nectfl, march 27, 2010 jutta schmiers-heller, columbia ...js2331/nectfl-2010.pdf · use from expert...

NECTFL, March 27, 2010

Jutta Schmiers-Heller, Columbia University, [email protected] Michael Heller, Montclair State University, [email protected]

 Definition   Selection  Creation  Development of blogs throughout the

semester  Assessment of student language use  Evaluation of technologies as a learning

tool  Discussion and some work

3/27/10 NECTFL 2010/ Heller/Schmiers-Heller 1

What is a blog, anyway? • The word “blog” is an abbreviation of

“weblog”.  A blog is a web publication which consists

of a series of message posts (possibly with comments by visitors).

 Blogs archive each post chronologically, with the most recent posts showing up at the top of the main page.

Source: http://edblogs.columbia.edu/

3/27/10 2 NECTFL 2010/ Heller/Schmiers-Heller

How is a blog different from a web site?

• A blog distinguishes itself from web pages as it is engine/template driven.

 To blog does not require any special knowledge by the author. A knowledge of HTML is not a requirement.*

 Blogs are social in nature allowing many authors, readers, collaborators.


WordPress Moveable Type Expression Engine Drupal Textpattern

http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/08/29/10-weblog-engines-reviewed

Joomla B2evolution Nucleus CMS Serendipity Mephisto


• Blogger and Blogspot are one and the same, operated by Google.

Why WordPress?   Most famous and most widely used blogging platform   Very intuitive web-based installer making it easy to

use from expert to novice users   Downloading and installation of program and

automatic updates is easy (.org)   Learning curve not very steep   Vast community of users and developers so one can

find any plug-in and theme*   Extensive documentation on WordPress   Free, hosted solution available (.com)

Source: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/08/29/10-weblog-engines-reviewed


  EdBlogs is an environment that provides a blog for any course offered at Columbia University upon the course instructor’s request. EdBlogs make it easy to share course content and create an online community using a blogging format.

  Blogs within the system use familiar, word-processor-style editing tools for adding and editing text and images, so it’s easy to create, update and revise posts.

  EdBlogs are set up with a simple template that should accommodate most course needs, including blogging, journaling, or even a simple course web site. Instructors will also be able to customize the templates to suit specific course requirements. Samples of course blogs will be released during the service rollout.

Source: http://edblogs.columbia.edu/


 Users ◦  Authors and Users* ◦  Your Profile ◦  Default Role Options

  Settings ◦  General ◦ Writing ◦  Reading ◦  Discussion ◦ Media ◦  Privacy


  Blog posts on chapters: ◦  Students write posts on topics relating to chapters of

textbook (chapters 7, 8, 9, 11) ◦  Students write posts on topics relating to a movie

(‘Im Juli’). =>recycling, practice of vocabulary, new structures of

chapters   Hot Topic ◦  Students author one blog on topic they are interested

in. ◦  Students comment on all topics but their own. => Recycling and practice of new structures, but less of

vocabulary, but trying out new vocabulary themselves.


 One class period – 75 minutes in language resource center.

 One other follow-up planned, but cancelled due to snow.

 Handout in English, but with German Vocabulary. Handout

  Students receive a timeline of blog entries: Timeline


 Blog posts: ◦  Students author posts on topics relating to

the chapters of our textbook. ◦  I make corrections in a comment box. ◦  Students make final correction in another

comment box.



  So far students have authored 3 blog posts in the following categories: ◦ Wir über uns (Review chapters 1-6) ◦ Unterwegs in Graz (chapter 7) ◦ Restaurantforschung in NYC (chapter 8)

 Restaurantforschung


 Back End of Post:



  Front end of Post:

 The Task: ◦  Every student will write about one topic they

are interested in throughout the semester. They will be authors. ◦ The other students have to comment on all

the hot topics except their own. ◦  So far 4 students were supposed to write hot

topics. Topics were:   Olympic Games   The White Ribbon   David Hasselhoff



 The Post:

 Comments:


 Assessment: Assessement through the use of rubics:


 Assessment:   Focus is on writing and expressing ideas,

so I give feedback only one time without correction suggestions.

