Kamis, 23 Juni 2016

GO-ON Magz

GO-ON 20160610-01



E-Magz for ICT Final Task

Selasa, 12 April 2016

Teaching Language Using Tech


Young people live their lives through technology: they are the web generation and they are hungry for more. Teacher's challenge is to channel the natural enthusiasm their students have for ICT by using it in their everyday lives and embed it purposefully into the modern foreign languages classroom.
There is great value in incorporating new technologies as an integral part of the process. This allows learners to foster the four aspects: communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. ICT lets learners easily draw on authentic resources that promote inter-cultural understanding and interact with virtual peers in real non-fabricated contexts.
Publishing students' multimedia outcomes on a blog or wiki gives them a real audience for their work, facilitates peer assessment through commenting and encourages them to raise their standards as a result. Virtual learning environments also offer students distance learning opportunities wherever and whenever they want. Tools like Edmodo and Pinterest let students collaborate easily with others as a class or in small groups and reflect on learning.


Many modern foreign languages  departments now run their own Twitter and Facebook accounts to keep in touch with parents, inform learners of important notices, for celebrating achievement and for retweeting interesting tweets about language learning such as authentic tweets in the target language or tweets for word/expression of the day. This can raise the profile of the school and help to connect with the wider community.
Technology lends itself very well to personalised and independent learning where students can work at their own pace, complete interactive exercises rigorously in class or at home and receive immediate feedback. Gaining points for their efforts and being able to compare their scores with their classmates is motivating for them too and adds an element of engaging gamification to their learning.
For any modern foreign languages teacher learning vocabulary is essential and Quizlet is an effective way of memorising and embedding words, phrases and making sound spelling links. Students and teachers can search for existing lists and easily create their own. Socrative is another free cross-platform tool which allows for classroom voting, instant feedback and formative assessment. You can send students multiple choice, true or false or short answer questions as well self-marking pre-made quizzes. Furthermore, using avatars instead of real learners' faces may encourage increased participation especially from reluctant learners.
Rehearsing, recording and editing spoken work digitally allows ELLs to improve their pronunciation, boost their confidence, extend their speaking and listen back as many times as they like. They can also produce a script individually or collaboratively through a Google doc and import their text into an online teleprompter like Cue Prompter or the Visioprompt app so they can record their audio while it scrolls up the screen using Audacity or Voice Record Pro. Some departments employ this technique, as well as Textivate and Triptico, to help students learn their controlled assessment pieces.
Video is another powerful vehicle in and out of the languages classroom. Making videos draws upon multiple intelligences, promotes creativity and fosters collaboration. The process gives students ownership of their work which increases engagement. Learners can produce short films in the target language, create animations using apps such as Yakit Kids, Puppet Pals and Explain Everything screencasts, as well as peer assess each other's work. These videos can be easily uploaded and stored in the cloud, used to form part of an e-portfolio over time and are accessible at all times. Other tools used for generating e-portfolios and submitting homework are Edmodo or Showbie. The advantage of these tools is that students don't require an email address just a class code.
Using video to flip the classroom is another possibility where learners access the lesson content they would normally learn in class, at home which frees up more class time for practising and accessing higher-order thinking skills. The MFL department at Wildern School in Hampshire is currently experimenting with flipping and recording their findings on a dedicated blog. Flipping doesn't have to involve creating lots of new material. It can be as simple as sharing existing PowerPoints or screencasts.
To support colleagues who find technology integration challenging, here are some suggestions:


  • Lead by example and introduce some of the easier tools or apps to begin with to boost confidence and then share outcomes generated through their use.
  • Team-teach a lesson incorporating technology and afterwards discuss the successes and challenges.
  • Offer in-house mentoring sessions at lunchtime, after school or during professional development days.
  • Nominate student digital leaders who can troubleshoot issues and offer support in class.
  • Propose having technology as a performance management target.



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For the current generation of teachers using digital media may be a challenge. The good news is by using social media for support and integrating available tools and apps, connected teachers can access technology's power and potential for language learning. Let's make language classrooms for the web generation more relevant, engaging and accessible.

inspired by Joe Dale, an independent consultant and former languages teacher. He blogs at Integrating ICT into the MFL Classroom and tweets as @joedale.


regards,
future educator

Selasa, 05 April 2016

Interactive Learning Using Awesome Apps






So many awesome apps out there we can use to engage students in learning process. We can use common apps such as facebook, twitter, or google plus. However, there are many others apps which are really useful to create interactive learning process. I won't write a lot in this post, so I will only write my own experience in using awesome apps in my learning processes.



