Tuesday, September 14, 2010
?
It's time, finally
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Never give up...blogging
Monday, April 19, 2010
End of the Road
Saturday, April 10, 2010
The Susan Boyle of Asia
Monday, April 5, 2010
Wow, this brought me to tears
Monday, March 29, 2010
Calamity James
Blunder 1:
Blunder 2:
President Bush at it again
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Learner autonomy and learning in tandem
Schwienhorst then proceeds to talk about asynchronous communication tasks in the form of tandem e-mail and of the Electronic Tandem Resources (ETR) website at Trinity College Dublin, where learners can use the same tools, resources and interface together. In addition to the problems mentioned above, regular e-mail programs are difficult to monitor and are too diverse in design and function. The ETR website, on the other hand, provides a uniform platform and database that students can use to peer evaluate with clearly labeled tools.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Farewell to the King
Monday, March 22, 2010
Testing, testing. Is this a test? Yes, IT is
While there have been sparse updatees on recent innovations in CBT, things are looking promising with pictures and graphics being inserted into the computer version of TOEFL as well as keys that allow learners to allow how soon the next question appears. Better yet, an EU-funded program called DIALANG provides tests in different languages and assess learners' productive skills like the all-important speaking. Okay, so real-life recording is still not possible but users can choose their preferred response to simulated scenarios. Answers will then be rated by human judges.
As for my school, only the Science and Math teachers use Scantron, which, I know, is a very primitive version of CBT. But according to Alderson, it is making a comeback and my colleagues have been using it for a few years. Feedback has been good so far, mainly due to convenience, and students have gotten used to it. To them, a Scantron test is just as good as a pen-and-paper one. Again, the only thing they care about is the final score. Here's where self-assessment tools could help but I don't think my school's going to implement any of them due to a lack of funds.
Concordance feedback
Unlike spelling, errors in sentences are usually grammatical in nature, which makes them less straightforward to explain. Hence, Gaskell and Cobb suggest a feedback driven system that emphasizes on repeated sentence patterns rather than on abstract terms. Also, they aim to make concordance information more accessible to lower-intermediate L2 writers. Indeed, some of these programs are more suited for advanced learners as the words and sentences used are often too advanced for the average learner to comprehend (a la My Words). Another concern is that there seems to be a discrepancy as to whether or not feedback is beneficial to the writer. On one hand, it is seen as discouraging to learners while others consider it an indispensible part of learning and error reduction. Gaskell and Cobb surmise that it's unrealistic to achieve anything significant short term as learners must have enough exposure to common patterns to generate any improvement. In any event, the writers are only interested in developing a principled feedback resource of formative evaluation that learners are able to use.
All in all, Gaskell and Cobb's article presents an interesting view on corpus and concordancing but at the high school level, we are still at the very primitive stage of using pen and paper for feedback. I'm sure my colleagues would welcome such a system but who's going to all the uploading and data entry? Who's going to provide all the hyperlinks for the erros? While my school does have an online homework submission system for Math, I don't think we're going to implement it for English as many of my colleagues prefer hard copies that they can write on. They find turning on the computer and going through the applications time-consuming as a good ol' red ball point pen can achieve the same, if not more. Believe it or not, they would rather go with a regular dictionary than the My Words application. Bottom line is, the less computers factor in, the better. Besides, students never read what you give them as they are only concerned about the mark/score/grade and those who do read the feedback will eventually approach you. The picture is pretty bleak, I know, but I'm not giving up hope just yet. I will keep trying to implement more IT into my teaching.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Don't give up hope just yet
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Check My Words out
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Er...okay
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Right to Copy?
We language teachers have known all along that schools are exempted from copyright laws and that we are allowed to replicate and duplicate works for educational and testing purposes. However, many of us do not know the extend of the exemption. The SAR government has made it very clear through this document what is acceptable and what is not. Through a new "Fair Dealing" Ordinance (Section 41A of the Copyright Ordinance), reasonable (i.e. small) portions of reproduction of a text or film by a student or teacher is allowed if it is for an education purpose, that is, a project by a student of a presentation by a teacher. Showing a movie a film for entertainment's sake or photocopying an entire textbook, however, would be an infringement. Hats off to the Intellectual Property Department for the clear explanation and examples given.
