I've shared some of the apps from Niks blog already, there are some really great student and teacher tools for the language classroom and beyond. Short, easy to follow videos explaining each app are really useful. Watch out, though, found just a few links that are broken. Not all apps are free.
This is a blog that various people contribute to with reviews and instructions for a variety of tech apps and websites - that can be used for a variety of purposes, from video annotation to labeling photos and many more. Thanks to the people at CeLTA for posting these! (add to your Feedly to keep up with new posts!)
It seems somewhat self-explanatory, but by watching the tutorial I came up with a few ideas that would not have otherwise come up. Among them, I can use FG as a scaffolding activity to match student progress over the course of a quarter or semester. It offers a few features that could appropriately match this growth-- I can write a prompt with an image, video, video + link. Anyway, I can see now more clearly how to FG can be a great resource for my classroom.
I think this is a great idea for using virtual reality in the classroom and can be adapted for any language.
The team will expand upon the initial pilot by hiring five Parisians from different neighborhoods to document and share their lives with a VR camera over the course of one to two months.
I'm trying to figure out how to do this for my own classroom; I wonder if one day we could develop an exchange where we work with partners in other countries to gather video for each other for these types of projects.
Awardees hypothesize that virtual reality will allow language learners to have perceptual, empathetic, and culturally immersive experiences in multiple sensory modalities (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) that will enhance their vision, perceived value of language and culture learning, and willingness to communicate.
The University System of Maryland now requires undergraduates to take 12 credits in alternative learning modes, including online. Texas has proposed a similar rule. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is pushing to have 25 percent of credits earned online by 2015.
In a test, there's no one telling you that you can't look at the book, says Ariel Hatten, 20, a junior and nursing major who considers her online class an easy A.
"No one enforces you to do the right thing" in an online course, Ms. Hatten says. "It's at your discretion. I care about my grade, so if I don't know the answer, I'm not gonna let myself fail when I have an opportunity to look in the book."
When Central Florida began experimenting with online courses in the mid-1990s, it didn't expect demand from on-campus students like Ms. Black. Officials figured they'd get students who lived far away. But early on, about 75 percent of online students were already on the campus or lived nearby.
The university has a severe shortage of classroom space.
The university remains 40 percent short on classroom space. One of its coping strategies is invisible on a campus dotted with new buildings—football stadium, basketball arena, pastel dorms—that scream Traditional State U.
UCF has become a hybrid university.
Blended classes generate the highest student evaluations of any learning mode at Central Florida, and, like her classmates, Ms. Black is a fan.
One of her mixed-mode professors, Youngsoo Choi, likes the online component for another reason: It makes students grapple with material before they meet for class.
ther students customize their own unofficial blends
Some students show up more than an hour early for a seat, but attendance isn't mandatory. Students can also watch online videos of the lectures any time. Mr. Harrison catches some lectures and skips others. He likes the freedom of these video classes.
There's a lot of distractions that come with putting courses on the Internet."
His first experience with an online course was a struggle. He got lazy. He'd tell himself, I'll watch the lecture between 2 and 4 p.m. Something would come up. He'd say, I'll watch two tomorrow. He fell behind. There was no help. He got a C.
"I tell them, 'Listen, I don't want you to think that I'm stalking you or anything, but I will certainly try to get ahold of you if you're not turning in work and participating,'" she says. Some are adolescents, she notes. Most don't have online experience.
The potentials for dropping in html objects such as quizzes that enable interaction can make static data much more dynamic.
The ability to drop in multimedia and particularly video can lend more significance and impact to the information in the graphic.
I have not tried this tool, but it sounds like a great combination of things--embedded videos, plus the ability to add quizzes. I am imagining being able to create something like a google-docs quiz or EdPuzzle, and embed within the context of a larger discussion of a topic. This might help to show how one activities fits into a broader unit.
VoiceThread is a ridiculously simple online program that allows students to comment on authentic materials, whether they be pictures, documents, web pages, or video. Students can provide written feedback to the material presented along with oral feedback via their computer mics, web cams, or cellular phones.
Voice Thread is very simple and fun to use it and students can work with authentic material. It is very good to practice listening comprehension and speaking.
I have always looked at and wondered about using VoiceThread but have never actually done it until I took this class. I'm happy that I finally used it and I'm thrilled to see all of the suggestions for World Language activities that people have shared.
Same as Anne! I only new about VoiceThread when I started Carla17 online course. Thanks for sharing this information. We can continue learning about all the advantages of it: free, facilitates learning through authentic materials, different modalities of response: oral, written, video, doodle.
Great suggestions in this article for using Flipgrid. I really like the idea of keeping track of completed assignments (in my school that would be considered a Habit of Work as we do not grade homework anyhow) and perhaps using Flipgrid as part of a summative assessment at the end of the semester...lots of no stress practice and, by the time the assessment comes, they are all familiar with the technology.
I enjoyed reading Connie's story, and I think we all have "Connie" in our classes. Flipgrid can be a great opportunity for students show the side that others don't see in class.
Thanks for sharing this article! I liked the idea of different context and different identity :-) Sometimes students express themselves more comfortable at the beginning through the use of alternate identities. Specially if they have to video record themselves when they are learning the language.
I wonder what a good group size would be for most Padlet activities? If it's sort of a social media feed like the one I created for class, I suppose it could be everyone. If it's creating a digital poster, groups of three might work well.
