Dear Donna!

What You did with Us? We do not want to tell Good buy to each other!!! This is so sensitive!

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Last Post, may be...

Dear Colleagues and Professor Donna! Thanks to everybody for the course! It was great to know all of YOU and be part of this course! I wish to continue study with My group and dream that we will meet Virtually or somewhere on the Planet. I wish us to recognize each other and support in teaching practice and not only.
I really will miss this course and opportunity to learn together! This chance can be given not often and I am lucky that I could have it!
With Love to everybody! Good luck in our teaching and implementation of the projects!
Natalia

The second project is in realization or how topics of the course were useful for me?

What are the participants’ needs

1. Participants in the group have to improve their computer skills:

9 participants do not have any computer skills

4 participants have intermediate level and are able to work in Microsoft Word Office.

4 participants have a good experience by using computer; they are able to work with Internet and with e-mail. Nonetheless, they do not know the programs that we will work with at the course (wikispaces, delicious, creating Google account, blogger)

2. Participants have to create collaborative environment with each other and improve their collaborative skills between teachers of science from different schools.

3. Participants have to learn about the new ways of teaching.

Issue or problems that technology can help with:

Research question: If teachers of science from Osh and Khorogh are provided with opportunities to use discussion platforms and reflective blog, will they improve their methods of teaching?

1. A lack of motivation of 8 participants to use technology for teaching and enriching lesson plans.

2. A lack of communication between teachers of science to share their working experience.

3. Limited resources at schools (reactive, equipment, models, and so on).

4. Limited access to new educational literature, methodical literature, and news about scientific discoveries.

5. Limited knowledge about using motivational factors for their students at the lessons and after.

6. Simple lesson plans have 12 participants.

7. 13 participants are passive in the school.

What happened and will be in the future

1. We watched video “Vision of students in 21 century” where students applied to teachers to use technology in the classroom and discussed it.

We watched video with Howard Gardner speech on MI theory and the role of assessment for students with different learning styles.

We reflected orally at the end of each day about what we have done and how can we use it in our school experience.

Participants wrote two reflections in reflective blogs on what did they learn and how they will use it in their school.

We organized the session “the hot chair” for teacher who still didn’t have positive attitudes on using technology. Other participants stated the role of technology and how can we find resources from community, partners, and International organization in order to find them and to use for their projects.

2. I will organize Professional Development training several times in a year and inter-sectional meetings between teachers. I started the first training from 15 of August to 25 of August. At the training we have learned how to use wikispaces.com, Delicious.com page, created account and opened e-mails, and also opened reflective blogs in Blogger.com. These tools will help teachers to have discussion platforms, “meet virtually”, and write comments to each other and share experience. As the result, all participants opened e-mail account (baktugul.1977@mail.ru; larisabeknazarova@gmail.com; venera.galishina4@gmail.com; kjamila77@mail.ru; nazira.mavlonazarova.76@mail.ru; lolamirzoeva@rambler.ru; nadejdanaymenko@gmail.com; zukova.oksana940@gmail.com; ruslan.raimbekov1@gmail.com; gulsarasatebaldeva@gmail.com; shuhrat1173@mail.ru; aiguzaltoroeva@gmail.com; zardodkhonova65@mail.ru; dildor-gulomnabiev@rambler.ru; erbol2006@gmail.com; volkova.tatyana27@gmail.com; davlat.khudonazarov@gmail.com) ;

created Delicious page (http://www.delicious.com/alimovaa; http://www.delicious.com/nasiba31; http://www.delicious.com/larisa5; http://www.delicious.com/venera4; http://www.delicious.com/Dilnoz; http://www.delicious.com/nazira76; http://www.delicious.com/ganjina1; http://www.delicious.com/Venera2011 ; http://www.delicious.com/sasha03; http://www.delicious.com/ruslan.raimbekov75; http://www.delicious.com/gulsara; http://www.delicious.com/shuhrat1173; http://www.delicious.com/guzal53985; http://www.delicious.com/zardodkhonovam; http://www.delicious.com/gulomnadiev; http://www.delicious.com/zulya; http://www.delicious.com/tania11);

opened reflective blog page with filled profile, and addresses of blogs from their colleagues, wrote two posts, and comments to others participants on their blogs (http://asalbegim.blogspot.com/;http://baktugul.blogspot.com; http://veneragalishina4.blogspot.com/;http://jamilaq.blogspot.com; http://naziraumed.blogspot.com; http://saodat.blogspot.com; http://venera2011-venera.blogspot.com/2011/08/blog-post_21.html; http://oksana-zukova3.blogspot.com/2011/08/ce.html; http://satebaldeva.blogspot.com/;http://shuhratsultanov.blogspot.com/;http://aiguzal.blogspot.com; http://zardodkhonovam.blogspot.com; http://dildor-barcem.blogspot.com/; http://zulya7.blogspot.com/)

3. Different sites with videos and also DVDs were presented to teachers in computer room and in Learning Resource Center. Teachers practiced with the piece of the lesson with using video “Experiments in science”. Teachers discussed how they can use video instead of reactive and models that teachers do not have at schools. At the same time, for teachers at the training we presented through Internet videos, animation, simulation games, and tests videos and tutorial programs that allow practicing without equipment, but improve science skills. In a year, teachers-participants of the course will have opportunity to use resources of Learning Resource Center in Aga Khan School.

4. In a presentation to participants through Google.com we could share the information about searching new information, news of science, lesson plans, and other methodological literature and articles. Teachers found sites that they prefer and saved them as a new bookmark in their Delicious.om page. They used new for them practical skills and will continue to learn how they can search and save information into their Delicious page. At the same time, methodological literature and books for science were introduced to teachers. They also can use it in a school year.

