at the same time. 

This week, there were four things to do.

1. Creating a rubric

2. Coming up with technology-relating changes to my class

3. Integrating PBL with rubrics and webquests

4. Creating a webquests(optional)

Although I have learned basic concepts of PBL and rubric from university, I actually have not used them yet. Through articles, I realized the importance of a rubric as a tool for giving students a guideline to actually achieve the objectives in PBL. Since students in Korea have been learning rather traditionally, learning in a way that they do not feel comfortable can cause a lot of stress which can lead students to low motivation. With rubrics students can estimate what they are supposed to do and how they are achieving the goal of the lesson. 

Web-quest was another interesting feature to learn. According to Eduspace.com, webquests "provide an authentic, technology-rich environment for problem solving, information processing, and collaboration. This inquiry-based approach to learning involves students in a wide range of activities that make good use of Internet-based resources." I haven't fully understood how to use a webquest, it surely is something that can get students involved into the class. 

Third task was to come up with technology-relating changes to my class that I described a week ago. My biggest issues were the number of students and not having enough time for individual feedback. I started to search the internet for tools to use to solve the problems which I am not using right now. I came up with Socrative.com and Nicenet.org. Socrative is a website in which teachers can create different types of quizzes or tests and get the results right away. It was so easy to use and also easy to explain. By using this, I think I can get to know how much students have progressed and in what area I should be more focused when teaching no matter how many students I have. 

Next tool was Nicenet.org. To give more individual feedback, I have to overcome the time limit in a school setting. 

I often run out of time because first, there are too many students, and second, time is running while students ask the same questions over and over due to their learning pace either in the classroom or outside school. I thought it would have been better if I created a discussion board(or forum) on the internet and students ask and answer. Besides, when using a board, students read my answers to questions of others.

In this course, I am currently using this website, but only as a trainee. I tried creating a class on Nicenet.org and received a code which students use when registering. Nicenet does not look very fancy, but I think when it comes to classroom setting, especially with a large number of students, simplicity is the most important. 

 

This week, I also learned a lot from other trainees. I try to keep adding the websites to Delicious.com and started to share some with my colleagues in Korea. I look forward to learning from enthusiastic teachers in this course.

Week 4 Reflection

4 Weeks have passed. Luckily, for the last one month, I could manage to finish all the assignments on time thanks to winter vacation. However, vacation is over in a couple of days, so I think it will be tough for me to work and study at the same time. Fortunately, web-skill is what I have been interested, so hopefully I will manage both of them even after the semester begins.

This week, there were four assignments.
1. Describing the classroom issues.
2. Create a technology enhanced lesson plan
3. Posting the specific web address (URL) of the page which can enhance reading, writing, vocabulary class and write why I find it useful.
4. Writing a reflection on my blog.

First assignment was to describe the classroom issues that I had in my classroom. I began to think in what aspect in my class technology can be helpful. For me, the number of students and lack of individual feedback were some of the biggest problems that I had in my class, and those problems could get better with the help of technology. Since there are 40 students in my class, it takes too much time only to elicit students' ideas or collect students' work. Using technology,students could log in a certain website and work at the same time. Also, when I had to give some comments on students' work before, I had to carry the paper all the way back home and bring it back to school. Instead, when I use Google Drive, all I had to do was to log in to the website at home without bringing anything home. In these ways I could lessen the workload. In these ways , I could manage my class more effectively and efficiently.

The most challenging task this week was to create a technology enhanced lesson plan. Like other teachers at this course, it is not obligatory to submit lesson plan for each class. Instead, I have to hand it in just before I am observed. I chose a lesson about dream jobs and decided to get students to make a virtual(fake) interview about their dream jobs. Using Padlet.com and Youtube, students share their ideas and post the video interview, and by doing these activities the number issue of my class could be solved. 
Last tasks were reading articles about using technology for reading, writing and vocabulary class and posting interesting webpages and introducing them. I chose 
http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/celebrate-holidays-usa and Magickeys.com. First webpage introduces some of the famous holidays in USA which can be useful for teaching culture with new vocabulary words in boldface. The second website provides children with various storybooks by age and proficiency. Besides, it contains a number of different activities such as riddles, maze, coloring pages, jigsaw puzzles, etc. so it may get students' attention when not reading books. 

As I have felt, having opportunities to share useful resources is a wise way not to burn out in a hectic life as a teacher. I am so happy that I could get to know many teachers who are willingly share their thoughts, resources with others for better education.