 Author and Commentators get an assessment sheet


  Student Questionnaire:



General 1. What do you like about using a blog?

1.  I like being able to interact with the class outside of the classroom and respond to others’ posts.

2.  I like the interactive/multitasking possibility that using a computer opens to us.

3.  It gives you a chance to write out and think through relatively long pieces of writing compared to say tests. That is fun. The interactivity is also good.

4.  It is well organized and very easy to write and correct posts and comments.

5.  Being able to exercise German in real life situations. 6.  I find writing German the most difficult task we do in

class, so writing on the blog is much needed practice, and the format of comments and short posts is much less intimidating than essays would be.


2. What don’t you like about using a blog? 1.  I am not spectacular with technology, so sometimes figuring

out posts or comments is tricky. 2.  Typing, I am so slow and I find hard to check my errors on the

blog. 3.  Not much - it is an interesting addition to learning. 4.  Not much, I find it very intuitive. 5.  It’s a bit difficult to navigate through the page. 6.  Sometimes the interface can be clunky – but I have been

getting more and more used to using the blog. More daunting is the task of using the somewhat general vocabulary we get from Kontakte to talk about very specific issues like Olympics or David Haselhof. The posts we had about restaurants or travel I found easier to handle, whereas with the hot topic posts I often feel I am looking up much of the vocab I need to say something substantive.

Technology 3. How do you like using this kind of technology in the

language classroom? 1.  I think it is good because it is more progressive and people can

better interact. You’re not wasting a lot of paper copies in submitting things online.

2.  This kind of technology is very helpful and can improve our language skills.

3.  You can see how other people tackle similar questions. Can learn from the process of writing and reading.

4.  Very much so. It adds variety; using Word for all essays can become boring and tedious.

5.  It’s great. 6.  I think the technology is quite intriguing and makes for good

practice, even if it does sometimes feel like the most difficult thing we do.


4. How easy/hard to use do you find this kind of blog technology? 1.  I find it manageable. 2.  I find it very accessible but as an old school

person I prefer to write with my faithful Bic pen!

3.  Relatively easy - though I sometimes find understanding what is wrong/correcting it tricky.

4.  I find it very easy to use. 5.  It’s moderately difficult to use, though that may

be because I’m not a technology guru. 6.  There is a learning curve with the interface,

but it is mostly pretty intuitive.


Blog Entries relating to chapters 5. Do you like expanding the chapters’ topics in a blog entry?

Why? 1.  Yes, it helps refresh what’s going on in the chapter before

we take our exams. 2.  I really like it because we can broaden the topic thanks to

the internet and discover many things that we will not able to using 100 books.

3.  Yes because, as mentioned, it gives a chance to do extended thinking in German on topics we are learning.

4.  Yes, it adds another layer of thought that helps retention of the course material.

5.  Yes, it helps reiterate the information. 6.  Yes, as I said, these posts can make the concepts and vocab

we learn in a chapter stick more.


6. Do you feel that in working with the blog, you were able to recycle the unit’s content and practice the grammatical features? 1.  Yes, I feel like the blogs really helped with my grammar. 2.  Definitely and add to them new content. 3.  Yes, if I deliberately set out to incorporate the unit's

content. 4.  Yes 5.  Yes 6.  Yes. I’m definitely not always successful, but do make an

effort.

 


7. Do you feel that working with the blog has helped you to better retain the content and the grammatical features of the unit? 1.  Yes. 2.  Yes even though I would prefer to handwrite, my old

memory works better when I can stain a piece of paper and see all my mistakes.

3.  Yes. 4.  Yes. 5.  Yes 6.  Yes


8. What do you think about making/seeing corrections in the blog itself? 1.  It is beneficial. 2.  It is paramount and only by seeing corrections I can improve. 3.  I find this the trickiest part as often am not sure where/what

corrections to make. 4.  It allows for an easy correction process. Also, seeing all the individual

steps towards the final essay on one page allows one to focus better on what needs improvement.