5. We organized sessions where teachers could practice with chemical reaction by providing experiment and asking questions to us (participants, imagine that we were students). Their task was to motivate student to learn the topic and discover phenomenon. Teachers shared their ideas if motivation was existent through the questions and reaction. The session “Interactive and traditional lectures “let participants define lecture, find advantages and disadvantages of different forms of lectures. They discussed that interactive lecture allow teachers to provide feedback and to students be involved in the process actively. Different Interactive videos, Tutorials, and Power Point Presentations were introduced to participants and we discussed the role of such tools in lecture. Through the practical work, participants created their Interactive Power Points and presented them to all auditory. 14 participants worked at the first time with PPT and it was difficult to them to create slides and especially Interactive! Nonetheless, we followed step by step through instruction that Instructor presented and also by individual help to participants.

6. In order to talk about lesson plans, we started this point from learning how to write learning objectives. For this reason we discussed ABCD model and applied it to the lesson plan. Teachers practiced to write their learning objectives and shared by class discussion. It was not easy for the first time to them to use this model and rite objectives correctly, but we practiced it several times. We discussed revised Bloom’s taxonomy and applied it to the lesson plans. Teachers could share with examples of one lesson with application of Bloom’s taxonomy. They disseminated levels of memorization, analysis, evaluation, application, and so on. In addition, we discussed Howard Gardner’ Multiple Intelligence theory, identified participants’ learning styles through surveys in Internet, and discussed the lesson plans with attention to students with different learning styles. In a year, teachers will apply the knowledge and identify learning styles of their students with planning activities for them by using technology.

7. During our training, participants created their project that they will implement in school. They worked in pairs and provided peer-feedback to each other in order to improve their projects. Participants plan project from September to December. At the time of project implementation, participants will share their experience with each other by reflective blog, wikispaces, and e-mail.

When and where I did and will do it?

10 days’ training (9.00-15.30) was organized at Aga Khan School in computer lab from 15 to 25 of August (the first phase of CE course)

September to December (two times in a month) we will meet virtually (with teachers from Tajikistan, and some of Osh teachers who will not have time to come to meetings) and in the school with Osh teachers who have questions or polite experience.

In January we plan to organize 5 days’ training (the second phase)

From February to April (two times a month to meet virtually and in school.

Conference with certification for our participants will be organized in April.

Expected response:

19 participants will open e-mail

19 participants will create Delicious page

19 participants will open reflective blog

19 participants will learn to work in wikispaces.com

19 participants will plan their project and implement it in teaching

Creating of collaboration environment between teachers of science

Enrichment of lesson plans by using Internet, videos, DVDs, and etc.

Assessment

At 10 days’ training, we us the form for evaluation of teachers’ response and participation:

E-mail creating and work through it (possible points 10)

Creating and work in Delicious page (possible points 10)

Work in Wikispaces.com page, comments there (possible points 10)

Creating reflective blog and work there (possible points 10)

Creating Interactive Power Point (possible points 5)

Creating Rubric (possible point 10)

Participation in discussion (possible points 10)

Presentation (possible points 10)

Final Project Plan (possible points 15)

Attendance (Possible points 10)

Totally: 100 points

week 10, reflection

Answers on some final questions:

What topics were most successful? (Most successful topics for me were: “How to blog, ABCD model; Using Delicious; Improving listening skills; Project-based Learning and WebQuests; Interactive Power Point; Learner autonomy; exercise generators; ANVILL; LoTI framework”

Most useful for you? (You can find the project at the next post and analyze what topics were useful for me and you will see that all of them, especially: “How to blog; Web Searching; ABCD model; Using Delicious; Improving oral, written skills, listening skills, and reading skills; Project-based Learning and WebQuests; Interactive Power Point; Learner autonomy; one-computer classroom; exercise generators; ANVILL; learning styles; LoTI framework”

Which tools will you use in your classes? (Nicenet.org; reflective blog; e-mail; wikispaces.com; web Quests; delicious.com; PPT)

Which, if any, do you think were not relevant to what you do or will do? (There were no topics that were not relevant to me)

What other tools might we have covered or would you suggest that we could have looked at?
( I would be glad to know more about Free Assessment tools that I can use for my students or other groups of participants; Pod-casting, video casting, Movie player. I am not sure yet. I am full of information and have to think about this question during my project implementation, when I can see the gaps and problems that I have in my knowledge and skills.)

Howard Gardner of The Multiple Intelligence Theory

Week9, Reflection

It was a week with feeling of missing the course that is close to the end!
We discussed Multiple Intelligence theory by Howard Gardner and concluded that have to pay attention to each individual abilities of our students who learn differently. At the same time, they have to develop Intelligences that not developed well. Group work help us include there students with different MI and except that they can work on the task differently, but the result would be more valuable if they combine their efforts. By knowing this theory and analyzing the process of her implementation, we discussed the role of technology and types of activities that we can organize to our students such as reading and interpreting web information , brainstorming, Webquests, Video and audio recorders, Internet research , blogging, virtual Field Trip - using and creating, email, desktop presentation and so on.
Richard Felder and Barbara A. Soloman proposed another classification of learners: active and reflective learners; sensing and intuitive learners; visual and verbal learners; sequential and global learners. According to this classification, students learn differently by their individual abilities. Some of my web-mates (Jose) prefer this theory and analyze lesson plans by this classification.
These two theories provide to us opportunity to think deeply about the teaching methods, learning objectives, and activities at the lesson. Thanks to Celeste, I could find a survey at site http://www.edutopia.org/mi-quiz" and to check my learning styles that are higher for intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences, and not so developed at this time in visual/spatial (that I am surprised). Will try to use effectively my abilities in work with others and develop other MIs.
Project/Plan: As I wrote before, at this week I could apply my knowledge into teaching practice by project that I am implementing now at Aga Khan School with teachers of science and I fill the posts in the blog about this Professional Development Course ( http://netki11.wordpress.com). Final Project plan for the next implementation with my students in biology class was written during several weeks and submitted at this week for final consideration.
Atanu gave a great idea to find each other on Facebook. If somebody wants it, let’s add each other and contact for the future collaboration!
Thank you to everybody for great collaboration and discussion! Natalia

The second project is in realization!

