Week 10: Overall Reflection of the Course

Dear Donna and e-participants,

This week is about over! The course is also about over! I remember how I spent past ten weeks. It is very hard to describe using a few words. I say it is PRECIOUS.

What was my curiosity with this course?
When I was informed that I was selected for this course ‘Building Teacher Skills through Interactive Web’, I jumped with joy because it was my first opportunity to have online course from American University. I thanked to all the concerned who provided me this opportunity. I was very much curious and was waiting for the day when the class would formally start. Firstly I was curious about the nature of the course, instructors and the learning environment and tasks I had to carry out since it was my first experience with the online course.

What anxiety I had when I got informed to have been selected for the course?
I was equally anxious about the course. The condition that the participant wouldn’t get any further chance if he or she couldn’t complete the course, made me very serious and devoted to the course. I was anxious because of technical problems like daily load shedding, unreliable internet facility and other possible problems. Especially, my whole anxiety was related to the nature of the course and the tasks I had to do during the course.

What I learned during the course?
The course was the ten weeks training package. It is really difficult to measure its worth with the help of simple words. Just I claim it is precious for all teachers. I had only known power point presentation in the name of technology and it was also not interactive enough. During the course, I learnt many more things about the use of technology to make the classroom dynamic and bring learner autonomy. The most important thing I learnt through this course is – LANGUAGE CLASSROOM IS HANDICAPPED IN THE ABSENCE OF TECHNOLOGY; LEARNER AUTONOMY CAN BE MATERIALIZED SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE HELP OF TECHNOLOGY; LEARNERS THEMSELVES ARE THE MAKERS OF THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE.

More specifically, during this week I leant how to create ELT blog, nicenet, rubrics, interactive powerpoint presentation, webQuest, online course site, ANVIL and so on. We were given clear instruction for creating and using them in our class. I found every single week more informative. I got the exposure of more and more reading materials.

The discussion issues during the course were writing objectives following ABCD model, learner autonomy, incorporating technology for teaching aural/oral skills, technology enhanced lesson plan, CALL, project based learning, technology for interactive classes, one computer classroom, online tools for enhancing learning, learning styles and multiple intelligences and assessing the Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi). Every issue was supported with abundant reading materials.

Project work was another demanding task that every participant had to carry out during the course. We were given a lot of sample projects carried out by our senior colleagues. Most of us prepared project plan since we had just started to use technology in our class. I prepared a project plan and will definitely carry out the project report.

Rapport with the instructors and other e-participants
There was a very good rapport with the instructors and e-participants. I realized what teacher is after attending this course. We were lucky because Donna was the main instructor for this course. She always encouraged and motivated for carrying out the tasks. She was quite busy with commenting and encouraging us during the course. She provided us clear instructions for every task. I think she had to handle the participants form different cultures and different background. She never felt tired and always encouraged us with beautiful words – ‘excellent’, ‘very good’ ‘nice’ and so on. I am proud of her. I wish I could take one more session from her. Similarly, Jeff Magoto, director of the University of Oregon’s Yamada Language Center, and other instructors also facilitated us with different issues. I would also like to thank them.

We were twenty participants in our group. All were free and frank and enthusiastic to learn. Some friends were familiar with the online course whereas others were like me. Some friends had very good knowledge in technology and some were like me. We were all the teachers from school level to university level. I found all curious and helpful. We all received each other very well. We never broke the rules that we ourselves determined just before the course started. The rapport among the participants was really good and will remain forever because we are in the same field no matter wherever we are.

How I apply this in our class?
As mentioned above, this course provided us more and more insights in using technology in the language classroom. The course has been successful to change my attitude towards teaching profession. In the past I might not be learner centered but now I can claim that I am trying to be learner centered. In the light of the knowledge I got from the course ‘Building Teacher Skills through Interactive Web’, I have started to carry out technology integrated and learner centered activities and I will keep it on during my whole teaching career. My aim of teaching now and for future is to bring learner autonomy through the use of technology.

Finally I would like to conclude my reflection with the statement Margaret Fuller, ‘If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.’ I will definitely disseminate the knowledge I acquired and let my colleagues be familiar with this. I will share it with the teachers who are In NELTA and working different parts of Gorkha. I am also planning to share this in the international conference of NELTA. I am still thirsty and will always run for quenching the thirst. My respected TEACHER DONNA has opened the door for me to enter the field of vast knowledge and practice related to the use of technology in the language class. I will try my best. I would like to thank Donna and other concerned who provided me this opportunity. I always remember Evan Esar for the statement, ‘success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration’. Though it is the end of this course, I will always be in contact with our GURUAAMA Donna (in Nepali - female teacher who is always respectable like mother) and learn more getting more suggestions and guidance from her in the future too. I will always be in contact with my lovely e-colleagues and share our ideas in the future too.

With warm Greetings!
Kamal

email: kamal_busy2022@yahoo.com

Week 9: Reflections: Multiple Intelligences Exist in Every Class

Dear Donna and other e-participants,

What I learnt?
This week I got the opportunity to broaden my knowledge on Multiple Intelligence and learning styles. As Gardner states, intelligence is the ability to find and solve problems and create products of value in one’s own culture. Gardner and others talk about different types of intelligence. They are verbal/linguistic intelligence, mathematical/logical intelligence,

visual/spatial intelligence, bodily/kinesthetic intelligence, musical/rhythmic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence, naturalist and existentialist intelligence. They claim that every individual is equipped with these intelligences. However, the degree of intelligences in different individuals is different. This shows that a class is just like a miniature society. There exists individual differences and the crucial matter is teaching learning process cannot be successful if such differences are not addressed. Again, the problem that occurs is how to address individual intelligence if the class consists of a large number of students.