5.  It’s a fantastic way to keep up with and to reinforce the material. 6.  It is useful, although I sometimes feel like I make the

corrections but am not always sure of the reason behind why what I did was wrong and why the correction is right – sometimes the corrections feel a little more about getting the writing right rather than understanding why the original writing was wrong.


Hot Topic Entries 9. How do you like the idea of writing a blog entry on a

topic that you have chosen? 1.  I like it because you can pick something that’

interesting to you and apply the German you have learned to express yourself.

2.  I think that the hot topic entries should be somehow “regulated” by the professor.

3.  This is fun and topical. Better than formulaic example to write about from textbook.

4.  I really enjoy it. I have a lot of fun applying what I know in German to topics of my choosing.

5.  It’s a fun and interesting idea. 6.  As I said, these are the most difficult entries, but for

that fact, probably also some of the most useful practice.


10. How do you like reading the responses of your classmates and responding to them? 1.  I like it because it helps me get to know more

about people in the class and what their interests are.

2.  Sometimes it is interesting, sometimes it is not. 3.  Again, enjoyable, especially as we are all at level where it

is possible to read and understand the whole thing in German.

4.  I also enjoy it, it facilitates discussion. 5.  It’s great to see how classmates respond. 6.  I like it a lot, especially in a small class where we get to

hear and read everyone’s thoughts.


11. To what extent do you think do these entries help your German? 1.  I think that they are very helpful. 2.  It helps as I am practicing the language and learning new

words. 3.  Sorry to reiterate but yes they do because you can engage in

longer sentences/structures than most other works we do. 4.  I feel that it helps my German a lot. 5.  A great deal. 6.  The process of sitting down and thinking through

what I want to say forces me to think about, remember, and try and retain the grammar lessons we’ve used. The blogs are definitely application of the concepts though – sometimes I feel more could be done in class to understand and remember the concepts outside any application before we jump to contextual applications.


12. How useful do you think is a blog as a learning tool in the foreign language classroom?

1.  I think it’s very useful because you are still interacting with classmates and practicing outside the classroom.

2.  A blog is a very useful tool and can let us practice in a different and multitasking manner the foreign language.

3.  Useful as an additional tool, not the main one. Did not have it in Spanish class and think it would have helped.

4.  I feel that it helps my German very much. 5.  Very useful. 6.  Quite useful.


13. Do you have any suggestions for other ways we could use a blog in our classroom? 1.  No. 2.  I think it could be helpful to create a sort of

“database” with the more important/useful/common words, verbs, adjectives and adverbs which can be updated throughout the semester.

3.  We could perhaps talk about hot topics in class more or do presentations on topics etc?

4.  One idea is to use the blog to discuss concepts that are difficult or vague if more clarification is needed then what can be provided during class time.

5.  Maybe use it more as a short discussion forum, to foster better communication skills.

6.  Nothing other than what I said earlier.


  Still debating the usefulness of correction of blogs within blog. Student comments confirm – more work there.

  I am feeling a bit behind on the blog issue, so I am surprised that students see it so positively.

  I do see it as a valuable tool.


  For this class: ◦ Get German students involved for this

particular project. ◦ Use it to discuss a film.

 Continue to use it: ◦  2nd half of semester in Intermediate II ◦  Intensive Beginning German I and II summer

course   Involve graduate students in the use of

blogs.


  Ducate, L. and Lomicka L. (2008). Adventures in the blogosphere: from blog readers to blog writers. Computer Assisted Language Learning. 21-1, 9-28.

  Godwin, J. (2008). Emerging Technologies. Web-Writing 2.0: Enabling, Documenting, and Assessing Writing Online. Language Learning and Technology. 12-2, 7-13.

  http://edblogs.columbia.edu/   http://www.lynda.com (training videos)   http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/08/29/10-

weblog-engines-reviewed   http://www.wordpress.org ◦  http://codex.wordpress.org/Roles_and_Capabilities


nectfl, march 27, 2010 jutta schmiers-heller, columbia ...js2331/nectfl-2010.pdf · use from expert...

Documents