Topics of week 7 were:
Learner Autonomy and One Computer Classroom
Learner Autonomy
Many authors (Thanasoulas, Sheu, Candy, Knowles, Benson, Sheering, Holec,... just to name a few) tried to define and explain the definition "An autonomous learner is...."
and I would like to mention some of their quotes, which I believe, are most important as core statement like:
- an autonomous learner with his/her individual thinking and learning process reflects, decides and learns critically, self-directed and independently. Learner choose aims, purposes and set goals, organises and carries out chosen tasks concerning the chosen criteria for evaluation;
- the pro-active role in the learning process with developing ideas is far more important than the passive role reacting to the teacher's aim;
- I would also add, that they are highly motiviated to achieve their self-set aim. I am sure motivation, related to self-esteem, is one of the key factors that influences the progress and result of learning a second language and which also enhances a long-lasting learning process;
- learners are aware of their social context in which their learning is embedded and get independent in their thoughts;
- who are able to develope specific strategies such as selective attention (paying attention to specific aspects of a task);
-Johnson, Pardesi and Paine claim that fostering learners' autonomy can be only done by fostering teachers' autonomy. I do partly agree with this point, because it depends on the learners (children or adults), the class setting (in school or online) and the alternatives that teachers think of in specific situations. Sometimes there is very littel autonomy for me as teacher in my classroom at the educaiton centre, but when I offer learning material to my students online, I gain autonomy and als pass on autonomous learning responsibility to my students. Educational systems and teachers' roles have chance since 1990 (article by Johnson, Pardes and Paine);
- the paragraph " Persuasive Communication as a Means of Altering Learner Beliefs and Attitudes" does not completely meet with my teaching experience! Persuasing Communication is not enough to change lerner beliefs and attidtudes, giving learners motivating tasks with high persentage of feasibility to provide a chance for learners to succeed in projects and tasks helps to stay motivated and there has to be a teacher who will adapt resources, materials, and methods to the learners' needs and even abandon all this if need be. In short: Learner autonomy means becoming aware of and identifying, one's strategies, needs, and goals as a learner, and having the opportunity to discover and experience new approaches and procedures for optimal learning.
In Samuel P-H Sheu's article there was mentioned that, "....administrators or selection committee in schools to be aware of the necessity of learning autonomy as one of the criteria since they have no concept of it nor even any introduction available. Perhaps this is because they do not want their authority to be challenged, or the input that teachers might have is discouraged. This suggests that administrator autonomy may have a part to play in developing learner autonomy,...."
Here I have to add that some teachers, who have been teaching for many years rather fear the preparatory changes, challenging lesson planning and timeconsuming workload. Once I suggested to let the learners decide on the class topic for more motivation and participation in project work, and I was just answered, that the teacher doesn't want to change his copy-hand out system, which he had practised for many years. The teacher was afraid of new topics, the learner could suggest, which would also require a learning process for the teacher as well. Autonomy is both, self-directed learning process for students and teachers!
One Computer Classroom
link with many practical and useful ideas for using ONE computer in class: http://www.lburkhart.com/elem/strat.htm
http://www.seirtec.org/present/onecomptr.html
Due to the fact that I neither have Internet in class nor a PC, my reality is a "NON Computer Classroom" instead of an "One Computer Classroom"
Well, I could bring my own PC/Laptop to class, but still there is no Internet.
- possibilities for students with computer technologie - NO Internet:
* Dokumentation
* Information
* Examination
* Practice
students would have to bring a flash drive and do tasks, activities, exercises, online search at home, but still cannot complete classwork properly, due to badly-equipped situation in class; students wait too long until it is their turn to work with the PC;
- possibilities for students with computer technologie - WITH Internet:
* Dokumentation
* Kommunikation
* Collaboration (peers, team)
* Information
* Examination
* Practice
students would have more possibilities of web-resources and online information but still one PC would be engaged all the time, so others had to wait too long = less productive, here they would also have to bring their pen-drive and finish/do/collaborate most of the work at home;
- possibilities for teachers with computer technologie - with or
without Internet:
* Dokumentation
* Evaluation
* Practice
* Demonstration
* Presentation
* Preparation
* Examination
* Information
of course, teachers would profit most from PC and Internet in class, if there is just one computer;
In the beginning I always focused on computer labs and that I would need one PC for at least each peer or each individual person, but when I started questioning the classroom szenario, which I am used to (no PC, no Internet) and listing up the possibilities with just one PC, I was surprised, that even one PC without Internet, can enrich classwork enormously!