Today is a 5 day of training that starts from 9.00 to 15.30!
Who are the learners?
Among of participants we have 18 teachers from Osh city and Khorogh (Tajikistan), plus one facilitator from Khorogh who is also a participant at the course. There are 4 men and 15 women with different years of working experience from 5 years to 50 years. The language of our discussions is Russian, but participants have to use English words that appear in mail, in Google, and so on. Two of them teach physics and others biology and chemistry. Seven of them do not have any experience with computer and Internet and have never used it. One teacher does not have computers at school and seven teachers do not have access to Internet at school at all. Four teachers in this group have good experience with computer and Internet and use it in their teaching practice. Eleven teachers have heard about the new ways of teaching and tried to practice them in their teaching experience, seven teachers do not have ideas about the student-centered approaches in teaching. One of our participants is a teacher of physics who also teach ICT. Thus, he is a technician person and a participant of the course in one time. As you see the group has different abilities in using technology, but all of them are science teachers who consider the new concepts of teaching with motivation, based on the Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory and Bloom’s taxonomy in designing the lesson plan. Teachers consider the question of using ICT at the lessons and have a chance to practice it during the first phase of professional development in ten day’s training.

What is the setting?
We organize training in computer lab with 25 computers with access to low-speed Internet (Ha!). Demonstration of the steps in practice work with computer I can organize by Projector with white screen board or through Net Open program by using my computer with demonstration on all computers for participants. It’s very hot in the room and we have already a conditioner and cooler with water (That is great!). In the school cafeteria we can provide for our participants coffee-break and a lunch. We are planning to work in the future day in Learning Resource Center with the resources that we have for teachers (books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and so on).

What are the course goals?

To create and facilitate a continuous improvement process that ensures excellence in teaching and learning science so that will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and competencies in their teaching practice.
It has the following specific objectives:
Having Professional Development training, participants will be able to make inputs in re-shaping teaching experience with reconsideration of syllabus by technology use.
• To enhance the PPs pedagogical and content knowledge.
• To help the PPs develop greater confidence and competence in using the newly learnt strategies in the classroom.
• To encourage the program participants (PPs) to reflect and share ideas and experience upon their current classroom beliefs and practices about teaching and learning of science:
• To expose the PPs use of ICT( Internet, CDs, use of web resources, data bases, and computer software) for classroom teaching, as well as for their own learning as teachers.
• To encourage the program participants (PPs) to work closely with other PPs to develop skills and attitudes to work collaboratively with their peers for their further professional growth

What have we done for this period of time?
All of the information about the course and photos with participants you can find on the site http://netki11.wordpress.com . Please, welcome to the site and leave your comments there! The information there is on English and Russian. As you find from the information at web-site, as the result of 5 days’ work participants of the course we could create e-mail account (we did it during a day, can you imagine?!, because the system worked not so well and low-speed Internet didn’t allow to us to work fast). Many of them didn’t try to use e-mail before and still in confusion with writing letters to each other in a group. At the next step, participants created account in wikispaces.com on discussion platform where we have discussion each day (For some participants this is a huge progress to write one sentence, for another is “OK” to write a half of the page-as they differ by their abilities to work with computer). Many of them have learned in two days how to type on computer and what does it mean “Enter”.
We did more: participants could create and open account in Delicious page ( for example: http://www.delicious.com/venera4 ; http://www.delicious.com/ruslan.raimbekov75; http://www.delicious.com/tania11) and after all of these activities some of participants felt that they mixed all of their “pages with usernames and passwords). Thus, today we practiced again and tried to identify what is the difference between them, what are their goals, and how they can get access by “sign in” function. Tomorrow we will have “Exam” (with practical work) and participants after the training today worked individually and in pairs (with my help) to have more practice with Internet access and to pass exam well.
Additionally, we discussed ABCD model for learning objectives and applied it to the lesson plan; news of science and technology and how teachers share with this information and include their students in work with new information through different resources; practicing science skills through experiment with motivation to learn the topic; lesson plan through Bloom’s taxonomy prism; Gardner’s MI theory and how teachers implement it in their teaching practice.
I am going to present information and show how participants can create an account in reflective blog and write posts there. For sure, many of them do not have any ideas about blogging and the meaning of it, nonetheless, during our practice I demonstrate web-site everyday where participants can see their photos and information about the course. Only five participants wish to learn how to work there with deep understanding the value of this for their teaching practice. Will try to explain, but feel myself exhausting...

