Week 7
Reflection :
I feel a bit desperate and worried about my final project . The teachers here , in Algeria , have been on strike for about a week and there is no hope that the situation will improve . I can’t go through my project with my classes . The headmistress refuses to organize the trip To Megres Mountain because of the strike . I met her this afternoon and she promised to find an agreement with the educational department . Anyway , I hope things will be alright soon .
I’m happy Alayda accepted to be my partner . I’m sure we will collaborate together ad share ideas for the elaboration of our respective projects . There is no doubt that her great experience , her commitment and her great sense of analysis and critics will help me go further . I promise to do my best supporting her .
The 7th week is over and I believe it has been very challenging making us creating our Powerpoint presentations and sharing them . I agree with the participants about the tremendous possibilities Powerpoint can offer in terms of a useful teaching aid that can be used to activate schema , to improve students learning strategies and to assess their projects . Our classes are large with different leaning styles . The coming weeks are likely to provide us with other hints to help us involve more students into our class activities and to arm our students with the technology to support their leaning and make them independent , self-reliant and responsible for their leaning ! May Zlatka’s red-and-white tokens – the wonderful Martenisas bring us good luck !
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Week 6 Reflection :
I can say today that a lot of changes are being implemented i my class . The class has already been divided into small groups of 4 students . We moved to the computer lab last week and each group has created an e-mail account and a blog .Next Tuesday , the class will make a trip to Megres Mountain ( if it doesn’t snow, of course ) . There , they will observe , take photos and videos . They will post their reports and slogans for the protection of the site illustrated with their photos and videos . They are very happy to know that they are doing something different . Their projects in English and I all the other subjects are usually presented In a form of posters or booklets . Knowing that they are going to be outside their class with their teacher of English and then presenting their projects using blogs and then commenting on their each other work , makes them feel very motivated and enthusiastic .
Thanks to the tasks of this week I have learnt how to write an assessment rubric . It took me too much time , not to write it , but to get access to the wiki page and to post it and then had the opportunity to have a look at what my other friends participants did . I’m amazed about how much information and how many ideas this task has generated . This task is an eye opener that helps us to set number of criteria to assess students work , to make them know about the criteria they are going to be assessed on are , and thus path the way towards their involvement into class activity .
The tendency today is how to involve the students into class activities , how to create a learner centered class and how to make the students shift from their passive attitude towards an active behavior , make them , analyze , reflect and take decisions . They belong to different socio- cultural environment with different learning styles . It is our responsibility , our challenge today to find the right activity that can involve them all with all these differences . Our goal is integrating technology in our teaching . The challenge is amazing .Our commitment will certainly help us to go “ higher “ !
Yes we ca !
I can say today that a lot of changes are being implemented i my class . The class has already been divided into small groups of 4 students . We moved to the computer lab last week and each group has created an e-mail account and a blog .Next Tuesday , the class will make a trip to Megres Mountain ( if it doesn’t snow, of course ) . There , they will observe , take photos and videos . They will post their reports and slogans for the protection of the site illustrated with their photos and videos . They are very happy to know that they are doing something different . Their projects in English and I all the other subjects are usually presented In a form of posters or booklets . Knowing that they are going to be outside their class with their teacher of English and then presenting their projects using blogs and then commenting on their each other work , makes them feel very motivated and enthusiastic .
Thanks to the tasks of this week I have learnt how to write an assessment rubric . It took me too much time , not to write it , but to get access to the wiki page and to post it and then had the opportunity to have a look at what my other friends participants did . I’m amazed about how much information and how many ideas this task has generated . This task is an eye opener that helps us to set number of criteria to assess students work , to make them know about the criteria they are going to be assessed on are , and thus path the way towards their involvement into class activity .
The tendency today is how to involve the students into class activities , how to create a learner centered class and how to make the students shift from their passive attitude towards an active behavior , make them , analyze , reflect and take decisions . They belong to different socio- cultural environment with different learning styles . It is our responsibility , our challenge today to find the right activity that can involve them all with all these differences . Our goal is integrating technology in our teaching . The challenge is amazing .Our commitment will certainly help us to go “ higher “ !
Yes we ca !
Sunday, 14 February 2010
WEEK 5 REFLECTION :
When discovering the tasks for Week 5 , I was completely puzzled and felt I would never able to create a webquest . Soon the clouds disappeared thanks to the links and the hints given by our instructors , and my colleagues . It is true that It took me a day to create my webquest and to supply it with a project for my third year classes ( Scientific stream ) , but I managed to do it . It was one of my greatest challenges for this course , though I know I have to go though more challenging tasks the next coming weeks .