A Liou and clear CALL
Liou's lengthy article focuses on something a lot of ELTs have done - showing movies and videos in class. In particular, Liou describes an interactive video disc (IVD) course ware for English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching study in a Taiwanese institution. Unlike regular videos, this IVP features interactive tools that allow viewers/learners to click on the icons on screen to access dictionary translations, background information on the characters and even information on the characters' dialects. Hence, students can navigate through the IVD course ware on their own. The course ware is developed to enhance EFL instruction and learning and prepare for research in EFL learning. There's also a computer managed instruction (CMI) that checks the hardware and records the time a learner spends going through the course ware as well as monitoring his or her own performance. Everything sounds straightforward until the technical aspects of design and implementation come into the picture.
Tools like Microsoft Windows and IconAuthor are utilized to construct the databases of the aforementioned film information. Templates are also written to allow lay teachers who understand very little about IT to customize the program for their own pedogogical needs. Then, the course ware is to be implemented in the classroom, which does not have to be limited to an online setting as offline dictionaries and note-taking can facilitate activities like re-sequencing the story.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Talk of the town
Monday, March 1, 2010
Reminder
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Now even YOU can be a Nav'i
Thursday, February 18, 2010
I wonder...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Bare with me but here's the warning letter
Dear hotrice
This email is notification of action regarding your Second Life account,
hotrice Somerset, for violation of the Second Life Terms of Service or
Community Standards. The violation in question occurred on
in the region of Orientation Island Public.
Violation: Community Standards: Indecency, Mature Content
Mature material is allowed only in-world in Regions rated M
(Mature). A PG next to the Region name at the top of your
screen indicates that you are in a PG region.
The following content is not appropriate in PG Regions:
Intense, strong language or expletives. Nudity or sexual
content in textures, sounds, or animations. Content
depicting sex, strong violence, or anything else broadly
offensive. Soliciting of chat sex. Avatar nudity.
This is just a warning notice. No suspension of your account has been
applied at this time.
Action:
No additional action is being taken at this time.
Appeal Process:
The decision to suspend your Second Life access was reached after
investigation of your use of the Second Life software and service. If you
would like to appeal your suspension, you may contact Second Life Support,
in writing, at the address below:
Second Life Support
CALL = SLA = TESTING METHODS?
In Testing Methods and Evaluation, we have to analyze test and exam papers to ensure their reliability and validity. Along the way, we must decide whether or not the rubrics are clear and judging criteria fair. For example, would more than one answer be accepted and would spelling and lower case letter play a role in scoring. Also, would hints be given in context and would the distractors in multiple choice questions draw enough answers. That echoes with Hubbard's presentational schemes and input judging.
As I was reading along, I discovered even more eerie similarities as Hubbard actually mentions field dependence/independence and intrinsic/instrumental motivation in the "learner fit" (design) section as strategy variables that need to be considered when formulating an appropriate courseware for students. Again, those terms featured prominently in the aforementioned SLA course and ring a familiar tune. Meanwhile, in the same section, Hubbard surmises that program focus, language difficulty and program difficulty are also key in terms of meeting the syllabus requirements for CALL courseware. Carrying over to the appropriate judgment section, Hubbard asks readers to consider whether a courseware is effective and efficient before implementation. That is, can learners practice or learn some area of the target language called for by the syllabus, be it grammar or phonetics and would it be worthwhile for students to use it when there are better and more economical options available? That is exactly what I am learning in Testing Methods as a good exam paper should test what is supposed to be tested and be worthwhile for a student to attempt.
