1. Take advantage of the situation and try something new, interesting and enjoyable in your  study period.
2. Improve your media competence, get to know and use the real beneficial aspects on the internet. Start practicing to integrate your media skills in your lessons.
3. There are many opportunities to find material like pictures and videos or topics which are similar to yours and to include them to your e-portfolio only by linking.
4. One great advantage of an e-portfolio instead of a term paper is that it is easier to show your sources, you can link them. Therefore, the reader of your e-portfolio can follow your thoughts and structure much easier because he does not need to look it up after reading, he can do it right in that moment.
5. Another advantage is the mobility, of course if you do have internet access. For instance, I have to complete my e-portfolio in Turkey because of an exchange semester. I do not need to carry a folder or something else with me. Every time I have the possibility to go online and that is nearly always the case, I can continue my work. Except for one difficulty, YouTube is forbidden in this country. So, be careful whether you really have access to every website you need.
6. Speaking of accessibility: Even after years it is not difficult to look up something in your e-portfolio. A term paper will be somewhere in your room, you have to search it. But also if you look for certain paragraphs or sentences in your e-portfolio, it is much easier, you can just use the search function and do not need to read a whole text to find a special topic.
7. Creativity is asked in many areas of life today and an e-portfolio helps you to work on this skill. In order to prepare their students for this challenge also teachers or course instructors at university claim creative ideas or presentations. For example, in a pedagogy seminar I had to write a reading journal which is an individual work and requires creativity and I did it in form of blog entries which was praised.
8. Time factor: Of course, your e-portfolio has to be finished so that it can be marked. Deadlines are often a difficulty and wished to be postponed. With an e-portfolio you have a day more time. You do not need to finish it the day before and print it out to hand it in on the last day. Within seconds you can correct mistakes and use even the last hour to check your entries before you ‘hand it in’.
9. I have some lesson plans in my e-portfolio and I will introduce these to my students. The work I have done about “Media in FLE” is not just for a grade but useful for my future as a teacher.
10. Impress your future students with your media competence and your interest in their joy while learning a foreign language. Teach them how to benefit from new media. As you can imagine it is essential to have experiences with new media in order to teach it. Thus, you can also be an example for other teachers who insist on their monotonous didactical methods.

But there is one challenge: Do not forget to concentrate on your content while you think about the design and other formalities. You should have the content as you would have in your term paper, additionally the e-portfolio allows you to have a fitting design. Have fun starting your own e-portfolio!

Here a link describing different forms of e-portfolios, evaluation of e-portfolios and examples: e-teaching.org- e-portfolios

]]> http://nerminb.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/10-reasons-to-create-an-e-portfolio/feed/ 0 shalin77 top-10-pima-county http://nerminb.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/lesson-creating-poem/ http://nerminb.wordpress.com/2010/03/13/lesson-creating-poem/#comments Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:38:25 +0000 shalin77 http://nerminb.wordpress.com/?p=139 ]]> You want to teach analyzing poems in English?  Here is one with an interesting topic: “racism”

Racism has a human heart….

Racism has a human heart,
An artery of cruelty & death,
It has blood of anger, & evil…,
Has a force of pain & antipathy.

Racism has a human mind….
An Intellect of terror & delusion,
Has an emotion of extreme savage
Imagination of vile ideas, macabre.

Racism has a human mouth,
It has tongue of torture, depravity,
Many teeth of brutal incision & kill
Has a lip of sorrow, hate & death.

JOHN NELSON 4-Mar-09

You can just print it, give it to your grade 11 students with a list of rhetorical devices and go through it with your class. That is easy, but very boring. Try something easy and interesting by using new media.

Go to Wordle, copy and paste the poem and click go. You can design your wordle (font, layout, color) like this:

You show this creation to your students with a video projector and ask them to write a poem or some verses using these words. Then some students can read out their poems and you discuss them. After reading the original version written by John Nelson you can teach them analyzing the poem. Therefore, they need to refresh their knowledge of  rhetorical devices they have gained in the subject German before.

On Quizlet there is an entertaining facility to practice literary terms: “Drag corresponding items onto each other to make them disappear.” The program counts the time while the students find the right pairs, so they will be excited and will try to improve their performance.

Now you can begin to analyze to poem. Do it orally first, at home your students can formulate an analysis of the poem and reflect their new skills.

I am sure you will have fun while preparing this 90 minutes lesson and your students learn much because it is learning by doing and entertaining. On 100 essential web tools you can discover many other websites to create lessons like that.

You will see a list of many languages and ´Parts of Speech`. On Grammar there is a flashcard set called Comma Uses. If you do not find it or would like to try another topic, you can search it. On five different levels Quizlet teaches you the comma uses: Familiarize, Learn, Test, Scatter and Space Race. Familiarizing with the terms is the first step. The learner gets a sentence e.g. “I like chicken, beef, and bacon.” and can click on ´show term` for the accordant rule for comma usage; in this case ´series`. There are 21 terms and you can go to the next or the previous whenever you like to. Then you learn them by defining the comma use in given sentences. If you give a wrong answer you get the correct version. You can ´give up` the sentence, too. If you do that, Quizlet shows you the answer and you have to copy it. In the test you have five written questions, five matching questions, five multiple choice and five true/ false questions. Let Quizlet check your answers and generate a new test. Playing scatter and  space race is more exciting. On Scatter you “drag corresponding items onto each other to make them disappear.” And on Space Race you „kill the scrolling words by typing in their corresponding term and pressing enter. You may kill them in any order, but make sure they don’t scroll past the screen.” If you do not succeed, you have to copy the right answer.