Week 8, Reflection

As a part of project work implementation, at this time, I plan two project activities in my school. One of them is for teachers of science from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and another is for 9-grade biology students.Thus, I am searching resource on science firstly that I will use for my projects and practice. This week was very helpful with readings and assignments that were directed on practical implementation of documents, forms, and sites that we can use in our work. Therefore, all of these assignments motivated me to create sites, to practice exercises that I will definitely use in two my projects. As a result, I created class at Nicenet (for 9-grade students); new page in blogger.com (for CE Course); new site in Google (for 9-grade students); new documents and forms in Google; and a new site in http://netki11.wordpress.com/ that I am going to use for my participants of CE course. Isn’t it wonderfully that I am going to change the way of writing reports? I will use just a site where everything would be documented. I was looking for discussion platform and found that I can use wikispaces for that goal. We checked that it’s real can work with Professor Donna and I can invite participants of CE course to visit wikispaces where they can use Russian language too.
There are many resources that I am and my students can use. From beginning to end of our week, I looked through suggested exercises at “Tools for educators”, “Lanternfish”, “easy test maker”, “Crossword Puzzl Games” and found many interesting handouts and cards that can be used in the classroom for my teaching. I love “Technically interesting Hot Potatoes pages” at http://eolf.univ-fcomte.fr/index.php?page=technically-interesting-hot-potatoes-pages. There are so many wonderful examples of Hot Potatoes Quizzes, especially I love quizzes with Interview questions that include audio files and video files. I found that the Web Poster Wizard is very creative site and I can create there different posters. Students also can join this site and make their own posters. All of these sites and exercises I will use in teaching science and professional development of science teachers.
As Administrator at school, I love to explore new for me wiki site http://netki.pbworks.com/w/page/44265088/FrontPage that can be used at school for administration for sharing documents and files. I am going to keep it and work there in a year.
The central part of our discussion at this week was ANVILL, a free Course Management System that is awesome in its using. Teacher who wants organize a course, can create their course and post there materials-files, handouts, photos, videos, and so on. It’s also great with T-cast where students and teachers can post their audio and video messages according to the topic that they discuss. ANVILL is a creative tool that can content stories, slideshows, games, Interactive lectures and students can work in groups, solve problems, answer on the questions and understand the topic naturally by exploring and virtual investigating.
I could practice in formative assessment by providing feedback to my partners on the Project/plan drafts that we created till now. I have learned from my colleagues a lot about writing project/plan and reconsidered some of the sections that I wrote before. I believe that I can improve my plan before due date.
I feel that my knowledge and skills become better and I will be ready at the end of the course to implement my project ideas.

Learner autonomy

7 week, Reflection

At this week we discussed issues of learner autonomy and use of one-computer classroom. We read the explanation of the definition “learner autonomy’ that is similar to “independence”, “andragogy”, and “self-awareness”. Through discussion with classmates we shared ideas that “Autonomy is a process, not a product (Thanasoulas)” and it dependent on positive atmosphere that stimulate students think, share, discuss, and create. “Autonomy” has to start from school administration then to spread to teachers and students. All of these groups have to allow that “autonomy” is a norm of student work. Students have to work collaboratively in the group, learn how to manage plans, take decisions, and solve problems. The role of a teacher is high, because he/she has to facilitate learning process skillfully. Teacher has to engage students into the process, learn student learning styles, their interests and needs. Teacher has to monitor student success and support him in tasks that he/she can do very well. I remember the example that was provided by my classmate Celeste about the boy who could teach students how to use technology. Student was shy before that lesson but after he gained self-confidence and his classmates “looked on him differently”. Thus, we can see that support of a teacher is a valuable for students who want to feel confidence in a group and in a class. After that, students will work in a group with satisfaction. They will plan the steps on realization of their work and will develop many skills such as language skills, computer skills, group collaboration skills, and presentation skills. Teacher has to provide a feedback to students on time in order to let them know where they succeed and what they need to improve. Samuel P-H Sheu writes in the article “Learner Autonomy: Bird-in-the-hand or Bird-in-the-bush?” that “Richard Smith is right to remind us as teachers of the need to take responsibility for our own teaching development as a part of our professional practice.” Thus, teachers have to share their experience with others, discuss issues, and find solutions with other teachers and administration. In addition, administration has to know that students work in groups, develop critical thinking skills, and teachers use critical thinking and innovative methods of teaching. They have to agree, motivate, and be anxious of success from using pedagogical innovations in learning process at school.
At this week we planned a technology-enhanced lesson plan with one-computer classroom. As I read in the literature about using one-computer room, I understood that even one computer can be used in variety tools such as administrative tool, a presentation tool, a communication station, an information station, a publishing tool, a learning center, a simulation center (http://www.seirtec.org/present/onecomptr.html). Thus, it was a difficult task to choose what I am going to do with one-computer room. I applied my knowledge to a topic on Human anatomy “The respiratory system”, where I will provide a presentation through Power Point Presentation by projector, take an Interactive Quiz, and organize a “Research station “for group work. Students will work there on the question “How does smoking affect the respiratory system?”. I believe that use of technology would benefit my students as they improve their computer skills, research skills, leadership skills, and ability to communicate in a group.
Moreover, we “polish and review” the Plan that I am going to put into practice when the school starts. Students of 9-grade in anatomy class will experience this Plan.
In addition, at this time I create the 2-Plan. What is about? I am going to organize a Professional development training for teachers from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, where I will implement (my second) Plan of my on-line Course. They are teachers from Kyrgyz, Russian, and Uzbek schools. Their ages are different from 30 to 50 years old. There would be 30 teachers who are able to speak on Russian, so training would be on Russian. I will post topics of discussion, photos, and reports on wordpress.com site. I have already a draft of it. The duration of Professional Development Course is one year. The first phase of the course would be from16 to 26 August. The settings are: one room for discussion, with a white board and movable furniture. Another room is a computer room of 27 computers with access to Internet, projector, and printer. Teacher’s needs are to learn how use ICT in the classroom; learn new methods of teaching, discuss assessment and evaluation; share experience, and so on. For my 2-Plan I will ask teachers open e-mail address, create reflective blogs in blogger.com and delicious page. We will discuss issues of science and technology and how teachers can use technology at the classroom through Nicenet platform. We will discuss the role of student-centered methodologies, Interactive lectures, and Interactive Power Point. Also, we will discuss diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment. To asses and evaluate the work of participants, I will use Rubrics and also I am looking for grading on-line system. One of them I found at http://www.smartergrade.com/gradebook/one.aspx . I try to practice it with new class of students (that I design) and by adding types of assessment, and so on. From the first side it looks OK. I am not sure yet if I will use this system, but will try.
Sites and downloads that are useful:
1. How Stuff Works “This is a great place to learn about how things work. Some of the topics are How telephones work, How your immune system works, and Inside a remote control.(http://www.howstuffworks.com/index.htm)”. I could find there puzzles of animals that I can use in my classes http://animals.howstuffworks.com/animals-puzzles.htm
2. It’s very interesting site with “Virtual field trip” http://www.uen.org/tours/ where I can “travel” virtually with my students and discover some new places.
3. ooVoo I installed it again at my computer! I used it before at MSU. This program is a free conferencing tool, it has “computer- to phone” calling service, six-way video calls, business with desktop sharing