This really does make things easier. My students had trouble remembering passwords to things this summer, so it's great when there is no login required.
By
Natascha Chtena
November 22, 2015
5 Comments
.blog-spacer {
display: none;
}
@media (max-width: 420px) {
.blog-spacer {
display: block;
height:1px;
clear:both;
}
}
googletag.cmd.push(function() {
googletag.display("dfp-ad-story_level_pages");
});
Natascha Chtena is a PhD student in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @nataschachtena.
One of the challenges I face teaching a daily language class is finding novel and creative ways to maintain student interest throughout my lessons. One of my favorite teaching “tricks” is using music to motivate learning, improve concentration, create a sense of community and help my students absorb material.
Music is a wonderful tool to integrate into your teaching repertoire, especially if you are a foreign language teacher. It has a
The key is to not be too ambitious (unless of course you are teaching a language AND culture class) and to set realistic goals: one song one major point! I usually keep it to seven minutes max, which includes a song, a very short “lecture” and some time for student questions at the end.
where I asked students to compile a short (German) playlist that describes their personality, explaining what it is about each song that speaks to them and/or that they identify with.
By
Natascha Chtena
November 22, 2015
5 Comments
.blog-spacer {
display: none;
}
@media (max-width: 420px) {
.blog-spacer {
display: block;
height:1px;
clear:both;
}
}
googletag.cmd.push(function() {
googletag.display("dfp-ad-story_level_pages");
});
Natascha Chtena is a PhD student in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @nataschachtena.
One of the challenges I face teaching a daily language class is finding novel and creative ways to maintain student interest throughout my lessons. One of my favorite teaching “tricks” is using music to motivate learning, improve concentration, create a sense of community and help my students absorb material.
Mus
Music is a wonderful tool to integrate into your teaching repertoire, especially if you are a foreign language teacher. It has a way of capturing everything about a culture, its people and their language and it can inspire interest in a subject matter when other methods have failed. Not to mention that students love it and benefit from it intellectually and emotionally (even when they find your music taste questionable).
I use songs all the time and students love it. it is useful for grammar, vocabulary and culture. most of the time students start following on youtube the singer and present to class new songs from the same singer.
My students (college level) really enjoy any music I bring into the classroom. Usually, I use it because it fits a grammar or vocabulary theme. I'd love to expand my use of music with my students.
My students also love to listen to songs in the target language. As you said, it is useful to work not only the language (grammar aspect) but also the cultural part. In my classes, I try to play 1 minute of music in Spanish before starting the class. They really enjoy it and even bring me more songs suggestions in the target language to play the next day.
I like the idea of keeping the song length to a minimum. Sometimes the students get off task, especially if they don't like the song. Thanks for the idea! I love it when they tell me they've added the song to their own playlists!
As a German instructor, I find music also is a great way to bring more traditional texts to life--lots of poems become more exciting to students when combined with a setting by Schubert or Strauss (for example), even if the student isn't initially interested in either poetry or classical music. (I have a video of Schubert/Goethe's "Erlkönig" that adds another dimension through a sort of cartoon horror-story video--so it's text plus music plus visuals.) With this much to discuss, it can easily fill half of a class session or provide the basis for a larger project. Still, I also like the shorter use of music as a way to add energy to many different topics without taking over the lesson.
very interesting article! I actually like Zoom and its features and agree with Stephen Hersh.
we as teachers will need to look through another lens now and try to adapt to teaching online in a new productive way.
Like the article - when we switched remotely, my advice for the ASL instructors is to keep it simple, to the point and encourage breakaway groups, encourage conversations using new signs, come up with short stories (movies)....most of the students enjoyed it. When the semester ended, we decided we should learn more tech tips and find other features using ZOOM. Its interesting!
Yes!! My main takeaway is that online class is not just a duplication of in-person class. Some things have to be done completely differently.
I like the part about no lectures. One thing I know is that my fall online classes aren't going to have long lectures...
This was really useful! I especially liked how he said he used his mini-lectures as a way to kick start group work. I do think that using Zoom, even though not ideal, can bring us to better ways of doing things with our students. I like how he posits that it forced him to talk less and have students participate more. If this is a benefit of the pandemic, then I welcome it (although all the other stuff --no!).
This post reminded me that InsideHigherEd is a great resource for keeping tabs not only on post-secondary education policy, but also on technology. I'll absolutely be delving into their archive!
Zoom! I'm pretty sure Stephen Hersch is my neighbor! Teaches at Northwestern.
"Stop talking so much!" Yes. Great take away.
I saw this video when I looked up to see what TEACHx is since he's involved. Started in 2016. But this linked video https://vimeo.com/249442007 is 4 Northwestern students and how they use technology. Evidently they use Canvas as well. I want to look up want one student said about his Spanish class. But what I liked is one of the students talks about when she doesn't use technology. After having said that all her life she had never used her laptop so much, but still in class the expectation is to arrive prepared and be ready to discuss. Hersch says the same for the what is one of the best uses of Zoom... time for students to discuss. Now! How to really get them all to prepare!?
Good ideas - I could see Tip #2 as a great starter project in language for level 2 and above. Alyssa and I do the weekly video updates, pretty much just like three points listed here - and we've also gotten good feedback on those.