Similar is the flashcard for literary terms. Go to Find Flashcards and click on Languages & Vocabulary and then under the topic English and European on English. Find the Literary Terms: Tier 1 - Flashcard and practice again with Familiarize, Learn, Test, Scatter and Space Race. Additionally to the practice options I described in Comma Uses, there is the Voice Race. It is mentioned that this is a new technology which can be improved with the aid of your feedback. You need a microphone and by the way, you are lucky to be helpful: Your speech is recorded for research purposes, of course anonymously. This game is like Space Race but more fun, you are more active. To kill the scrolling words you have to speak their corresponding definition into the microphone. 

In my opinion, Quizlet is a useful online learning method: You have a wide range of flashcards for many topics students need to know. The steps familiarize and learn are valuable and without passing these you will not succeed in the races. It is well-thought-out to put the entertainment part of learning at the end in order to motivate the students to put effort in the learning phase. They study the terms and after that they exercise by playing. I did not notice anything inefficient and would recommend Quizlet to students for home studies and teachers to use the flashcards in a sequence of their lesson.

In our group we decided to buy new computers for three computer labs. One should be for 33 students, the other one for 22 and the third computer lab with 10 PCs should be a research room with internet and a library. Furthermore, we would buy 9 notebooks for the case that teachers can take it into the classroom and show a PowerPoint presentation or the like. Of course, then they will also need portable video projectors.  Headsets and webcams could be useful for the students if they do a communicative project especially in foreign languages with native speakers. Additionally, we would buy a smart board for the 33 student computer lab;  software and three printers, each for one computer lab. The old computers could be fixed by informatics students or teachers; they can install new hard disks. Selling the old computers would not bring much profit, trying to fix them is a better idea. Then students could use them besides the lessons.

Here is our shopping list (prices were found on the internet):

New Computers 65 (33+22+10)* 329 €= 21385 €

Smartboard 2400 €

Notebooks 9* 279 €= 2511 €

Video Projectors 9* 130 €= 1170 €

Headsets 10 €* 33= 330 €

Webcams 10 € *33 = 330 €

Printers 77 €* 3= 231 €

Hard disks for old PCs 20* 50 €= 1000 €

Software: Windows Office, other material to fix old computers… 643 €

altogether: 30 000 €

There Mr. Schouler, an informatics and English teacher, showed us the media rooms. The first was a classical computer lab with roughly 30 computers which were placed on tables all next to each other in front of the windows. In the middle of the room there was also a row of tables with computers. So, this lab did not give us a comprehensible reason for the school’s media award.

Going to the next room we found an absolutely satisfactory and modern design. The “Lernwerkstatt” has an open learning atmosphere: upstairs are three or four computers and a printer, downstairs at the entrance there is a library. The most interesting parts of the room are the three group discussion cabins. In there the students can elaborate their research results they have found on the internet or in the books from the library. Surprisingly, the students are silent although there are three different working areas in one room and enough facilities to have a conversation. In fact, everyone who attends the Lernwerkstatt feels the force to behave considerately and tries to be as silent as possible. This is the effect of a big room without closed walls. Therefore, I would love to work there and enjoy the modern and successful idea of the Lernwerkstatt ´s architecture.

The third and last computer lab we have seen is the “Oberstufenbücherei” which also seems to be helpful for learning. The seating arrangement is designed for group work, on their three small “islands” the students can work on the PCs and then they come together for discussions at the “plenum table”. The aim is to avoid ex-cathedra teaching. Upper school students should be warned not to disregard books for research and should not only use the  information on the internet. To support this, in this computer lab there is also a library. As the students are old enough to be responsible they are allowed to come and work here independent from their school lessons and teachers. And I have to mention that the Alfred-Wegener-Schule has a smart board which they plan to assemble in this room.

Even only the architecture of media labs is very important to use the effects of new media at school to full capacity. We could not focus on this aspect in our seminar and that is why I chose this topic for my blog entry about our field trip to Kirchhain. But the new experiences we gained is not limited with this, for more (general) information you can check out our group blog  Field Trip- Answers. Also, I would recommend you other informative entries which have included photos of the media labs I have described e.g.  Our visit to the Alfred-Wegener-Schule (AWS).

