Teaching with Technology

Tuesday, July 26, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Agenda:

1. What is technology?2. Web-based teaching resources3. Activity: Online document sharing4. Activity: Disposable chat5. Activity: Adapting an activity using the

Internet

Q: What is technology?

Definition:

Technology is the making, usage and knowledge of tools, techniques, crafts, systems or

methods of organization in order to solve a problem or serve some purpose.

-Wikipedia

Brainstorming

Q: What kinds of technology do you use in your teaching?

Directions:1. Make a list of technologies you use in teaching.2. Next to each one, list some reasons why you

use it, and any disadvantages of using it.3. Discuss your answers.

Our goal:

A list of technologies that people are using.

“Always start with a learning objective.”

Ted Bongiovanni,

Director, NYU SCPS Distance Learning

Web-based teaching resources

1. Blogs2. Online file sharing3. Content sites4. Teacher resource sites5. Social networking sites

Blog: Definition

• “Web Log”• Website or part of website • Regular entries, displayed in reverse

chronological order• Interactive – allow visitors to leave comments• May contain text, images, links

Wikipedia

Blogging: Example

Situation: The reflection blogs in this workshop

Learning Objective: To encourage reflection and collaboration among participants.

Steps for classroom blogging• Decide on the skills that you want to target• Decide how the blog could contribute to that skill• Decide whether the blog will focus on fluency or

accuracy• Chose a platform and create a blog• Get students email addresses and invite them to the

blog.• Explain to students how to use the blog• Be clear about assessment

[from Tarpey, T. (2011). Using Technology in the Classroom. A presentation at Teachers College, Columbia University. ] Available online at http://taratarpey.com/

Online document sharing: Definition

A website which allows users to upload or create documents and then share these documents with others, who can view or edit them.

Online document sharing: Example

Situation: Preparation for this workshop

Teaching Objective: To collaborate on course planning while in different locations.

Course plan, June 29:

Document sharing activity:

Create a shared document and edit it.

Directions:1. Form pairs2. Share gmail addresses

Part 1: Interview your partner, take notes:

Q: What are your feelings about using technology in the classroom? (5 minutes)

Pt. 2: Create your document:

1. Go to Gmail homepage2. Click “Documents” (upper left)3. Select “Create New” (upper left)4. Select “Document” from pull-down menu5. Select text box reading “Untitled Document” (next

to Google docs icon)6. Write your partner’s name in the textbox. Click “OK”7. Write a summary of your partner’s answer

Find your Google documentson your Gmail homepage:

Create a new document

Pt. 3: Share your document

1. Select “Share” (upper right)2. Enter your partner’s Gmail address in the

“Add People” textbox3. Select “Share” and “Close”

Share your document

Pt. 4: Edit your partner’s document

1. Return to your Documents Home Page2. Select your the document with your name on

it3. Revise what your partner has written about

you

Content sites

For access to authentic language

• Wikipedia• YouTube• TED• Sesame Street• PBS Kids

Teacher resource sites

For course/lesson planning and/or professional development

• ESL Café• Classroom 2.0• Yappr

Social networking sites

To connect learners to native speakers and to each other in new ways

• Facebook• Togetherville• ScuttlePad• Skid-e Kids• Disposable Chat

www.disposablechat.com

Allows you to create a temporary chat room which disappears when the last user leaves.

Advantages:• Password protected• Leaves no personal information on the web• Easy to set up• Free

www.disposablechat.com

Disposable chat: Activity

1. Open web browser2. Type this url in navigation bar:

http://tinyurl.com/44vpvbr

3. Discuss this question: Which of these classroom applications of Internet we’ve discussed this morning are you interested to try out?

4. Leave this browser window open. We’ll use it after lunch

-- BREAK –10 minutes

Activity: Adapt a classroom activity using the Internet

Adapt/revise/enhance a classroom activity using an Internet resource. Your goal: To make it more interactive/communicative

Blogging (Wikispaces, Google Docs)Document sharingLive chat platform

Activity: Adapt an activity using the Internet

Directions:1. Form groups of 32. Select a classroom activity from last week’s

Skills workshop3. Discuss how you could

enhance/improve/expand this activity4. Upload your activity to the “Technology

Assignment” page on the course site

Lunch

Tuesday, July 26, 2:00 – 4:00 pm

Agenda:

1. Presentations: Adapted activity2. Distance learning3. Guest speaker: Ted Bongiovanni4. Q&A via Disposable Chat5. Wrap-up6. Reflection

Activity: Adapt an activity using the Internet

Presentation:

• Make new, larger groups that include one group from Team A and one from Team B

• Present your team’s activity• Explain:

Your learning objectiveHow the technology will help you achieve it

• Report back to the entire class

Distance Learning

• Teaching and learning which occurs primarily or exclusively online.

• Participants may be separated by great distances

• Generally involves specialized Web-based platforms

Web-based distance learning platforms

• Moodle• Sakai• Blackboard• Epsilen – NYU/SCPS

Distance learning @ ALI

Collaboration with NYU/SCPS Distance Learning:• Professional Development Workshops: Using

social media in the classroom• Online placement test – (OWL + Epsilen + Wimba)• NYU Abu Dhabi: Critical thinking/Persuasive

writing course (Epsilen)

Live online presentation by:

Ted BongiovanniDirector, Distance Learning, School of Continuing

and Professional Studies, New York University

Procedures:

1. Ted will speak to us live via Wimba + Epsilen

2. We will ask Ted questions via our Disposable Chat room (check to see if you’re still in the room)

Q & A

Directions:

• Return to the Disposable Chat room we were in before lunch

• If you no longer have the window open, return to this url:

• Type your questions for Ted

“Always start with a learning objective.”

-- Ted

Wrap-up: Class discussion

What are your thoughts about this experience?

Suggestion for reflection:

Have your thoughts about using teaching with technology changed after today’s workshop? Why or why not? If yes, how?

Homework:

• Comment on at least three of your classmates’ Technology Assignments

• Comment on at least three reflections of the other team.