slide share

This picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Some of my funny photos by smilebox creation. Thank you! Natalia

Week6, Reflection

At this week we discussed issues of student engagement and using Interactive approaches in teaching. These are important issues, because without student interest, the effect of our teaching would be minimized.
When I read the topic at the beginning of the week “Online assessment” http://tep.uoregon.edu/technology/assessment/onlineassessment.html , it did not give me any ideas about real meaning of using assessment online. After watching several tutorials on Blackboard and Angel learning systems, I understood that they are powerful softwares where I can create quizzes for assessment and use technology online. For instance, “Blackboard's Assessment features provide instructors with tools for building online assessments using different question types. These assessments can provide students with immediate feedback, are automatically graded (with the exception of essay questions), and scores are logged into the online Grade Center.”http://tep.uoregon.edu/technology/blackboard/docs/blackboardassessment.pdf.
I love the statement that introduce online assessment system such as student engagement into curriculum; more frequent assessment; a time-saver; practice with technology-based format; location and time independent; immediate feedback; and so on. Isn’t it a dream of a teacher to use it? I wish to use one of them for my teaching. I think that it cost a lot of money to buy such program? I am not sure. Now I have just a dream to use it)
By discussion about engagement of students and through the readings I have learned that there are as minimum two approaches such as use of technology and Interactive lecture that will help in activation of student interest to the themes that they cover in semester. Interactive lectures and use of technology are continuously linked to each other, because at the lecture teacher can use computers, portable computers and projectors, clickers, scan, printer, and so on. (http://tep.uoregon.edu/technology/lecture/improveslides.html ). In a time of presentation, teacher can use Interactive segments such as brainstorming, predictions of demonstrations, collecting student response, interpretation of graphs, and so on (http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/interactive/bytype.html ).
It is a good practice to videotape lessons and to use it for students who were absent or for students who want just to listen to lecture again and write the questions for discussion. At the same time, teacher can reflect on the lecture and think how to improve it at the next time. Additionally, teacher can share with others by videotaped material and discuss it with the goal of professional development.
Teacher can encourage students’ interest to lecture by discussions at the class and out-of-class by online discussion. This strategy will provide for students an opportunity to introduce idea, and to reflect on ideas of other students. They will use argumentation with facts and evidence and introduce it by discussion in class or online. According to this, we have to teach students write messages, letters, and thoughts for discussion. They have to learn how to use arguments in speech and writing. Students will improve their critical thinking skills by asking questions and providing answers through discussion.
Even more, we discussed the issues of teaching a large class and the challenges that it has. My classmates shared that not many of us teach a large class, but there are some. Sometimes, I teach 60 students in a group of Discussion Club. Thus, this aspect is significant for learning as well. What was useful from reading that I could analyze the role of interactive lectures for a large class with different lectures format ,and understand that students have to be involved in the learning process. Teacher can use “think-pair-share” strategy; “a minute paper”, “ a Concept Test”,” Scripted Cooperative learning”, “Concept Maps”, and many others. Students have to have a time for individual thinking about the question, and then share it with others, because students in a large group can be shy and will escape to share ideas before the large group, but these strategies will let them think about idea and introduce it to the person who sit close to him/her. Teacher can use any methods that will attract attention of the students, such as a blind slide in PPT and to see the reaction of the students if they follow the lecture(from our reading).
Also, we discussed the value of collaborative learning and cooperative learning in presenting Interactive lectures. From the definition: “Collaborative learning is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collaborative_learning. “Cooperative learning is an approach to organizing classroom activities into academic and social learning experiences. Students must work in groups to complete tasks collectively.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_learning . By these styles of learning, students will have a chance for feedback from teacher and also from their peers. They will improve their work together and everyone would be responsible for the product that they have to create together in pairs or in groups. “Combining lecture with short, pair or small-group learning activities keeps students interested, motivated, and involved” (Rick Finnan and Donna Shaw). They will feel the value of lecture, because they will be engaged through different formats. They will develop critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, cooperative working skills, communication skills, computer skill, and so on. There are several examples that support ideas of interactive lectures. For instance, by watching video “Active Learning Classrooms: Everyone is engaged!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7xidmVt0uE&feature=related I could see that all students are engaged in the process. Students work in groups and all of them have access to Internet by laptops. The teacher stands in different parts of the classroom and observes the process. She can move easily to each group, in order to monitor their work and answer on some students’ questions. From the video “Introduction to Physics” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQra4baNwP8 , the teacher asks students to think individually and then share their ideas with pairs. The teacher introduces a topic by motivating question. Teacher presents the problem question to students, they think about correct answer and then they check it in a class. On the next step she introduces a lecture, but always includes students into discussion. Students love such strategies of teaching, because the teacher constantly thinks how to “maximize effect of learning to her students”. Teacher could present the lecture and expect from students their active discussion in a group, because positive environment allow them to participate actively. It’s also very important to receive a feedback from students that allow immediate response from teacher (Laura Guertin , Rebecca Teed). For this reason, teacher can ask students to raise their hands to count responses; to use “A, B, C, D” cards; use a finger signals; electronic classroom communication system. For written response can be used open-ended or complex response; one-minute paper, and so on. In oral response can be used student participation in discussion. Teacher has to provide feedback in time and it would be significant for students to know what they have to improve and think about it.
It was an interesting topic to discuss creating Power Point Presentation and using it in Interactive Way. I summarized for myself the rules for creating PPT. They are: use 18-36 pt for text writing; one idea per visual; keep visuals simple; do not distract audience by your slides; use graphics properly. From the article “Presenting with Power Point” I have learned that I have to think who is the audience, what students will do before, while, and after the presentation. What questions will I ask and what questions they might ask. I can support my PPT with handouts, but I have to think for what purpose I will use them.
Readings were useful, because by the article “Creating Interactive Presentations using Power Point”, I could learn for several strategies on creating PPT, but what was the most interesting that I looked through the tutorial that explains the differences between Power Point of 2003 and Power Point 2007( that I have) after that I could find several actions buttons that I could not find before in my PPT program.
It’s wonderful resource that I could watch by video clips. You tube Interactive Power Point Tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgPO-agnnMk it was not so successful, because it just stopped at the middle of show presentation ,but at the end of the week I could open it and view to the end (And it happens when I have already learned how to create Jeopardy Game myself- without this tutorial!, but it’s cool!). Another option is “Using PowerPoint to Make an Interactive Story” http://www.microsoft.com/education/story.mspx let me think about creating PT with Interactive story that I can use for my future project. As the result, I created 3 versions of PPT, one of them with Quiz (human biology), another with Jeopardy Game (zoology), and the third one for anatomy. I have learned to make transitions of slides and to create Quizzes myself. I like this activity, because I can share the process of creating Interactive PPT with my students and teachers. In addition it was important to understand the role of Interactive PPT as a tool that allow students to be active and “to do smth.” during PPT presentation.
By the way, I found the site http://www.brainpop.com/science/ that is nice to present to students, because there are animation video, activities, worksheets, vocabulary, and so on. I can use it with trial for 5 days, but I can find interesting ideas for teaching there.
In addition, at this week I could “review and polish” the Plan that I am going to implement in my teaching as a Project. This process requires me to think about the value of this Plan for the students. I think how can I engage them by the Project, what would be interesting to them and essential for studying the Human biology.

