This course is designed to give you hands-on experience with both the technology and the art of teaching. The goal of the course, therefore, is for you to learn how to integrate technology and CALL materials for more effective and efficient teaching by completing a number of tasks and projects that apply what you have read about (= project-based approach). Projects are completed individually or in teams of various sizes. Due dates/times are Sundays/midnight, unless otherwise noted.
During the course you will be required to complete the following:
1. INTERACTION with the class (45%): Assessment
of Objectives 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Interaction is the lifeblood of any online course,
or of any course for that matter, whether online or face-to-face, but it is even
more critical in online courses. In order for you and for the course to be
successful, all participants need to feel that they are constantly involved in
the course through an ongoing dialogue. This is UNLIKE the once-a-week
face-to-face course where your presence is only necessary that one time a week.
In order for us/you to feel like a class/community, you need to be in DAILY
communication with each other and me, contributing to the dialogue by posting
responses in the various discussion forums (Reading
Discussion and Sharing
what you learned) for
each week. These postings will be in response to prompts in your weekly Assignments but
should also be in response to other participants' postings. In other
words, YOU
are expected to carry on a dialogue with the other course members and me. I may
not respond to all individual postings but interject comments as necessary and
summarize trends and observations. Your grade
for this portion of the course will depend on the number and substance of your
responses and on your postings as discussion moderator (see specifics for each
Discussion forum). I have
also created a Professor's
Office discussion
forum for questions for me and a Virtual
Cafe for
informal interaction among the course participants). In addition, there will be
opportunities for class meeting chats and office-hour chats, as described on the Getting
Started/Orientation page. Research
into online courses has found that participants who fall behind in their
daily/several times-a-week interaction with the group lose interest and will
eventually drop out. For this reason I have included penalties for late
postings and/or late assignments (please review the Policies
and Procedures section
at the bottom of this page.).
Guidelines for writing a summary/reaction: To identify the article you are summarizing and reacting to, use a heading for the posting that indicates the chapter, title of the article, and possible the URL (copied/pasted), e.g. Computer-assisted language learning: The role of digital media and incremental change (Eds. Michael Thomas, Hayo Reinders, & Mark Warschauer). (Chapter 1)--http://library.smcvt.edu/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/smcvt/Doc?id=10632566. Keep in mind--summary/reactions are much more informal (and shorter!) than a paper. Briefly summarize the author's (or authors') point(s) of view, state your own position, and provide some arguments to support your position. Personal experience, especially as it relates to the classroom, makes a great supportive argument! In your reaction, tell us, for example, what "grabbed" you; tell us what you thought of the arguments; point out their strengths and possible limitations or weaknesses--either in the theory or in the practical application (i.e. the classroom)--and discuss influences or crossovers that you see coming from other theories or disciplines. As most of the articles are of a very practical nature, your reaction should include some possibilities for using the ideas in the typical classroom. Important note: Stay within the 2-paragraph range for your summary/reaction, as longer postings are difficult (and more intimidating) for your classmates to react to. (Due: during the week that these articles are assigned).
Moderator Assignments: Please click the Moderator Assignments for your roles and weeks and print out your assignments. I will notify you of changes due to changes in course enrollment.
2. HANDS-ON PROJECTS (30%): Assessment of Objectives 3, 4
For the computer applications that you learn (Word, PowerPoint, interactive Audio/Video Forums, Web-authored assessment tools), there will be one or more applied projects. The projects should show that you have worked through the assigned materials and accomplished the goals. (Due: as specified in the Weekly Assignments; see also an overview in the Semester Schedule link under Course Home)
3. REVIEW/Analysis--Collaborative review of a Web site (10%): Assessment of Objective 5
This extensive review will consist of a description of what the website/software is, how it is used, how it can/should be implemented in class, and how the participant evaluates its usefulness, following criteria outlined in the course and in the CALL research. The review is written as an academic paper, complete with in-text citations and references in APA format. You will need to submit your reviews to the Sharing What You Learned Discussion Forum so that all course participants and the instructor, of course, may peruse and react to them. (Collaborative Website review--due as specified in the Weekly Assignments)
4. A PORTFOLIO WEB SPACE FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING (Wiki) to share course and class materials (15%): Assessment of Objectives 3, 4, 6
This is a creative, interactive semester-long project that will be constructed and revised based on teacher and peer feedback. It functions as a portfolio of the course work in that course participants are asked to post/share teachable course materials on their Web space, keeping their audience, teaching goals, and content in mind. Projects developed during the course will be uploaded. The portfolio Web spaces will be reviewed by all course participants in a voice Webcast as well as through written feedback, and suggestions for revision will be discussed. The final Web space is due by Sunday, Dec. 13, 11:59 PM.