Technology should be incorporated while addressing multiple intelligences of the learners in the classroom. Different programs and activities should be designed to enhance an individual learner and his/ her intelligence(s). Regarding the importance of computers for addressing learning styles, Davis (1991) puts, ‘computers can be a valuable and vital tool when combined with Gardener’s seven Multiple Intelligences to enable educators to reach students with a variety of learning styles.’ As given in the reading materials, learners who have verbal intelligence can be encouraged to use email, blog, chats, writing, rewriting and so on. Learners who have mathematical or logical intelligence can be engaged with the activities related to calculation, online calculation tools, math and science soft ware and so on. Similarly, the learners having musical intelligence should be engaged in singing chants, rhymes, songs, playing musical instruments and so on. For the learners, having interpersonal intelligences should be engaged with the activities like blogging, chatting and so on.


Another very important article I went through is the one written by Richard M. Fielder and Barbara A. Soloman. It basically talks about different types of learners in terms of the learning styles they use while learning. They have talked about active learners and reflective learners, intuitive and sensing learners, visual and verbal learners and sequential and global learners. Like Gardner, they have also focused their attention on individual differences in learning. For example, for sensing learners, we should design the activities that demand facts whereas for intuitive ones we should design the activities related to discovery and problem solving. Similarly, for visual learners, we should have pictures, diagrams, charts, and films and so on whereas for verbal learners we should design the activities that demand spoken and written explanation. Sequential learners tend to learn the content in sequence of linear steps whereas global ones tend to learn the content randomly without seeing connections.
How I apply in my class?
Multiple Intelligences exist in my class too. So I will try to identify the learners and their dominant intelligences. I may not be able to address the individual learners. For the students of small class where there are no more than 15 students, I will try my best to address the learners individually. For the large class, I will find out the common trends among the learners and group them for different activities. I design the activities suit for them. I will try my best to incorporate technology in my class too.


Thank you.
Kamal

Week 8: Reflections - Wonderful Experience with e-tools for Educators

Dear Donna, Jeff & and e- friends,
This week we got the opportunity to be acquainted with different e-tools which are very useful for the teachers involved in teaching in general and language teaching in specific. We were given a number of tasks like discussion with different tools for educators, creating a nicenet for the class that we participants teach to, creating our own wiki for the online course, creating a blog for the class that we teach and most importantly to join with ANVIL.

Firstly I consulted with the 'Tools for Educators' (http://www.toolsforeducators.com/) that we were given. I found a number of exercises like 'Free word search', 'Free Cross Word Puzzle',
'Free Bingo Maker' and so on very useful for the language classes. They are precious to motivate the learners in learning. LANTERNFISH (http://bogglesworldesl.com/) is another tool which consists of printable materials. 'Easy test Maker' (http://www.easytestmaker.com/default.aspx) is another tool which helps the teachers for generating tests for evaluating learners.

Secondly, I created a nicenet account for my class. I designed some exercises for involving the learners in nicenet discussion. No doubt, it a precious tool for involving the learners in written tasks.

Thirdly, I updated my class blog and shared with my respected teachers and e-participants. I think it is the best tool for letting the learners post comments and take part on the discussion.

Fourthly I created a sample wiki for online course. In the beginning I faced a number of problems as I had limited technical knowledge but later I got a success on it. I created it and designed an online course for the intermediate learners. I designed some exercises for reading and learning English.

Joining in ANVIL creating the teacher account is another task I did this week. I found ANVIL a boon for teachers. The credit goes to our respected instructors Jeff and Donna for exposing it to us. It is the best tool for exposing our learners’ speech. Listening and speaking skills can be taught successfully with the help of ANVIL.


All these tasks are very important to enhance learner autonomy.

Finally, I prepared the first draft of the project plan I am going to carry out and posted for peer review. I also went through the Project Plan carried out by Hari Maya Sharma. As we both are quite familiar with the ground reality of the teaching learning environment in our context. We are constantly sharing our ideas for make our project plans applicable.

Greetings
Kamal

Week: 7 – Reflections - Learner Autonomy: Isn’t it the Demand of 21st Century?

Dear Donna & e-friends,

This week remained a very fruitful week for me. I went through the articles “What is Learner Autonomy and How it be Fostered” by Dimitrious Thanasoulas, and “Learner Autonomy; Bird-in-the-hand or Birrd-in-the-Bush” by Samuel P-H Sheu. I found them very informative. As Dimitrious has put forward it is the shift from traditional teacher-centered teaching learning approach to modern learner-centered approach.

As cited in Thanasoulas, Holec (1983) states, it is the process of developing “the capacity to take charge of one’s own learning”, in the learners. In other words, this approach encourages a learner to be fully responsible for his own learning. He/she himself/ herself is the maker of meaning. It is a self-directed learning and the learner is solely responsible for making decision on what to learn, how to learn, when to learn and which speed to learn in keeping himself or herself in the framework of syllabus given. I also found Sheu so interesting that it is fully related to the sharing of his own experience. I think it is a very good exemplary lesson for the teachers and learners who are teaching and learning English anywhere in the world.

For enhancing learner autonomy, Thanasoulas and Sheu, including others have talked about some of the techniques. Self reports, diary writing, self assessment, reflective activities and classroom reflection are the useful ways of it. They can be used even in the absence of technology. WebQuest, Blog and CALL are very useful where there is the access of computer technology.

Besides this, this week I got some experience on the use of one computer in the classroom. This is very fruitful for us since we don’t have more computers in our context. We can use one computer for better learning. Similarly, I read some of the ideas for preparing project plan. I selected my partner to whom I have to work together for our project plan.
Now I am eagerly waiting for the next week!

Greetings
Kamal