Week5, Reflections

At this week I have a chance to learn more about alternative assessment, autonomous learning, and project-based learning process. If teacher wants to work creatively and provide new ways of teaching in the classroom, he/she has to think about cooperation with students on the problem-based methods. At my school, we have the grading system from 5 to 1 that is not flexible and do not provide any feedback to students. I pointed out in discussion that in case of using rubrics I have to modify scores to our system and for that goal I have to reconsider the syllabus for grading. However, assessment has to be an active part of learning process that encourages students in their educational process for class and out-of class activities. Teacher has to give to student a freedom in discussing the process of learning. Teacher and students have to collaborate in all activities and all steps in class activities and out.
Through readings we considered different tools of alternative assessment such as checklist and rubrics, their structure and functions in learning process. They are the tools that help motivate students to study, because they exactly know the requirements for accomplishing tasks. They are useful to assess any task: presentation, essay, test with multiple-choice questions, and so on. We discussed and analyzed the differences and similarities between different types of rubrics, such as holistic and analytical, primary trait and multi trait rubrics. From my experience, I can tell that I used rubric for evaluation of student progress, but it was not systematically. After reading articles on the value of them, I would like to work on redesigning lesson plans with rubrics for evaluation. They are productive tool that show to the students the strength of their work and help to analyze weaknesses. Teachers provide feedback to their students by rubric during the process and at the end. Jo-Ellen Tannenbaum in the article “Practical Ideas On Alternative Assessment For ESL Students” writes that “In contrast to traditional testing, "students are evaluated on what they integrate and produce rather than on what they are able to recall and reproduce" (Huerta- Macias, 1995, p. 9).”It improves the objectivity of assessment. Teacher cannot pay attention only to the best students and tell them the result of their best work, but will make individual approach to each student in the class. Jo-Ellen Tannenbaum mentions that “Focus is on documenting individual student growth over time, rather than comparing students with one another.”
Students have to be involved in the process of creating rubric for special task, for agreement on each point of the task and escaping the conflict situation on assessing student work. Students can evaluate themselves and learn how to evaluate their peers. Jo-Ellen Tannenbaum points out that “Whatever methods teachers choose, they should reflect with students on their work, to develop students' ability to critique their own progress.”This is also the part of learning process, because they have to explain the strength and weaknesses of students work and it can be if they fully understand the content of the topic and can identify other aspects according to criteria of the task. Rubric can be created by different sites that provide templates with criteria for task or made by teacher. In order to make a rubric, I used sites http://www.rubrics4teachers.com/ and Rubi Star, and found that there are many templates to create rubrics for all disciplines. When the teacher use rubric in the classroom, it will not require more time for assessing students result. In the article “Alternative Assessment” on the site http://www.nclrc.org/essentials/assessing/alternative.htm, authors write that “In classrooms where traditional forms of assessment are required, this gives the instructor multiple ways of measuring progress without increasing the time students spend taking traditional tests.” It makes clear the process of assessment for teacher and for students.
We read and discussed issues about Problem-based learning method and projects that can be created on the basis of this method. I made a conclusion that Problem-based learning process is integral part of academic process. Students have to learn to work in teams, find solutions, and solve problems. Students with different learning styles will be involved in the process. Students who like read, write, speak, calculate, move, touch, see, observe, and so on, will find interesting activity to do in a group by PBL process. We discussed with my classmate Celeste influence of PBL method on “shy” students in her class and we concluded that this method will encourage this group of students in order to be active in any approaches for solving problems and working collaboratively with students in the group on preparing the task in the project. Project has to be interesting to students and to be valuable for community ( Susan Gaer ). In this case, students will love to work under PBL method. Teacher’s role is very important in this process, because he/she has to think over the steps of PBL method realization, to create the plan and help students to design their project, to show the steps in realization of it, to teach how to monitor and evaluate the project. In addition teacher has to monitor and evaluate the result of student work. Checklist and rubrics can be useful for this goal. Through the PBL, students will learn to write projects, brainstorm ideas, research information on the problem and find solutions. These skills would be useful for educational process and for real-life situations, because it improves critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, creativity, and cooperative work.
Many examples of PBL method were provided through the course. They demonstrate the role of PBL method for students’ individuality. For instance, Yan Guo in the article “Project-based ESL Education: Promoting Language and Content Learning” writes that the project was organized in China and “Professors believed that project- based learning may “enhance students’ motivation” and “develop students’ ability to learn more independently and autonomously.” It tells that because of participating in PBL project, student will be more independent and learn to work individually without “requirements” of the teacher, but with facilitation by cooperation.
At this week, I get to know about Web Quests. Readings and Tutorials in Internet helped me to understand better that this is a part of PBL method that can be designed through zunal.com site and shown at Internet for learners and public. I was interested in creating the lesson on Web Quest that contains attached files, video on You Tube, and additional resources. I proposed lesson by different parts, such as Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and a Conclusion. By following these steps I could consider all of the parts of the lesson and could include their new resources. It was difficult for the first time to design the lesson on Web Quest and publish it. I had several attempts, before I found information through Internet on publishing Web Quest and then completed the task.
I search and search again and learn so many new tools for teaching. It makes me feel more confident in my computer skills and so on… I added more useful URL from sites to my delicious page. Nonetheless, when I opened site http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/archives/techlp.shtml , I understood that I still know nothing ( and I have to plan it for future studying!