While their similarities are uncanny, it is no surprise that CALL evaluation echoes theories found in both SLA and Testing. Computers and technology are only there to supplement language teaching and learning so a learner's disposition and a teacher's SLA beliefs. Simultaneously, evaluators should never randomly put together courseware just because they are cheap and readily available. Rather, instructors should carefully evaluate and judge whether or not they are efficient, effective and reflect the skills required to be taught on the syllabus. More often than not, teachers just copy and paste materials from various textbooks and websites onto so-called test papers and this practice must stop, even in CALL. If your school has no room for CALL, then better leave it alone then forcing it in, eventhough the evaluation framework proposed by Hubbard could be refined and adjusted.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Keeping my clothes on...
Anyway, this is exactly what SL does to people, that is, it brings out the child in all of us. I was like a kid in a candy store, running wild and leaving all my inhibitions at the door (literally). SL capitalizes on basic human instincts like the need for socializing and discovering the unknown, satisfying its users by providing them infinite opportunities to mingle and explore. Also, netizens can forever remain anonymous in SL worlds, another must of any cyber-networking tool.
Actually, I find it reassuring that there are people "watching" us and keeping us in line. In a sense, SL emulates the laws of the real world, that its "citizens" cannot really do whatever they desire. If one wants to get down and dirty, they he or she can go to the "mature" sections. I'm glad that I was warned because I was on my way to contaminating the PG-nature of the domain I was in. Teachers, then, should not worry too much about students crossing the line. That being said, Christoph's right in saying that language teachers should have more structured tasks and projects in place for students in case they go around aimlessly. A good langauge practice would be for students to meet different people in different (English) worlds and record their profiles down. There are infinite opportunities for students to learn in SL and teachers must explore it thoroughly before using it with students.
Better late than never: Reflection on week 1's reading
As an English teacher, I am fortunate to be part of the Integrative CALL era, where human-human interactions in authentic, computer-mediated discourse communities are possible based on advances in computer technology. Multimedia and Internet technology allow different applications such as reading, listening and speaking to be linked together in a single activities and instant messaging systems and file sharing networks enable real-time communication that was unheard of years ago. Teachers and students are now able to talk to each other without seeing one another.
Fortunately, I was not part of the "drill and kill" regime of the 60s and 70s that emphasized repeated drilling of grammatical and language items out of context. A good example would be fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice exercises. While I believe that all these technological advances are making communication easier, they could actually hinder teacher if instructors over-rely on the machines. I agree with Warschauer that computers are a medium in which pedagogical philosophies maybe implemented so it is the user and his or her practices that make these machines beneficial to teaching and learning. Never use a computer just for the sake of using a computer. PowerPoint becomes PowerPointless if you repeatedly use it for no apparent learning purpose. Instead of waiting for a super, Terminator-like computer/robot to help you, incorporate teaching techniques with existing software and hardware intelligently, like what I'm doing in the classroom as I communciate with my students regularly through MSN and the school discussion board.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Deep, very deep!
Levy's (1997) article is a bit dated, to be honest, as we have way more advanced technological tools nowadays. Hence, program developers, or proceduralists, as Levy calls them, are now front and center with theory advocates, or formalists, taking a back seat. Indeed, when we teachers decide to adopt an IT-teaching tool, the first thing that we look for is its user-friendliness and how exciting or stimulating it is. Little do we examine the cognitive psychology and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories mentioned by Levy that underlie language learning. Truth be told, who's got time to analyze complicated theories when you're already going into overdrive. Eventhough scholars like Jonassen warns against the field of CALL being technology-led and that the medium used should not be the primary focus, I tend to go with Meskill's (1991) postulation that media selection should come first because too much discussion on theory would eventually result in a serious case of lost in translation. I remember that one time, I had to come up with an oral project involving technology and immediately I thought of making movie trailers. My team and I then formulated a plan around the chosen medium and had no trouble implementing the project. So yeah, it is important to consider the technology early rather than late because with technology, you never know how it might surprise you at the very last minute.
