*LEVY – Ch. 3 Evaluation
*RICHARDSON Ch. 1. The Read/Write Web.
*RICHARDSON Ch. 2. Weblogs: Pedagogy & Practice
What has been your experience with blogs prior to this class? Are there any blogs you regularly visit? Do you have your own blog? Richardson describes the many potential uses of weblogs for classroom pedagogy and practice. What are some ways blogs could be used effectively with ELL students?
Levy described many different types and methods of evaluation of CALL software programs or websites. As an ESL teacher, describe at least one component you would want to see in an evaluation that would help you decided whether or not to use it.
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Prompt 1 Reply to Dr. Wright, 1.21.10
ReplyDeleteAnswering the first three questions, I have had zero experience with blogs prior to this class.
Applying Richardson’s suggestions for classroom uses of weblogs with ELL students, the language level and computer skills level would have to be the first two considerations. I liked the class blog idea as it promotes collaboration, which is an essential aspect for classroom ELLs. Sharing a blog motivates learners to read and write, thus contributing to the learning process as a team. In the same way, we are doing prompt replies in this course. Back to ELL students, vocabulary activities, grammar games, online readings for reading and responding, a literature circle, linking your class with another, reactions to questions, ideas, and opinions are ideas from Richardson that could be used effectively, again, given the language level and computer skills of the learners. These activities can build vocabulary knowledge, improve grammar usage, and increase their literacy skills through stimulation of critical thinking and in turn writing.
From Levy’s chapter on CALL software evaluation, I would want to see the teacher fit component addressed in an evaluation. It seems logical, that I as an ESL teacher would want to see the approach of the program and ensure I understand its application and benefit to my ELLs before using it in the classroom. I would want to assess the design of the program, its linguistic accuracy, the communicative context of phonological features, and the sociocultural content of the program. In sum, the relevance of the program in complementing/enhancing the course of instruction would be my priority in deciding on its usage in the classroom. In a recent high beginner level adult ESL class I used the CD accompanying the Side by Side textbook series. Listening exercises were the focus affording the students the opportunity to practice and assess their listening skills. We all found the CD exercises beneficial to the lessons at hand.
~ Alison Williams
Frankly, I rarely blog to any website unless It's necessary if I need to get certain information or source. In Richardson's book there are multiple significant ways that any instructor can use blogs effectively in his/her class. The teacher may start a class blog to supply the students with some online readings to discuss their feedback and reactions. Apparently, the students would be more motivated when their best written pieces posted in a weblog as a good model achieved during class. Also, It is incredibly amazing to create a teaching site concerns about every relevant link, activities or information supporting learning process. Finally, sharing educational ideas and innovations through shared weblog is absolutely beneficial for both learners and teachers.
ReplyDeleteLevy presented various methods regarding to the evaluation of call software or program such as Hubbard general framework and Chapelle theory task-based one.
However; to be more specific, lets suppose a class has a speaking assignment to make a conversation with a partner or more about one of posted pictures[certain situations] . Unarguably, pronunciation- including intonation, structure and appropriate vocabulary are essential components in forming any speech. How would call system evaluate such integrated task?
~Haifa
I think, before beginning this class, I had a pretty familiar relationship with blogs in general. In addition to writing my own blog (off and on) and both my own sites and my Myspace page, I would also regularly follow the blogs of my close friends, especially those living in places far away from me. I was also a big fan of several video blogs, especially “The Show with Zefrank” (http://www.zefrank.com/theshow/). Check it out and learn how to make an Earth Sandwich! I would often become excited at the realization that such interesting and innovative content was being created not by large media conglomerates, but instead individuals or small groups (often with way better results).
ReplyDeleteI think the ways in which blogs and video blogs could be effectively used with ELL students are numerous. I am particularly interested in cultural exchange between ELLs and people in English-speaking countries, so blogs could serve as a tool for both the ELL to describe their everyday lives using their L2 (and achieve valuable writing practice while at the same time writing on issues important to the ELL), and a way for English speakers to have access to first-hand descriptions of life in foreign cultures. Blogs could also easily function as a tool for receiving direct feedback on L2 writing from either the ELL’s peers in class or from readers on the Internet as a whole.
As for my preference for evaluating ESL software, I would have to borrow from a piece of Chapelle’s evaluation method and say that aspects of the software’s “authenticity” would be my main focus. Especially since I plan to eventually teach primarily adults and higher-education students, determining the link between a CALL program’s aims/goals and the particular motivations of my students would be critical. Older ELLs (in my opinion) often have quite specific motivations for studying English, and if classroom software did not help them reach their goals for outside of the classroom, I would find it not worth the class time. Therefore I would review both the software and survey my students with this aspect in mind before deciding on any particular CALL software to use.