One more time to Introduction

Presentation1. kyrgyzstanppt (4)

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Issue or problem to be addressed that technology can help with

The main issues are:
Student’ skills in pronunciation, speaking, writing, and presentation;
Team work of students, their collaboration and communication;
Learning new term in anatomy on English;
Student’ motivation in learning;
Student creativity;
Research in science;
Evaluation/ assessment of student progress;
Enrichment the syllabus for teaching human anatomy

Reflection, Week 4

At this week, we discussed readings and explored web-sites with the procedure and mechanism of reading and writing and their role for the learning process. There are many approaches to teach by reading and writing exercises and some of them were discussed throughout the articles.
I have learned that teachers can use e-mail in educational purpose. Chao-chih Liao in the article “E-mailing to Improve EFL Learners' Reading and Writing Abilities: Taiwan Experience” writes about emailing project experience of EFL students in Taiwan to contact key pals from other cultures to improve reading and writing skills. The students wrote to their key pals and through communication they could have “an access” to authentic text. Both “partners” in this case improved mechanical skills, English language skills, and cross-cultural knowledge. Through this practice, I understood that I can use an e-mail at the lesson and after, to arrange communication between the classmates and also conduct a project for communication of students of my school and some other schools.
Another experience I have learned through the article “Three Extensive Reading Activities for ESL/EFL Students Using E-books” that was written by Mei-Ya Liang. The author proposes extensive reading lesson focus on intermediate and advanced ESL/EFL students. The students at the lesson have to choose books by their interest, read them and analyze with the following discussion and sharing the ideas. Students discuss the problem in a book, main characters, interesting ideas and facts. The teachers provide to the students study guide with the questions that help to concentrate on the key points. Students learn to evaluate readings, construct arguments for their oral discussion and presentation. The teacher provides to the students the rubric for evaluation of their work. “Both sides” understand what to do, what the requirements are, and what the expectations are. I like this practice and definitely can use it in my school practice. In each topic of biology, I can suggest several options for students to read and organize the lesson that will include the same steps for developing reading skills.
In my school practice, I verified that students after learning new terms, reading the text, and analyzing it, can discuss the text with supported arguments. The article by Andreea I. Constantinescu “Using Technology to Assist in Vocabulary Acquisition and Reading Comprehension” supports my observations from the school practice. The author writes about the role of vocabulary in reading comprehension and bilateral benefit of that. When student learn new terms, they will better read and understand text and opposite when they read, they learn new vocabulary. Different multimedia programs provide dictionaries that assist learner in studying and author mentions the role of them in learning vocabulary. Thus, studying new vocabulary influences on reading comprehension. I will continue to use this experience in my classes.
A brilliant source of techniques for writing and varieties of them proposes by Jarek Krajka in the article “Using the Internet in ESL Writing Instruction”. The author explains how to write different writing genres such as “a letter to a friend, a formal letter, a biography, a description of a person, a for-and-against essay, a notice and an advertisement, a description of a festival/ceremony, a description of a book/film/play, a newspaper report, an opinion essay and a description of a place” by using Internet. Jarek Krajka suggests using Internet as a resource for learning these genres. Web-sites on writing cards, learning biographies, writing argumentative essays and so on encourage students to do complete these tasks. Moreover, students increase their writing skills. The author points out the role of a teacher in the classroom for punctual organization of each detail in studying through the Internet. I can read this article several times and learn the steps of the writing process through different genres. I am sure that I can use all of these writing genres in my teaching.
Additionally, different web-sites allowed me to find excellent information with well-prepared topics for teaching. That information contains many exercises on reading, listening, speaking, writing, TOEFL practicing, and so on. Many of them I can adjust and modify for my school practice. Some of web-sites are “The Breaking News English”, “ESL Independent Study Lab”, “Lauri’s ESL website”, “Activities for ESL students”. At the same time, I found several sites that I can use for teaching my biology classes, because of the task to write an enhanced technology lesson. I applied my new knowledge about constructing the lesson with using Internet on the topic “The skeletal system”. The lesson plan that was designed at this week, without doubt will be used for students of 9grade. I love the way of keeping information about the web-sites on the “delicious” page and I believe that I will not lose it.
At this week I could think about the concerns and issues of teaching and learning. My thoughts were proposed by the second part of the plan that will be implemented when the school starts. I have learned through this process how to think in details about the problems and analyze them. Discussion board motivates me to think critically about the teaching process and enriching syllabus for biology. Discussion in a positive way encourages me to create, design, and to implement my ideas into the real life. Thanks to Donna and to my Web-mates!