Online spread of documents, information, presentation,... after class from home via Internet!
Using PC for audio, video, graphics, interactions and enhancing learning competition is great fun. Due to the fact that I do not have PCs and Internet, I have to work online with interested students after school from home.
I somehow bridge the gap between web-technology enhanced learning from home (students and myself) with NON-web-technology learning in school by putting data onto students' flash drive. This allows students to present their ppts to the class.
Wallwisher
This tool I liked best of this week's curriculum. As it is a very handy, useful and playful tool to comment, come up with ideas, do a quick poll or trend indicator among students concerning specific topics or problems. Before using it, I think, I would have to set rules that only short posts and comments are allowed, otherwise it gets too message-crammed, unclear and confusing.
Writing short notes only would help being a little more organized with wallwisher.
Suggestions for use in class:
- as quick poll or trend indicator;
- summarizing problems concerning specific topics and discussing one by one post, after
discussion/problem solving delete post by post until wall is empty = overview/forum
- brainstorming vocabulary as a warm up;
- doing grammar exercises as a quick recap or comprehension check;
- collecting interesting links/videos/articles concerning specific topics
- collecting links for online tools
- collecting links for students' blogs, online ppts, students' online CVs with pictures which
makes links easier to remember and match/allocate;
- giving homework and collecting project results
- platform where students can collect ideas for topics, presentations = planning of lesson content for teachers and learners, also teacher gets a picture about learners' interests = hidden analyse!
- analysing platform before course start, to find out about likes & dislikes, expectations, needs,...;
- split in peer groups by rearranging students next to each other in columns (each wallwisher post could display Name + link for online CV or link for blog or email address or small pict = pictures help remember names more easily;
- scheduling tool, find best time, when most students are available for doing peer work;
- and many more.........!
I am sure, all these ideas are very learner autonomy enhancing! It's a platform for learners to meet, discuss, decide, brainstorm, inform, visualize, teach, ask, collaborate, exchange, work, think, advise, teach, learn, read, write, or just be passive = really autonomic and self-governing!
Mainly, I would use it as an interactive web tool that helps to collaborate, visualize, structure, guide and mind-map.
Learner Autonomy and One Computer Classroom
Learner Autonomy
Many authors (Thanasoulas, Sheu, Candy, Knowles, Benson, Sheering, Holec,... just to name a few) tried to define and explain the definition "An autonomous learner is...."
and I would like to mention some of their quotes, which I believe, are most important as core statement like:
- an autonomous learner with his/her individual thinking and learning process reflects, decides and learns critically, self-directed and independently. Learner choose aims, purposes and set goals, organises and carries out chosen tasks concerning the chosen criteria for evaluation;
- the pro-active role in the learning process with developing ideas is far more important than the passive role reacting to the teacher's aim;
- I would also add, that they are highly motiviated to achieve their self-set aim. I am sure motivation, related to self-esteem, is one of the key factors that influences the progress and result of learning a second language and which also enhances a long-lasting learning process;
- learners are aware of their social context in which their learning is embedded and get independent in their thoughts;
- who are able to develope specific strategies such as selective attention (paying attention to specific aspects of a task);
-Johnson, Pardesi and Paine claim that fostering learners' autonomy can be only done by fostering teachers' autonomy. I do partly agree with this point, because it depends on the learners (children or adults), the class setting (in school or online) and the alternatives that teachers think of in specific situations. Sometimes there is very littel autonomy for me as teacher in my classroom at the educaiton centre, but when I offer learning material to my students online, I gain autonomy and als pass on autonomous learning responsibility to my students. Educational systems and teachers' roles have chance since 1990 (article by Johnson, Pardes and Paine);
- the paragraph " Persuasive Communication as a Means of Altering Learner Beliefs and Attitudes" does not completely meet with my teaching experience! Persuasing Communication is not enough to change lerner beliefs and attidtudes, giving learners motivating tasks with high persentage of feasibility to provide a chance for learners to succeed in projects and tasks helps to stay motivated and there has to be a teacher who will adapt resources, materials, and methods to the learners' needs and even abandon all this if need be. In short: Learner autonomy means becoming aware of and identifying, one's strategies, needs, and goals as a learner, and having the opportunity to discover and experience new approaches and procedures for optimal learning.