The discussion on nicenet was about how to use webquest and PBL to transform our learners from passive listeners to autonomous learners who play an important role in the process of learning by being responsible for their learning , reflecting and taking decisions . They can use technology , go to the source of information , select what is important and use it .
I’ll start implementing some changes In my class soon , by introducing technology . I have already talked to my students about their project for the unit about environment and how e-mailing and blogging are going to be used . I could read on their faces that they are willing and enthusiastic to embark on this technological adventure . They looked vey exited and I feel confident that the coming weeks are going to be amazing , challenging and full of new experiences .
It is hard to begin not only because our students have developed bad habits , but because , we ,teachers, tend to forget sometimes that we have to reflect on our work and make the right decisions whatever the price is . The commitment of Susan Gaer and her achievement impressed me very much and her experience will certainly have a big impact on my teaching .
When discovering the tasks for Week 5 , I was completely puzzled and felt I would never able to create a webquest . Soon the clouds disappeared thanks to the links and the hints given by our instructors , and my colleagues . It is true that It took me a day to create my webquest and to supply it with a project for my third year classes ( Scientific stream ) , but I managed to do it . It was one of my greatest challenges for this course , though I know I have to go though more challenging tasks the next coming weeks .
The discussion on nicenet was about how to use webquest and PBL to transform our learners from passive listeners to autonomous learners who play an important role in the process of learning by being responsible for their learning , reflecting and taking decisions . They can use technology , go to the source of information , select what is important and use it .
I’ll start implementing some changes In my class soon , by introducing technology . I have already talked to my students about their project for the unit about environment and how e-mailing and blogging are going to be used . I could read on their faces that they are willing and enthusiastic to embark on this technological adventure . They looked vey exited and I feel confident that the coming weeks are going to be amazing , challenging and full of new experiences .
It is hard to begin not only because our students have developed bad habits , but because , we ,teachers, tend to forget sometimes that we have to reflect on our work and make the right decisions whatever the price is . The commitment of Susan Gaer and her achievement impressed me very much and her experience will certainly have a big impact on my teaching .
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Week 4
Week 4 : Reflection :
Another interesting , fruitful week , full of learning and exchanging . One of the discussions which I liked most this week was the elaboration of a technology enhanced lesson plan . This discussion generated a lot of ideas and tips that can be used teaching skills , vocabulary , grammar and pronunciation .A lot of tips that can be used in our classes the coming weeks . The discussion enables us to use what has been learnt since the course started , in terms of writing objectives , web search , bookmarking and how all this learning can be implamented …
Another week , another focus on reading and writing and how much technology can help improving these two important skills . Using technology in class doesn't really look so complicated , it is at the reach of teacher whose determination is improving his students skills , involving them in the process of learning , keeping them interested in the subject and thus reaching his objectives . I realize that writing a lesson plan shouldn't be taken for granted . The lesson plan is the very essense of a successful course , its skeleton , its framework whose parts are fitted and joined together. I must admit today that I have never thought about including the teaching styles in my lesson plan though I 've always taken into the fact that I 'm addressing different students with different teaching styles .
Another interesting , fruitful week , full of learning and exchanging . One of the discussions which I liked most this week was the elaboration of a technology enhanced lesson plan . This discussion generated a lot of ideas and tips that can be used teaching skills , vocabulary , grammar and pronunciation .A lot of tips that can be used in our classes the coming weeks . The discussion enables us to use what has been learnt since the course started , in terms of writing objectives , web search , bookmarking and how all this learning can be implamented …
Another week , another focus on reading and writing and how much technology can help improving these two important skills . Using technology in class doesn't really look so complicated , it is at the reach of teacher whose determination is improving his students skills , involving them in the process of learning , keeping them interested in the subject and thus reaching his objectives . I realize that writing a lesson plan shouldn't be taken for granted . The lesson plan is the very essense of a successful course , its skeleton , its framework whose parts are fitted and joined together. I must admit today that I have never thought about including the teaching styles in my lesson plan though I 've always taken into the fact that I 'm addressing different students with different teaching styles .
I'm sorry I couldn't partipate very often in the discussion this week . I had a lot of problems I got serious flu which I have not recovered from yet . I wish I could feel better next week to benefit more !
Week 5 is about to start and I didn't see time passing !
Week 5 is about to start and I didn't see time passing !
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