What will benefit Aga Khan school? Ideas about the future project.

The Aga Khan School in Osh, Kyrgyz Republic, opened the door in September 2002. The building built to withstand powerful earthquakes. The design itself reflects local and Central Asian architectural themes and is destined to become a landmark construction for this area. The building has 20 regular classrooms and 10 special purpose ones including:
• home economic and technology workshops; art and music room;
• science labs for physics, chemistry and biology;
• a computer lab with 25 computers;
• a Learning resource centre or LRC with two floors of its own;
• a cafeteria capable of seating 200 persons;
• a gymnasium with International standard courts for basketball and volleyball.
A modern network links all the computers in the school and, as a result, staff, students and administration can access curriculum information, the Internet and the library catalogue from their respective work stations.
The school offers all the courses required by the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic, some of which are enriched with components of curricula from other jurisdictions in Central Asia and North America. Essentially, this curriculum focuses on making each student an independent, life-long learner who will graduate from the school with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to proceed successfully to post-secondary education in Central Asia and farther afield. At school there are three medium instructions: Russian, English, and German.
The majority of the teaching staff has a minimum 5 year’s classroom experience in their own subject. The principal and the teachers were recruited following and in-depth process. Teachers were selected based on the criteria:
• Competence and experience in their subject area;
• Understanding of modern teaching methods;
• Commitment to student-centered teaching;
• Openness to change.
During the school year, teachers participate in professional development activities organized by trainers of professional development. Teacher evaluations take place throughout the school year and staff contract renewals are based upon successful evaluations.
Students are recruited from local schools throughout the city of Osh. Recruitment is open to all and based solely on merit. Entrance exams are based on competencies in Russian language and literature, Math, and general knowledge. Also the test assesses each student’s level of proficiency in English and Kyrgyz.
Different projects were realized for students, teachers, and community by professional development trainers. One of the project will be planned throughout the online course “Web skills design” for the implementation at AKS.
Who are the learners?
The class of 9- grade biology students with 16 students, 4 girls and 12 boys enrolled in English medium instruction. I taught this class during one academic year and they have learned zoology. Their ages are 13-14 years old. Their native language is Kyrgyz, their second language is Russian, and English is a “third” one. Al of them are from well-income families. Girls and boys always argue with each other and there is dis-balance in gender. In terms of language, they have better speaking, than reading and writing skills. They have difficulties in writing essay and keeping notes. Students prefer to use computer for studying than textbook, and they want to search sites by Internet rather write essays. Many students do not have enough knowledge in e-mail conversation, blogging, creating PPT, writing essays.
What is the setting?
We often study at computer lab with 27 computers in connection. There is an Internet access. In the room we have a white board, and one projector.
Another room contains tables and chairs to work in different arrangements of the room. We can easily organize the work individually, in pair, and in a group. The table is not heavy to move them. In the class we have a white board and place for posters.
The third place at school where I can provide lesson is Learning Resource centre. We have there literature on English for science and students can make a research at the lesson and after. There are 5 computers with access to Internet. We have there TV set for watching video , DVD, and science programs on English.
What are the course goals?
• Reconsider science syllabus for 9-grade students;
• To develop student knowledge and skills in science;
• To introduce knew knowledge about human anatomy;
• Discuss the issues of structure and functions of the body systems, and health issues.
• Develop student proficiency in English;
• Develop student competency to work with computer through different programs (Microsoft Word, Power Point Presentations, Internet)
• Team building in the class
II. Issue or problem to be addressed that technology can help with
I would like to present “human biology” for students by effective use of visual aids (maps, atlases, PPT, video clips and etc.), lectures (through advanced notes, worksheets,), and science experiments (through PPT, video cassettes,). Students have difficulties in working in a team, so I believe that technology can help me to build a good team of classmates. Another issue is that students have problems in writing comments to each other and writing essays. At the same time, I would like to pay attention to learning English through science and so, I want to improve student skills in listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
Another project that I would like to implement is “Toastmaster club”. The main goal is to teach students how to present information. Moreover, when they prepare for presentations, they have to read information, search, write it themselves as an own speech, and listen others when they present their speeches. I have participated in Toastmaster club in USA and won the first place at MSU club, the second place in area and region. At the same time, I practiced there my responsibility as a Vice President of the club at MSU. Thus, I have an experience and wish to implement this project with the students and (probably teachers) from different schools, I think 13 schools. For the club I have to have a computer for PPT presentations, audio cassettes, computers with access to the Internet, and the classroom where I can organize such activity.
The main problem is that students do not have well-developed presentation skills. In order to develop them, we have typo practice all other skills.
The language in the club would be English. It will allow students to improve their English language skills.
Dear Web-mates, what do you think about the ideas for my future project? Thank you ahead for the comments! Natalia