Nov 03 2008
Oct 29 2008
The methods I plan to use in the class
In order to encourage students learn in the Constructive way, I can ask my students to develop new media projects such as making a digital video, blog and webQuest.
- To make a digital video
According to Kearney and Schuck(2003), with the beginners (Year 7 and Year 8), they can introduce their family members or pets to the class and all speak in Chinese. For the continuers (Above Year 10), they can make a video about movies, stars, sport facilities or any topic that interest them, and they have to write the script all in Chinese. If they do not know how to write the script, they can use the online dictionary and find by themselves.
- To make a blog
I could design a class blog and provide a few links and some relevant information in relation to a specific topic. Students can put their blog in the class’s roll if they want, anything they want to learn can list on their blog, and I can access and collect the ideas together which will help me to design my class plan (Downes, 2004).
- To make a WebQuest
According to March (2003), “A real WebQuest is a scaffolded learning structure that uses links to essential resources on the World Wide Web and an authentic task to motivate students’ investigation of an open-ended question….” .
I can design a task for the students—to create a WebQuest to talk about the culture in China,then to do a presentation in the class, to show their WebQuest and tell about what they have found through Internet. They can talk in English as I want they learn Chinese culture via WebQuest rather than the structures and scripts.
Oct 22 2008
Reaction to Georgie’s Article
Georgie talked about the Interview of Al Upton, which is showed above.
In here, Al Upton talked about using blogging as a learning tool in his class.
The two points Georgie summaried from him are quite impressive:
1.”Teacher need to direct the students to make correct choices about the way they use the internet and ensure that they are learning from the tasks that they are doing.”
2.”Students now have an audience for their work by using blogging and therefore take pride in what they are doing and are more motivated to do the work”
I am strongly agreed with the second point as I am a student now and the teacher of the subject I learned–digital generations, asked every student to creat a blog online and post his/her homework online.I never have a blog before, so I do not know the how fun of a blog. So far, I know that I can design everything by myself in there, for example, what the blog look like, what kind of things you want put in. all of these make me feel that I am a desiner, who have the audience and also have more responsibility. This feelings motivated I come to my blog everyday to put more articles, videos and pictures. the blog like my online home now, it is a place where I share my ideas to everyone. I really like it!
Oct 19 2008
A Scaffolded Learning Structure –WebQuest
Using WebQuest is not a process of using Internet resources to produce a technology-enhanced product.
A real WebQuest is a scaffolded learning structure that uses links to essential resources on the World Wide Web and an authentic task to motivate students’ investigation of an open-ended question…. In this sense, WebQuests aren’t anything new except that they provide a way to integrate sound learning strategies with effective use of the Web….Real WebQuests facilitate meaningful use of the Web for educational ends.
(March,2003)
The benifites of WebQuest
- By providing “temporary frameworks to support student performance(Cho & Jonassen, 2002), scaffolding affects student achievement positively.
For example, in the writing process, scaffolding can be used by teacher to implement approaches as constructivist strategies: 1. draw pictures2.compile lists 3.make free associations 4.help students think about an audience and descriptive details(March,2003).
- WebQuests bring learner-centered principles which will benefit both students and teachers(American Psychological Association,2003).
The disadvantage of WebQuest
-
WebQuest take substantial time to build.
The whole process of WebQuests designing often take more time in a computer lab than teachers have available(Parkes,2005).
Oct 13 2008
About Me :)
Hi, I am Jane and I will be a Language Teacher next year. I came from China and Lived in Australia for more than three years. I reaily like here, as people are quite friendly in here.
I already done my practicum and I enjoyed my time. One of my teachers said that ” teaching is passion”, I quitely agree with him.
I believe I will be a good teacher. Thanks!!
Oct 12 2008
Reaction to Georgia’s Article
I found the article written by Georgia–Reading Online is Not Reading on Paper is quite interesting.
I have mentioned Brown’s (2002) point in my last article that “literacy today involves not only text, but also image and screen literacy”. Although “the ability to “read” multimedia texts and to feel comfortable with new, multiple-media genres”(Brown,2002) is quite important for student now, Georgia still mentioned that students need to be encouraged to engage in literature in all forms but especially novels and material. And I totally agree with her idea.
The reasons Georgia given showed below:
- Although the students grown up in the digital Age may be comfortable with reading on online, it is hard for teacher to ensure that the technology is being integrated in an authentic and meaningful way
- The article–Online Literacy is a Lesser Kind revealed that the deterioration of Net Generation reading skills are because the majority of their reading takes place on the computer
Agreed with the above opinions, I also think that reading online is not as healthy as reading on paper. Firstly, the eyes will feel pain if you take too long time to sit in front of the computer, Secondly, the reflection of the computer may also be hard for you body, although it has not been evidenced.
Personally, I feel that reading on line is a good way to get information, but if you want your students to learn the literacy skills, reading on paper is still the first choice.