I have used Edmodo in my learning at school, I also have used Facebook group, LINE group chat, and also Google Hangouts. Those apps are really easy and handy to use. Students and teachers only need gadget, such as laptop or smartphone, and good internet connection. Those apps are also simple so even elementary grade students can use them nowadays. I am actually one of many people who believe that using up-to-date and hi-tech technology can improve teaching-learning process and the efforts in achieving teaching-learning goals. So by engaging students in hi-tech learning process, students will feel comfortable and interested in learning.


However, we need to keep in mind that there are a lot of things to be paid attention to before using those apps in learning process. First, we need to have the ICT skill that we can operate the hi-tech gadget and apps. Second, the facilities should be ready to support hi-tech and internet-based teaching-learning process. The gadget, the good internet connection, and the apps must be checked first whether those things are ready to use or not. Third, the students' awareness in the importance and usefulness of technology in learning need to be built.






Creative, critical, and smart teachers must have a lot of interesting and interactive activities for the students' learning. These teachers also should be ready to make effective and efficient teaching-learning process in order to reach the learning goals. So as a teacher-to-be, we need to have many more knowledge, not only knowledge in our field but also knowledge in other, different field beyond our concerns.






regards.

future educator

Minggu, 27 Maret 2016

Blended Learning


Blended Learning: What is it? How it works?


 


Blended Learning is an innovation in education in which students learn through digital and brick-and-mortar learning with their own control over time, path, and pace. In Blended Learning, face-to-face content and activity are combined with digital content and activity. There are 6 models used for Blended Learning, which are:

1) Face-to-Face Driver Model
Of all the Blended Learning models, face-to-face driver is the closest to a typical school structure. With this approach, the introduction of online instruction is decided on a case-by-case basis, meaning only certain students in a given class will participate in any form of Blended Learning. The face-to-face driver approach allows students who are struggling or working above their grade level to progress at their own pace using technology in the classroom.
Some schools have also found this model to be a helpful way to engage English language learners (ELL), who sometimes fall behind not because they are incapable of understanding a concept, but because they’re not native speakers. A 2009 study of the Round Rock Independent School District in Texas found that the math and reading test scores of third and fifth grade ELLs increased following the implementation of Blended Learning and the use of interactive whiteboards.

2) Rotation Model
In this form of Blended Learning, students rotate between different stations on a fixed schedule – either working online or spending face-to-face time with the teacher. The rotational model is more widely used in elementary schools – 80 percent of elementary schools in California that use Blended Learning follow the rotational model – because many are already set up to have students rotate between stations. Students became more active learners and often challenged themselves to work harder and learn material that had not yet been introduced in their math classroom.

3) Flex Model
Schools who are supporting a large number of non-traditional or at-risk students often choose the flex model of Blended Learning. With this approach, material is primarily delivered online. Although teachers are in the room to provide on-site support as needed, learning is primarily self-guided, as students independently learn and practice new concepts in a digital environment.

4) Online Lab Model
As schools face increasingly tighter resource constraints, the online lab model of Blended Learning is a viable option for helping students complete courses, including those not offered at the specific school site. In this scenario, students learn entirely online but travel to a dedicated computer lab to complete their coursework. Adults supervise the lab, but they are not trained teachers. This not only allows schools to offer courses for which they have no teacher or not enough teachers, but also allows students to work at a pace and in a subject area that suits them without affecting the learning environment of other students.

5) Self-Blend Model
Popular in high schools, the self-blend model of Blended Learning gives students the opportunity to take classes beyond what is already offered at their school. While these individuals will attend a traditional school environment, they also opt to supplement their learning through online courses offered remotely. In order for this method of Blended Learning to be successful, students must be highly self-motivated. Self-blend is ideal for the student who wants to take additional Advanced Placement courses, or who has interest in a subject area that is not covered in the traditional course catalog.

6) Online Driver Model
At the opposite end of the spectrum from face-to-face driver we have online driver, which is a form of Blended Learning in which students work remotely and material is primarily delivered via an online platform. Although face-to-face check-ins are optional, students can usually chat with teachers online if they have questions. This model of Blended Learning is ideal for students who need more flexibility and independence in their daily schedules. This approach is becoming increasingly popular – each year, the number of students participating in online driver programs increases by about 15 percent.