-         self-directed learning (motivating because students proceed at own speed; cognitive skills)

-         student centered learning

-         demonstrative learning (visualization due to new media)

-         multi channel learning

-         active learning Teacher has to

-         know/learn how to use media didactically

-         supervise (media is expensive)

-         take time to organize

-         while working with new media, controlling students is not easy (because no ex-cathedra teaching) Media competence Students need to

-         take responsibility to work with expensive media

-         be aware of inappropriate websites (unreliable sources; adult websites) Accessibility (magazines, newspaper articles) Always a backup plan necessary

-         internet is not reachable

-         virus on computer

-         other technical problems Explorative

(new designs, interesting for student and teacher) Media should be a means to an end;

Learning content must be in the foreground Communicative/ Social Skills

(e.g. e-mail project) More and more work online; students addle

(they do not go to libraries for research etc.) Up-to-dateness

(worldwide current material enriches the classroom) Not every school can afford enough new media for the students

(e.g. 30 000 € Media Project)

reference: VLZ:  New Media in Foreign Language Teaching – WT 2009/10

<<c>> Stephan Schuller, "Global lernen -E-Mail-Projekte im Geographieunterricht",
in: Praxis Geographie 11/2001, S. 23 - 28

Then we (Sofia and I) created our own project on “Introduce Your Pets” in partner groups:

Working with e-mails is not only a change in teaching and learning a foreign language but also a skill pupils have to command in their daily routine.  Of course, nowadays even year 5 students know how to send e-mails but I am sure they will feel safer if they also use it at school, think about it as a serious tool of communication and if they get the feedback that they can successfully attach videos or pictures. I think they will like exchanging their work with people making the same effort. Besides, communication with native speakers of English will improve their language skills and encourage them to continue contact with other speakers of English.

The VLZ (Virtuelles Zentrum für Lehrerbildung) supports and adds my positive opinion about this creative teaching method by explaining the didactical background of  e-mail exchange projects:

Teachers who organize an e-mail project support their students to learn Language Competence (language awareness), Intercultural Competence (cultural questions), Method and Media Competence (handling the computer, e-mail programs, search engines etc) and Social Competence like group work.

Students benefit from the authentic communication because they practically produce language , test their vocabulary , learn shortened forms and internet language (e.g. CU l8ter) and they “develop a wish for correct language because someone other than the teacher really reads it”. May be they become interested in the culture, the foreign students present, and want to know more about it.

Taking these advantages into consideration, doubtlessly it is profitable for teachers to prepare an e-mail project.

Scoyo is a German online learning platform for students from the 1st to the 7th grade stating to be the greatest. It offers tasks in the main subjects: German and maths for elementary school students and biology, physics, chemistry, arts and English for students from the 5th to 7th grade. The concept can be described as edutaining.

We got the task: “You have a child in a grammar school, whose grades in English could be better. You are thinking about additional tutoring in the afternoon. On TV, you heard about Scoyo.”

That sounds promising. Let´s go online and explore the website. “Write down 5 key arguments for or against the use of this platform.”

Arguments for using scoyo:

1. Design appeals to children (colorful, pictures, learning stories)
2. Edutainment (students learn by playing, virtual teacher: Esperanza)
3. Different financial offers for the use of three structured sections: grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation
4. Autonomous and individual learning which is every time available
5. Three pages for children (learning games) , parents (quality check, content, prices) and teachers (curriculum, didactic basis, scoyo@school)

Arguments against using scoyo:

1. You have to orient yourself before you can start learning. It takes time and draws off the student´s attention.
2. Costs: Packages for three, six or twelve months (9,99 € to 19,99 € per month) can be subscribed but the price representation is a bit confusing. For this and more questions you have to call a hotline which costs 14 Cents per minute.
3. Students who need tutoring often have more problems than just the lack of knowlegde and need personal support. It is disputable if they have the motivation and willingness to let a computer tutor them and if it helps them.
4. There are not any tasks to develop the listening and reading comprehension of the students.

I think there is no 5th argument against using scoyo but in my opinion especially the 3rd and 4th negative arguments are more important than any of the advantages you have on scoyo. I think a student who really needs tutoring has to find a tutor he likes and who can offer the same edutainment as scoyo. But for disciplined and autonomous students who want to spend the time in front of their computers on learning, scoyo is the right place.

But how do you choose an appropriate topic for a WebQuest?

http://www.nelliemuller.com/Junior_High_WebQuests.htm. Here you can also find  examples Run for Your Health.

Here is one of a Romeo and Juliet WebQuest.

These links give you hints how to create a WebQuest:

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquestwebquest-hs.html

http://www.bescherer.de/webquests/webquests/webquest/index.html

WebQuests help students to learn autonomously but creating them takes much time and effort because you have to search for reliable sources,. Even though, do not worry there are enough databases for WebQuests.

1. What is worth keeping in mind for the future?

• lesson plans: e-mail projects; 100 essential web tools, WebQuests, digital schoolbag, edutainment
• technical backround: video projector setup, creating blogs, software skills
• advantages/ disadvantages of new media; e.g. the advantages of web 2.0: collaborative learning is fostered, results are always available for all team members, they can contribute own ideas and thoughts…

2. What is the best format for such a summary?

• blog: summary with links

3. How can it be made accessible for the futre reference?

• blog

4. How can you share the work with your classmates in order to be able to complete this task today?

• etherpad
• bubbl.us

As you can see on the mindmap, we have created on bubbl.us, we learned a lot in the seminar “Media in Foreign Language Education” and we got some ideas of how to work with media as teachers. I am sure at the end of the semester we will know much more about Media in FLE.