Week 10 Last Round!

These past 10 weeks, many things have been learned in this Webskill class, and various topics related to teaching and learning have been discussed. For the first time, I heard about Nicenet-- the online class-- during week 0. Writing my very first blog (or web log) using Blogger marked my first week in this course. Then, week 2 came with interesting stuff that included: Websearch using Noodle Tools, writing objectives using the ABCD model, and most importantly starting the work on a final project/ plan. The scaffolding of the latter was reinforced, during week 3 with our knowledge of former Webskill course participants' work. The third week also allowed me to discover the use of an online bookmarker, called Delicious.  One of my heaviest weekly tasks was that of week 4, in which a detailed lesson plan using technology-- Technology- Enhanced Lesson Plan-- was required in addition to explanations of problems related to a plan- targeted class. Even though week 5 was not that easy, it was rewarding with its Webquest and Rubistar content because these two things were the pillars supporting my final action plan. As for week 6, it was very busy with an Interactive Power Point lesson. My favorite was week 7 as it was very practical and easy to post something on the class Padlet from WallWisher. Week 8's tools for educators were, are, and will be useful as long as I keep this teaching career; therefore, that week-- going along with the final plan implementation-- would be called "the mature learning week" for a teacher. I appreciate what my coursemate, Samarat, did to me during week 9, when my final plan was given rational feedback on. That penultimate week was fantastic in that I could know what type of learner I was with the topic of Mutiple Intelligences and Learning Styles (very important to comprehend for teachers!).

This last and final week focuses on Technology Integration into Teaching and on giving advice to future participants in this Webskill class; yet, what I liked the most among its readings was Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever, by Arthur W. Chickering and Stephen C. Ehrmann, that you can find at  http://polaris.umuc.edu/~cschwebe/gsmt800/7principles.htm . This article highlights how important it is to give value more to how students learn than to how teachers instruct; and that would be perfect if technology were integrated.

 This tenth week has made me realize that there are many efforts to make if I want to continue using technology in teaching. The reason for that is I barely meet any categories in the Technology Integration Matrix and Indicators. Nevertheless, I do not lose faith in using technology for teaching since this Webskill class has given me lots of ideas on how teaching can be enhanced in a more innovative way for the benefit of students.

To finish with, I want to thank you all for having supported me, in your own way, during these ten weeks of Webskill training.

Let us keep in touch!

Week 9 Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

 I open this blog with the nine intelligences that all of us are in possession of,  according to  Howard Gardner :Verbal-Linguistic, Logical/Mathematical, Visual/Spatial, Bodily/Kinesthetic, Musical/Rhythmic, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Naturalist, and  Existentialist.

Language learning is, indeed, unable to avoid using, at least, four of the above intelligences-- verbal- linguistic, bodily/ kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and interpersonal-- because language is both a difficult concept and a hard subject to learn ; that means, language learners are endowed with intelligences that learners of other subjects would not have to be. That is why I do not believe that a language can be fully mastered within weeks, months, or years. Language learning is then a life time learning. Therefore, one cannot learn English without living with it.

Concerning learning styles, much can be said as a reflection on this week's readings related to this topic; but there is just one thing I want to raise. That is not knowing what type of learners one school/ class has may lead to a total failure of a teaching system or curriculum implementation  as the teaching content may not always be able to make sense to its consumers. What do you think?

Week 8 Exploring, Creating, Planning, Reviewing, and Submitting ...

We were assigned to become explorers this week as many things were to discover or re- discover thoroughly so that we could end up with creating something new, using the tools presented. Among many things to re- discover were: Padlet, with which I came up with http://padlet.com/wall/q41wrcb5mf   -- a page for my Advanced 1 Certificate students to post their written versions of stories they listened to online; HotPotatoes, which is a very practical tool for creating interactive teaching materials like this one http://uk3.hotpotatoes.net/ex/115628/EKVXSKZA.php-- used as a warm- up before dealing with a topic relating to "traveling places". Even if I know it will not be very difficult to open a Nicenet class, I have not tried it.  

The heaviest tasks of the week were to draft the final plan using a template  and to review a coursemate' s project following a rubric. Fortunately, Samarat is a quick responder to mails related to the peer review; so everything went smoothly with our fast communication. Thank you, Samarat for being supportive, attentive, and helpful!

Submitting the final action plan report is believed to be the apotheosis of this Webskill course; however, the implementation of the plan seems to me the  highest point in the development of this course's outcome. I hope I will be able to put my plan into practice in my teaching setting prior to  the last teaching term of this year.

Hoping to interact with you, soon.

Week 7 Helping Each Other

Many things are occurring this week; and we will see the days quickly pass. We have this wonderful sharing experience with the class Padlet where all participants in this course become Wallwishers. There were already many things posted about Learner Autonomy and One Computer Classroom on the second day of this week. I personally consider this common page very enriching because you see and learn a lot (exaggerated!) at a glance. Students will also find it more fun to use if their teacher creates one for the class. Unfortunately, I have not done that, yet. 

Two new things (No! Two new people) that bring freshness to this course are Rachel's contribution to the course and a partner who will be peer- reviewing the final project to be implemented by the end of this course. I am thankful to them!

What I am planning to do this weekend, if time allows, is to read more previously- submitted final action plans (as Sean suggested to me) of former Webskills course participants, in addition to possible readings about PBL and peer- project tips so that I can have clear ideas of how to fine- tune my partner's project and mine.

I may want to start with this reading today: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED427556.pdf

Happy pair/peer- working!