Does Blended Learning Work?

Not all students learn the same way. This is not a particularly novel concept, but it is an important one. Students never outgrow their learning styles, so why do traditional college classrooms fail to engage all of them?

This is Blended Learning’s real strength: it transforms a largely trans-missive method of teaching–say, a professor lecturing for what feels like an eternity–into a truly interactive one. It sounds ideal on paper, but does it work? A 2010 meta-analysis published by the U.S. Department of Education suggests it does. According to the report, students exposed to both face-to-face and online education were more successful than students entirely in one camp or the other.

Blended instruction is reportedly more effective than purely face-to-face or purely online classes. Blended Learning methods can also result in high levels of student achievement more effective than face-to-face learning. By using a combination of digital instruction and one-on-one face time, students can work on their own with new concepts which frees teachers up to circulate and support individual students who may need individualized attention. The use of information and communication technologies have been found to improve student attitudes towards learning. 

Blended Learning also have the potential to reduce educational expenses, although some dispute that Blended Learning is inherently less expensive than traditional classroom learning. Blended Learning has can lower costs by putting classrooms in the online space and it essentially replaces pricey textbooks with electronic devices that students often bring themselves to class. E-textbooks, which can be accessed digitally, may also help to drive down textbook budgets. 

Blended Learning often includes software that automatically collects student data and measures academic progress, providing teachers, students and parents detailed students data. Often, tests are automatically scored, providing instantaneous feedback. Student logins and work times are also measured to ensure accountability. Schools with Blended Learning programs may also choose to reallocate resources to boost student achievement outcomes. Students with special talents or interests outside of the available curricula use educational technology to advance their skills or exceed grade restrictions. 

Blended Learning allows for personalized education, replacing the model where a teacher stands in front of the classroom and everyone is expected to stay at the same pace. Some online institutions connect students with instructors via web conference technology to form a digital classroom. These institutions borrow many of the technologies that have popularized online courses at the university level. Some advantages of Blended Learning, particularly at a Kindergarten to grade 12 level of education, can be found under the general concept of educational technology . It is also one of the most effective ways for personalized learning at scale.

However, Blended Learning has some challenges. Blended Learning has a strong dependence on the technical resources or tools with which the Blended Learning experience is delivered. These tools need to be reliable, easy to use, and up to date, for them to have a meaningful impact on the learning experience. IT literacy can serve as a significant barrier for students attempting to get access to the course materials, making the availability of high-quality technical support paramount. Other aspects of Blended Learning that can be challenging is group work because of difficulties with management in an online setting. Reportedly the use of lecture recording technologies can result in students falling behind on the materials. In a study performed across four different universities, it was found that only half of the students watched the lecture videos on a regular basis, and nearly 40% of students watched several weeks' worth of videos in one sitting. From an educator's perspective, most recently, it has been noted that providing effective feedback is more time-consuming (and therefore more expensive) when electronic media are used, in comparison to traditional (e.g. paper-based) assessments. Using e-learning platforms can be more time consuming that traditional methods and can also come with new costs as e-learning platforms and service providers may charge user fees to educators.

Here I attached an infographic from Knewton




Regards,

future educator

Sabtu, 19 Maret 2016

Global Education Network

In this 21st century, students are exposed to a global network. This is the era where globalization, Internet, and technology are being the important part in students' life. Students can have learning process not only inside classroom, but also outside the classroom. They can learn from other students around the world. They can share their learning experience and learn about each other's culture. This will help them to have broader mind and make them respect and tolerate others.

technology for future education
technology for future education

With global education network, the goals above can be achieved. Global education network means the combination between the globalization, technology, and Internet, to facilitate the teaching and learning process. Teaching and learning will be easier and funnier. The input will come from a lot of sources, not only from the teacher or the textbooks. By using technology the learning process won't be boring. Students today who are addicted to Internet and technology will find the learning more interesting. 

I have read an article about Gen Z. Children who were born in 1995-2020 are called Gen Z. This generation is exposed to the technology and Internet since childhood. I have read that this Gen Z (actually I am also included) is really like to socialize with others from all around the world by using social media. Some people think that addicted to technology and Internet is bad, but if we see it from different point of view, this situation can be a help in teaching process. How come? I know you will ask that! The teacher should master the technology so they can provide their students a very interesting and high-tech classroom. I absolutely believe that the students will be more active and enjoyed in class.



Regards,


Future Educator