I have my own blog. It is a Buddhist Blog. I mostly write about my thoughts on Buddhism (I'm a Buddhist) and other religions, and about my goals as a writer, and just stuff in general.A lot of my friends on facebook read my blog, and some of my Buddhist friends read it. Usually, I don't get a lot of comments.(the blogosphere feels sort of isolated sometimes) but people do tell me they read it. I follow some blogs. One called Missive Maiven, and another one called Purple and Sparkely. The latter one is the blog of a woman I met in California in the airport. We got along so well we exchanged blog addresses.
ReplyDeleteI thinks blogs could be usefull in the ESL classroom. I am really interested in using journaling in the classroom. I think the students could use their blog as a sort of journal, and the other students could respond.
Although the book said that surveys should not be used in isolation, I think that surveys would be a useful evaluation tool in the ESL classroom. It could be used to create a sort of bio of the student, and as a tool to conduct research. Also, a checklist (which seems sort of similar to a survey in some respects) would be a useful tool for research.
Blogs are really popular in all these years. We can post our “diary”, photos, videos, music etc., and at the same time, the visitor can leave their responses. It’s a good way to communicate and share information. I always visit my parents and friends’ blogs in China to check how they are doing now. And I visit “YouTube.com” almost every day to watch videos and shows. I have two blogs, I constantly update my blogs in order that my parents and friends can get to know my recent situation, and response messages they left.
ReplyDeleteRichardson (2009) introduced many uses of blogs, they are really helpful for ELL students too. Especially “class blog”, for many ELLs, they have difficulties in understanding what teacher said in class, and some of them are shy to talk in class. In this case, they can check class-related information such as class syllabus, homework assignment, and events. They can read online readings, post their responses for reading, post their writing samples, and exchange ideas with their peers etc.
For evaluate CALL software programs or websites, I think as an ESL teacher, the component of “valid” is very important. The designed software programs or websites should “work” for students and teachers, and follow the pedagogy. For example, when evaluate “Connected Speech” in CD format, which was designed to assist ELLs to improve their spoken English, the “reliable voice recognition”, “social cultural content of the program and linguistic accuracy” (Levy, p.49) should take into consideration. If the pronunciation is unclear, the reading passage is about some weird topics, and too much “hard” vocabulary etc., the program wouldn’t work, therefore cannot be used.
My experience with blogs is limited. On occasion, I follow a friend’s blog and I have established a Facebook page. Richardson’s judgment though that these particular activities might be considered more journaling than blogging would be a fair assessment. I enjoy the social aspect of interacting with my family members in Europe, but have not used blogs for educational or professional means.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to using blogs with ELL students, I am interested in exploring contexts for use with refugee populations in resettlement programs. From my experience, these programs provide many services to help refugees: ELL is merely one, albeit an important, component. I think weblog technology can easily incorporate cultural adaptations with language learning as well as bridge the gap between the class room and employment. An ELL classroom blog could invite participation from the surrounding community, employers, churches and other relationships that are continuously being established by the resettlement agency. There would be a forum for ELL students to connect with mentors, already established refugees, and people in particular work environments who could provide insight, support, and job readiness training. In this regard, blogs have the potential to provide a cohesive approach to connecting the ELL student with their community and service providers while enhancing communication skills.
In evaluating tools for ESL use, my curricular objectives, the target group of L2 students (age, proficiency level, etc.) and the learners’ goals would be my primary focus. Of course, the tool being evaluated would need to be relevant and significantly enhance teaching strategies to be considered worthwhile. Although Hubbard’s and Chapelle’s frameworks may be more systematic and detailed in their approach to evaluating CALL courseware, I like the simplicity of surveys. I would look for practical feedback from end users in contexts that relate to my own teaching environment.
Prior to this class I’ve only used weblogs as a “lurker,” which sounds far creepier than it really is. What I mean is that I’ve never spent much time maintaining my own blog, and I’ve only explored others occasionally when doing research on particular topics. My coworkers and I had a blog for our department, but none of us had much incentive to post. I created my own once but didn’t feel like I had much to share with the world. Perhaps now I’ll have the chance to create a worthwhile blog someone somewhere will read.
