Week 8: Generating Exercises

Dear Classmates,

For every week, I just thought that was the most important because it dealt with a real concern as a teacher using technologies in his own classsroom.

Teachers are confronted with generating exercises (online or paper activities). I prefer teachers get accustomed to using desk exercises, mostly those who don't have access to internet, and create also printable sheets for plan B for those who live in countries like mine where powercuts are really frequent.

This week comforts me with the idea that teachers should be ready to face any kind of situation while teaching. Students' motivation and interests should be kept on the rise.

The One-Computer Classroom

The further we move, the more we discover useful tips and strategies to better use the computer in the classroom. It might sound impossible for some to use one computer in a large class. I found out the answers to all the following questions.

How can I use one computer in my class?

How can I use one computer in a large class?

How can students learn from the computer?

The computer can be a creation tool, students can create bulletins, brochures, greeting cards, business cards, multimedia (film, diaporama...). This is a picture of one my colleague who invited to share with him IT and language teaching.

It can be a good learning tool. Teachers can download films as materials for language classes. direct students to links where they can find the right information. I think of all Donna has been doing with us.

Some websites propose 101 activities and some tips. Using the computer make students be focused and the teacher will easily monitor tasks and as Katty suggested me, in large classes, teachers should schedule students' use of the computer in order to be fair with students as far as their participation is concerned.

Laye

Large Classes

Week 6

In developing countries, it's not surprising to see crowdy classrooms, the smallest number is 50 students. Managing large classes is a current issue and among the solutions, the use of IT isn't included.

I think this week has been enriching because there are means to make students interact. Indeed, teachers should be curious enough to seek for tips and techniques for their students. From what I learn this week, I think we have the duty to share these ideas: interactive lectures... Some teachers tend to think that they are losing time if they let students communicate. Thus, they monopolize the floor lecturing, they exclude students. Is this teaching?

Students can be grouped and given interactive tasks: games, embedded videos or texts with comprehension questions, crosswords, ...

Grouping students is not an easy task in the sense that there are lots of things to be taken into consideration: size, level.... Do students need to be grouped for every single activity? In fact, there is a good rationale behind that idea of grouping students.

Technology devices can help teachers. the challenge lies in teachers' hands. Some of them don't know how to use them. teachers should learn and even in such a situation, students can be trusted to help.

Week 5

1. Creating Rubrics

Rubrics are really necessary for a teacher. It states beforehand teachers' expectations. It gives to teachers' grades objectivity in assessing students' productions. Rubrics enable students to assess their own work.

2.Assessment

Here is the picture that I want to share with all participants

PBL seems to be wholistic, and I really appreciate Webquest, it's topical and students can go through tasks autonomously and are ready to work and produce something of their own.