But then again, Hubbard's (1992, 1996) also right in saying that CALL isn't so much a process but "a network of interdependent relationships between elements that need to be taken into account". So I guess it's all about balance, as indicated by Levy in his conclusion. Proceduralists should beware of being so obsessed with technology "to the point where they have no coherent theoretical basis to support their work". On the other hand, formalists must be careful that their theories actually encompass the CALL context in question. Bear in mind that the development process of CALL is dynamic and that there's no one single approach.
As for myself, I would definitely cut all the mumble jumble and just do it. Feedback from students and teachers is infinitely more important. Do a trial run, evaluate and adjust.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Jekyll and Hyde
CALLing to break down barriers
Roed's idea of virtual eloquence is not new as I've experienced first hand the way shy students behave when they are online. My students can babble on and on and produce language not thought possible when they are on MSN, Facebook and other webchat tools. In fact, even teachers "talk" (language is written but register is oral, according to Roed) more when they are in front of a computer. However, whereas Roed believes that online communication serves as a scaffold for students to build up their target language gradually, I actually think it does the opposite as Internet language is everything that's not proper. Also, when doing online tasks, instructors and learners should take into account a few things. First, the virtual world is a microcosm of the real one so problems in reality are likely to exist in cyberspace. Roed mentions one in her article. She says that when in virtualy reality, group identity is so strong online that "it is often a difficult and slow process for newcomers to break in and play a part. Sounds like exclusion and "freeze out" to me. Furthermore, prolonged computer use could help usher in "Cyberhermitism" (okay, it's a new term coined by yours truly for Internet addiction), a condition that strips heavy computer users of their social skills and eventually glues them onto their seat away from any kind of real, tangible human contact. After all, face-to-face interaction is still very important as even Roed doesn't think that a person can communicate entirely by e-mail or in a chat room.
Last but not least, chat room users tend to display Jekyll and Hyde tendencies so teachers and parents must preach Internet safety to prevent this. I'm not saying that online communication is a booby trap for students but as with all things new, we should take it with a grain of salt.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Drama for Dummies
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Some useful links
This site's got worksheets and lesson plans aplenty on various disciplines. Not necessarily IT-drive but nevertheless a (Free!) useful resource site for teachers.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
You fly? Or you phat? Not down with that? Then you better check out Urban Dictionary, THE place to be for definitions of common slang and other interesting sayings. You dig?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Internet for Language Teaching
Although the tips given by the writers are useful, I doubt if English teachers in Hong Kong, especially traditionalists, are willing to buy into the concept of Internet teaching. Besides the very obvious rigid curriculum that still emphasizes on textbooks rather than netbooks, teachers are resistant to change, any change that disrupts their flow of teaching (of exam skills). I can say I'm a pioneer at my school but it's extremely tough to get everyone on board. I can attest to that personally and finding suitable partners for team teaching is equally difficult as most of my colleagues are passive observers. Funding is also a problem as different departments vie for limited subsidies. All in all, it's a lonely battle to be fought. Oh, yeah, back to those Jurassic computers I was talking about. Not only do they kill off the interest of capable students but they also deter them from even attempting web-based activities in the classroom. As for working offline and from home, one's got to be careful as parents might complain about their kids being online all the time. In a nutshell, Warschauer and friends are right in saying that pedagogy and planning, not technology and surfing, are the keys to success in IT teaching.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Haiti
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Foomeister's Big Day
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Have you ever had a song that you can't get out of your head?
Here's a clip from the movie:
And here's the song:
Monday, January 11, 2010
My links
http://intranet1.skhlkmss.edu.hk/ (school intranet page 1 with discussion board and e-mail)
http://intranet2.skhlkmss.edu.hk/it-school/ (school intranet page 2 with e-mail and file-sharing functions(small capacity, though))
In addition to the above links, I also do computer-based projects with my students like movie trailers, TV programs and voiceovers, as attested by my Popular Culture classmates from last summer.
I will also show my students movies about computer technology and its ramifications like The Matrix (2001) and Gamer (2009).
I have also approached the British Council recently and may soon sign up with them for Teen Second Life, a virtual reality program where teens get to travel in England through time in avatars. Here is the link:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong-english-secondlife.htm