Managing Computer Mediated Writing in the EFL Classroom:
From E-mail, Groups and Text Chat to Blogs, Wikis and Messaging
Syllabus for Tips & Tricks Session, Week 5
Was: The Email-based Online Classroom
Evolving into: The Asynchronous Online Classroom: from E-mail [to Groups to Blogging] to Wiki ... and points beyond
Facilitators: Vanessa Vaile, Beyza Yilmaz
Contributors: Moroccan Teacher (and we hope more to come)
Tools:
- Email and associated features/tools
- Blogging apps: Blogger; Typepad; Wordpress, Edblog
- Wiki
- Yahoo Groups (and others)
- PPT
- File sharing
- Interactive (games, quizzes)
- Online surveys/ polls
Materials:
- Tips & Tricks blog (Vanessa)
- Open for comments posted in response to original posts
- Tips group and others invited to join as guest contributors
- Wiki (Beyza)
- [for Beyza to fill in and elaborate on features and participation]
- PPT on Wikis in the ELL class (Beyza)
- Tools and features in existing T & T group
- Links to online tutorials and other resources – posted on both blog and wiki
Objective: to explore and compare tools and applications for the asynchronous online class and asynchronous tech component of blended or hybrid
Brief description:
2) Hands on participation using these tools and apps
3) Resource sharing and discussion
- Telling: descriptive narratives of asynchronous class management strategies
- Showing: presentations on blogs and wiki will run a blog and a wiki, both created just for this session.
- Doing: hands on participation by teachers, ESL students, session visitors and participants
- Reflecting: comments; impressions; discussion
Note: "lectures," materials, PPTs, links to recommended readings, assignments, activities, etc. will be posted on blog, wiki and/or tipstricks2008 yahoo group
Day 1: Introduction.
- Characteristics of the Synchronous (Beyza) and Asynchronous (Vanessa) Classes
- In the Beginning There Was Email.
- Why write when you can talk?
- Blended classroom
- Online classroom
- Text based tools for online and blended classrooms – a brief overview
- Learning situations and the learners who use them. Who and what we teach when shapes how we teach and what tools we use.
Day 2: Course Management:
- Role of the internet in managing blended or hybrid classes
- Email based asynchronous classroom.
- Rolling vs fixed admissions.
- Open ended, ongoing classes vs classes with fixed start/end dates.
- Self-paced CBI
- Online
- Computer Labs
- Student attrition and retention.
Day 3: Applications, tools and resources for computer mediated writing.
- Surveys [create and post link to online survey]
- Comparison and evaluation: which applications fit which learning situations, learning styles, course materials/goals, and which complement one another, e.g. using email groups, blogs and wikis does not make email obsolete.
- Synchronous elements in asynchronous learning
Day 4: Email and Groups
- Associated tools and features
Day 5: Blogging and blog features (Vanessa)
Day 6: Wikis and other social networking tools (Beyza)
Day 7: Wrap Up Discussion.
- Recapping: TWTWTW
- What next? The future of asynchronous text based instruction in a world of virtual synchronicity.
- Lead into Week 6
