The Integration of e-Learning into the English Language Curriculum
Curriculum Leadership and Management for English Language Education
25/27 November 2014 English Language Education Section Curriculum Development Institute Education Bureau
Objectives
2
To discuss the role of English Language curriculum leaders in planning the school-based curriculum in secondary schools, in particular how to integrate e-learning into the curriculum
To provide suggestions on how to lead and manage the
English Panel effectively, especially in the implementation of e-learning
To share strategies and experiences in supporting English learning with the use of information technology
Run-down
14:00 – 14:05 Registration
14:05 – 14:15 Overview of Policy 14:15 – 14:30 What is e-Learning?
14:30– 15:05 Integrating e-Learning in the English Language Curriculum (Part 1)
15:05– 15:20 Break
15:20 – 16:10 Integrating e-Learning in the English Language Curriculum (Part 2)
16:10 – 16:50 Experience Sharing from Yau Tse Tin Memorial College
16:50 – 17:00 Q & A
3
Overview of Policy
The Fourth Strategy
on Information Technology in Education (ITE 4)
Keeping ITE in step with
curriculum development
Key actions for ITE4
Action 1: Enhancing schools’ IT infrastructure
Providing a WiFi campus for all
Using mobile devices wisely
Action 2: Enhancing the quality of e-learning resources
Developing an e-textbook market
Leveraging global e-learning resources
Sharing of resources by teachers
Action 4: Building professional leadership, capacity and communities of practice
Enhancing professional development of teachers
Rendering support services
Action 3: Renewing curriculum, transforming pedagogical and assessment practices
Articulating clear learning objectives
Promoting an e-learning repertoire
Using e-assessment for student learning
Action 5: Involving parents,
stakeholders and the community
Communicating with parents
Working with stakeholders and
the community
Current situation at most schools
What e-resources are we using now?
• e-Version of the textbooks provided by the publishers
• Video sourced online (e.g. YouTube)
• PowerPoint slides prepared by the
teachers
• Online platform developed by service providers
How are they used?
• to provide
stimulation and arouse students’
interest
• to present new concepts (e.g.
grammar &
vocabulary items)
• to promote self- learning
What is e-Learning?
e-learning vs e-teaching
Extracted from a blog entry by David Warlick (http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/)
If you ask ‘How does IT facilitate my teaching?’, you still do not understand the genuine essence of IT in education.
‘How does IT help my students become autonomous
and proactive learners, and increase their lifelong
learning capacity?’, you are enlightened.
O
e-Learning refers to an open and flexible learning mode involving the use of the electronic media, including use of digital resources and communication tools to achieve learning objectives. The essence of e-learning is the use of technology to deliver learning content more effectively and the learning process in e-learning environments is expected to consider three key elements for maximising learning opportunities conducive to 21st century skills development. They include blending formal and informal learning approaches, balancing individualised and collaborative learning to help learners to increase awareness of learning achievement and collecting evidence of improvement.
Extracted from Consultation Document on The Fourth Strategy on Information Technology in Education:
Learning to Learn and Learning to Excel A Holistic Approach
Learning is…
Listening &
Interacting
Reading
Presenting Assessment
Collaboration Researching
• To achieve learning objectives
e-Learning is…
with the aid of
electronic
technology
e-Learning enhances L&T effectiveness through:
motivating students
catering for learner diversity
facilitating interaction and collaboration
promoting assessment for/as learning
enabling self-directed learning
16
Integrating e-Learning
into the English Language curriculum
Part 1
Planning the implementation of e-learning
Curriculum planning
- Admin measures - Entry Point - Strategic planning
of integration
The use of e-resources
- Classroom management
- Purposes
Resources management
- Resources management
- Funding
18
• Technology allows for the creation of new tasks inconceivable in the past
Redefinition
• Technology allows for significant task redesign
Modification
• Technology acts as a direct tool
substitute with functional improvement
Augmentation
• Technology acts as a direct tool
substitute with no functional change
Substitution
Dr. Ruben Puentedura, PhD. http://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/
Enhan cement Transf or ma tion
Curriculum planning
- The use of information technology
Substitution (Enhancement)
Computer technology is used to perform the same task as it was done before the use of computers, e.g.
students print out a worksheet and finish the practice activity.
Same old practice with
a computer
https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model
Augmentation (Enhancement)
Computer Technology offers an effective tool to perform common tasks, e.g.
students complete a writing task with Microsoft Word and send the file to their teacher.
Technology makes editing
easier
https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model
Modification (Transformation)
Technology allows for significant task redesign, e.g.
students produce a digital story about a little boy and his pet, with music, pictures and audio recordings inserted to present the ideas.
No computer = No product
https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model
Redefinition (Transformation)
Computer technology allows for new tasks that were previously inconceivable, e.g.
students create a documentary video on environmental protection. They collaborate with students from other schools (or cities) to generate ideas for the product. They are expected to contact outside sources (e.g. Green Peace) for information.
