Writing-4-Sharing: A Web-based EFL Course Management System

This paper describes a web-based application that facilitatesthe meeting of pedagogical goals of process-oriented writing.The system supports the teaching strategies used in an EFL(English as a Foreign Language) writing class and allows theconstruction of electronic portfolios. It allows for onlinesubmission, peer-review, marking and revision of papers andperforms administrative tasks. It also makes possible th1esmooth completion of collaborative writing, process writingand peer reviewing activities, all essential components of thecurriculum of an EFL writing course

Using Podcasts for Assessing Information Research

This paper reports on the use of podcast audio recordings to assess learning in a hybrid information research course. Evidence of learning that appeared in the audio recordings and how the project affected student learning were investigated. Findings suggest that student-created podcasts can be beneficial in that instructors can see what students learned from the podcast content; students can see evidence of own learning by looking at before and after podcasts; and that students see methods used by other students and reflect on own methods/knowledge

Supervisor Use of Video as a Tool in Teacher Reflection

Supervisors play a critical role in fostering teacher candidates’ reflective thinking on their practice, yet too often it is the supervisor, rather than the teacher, doing most of the observation work. Video-­‐based supervision offers a promising alternative, as teachers have an opportunity to examine their own lesson and thus engage with the supervisor in a more collaborative conference. In this paper, we explore the ways supervisors approach video in their conferencing with teachers as a vehicle for teacher reflective practice at one TESOL master’s program in the USA. We examine what supervisors find salient in video observations, how they approach teachers when reviewing a lesson using video as a means to ground observation in evidence, and the struggles they encounter when trying to foster teacher reflection. We conclude with suggestions for implementing video-­‐based supervision

Teaching a Foreign Language with Video Podcast Assignments: Examples from an American Sign Language Course

This article describes how one American Sign Language (ASL) class employed video podcasting (vodcasting) assignments to improve students’ receptive and expressive skills. Vodcasts are downloadable video files distributed through the Internet on a subscription basis. The procedures used can be applied to other learning, including foreign languages, to achieve similar outcomes

The Online Supplemental Workshop: Course Enrichment to Support Novice Teachers\u27 Analysis of Classroom Video

As online learning and video technology become more consistent components of teacher education, the opportunities to blend the affordances of both was piloted in a specially designed online workshop. This workshop was designed to help teacher candidates become more sophisticated in their ability to recognize and describe specific teaching behaviors in videoed lessons. Using QuickTime Pro, iMovie, and Blackboard, a self-paced, asynchronous workshop to introduce techniques for observing and analyzing teachers and classes on video was created. Through a series of video tutorials and activities, teacher candidates were guided through the process of viewing the same video clip through different lenses--they were asked to reflect on student response opportunities, teacher use of praise, and teacher feedback to student error. Results of its administration to a pilot group of 47 teacher candidates indicated that completing the training module increased their comfort level with video analysis, and that video-based activities may be uniquely suited to self-paced, online tutorials

The Role of Video in Early Field Experiences

The purpose of this investigation was to explore the influence of video models on teacher candidates\u27 capacity to self-evaluate their teaching performance in early fieldwork. This was examined by providing video models along with evaluation rubrics that represented desired performance standard to one group of pre-service teacher candidates, while another group was provided the descriptions of these lessons and corresponding evaluation rubrics. Participants then video recorded their teaching and self-evaluated this performance. Results indicated that the introduction of video models reduced inflation of scores in self-evaluation and enhanced candidates\u27 understanding of the expectations for the performance assessment of teaching

Guiding EFL learners in the use of web resources

This paper describes a method of using World Wide Web resources as authentic materials in an EFL reading class. Forty-eight students enrolled in a reading class were guided in the use of websites for language learning through completing and creating scavenger hunt-type of assignments using websites that were not specifically designed for language learning. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and evaluation of students’ work. They revealed that despite the amount of time needed to complete the assignments, the students’ attitude towards using websites to complete English assignments was generally positive. They also became more web literate during the process of completing the assignments, especially when they collaborated to create a reading assignment using sites of their own selection