Group items tagged

This is a warehouse of searchable digital tools for the language classroom. Some of the tools were mentioned in our course, others were not such Mentimeter, Peardeck, NearPod , Google Voice and many many more. I really like the organization of this site with tabs to serve most needs.

slide show with ideas and samples for sychnronous activities

I like the slide show especially the slide that shows the different tasks for synchronous activities.

I saved this for a course I am working on (training for language instructors who will be teaching online courses). Thanks!

This doesn't really apply to language level exams, but for those of you who are interested in the MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) and how to get beyond Bloom's level 1 in testing, this article has an interesting idea for multiple choice tests.

thanks for the article link, Marlene. I am collecting articles/info about assessment and testing for a board I have going on Pinterest and for a Diigo group I have set up for my students here at my school in Chicago. It's a private group, but I am happy to invite you in if you are interested.

From the book: "Since the first version of this book came out in 2005, the field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has grown and changed. This update is the result of some of those changes. Our intent is to place pedagogical goals before technologies, as the literature advises but is not always followed in classrooms. In revising this book, as in the original, we assume that good teachers teach well because they bear in mind certain principles about how they can best help learners to learn language. Placing these principles at the center of attention makes it much easier for teachers to concentrate on the question of what constitutes effective computer-enhanced pedagogy and why. This book takes as its organizing principles both the system of conditions that are known to support effective language learning and the goals that a variety of standards in the field have set out for us and our students. Examples throughout the book underscore the need to consider theory in every aspect of the teaching and learning process. Some of the points in this book we have made in other places; other we discovered during the revision process. All told, this text provides a brief picture of what CALL classrooms can be like today. Of course, that could change tomorrow."

"This study was conducted to examine the use of social media, in particular Facebook and Twitter, as a pedagogical instrument in beginning level Spanish courses. "

Some things I hadn't thought about - or looked for - when I design my online courses.

"Seventeen instructors offer guidance for colleagues teaching an online course for the first time (and for those seeking a few new ideas)."

I thought this episode of the 'Cult of Pedagogy' podcast provided a thorough, relatable and succinct description of differences you need to take into account when planning an online course. It was informative, but also comforting. It didn't just talk about all of the things that you MUST DO to be a good teacher online. It also discussed the social needs of teachers and students in this environment.

I like the features of padlet and have personally used the platform in several webinars, but have yet to use the tool myself! I think that will definitely try this platform in the upcoming school year.

His videos are so helpful! Thanks for sharing. Does anyone know if Flipgrid integrates with Sakai? A big concern for me is to keep things simple and streamlined for students. Sending them information through different channels seems to just ask for things to get overlooked or lost. Thanks!

It sound like this guy is in the right place at the right time! I love reading but honestly video tutorials can be sooo helpful and nice to watch when they are well produced! I've seen in his channel another tool I love and I haven't used for a while: Adobe Spark.

Author Laura McClelland describes 4 tools of importance for online learning. She stresses the importance of building community.

Gives voice to concerns I've had as I contemplate using Zoom in my classes.

Thanks for sharing this, Greg! I've noticed that trying to share 20+ video feeds doesn't seem to lead to anything productive, and has a tendency to cause connectivity issues on my end. For my upcoming virtual class meetings, I I'll ask students to check in on video/audio when they join, and then mute themselves for the first bit of class. I'll then shift them into small breakout groups as soon as practical, where they can complete activities with cameras and mics on.

I definitely understand zoom fatigue from experience. This gives me some thoughts to contemplate to approach this differently. I am considering an exit question each student must answer...

This can be a handy direction (in both video and writing) for using Voice Thread in Blackboard for people like me who are using Bb. Thanks for sharing!

Due to issues I've encountered lately with opening sites and links that did not like my laptop, I've decided to stick with tools offered in BB which is what is used at my school. The explanations look clear enough for EVEN ME to figure out so I am thrilled to be able to access this tool AND use it!

...project provides language educators with pedagogical strategies and practical suggestions for implementing social networking sites (SNSs) and social media for intercultural competence in beginner and intermediate FL courses.

Abstract - "Teacher educators have increasingly integrated social media into their education courses with aims including improving instruction and preparing students for a connected world. In this study, the authors sought to better understand the possibilities and challenges of scaffolding 60 pre- and in-service teachers across two universities into professional learning networks (PLNs) through a social media assignment. Participants analyzed educator practices, participated in, and envisioned future uses of teacher Twitter. Consistent with previous studies, education students were positive about the relational and relevant aspects of Twitter use. However, students' participation did not mimic the participatory cultures of affinity spaces often reported by connected educators in the literature. Instead, participants tweeted around deadlines and quit using their accounts for professional education purposes once the class ended. In contrast to recent literature, this article argues that social media integration for education students should focus on relational and relevant engagements and content, as opposed to attempting to build social media augmented PLNs for unknown futures."

It's coming - an online MOOC for language learners.  How good are they?  How do they teach a language to hundreds of learners at the same time?   Something to investigate and see what we think - please comment below.

"The tenth annual survey, a collaborative effort between the Babson Survey Research Group and the College Board, is the leading barometer of online learning in the United States.  Based on responses from over 2,800 academic leaders..."