Steping towards the Project...

Hello everybody!!
Today I am addressing you from a Foreign country as I am in Thailand to attend an International Conference here at Phuket. So I will not be very detailed about our tasks. However, this week we really leanrt a great deal, especially two very Important facets of education in our context. One is the autonomy of the Learners which necessitates the teacher too have some autonomy. We know that the teachers play a crucial role as a facilitator as well as guide. In both the cases teachers role is immense. All the articles threw significant light in the whole discourse of the educational scenario.

Then the next aspect, which is so close to my context is One Computer classroom. Most of the time I do use it. But this course has given me a lot of idea as to how to go it in a fruitful way.

Well that's all for now. Gotta go. Will keep you posted again.

Nizara

Sharing experience is sharing knowledge..

Hi friends!!

This week is really crucial as we need to implement the change through technology that we visualize during our final project. I really was at a loss as we are in the midst of exams and there is no class to implement such endeavour. But keeping in mind the help, encouragement and guidance of Robert, my fellow friends and also the study materials, I felt that I could work on the project and find the important technology to enhance my teaching. I am working in that line and will come up with proper technological support to enhance the classroom transaction.

I was initially thinking of developing two skills, namely, Listening and writing in my students. But Robert suggested that if I take up both, it might be a bit messy. It was Robert who suggested me to go for enhancing the Listening skill in my learners. So keeping that in mind I am going to incorporate the technology enhanced programs to my teaching to develop the Listening skill in my learners.

Regarding my experiences this week, it was simply wonderful. I had learnt so many new things that took me to surprise. Initially I was not very sure about my involvement in the various tasks like creating the Interactive Power Point. Moreover we were provided with materials on engaging students in large classes. I found it really very crucial also as I teach in huge classes that have 150 students. So after going through the reading materials, I gained very insightful knowledge about involving my students in various works and tasks and also how to do that in a very planned way. Collaborative Learning, Learning through technology etc, are some of the areas that will hugely benefit me and teachers like me.

As we are heading towards the final stage, I am feeling happy and enriched. I am learning things which I had never done before. I am really thankful to the Univ. of Oregon and Robert in particular for extending all kinds of help and encouragement.

EXPLORING NEWER HORIZONS...

This has been a very very productive week as I have been introduced to so many new concepts related to technology. The first such concept is the Project Based Learning which I found very fruitful for my kind of situation. In our classroom situation, the learners are mostly passive even though we try to involve them. The smarter ones interact and the rest of them keep mum. But with the help of PBL all levels of learners will come forward to take active part in it. Thus this is a great concept and to top it all, we are introduced to the Web Quests!! Web Quests are a form of PBL where teachers create the ask statement and designate the resources. Learners work in group and have a specified product. Since our classrooms are huge Web Quests will really help us a great deal.

Alternative Assessment is another newer area that we have been introduced. I have really enjoyed the reading materials as they take us to a newer plane, where we can always think of something new to help our learners learn better.

Creating a Rubric is one area which was both challenging and interesting. I thought of creating one for my learners to assess their listening skills. I had to go through the various rubrics created by my co participant friends to understand how to go about it. Then I had explored in the different areas at Rubi Star which has been suggested to us. Finally I had successfully created one!!! I was really elated at my success..

For many of my friends, all these experiences are normal as they are all well versed in using technology for their normal purposes. But for me, it is simply exploring in newer horizons to get the flavor of new epistemes which will make me a better teacher as well as learner. I heartily thank Robert and my friends here to make my journey into this new web world so thrilling....

Rays of Hope!!!

Hello friends!!!

This week is really very very enlightening as far as our course is concerned. We have been made to use technology in planning our lessons, in discussing reading-writing skills, in projecting our problems that we face in the classroom situation. But one thing that I liked about everything is that we have learnt a great deal about using web based material in our classrooms. I am sure this will greatly benefit both the teachers and students.
When we used to go for Teacher-training programs, all the teachers will share similar problems: the learners' inability to develop the language skills in a traditional English classroom. Even after the change of syllabus, the situation has remained the same. So it has always been a pathetic situation to be a part of such a teaching-learning process where we can't do anything to bring in a desired change.
But now I can see rays of hope!!! Use of web material will definitely change the attitude of both the students as well as teachers with traditional mindset. Once they get the opportunity to use the web-enhanced material, they will be highly motivated to take active part in the teaching learning process. These feelings dawned in me when I was preparing the technology enhanced Lesson plans for my students. Now I know we can surely change the mindset of both the learners as well as teachers as technology, if used in the right way, will enliven the whole scenario and make the ESL teaching more easy.
That's all for today..
Love,Nizara