ReplyDeleteAs for pedagogical implications, Richardson writes that weblogs can “enhance development of expertise in a particular subject.” (27) And teach new literacies that students need to function in an expanding society. (28) So, I think weblogs might help ELLs in a number of ways, depending on the situation. For example, is the learner a member of an “inner circle” society—that is, do they require English to function in everyday life?—or are they of an “expanding circle” country or society, requiring English for certain and highly specific functions? Either way I imagine that weblogs are created by Pakistani (considered an expanding circle society with regards to English language use) internet users might make use of the English in ways that would help other users reach a level of functionality. But that’s really confusing. In the broadest sense, weblogs can help an ELL because they act as an online forum where one can comment with questions and receive a multitude of answers that may point them in some helpful directions around the web. In a way, the Yahoo Answers website is much like a one-time blog intended only for questions. Presumably an ELL could work out an English grammar or cultural question and receive not only answers but also hyperlinks; other users on the site can even rate the quality of answers.
Switching gears to Levy, I can’t describe how much I value the formative evaluation (58). For instance, whenever I’ve created a learning module intended to teach a computer skill, I found that having coworkers informally evaluate my work helped immensely in determining how to proceed. I’ve also played the part of the evaluator when working with web/instructional designers and usually attempted to help contain the overexcitement that can lead to an overly unidirectional website like Dave’s ESL café (nothing against that site, but I do agree with Levy’s implications (51). Overall, what I gained from real experience in developing training modules for software runs parallel with the points from the CALICO review: is it pedagogically valid, adaptable, efficient, effective, and innovative? Though I never had the chance to be very innovative.
What has been your experience with blogs prior to this class? My experience with blogs prior to this class is that I have visited a few blogs and noticed they are characterized by their own unique orange icon. I don't have my own blog. It is through our readings in Richardson, I have soon discovered their true meaning and potential of what they can become; I did not know that Myspace and Facebook are blogs. Richardson describes the many potential uses of weblogs for classrooms. For example conducting classroom experiences across the globe is fascinating. Archiving learning for historical purposes and developing for later use. I believe one way blogs can assist ELL students for homework help and to enhance their everyday writing skills by an online journal.
ReplyDeleteLevy described many different types and methods of evaluation of CALL software programs or websites. As an ESL teacher, one component I would like to see upon whether to use it or not first, to allow the students to use the program. From those studies or evaluation of the objectives, then a decision can be made about the benefits for student use.
I regularly read two blogs, and keep my own blog (sort of). I follow two sports news blogs in particular, and read have read them nearly everyday for the last five years or so. http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/ covers the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball, and http://www.celticsblog.com/ reports on the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. In addition to these two blogs, I also maintain a Facebook page, which is considered by Will Richardson to be "a variation on the blogging theme" (Richardson, 2009, 19).
ReplyDeleteBlogs can be useful for English language learners. Having ELLs use a blog is a great way to enhance the learning experience, and is definitely valued added. I think simply having students publish their work on to a blog is a good way to utilize it. Classmates, friends, family, and the instructor can all view their work and even comment on it. Something to keep in mind though is that internet based lessons, even as simple as this, come with security risks. When ELLs publish their work to a blog, it in a sense becomes the classroom wall, however strangers as well as peers can view and comment on their work. This has the potential to be a problem with younger students. So long as the instructor understands these risk, handles the necessary security, and communicates expectations it really wouldn't be a problem to maintain a class blog for ELLs.
For the final question, when asked to look at CALL software (CALT is a whole other story) and decide on ways to evaluate it, I consider the role of technology to be most important in evaluation. How much technology? What kind of technology? These are questions that must be asked in evaluation. In particular, software must have aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) or it isn't worth the time in my opinion. AI a "combination of video and natural language processing technology" became a focus of CALL software projects in the 1980s (Chapelle,2001,14), I can't imagine language software without it. Programs like Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More are full of AI technology and some of the best examples of what type is available to ELLS currently. I included a blog link, that shows news that Rosetta Stone is integrating Web 2.0 technology with present AI technology to create the CALL software of the future. http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=10299. Sounds great! Technology should definitely be considered when evaluating software.
This is my third attempt to posting my response. The other postings went to a black hole.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I'm unfamiliar with blogs, chat rooms, and such activities. My computer skills are rudimentary at best.
What are some ways blogs could be used effectively with ELL students? The results of the NEtday survey released in march 2005 found on page 6 of Richardson’s summarizes how effective can blogs be for ELLs: “technology has become an indispensable tool in the education of today’s students.” The weblogs potential for CALL is limitless and can be a very effective resource for language learning and teaching. As the text mentions, weblogs are easy to establish, maintain and use.