In Samuel P-H Sheu's article there was mentioned that, "....administrators or selection committee in schools to be aware of the necessity of learning autonomy as one of the criteria since they have no concept of it nor even any introduction available. Perhaps this is because they do not want their authority to be challenged, or the input that teachers might have is discouraged. This suggests that administrator autonomy may have a part to play in developing learner autonomy,...."
Here I have to add that some teachers, who have been teaching for many years rather fear the preparatory changes, challenging lesson planning and timeconsuming workload. Once I suggested to let the learners decide on the class topic for more motivation and participation in project work, and I was just answered, that the teacher doesn't want to change his copy-hand out system, which he had practised for many years. The teacher was afraid of new topics, the learner could suggest, which would also require a learning process for the teacher as well. Autonomy is both, self-directed learning process for students and teachers!
One Computer Classroom
link with many practical and useful ideas for using ONE computer in class: http://www.lburkhart.com/elem/strat.htm
http://www.seirtec.org/present/onecomptr.html
Due to the fact that I neither have Internet in class nor a PC, my reality is a "NON Computer Classroom" instead of an "One Computer Classroom"
Well, I could bring my own PC/Laptop to class, but still there is no Internet.
- possibilities for students with computer technologie - NO Internet:
* Dokumentation
* Information
* Examination
* Practice
students would have to bring a flash drive and do tasks, activities, exercises, online search at home, but still cannot complete classwork properly, due to badly-equipped situation in class; students wait too long until it is their turn to work with the PC;
- possibilities for students with computer technologie - WITH Internet:
* Dokumentation
* Kommunikation
* Collaboration (peers, team)
* Information
* Examination
* Practice
students would have more possibilities of web-resources and online information but still one PC would be engaged all the time, so others had to wait too long = less productive, here they would also have to bring their pen-drive and finish/do/collaborate most of the work at home;
- possibilities for teachers with computer technologie - with or
without Internet:
* Dokumentation
* Evaluation
* Practice
* Demonstration
* Presentation
* Preparation
* Examination
* Information
of course, teachers would profit most from PC and Internet in class, if there is just one computer;
In the beginning I always focused on computer labs and that I would need one PC for at least each peer or each individual person, but when I started questioning the classroom szenario, which I am used to (no PC, no Internet) and listing up the possibilities with just one PC, I was surprised, that even one PC without Internet, can enrich classwork enormously!
Online spread of documents, information, presentation,... after class from home via Internet!
Using PC for audio, video, graphics, interactions and enhancing learning competition is great fun. Due to the fact that I do not have PCs and Internet, I have to work online with interested students after school from home.
I somehow bridge the gap between web-technology enhanced learning from home (students and myself) with NON-web-technology learning in school by putting data onto students' flash drive. This allows students to present their ppts to the class.
Wallwisher
This tool I liked best of this week's curriculum. As it is a very handy, useful and playful tool to comment, come up with ideas, do a quick poll or trend indicator among students concerning specific topics or problems. Before using it, I think, I would have to set rules that only short posts and comments are allowed, otherwise it gets too message-crammed, unclear and confusing.
Writing short notes only would help being a little more organized with wallwisher.
Suggestions for use in class:
- as quick poll or trend indicator;
- summarizing problems concerning specific topics and discussing one by one post, after
discussion/problem solving delete post by post until wall is empty = overview/forum
- brainstorming vocabulary as a warm up;
- doing grammar exercises as a quick recap or comprehension check;
- collecting interesting links/videos/articles concerning specific topics
- collecting links for online tools
- collecting links for students' blogs, online ppts, students' online CVs with pictures which
makes links easier to remember and match/allocate;
- giving homework and collecting project results
- platform where students can collect ideas for topics, presentations = planning of lesson content for teachers and learners, also teacher gets a picture about learners' interests = hidden analyse!
- analysing platform before course start, to find out about likes & dislikes, expectations, needs,...;
- split in peer groups by rearranging students next to each other in columns (each wallwisher post could display Name + link for online CV or link for blog or email address or small pict = pictures help remember names more easily;
- scheduling tool, find best time, when most students are available for doing peer work;
- and many more.........!
I am sure, all these ideas are very learner autonomy enhancing! It's a platform for learners to meet, discuss, decide, brainstorm, inform, visualize, teach, ask, collaborate, exchange, work, think, advise, teach, learn, read, write, or just be passive = really autonomic and self-governing!
Mainly, I would use it as an interactive web tool that helps to collaborate, visualize, structure, guide and mind-map.
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