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.