Drastic change brought by the use
of computer
https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model
Curriculum planning
Administrative measures
key focus of school development plan / forming a core group
Appropriate entry points
themes / levels / language skills / student abilities / teacher readiness
Strategic planning of integration
Traditional Enhancement Transformation
E.g. Use of Sonic Pics / Pic Collage / Phonto
(www.sonicpics.com, www.pic-collage.com)
- enable digital storytelling
E.g. Use of ToonDoo / Comic Touch / Comic Creator
(www.toondoo.com, www.plasq.com/apps/comictouch,
www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/)
- allow students to compose their own comics
• Some e-tools to enhance students’ learning motivation and enable effective presentation:
Integrating e-learning into the curriculum
- The way to “Transformation”
Example 1: Use of Phonto
Theme: Nature
Focus: Writing a poem
Procedure:
1. Students understand and appreciate poem(s).
2. Students learn poetic language and features.
3. Students collect images from copyright friendly sites (e.g.
Pics4Learning.com, Morguefile.com).
4. Students create their poems and combine the photographs with poetry.
Digital Storytelling with an iPad by Karen Bosch
http://www.slideshare.net/kbosch/digital-storytelling-with-an-ipad 26
Example 2: Use of Pic Collage
Theme: Endangered species
Focus: Writing a report
Procedure:
1. Students read texts on endangered species.
2. Students learn the structures and language of a report.
3. Students search for information and photos online.
4. Students create their reports with Pic Collage.
Digital Storytelling with an iPad by Karen Bosch
http://www.slideshare.net/kbosch/digital-storytelling-with-an-ipad 27
Integrating e-Learning
into the English Language Curriculum
Part 2
Use of e-resources
– Classroom management
Some considerations:
Establishing classroom routine
Having control over students’ computers
Providing clear guidelines / instructions for using
e-resources
30
Catering for learner diversity
• Learning styles
• Learning abilities
Facilitating interaction &
collaboration
Social networking
Exchanging views on forum
Promoting assessment
for/ as learning
• Using the Google Doc / Forum to exchange
comments
• Teachers collecting data on student performance on assessment platform
More information
available
• e-Dictionary
• Search engine
• Videos
Enabling self-directed
learning
• Computer-based courseware allows students to revisit content as often as they wish
Use of e-resources - Purposes
30
Possible e-resources: blogs, interactive learning platforms
Advantages: Enhance interaction and collaboration between students and teachers, students and students, establish a learning community among students
E.g. Use of kidblog
(www.kidblog.com)
- enable sharing of views and ideas among students
E.g. Use of google docs (doc.google.com)
- facilitate process writing and assessment for learning
Facilitating interaction & collaboration
Advantages: Provide timely feedback on student work with media-rich comments (typed, written, audio and video comments)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6HJf_UKVR8
http://www.edudemic.com/providing-feedback-student-writing-video/
Assessment for / as learning
Possible e-resources: Explain Everything, Google Doc
32
Possible e-resources: e-textbooks, e-books, digital multi-modal texts
Advantages: Enable teachers to present concepts in different modes of representation, e.g. through pictures, animations, videos and games;
Allow students to acquire and explore knowledge in a flexible way and support independent reading
The Recommended e-Textbook List
(https://cd.edb.gov.hk/ertl/search.asp)
e-Books
Catering for learner diversity & self-directed learning
Activity: Demonstration
Supporting independent reading with an e-text
Making predictions about the content using pictorial cues (e-feature:
mask)
Working out the meaning of words / phrases,
i.e. ‘blend into’ by clicking on the words in bold (e-feature: word definition)
i.e. ‘blend into’, ‘sways like a flower in the breeze’, ‘shaped like petals’,
‘behave like giants’ by using semantic clues (e-feature: video clip)
Demo
Resources management / funding
• Administrative measures to ensure smooth
implementation of e-learning
• Capacity building
• Hardware system
• Making effective use of funding
Resources Management
• Quality Education Fund
• Pilot Scheme on e-learning in Schools
• Support Scheme for e- learning in Schools
Funding
The interaction/communication among learners and with teachers is more important than merely communicating with a computer in the English classroom
Does e-learning mean using information technology throughout the English lesson?
What do students prefer, teachers or computers?
Teachers (48%) Computers (19%) No preference (11%) No answers (22%)
A study on the use of computers to conduct oral proficiency assessment at Brigham Young University
Modes of interaction in the English classroom
Teacher-Student interaction Examples:
Giving instructions
Teacher’s demonstration on the use of language items
Human-Technology interaction Examples:
Reading e-books
Playing online language games
Producing e-texts
Student-Student interaction Examples:
Conducting pair-work / group work
Conducting speaking / writing activities to consolidate learning
The purpose of using information technology is to facilitate language learning, not to replace teachers.
Does e-learning replace the teachers?
E.g. Use of Popplet
(www.popplet.com)
- teacher introduces the task
- students organise ideas and collaborate
- teacher gives feedback on the ideas generated and enriches the mindmap
Dr. Ray Clifford, 1983.
Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation will Change the Way the World Learn
Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Horn and Curtis W. Johnson
Why School? How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere?
Will Richardson
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
http://www.educatorstechnology.com
Ruben R. Puentedura's Weblog
http://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/
2¢ Worth of Seeking the Shakabuku (Blog entries by David Warlick)
http://2cents.onlearning.us/