Levy's evaluation chapter discusses the importance of evaluating Computer Assisted Language Learning and the method that I subscribe the most and believe to be the most effective is discussed in page 52 of the textbook. A Methodology Focused evaluation is most effective, because it addresses the most important factor of the students make up. It evaluates their experiences, culture, concepts, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions. Another important aspect of a methodology focused evaluation is that the emphasis is on the design rather than the outcomes.
Before this week, I never created a blog. For several years, I have been reading/responding to other peoples' blogs. Most of them are news/current events oriented, focused on issues or regions I am interested in. A couple are photography-related blogs. For a couple of years, I have used a flickr.com page to post and share photos.
ReplyDeleteThe first way I think blogs could help ELL students would be to give them easier access to web-based language-learning resources. Instructors could incorporate the use of a certain amount of those resources into the curriculum-- either as in-class practice, or as homework/outside-class practice.
If done properly, blogs could also help learners organize and manage their coursework more effectively. With just a few mouse-clicks, learner's could easily find and review certain audio-visual activities, lessons, and exercises. And as Richardson says, blogs can easily become a sort of portfolio.
If I am looking at reviews or evaluations of software or websites (or if I was looking at a program or a webite for the first time), one of the first factors that I am interested in is how well the whole thing is organized, how quickly a teacher or a student could learn how it works and start using it. If it seems badly organized, then I probably would not have much faith in the other components, and might not have the patience to try to figure it out.
#1
ReplyDeleteI have some experiences with blogs prior to this class. I usually visit others’ blogs when I have a free time. I only visit the blog which topic that I interested in. I like those bloggers who share their funny stories that happened in their daily life or their travel experiences and the pictures they took while traveling. Even though I like to visit others’ blogs, I do not have my own blog. I like to read the bloggers’ life, but I don’t like to share my life to the publics. However, there is another reason that why I do not have a blog which is I am so lazy to update my bolg.
I agree that there are many potential uses of weblogs for classroom pedagogy and practice, but it depends on how ELL students use weblogs as their learning tool. The teacher has to avoid students visit the class blog as they visit other webblogs, they just “take a look.” For ELL students, it is a good way to provide some useful language learning websites or to create some learning games about vocabulary, grammar, and useful words on blog. I think blog provides a place for ELL students to encourage them trying to read and write in English at online space. Let them have chances to practice their writing without worried about grammar mistake. It is a practice.
#2
The one of component I would want to see in an evaluation is practicality. I think CALL software is an assistant learning tool, and it should also be use at outside of class. CALL software has to easy to use, and fit into the characteristics of learner. If CALL software is practicality, it will be use more often.
I don’t have my own blog, but I always visit some other blogs written by some teachers who introduce their pedagogies and experience, or by others who present their life abroad or discuss some social issues. ELL students can visit some weblogs to learn from others’ experience, get some useful web links about language learning. If they write own blog using English, it helps them increasing writing skills and the ability of reflective and metacognitive thinking in English. ELL students can also communicate via blogs. The teachers’ blog can provide ELL students class-related information and assignment and make their parents know the teaching content and context.
ReplyDeleteAs an ESL teacher, I’d like to see the evaluation clearly describe which skills the software intends to help user improve, how it helps, and what the background of the users are required. Because software or program is also based on certain pedagogy and theory, I will consider its premise of theory. Physical infrastructure and efficacy are also the factors I take into account.
Before this class, I didn’t know that blogs can be used in pedagogy. I have my own blog but I only use it to keep in touch with my friends and my family members. Every day, I go to my blog, write down my feelings about something and read the comments and the interesting videos my friends posted. I do that every day, except taking this as a study tool. However, according to the classroom uses of weblogs that Richardson describes, weblogs helps a lot to ELL students. They can get the latest information from the teachers because weblogs are easy to update by teachers; or they can post comments on class activities and review the comments posted by other students; they can also post questions and opinions about learning English. The most important, students are not limited in the classroom, they can be anywhere all over the world.
ReplyDeleteIn the evaluation of CALL software programs or websites, I prefer interesting to be the most important component. A program or website must be interesting enough to be the motivation of study. I have been a students for more than 20 years and I know I will be reluctant to learn if the program or website is not interesting, even if it uses the latest technology. However it doesn’t mean the practicability is not important. It’s just that in my opinion, it should come after the interesting.
Thanks everyone for your comments! Its good to see most of you at least have experience following other people's blogs, and a few of you have your own. If you have your own, I encourage you to put a link to it from your blog for this course!
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