Overview

• The DOTS Project

• What this workshop offers

• Needs analysis (think/reflect/share/identify)

• Examples: 6 case studies

• Individual strengths and weaknesses

• Training: group work

• Plenary discussion, follow up activities

Two ECML Projects (European Centre for Modern Languages)

and …

Using open resources to develop online teaching skills

• New ECML Programme: 2012 – 2015

(Learning through languages)

• New series of projects

• Follow-up projects of DOTS

• More DOTS 2012 – 2013

• Targeted Support 2012 – 2013

• Project 1: 2008 – 2011

• Product: Moodle workspace,

introduced in Graz, Sept 2011

The Project Team: Team members Institutions

Ursula Stickler (Project co-ordinator)

Open University, UK

Tita Beaven Open University, UK

Pauline Ernest Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain

Martina Emke b.i.b International College, Germany

Aline Germain-Rutherford Middlebury College, USA (University of Ottawa, Canada)

Regine Hampel Open University, UK

Joseph Hopkins Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain

Mateusz-Milan Stanojevic University of Zagreb, Croatia

“Using open resources to develop online teaching skills”

Team members Institutions

Mateusz-Milan Stanojevic (coordinator)

University of Zagreb, Croatia

Pauline Ernest Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain

Martina Emke b.i.b International College, Germany

Aline Germain-Rutherford Middlebury College, USA

Regine Hampel Open University, UK

Joseph Hopkins Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain

Ursula Stickler Open University, UK

Workshop

What we don‘t offer

• Training for one specific online tool

• Technical guidance or help

• A one-off training session

What we offer

• Developing understanding of the basics of self-training

• Paedagogical considerations

• Follow-up tasks after the workshop

Your history

• Complete the sentences (see worksheet) with comments about your experience using ICT in language teaching. [5 minutes]

• Discuss your comments with the person sitting beside you. [5 minutes]

• Look at some case studies. [6 minutes]

Example A: Aischa

“I love computers. I spend a lot of time on the Internet and often chat with my friends in the US. I shop online and download the latest films.

In my language courses I don‘t like using the computer, because the students aren‘t supposed to chat online in class. And how am I supposed to play “shopping“? Using the Internet for this is far too dangerous.“

Example B: Bogdan

"I have taught languages for many years and teaching is a lot of fun. I am really good at it. I only use computers if I have to. My children are much better at it and I can ask them when I need help. But I am not going to make a fool of myself in front of my class! I would never use anything that I haven‘t mastered completely. That‘s much too risky in my classes.“

Example C: Carlotta

"I have taught languages for many years and it’s important for me that my students learn the language properly. Once they have mastered the subjunctive for example, we celebrate together, and I am really proud of them. Using computers wouldn‘t provide any additional benefit.“

Example D: Dennis

"I have taught languages for many years. I enjoy teaching a lot and I am quite successful. I am also good at using the computer and using new technologies.

When I have the time I like helping my colleagues to use digital media in their lessons.“

Example E: Elizabeth

“The curriculum is planned very carefully and I have to stick to it. If I am told to use computers, I will do so. If I am supposed to do more group work in class, there needs to be more time allocated for this in the curriculum. Otherwise it won‘t work.“

Example F: Fatima

“That all sounds really exciting. I would love to create a wiki or a webquest or something like that. But I just haven‘t got the time for the necessary preparations.

We will have started on a completely new topic before I have found enough good material to work on a wiki or webquest.“

Aischa Bogdan Carlotta Dennis Elisabeth Fatima

Likes computers but only for private use.

Loves teaching – is not confident enough to use the computer in class.

Is sceptical regarding the use of computers for language teaching.

Is an expert in all relevant fields – ICT, language teaching, etc.

Keeps to the instructions and the curriculum.

Feels that she hasn‘t got enough time to integrate ICT in her classes but would like to try it out.

Your needs [10 minutes]

• Choose a card which contains comments you can identify most with.

• On the back of the card write:

a) what you need e.g. training, help, time, etc to be able to use ICT (more) successfully in your classes

b) what you think your greatest strength in teaching is e.g. being a good communicator, designing creative materials etc.

• Feedback: show your card.

What can you do on the DOTS workspace?

• Find self-training activities in different languages on how to use a variety of online tools in your classroom

• Find out how pedagogy can work together with technology

• And more on this and the layout of the workspace …in an online presentation by Uschi Stickler

Reflect: How did it feel to be part of an online presentation?

• What is the added value this kind of presentation could bring to your classroom?

• What are the possible problems? How could you solve them?

Training – group work [40 minutes]

In groups of 3, choose one of the following, from the DOTS Moodle workspace, that you would like to look at now:

• 1. Forums

• 2. Blogs

• 3. Audio-conferencing

Roles and tasks

In each group there should be: Minute taker – Take notes on ICT and language level (using the

worksheet provided)

Narrator – Prepare to report back at the plenary on the principal

advantages and disadvantages of your group‘s tool Forum reporter Write a short description of your group‘s tool and an invitation to use it on the Moodle forum; this is for future users of the workspace

End of training phase: Reporting back to the Plenary

• Countdown: end of training phase

• Share your group’s conclusions with others in the plenary session.

1

Follow-up tasks • Do the survey evaluating the workshop! (find the link at

http://moodle.dots.ecml.at/). If you do it by Wednesday, 26 September, you can get a bonus link and win a prize!

• Read the sample tasks for one online tool in the training documents.

– Try out the suggested task in your own class

– OR note down your own ideas and suggestions for working with this tool.

• Asynchronous communication via Wiki, Forum, etc.

– Upload your own comments/suggestions in the Wiki on the DOTS Moodle workspace

– OR comment on the sample tasks or other suggested tasks in the forum on the DOTS Moodle workspace.

• Synchronous Follow-Up meeting

SYNCHRONOUS FOLLOW-UP MEETING ONLINE: CHAT

Suggested date(s)

Suggested time(s)

Chat

Thank you for your collaboration and enjoy working with DOTS!