My Dream Project

The idea for my dream project is inspired by my boyfriend’s hobby. He likes to create homepages for restaurants and companies and he is even paid for it.

I would like to do a project where my pupils create a homepage together in class. I think it is a good opportunity to get them used to  New Media.  In addition it is a very creative and fresh way of using English as a foreign language.  The most challenging aspect of this project for me is to show my pupils how to create a homepage in the first place.  After the creative part I have to make sure that they can deal with the technical part of a homepage. Here I have two possibilities. The first one would be to let my boyfriend explain it to me and then I would try to explain it to my pupils. The second possibility would be to let my boyfriend or another expert on homepages come to class and explain it to my pupils in a kind of expert talk or interview. I think that could even add excitement to the whole project because of the involvement of foreign people. I think pupils like that.

Possible schedule:

• brainstorming in class about “what would you put on the homepage?”
• collecting ideas on the blackboard
• possibly adding some ideas, i.e. class diary, characteristics of every pupil, descriptions of class trips ect.
• pupils have to get together in groups of three, then the topics are arranged
• the pupils now have to write their parts of the homepage and collect pictures, videos or songs they maybe want to add
• after this preparation work I would invite the expert to start the actual homepage with his help
• now the pupils insert their parts into the homepage and we have a homepage about “our class”

But that is not it. Of course our homepage has to be up-to-date. So every time there is any news in class or another trip to an interesting place the pupils have to write something about it for the homepage. They can add a guest book to get  in contact with their readers. That way the pupils stay interested in the project because there is a certain timeliness and communication involved in it.

Now I am very curious to read about your opinions. What do you think of my dream project? Feel free to comment!

Brangelina in the classroom

LESSON PLAN: ANGELINA JOLIE

Introduction

• media: OHP, students get so see several pictures related to the life of Angelina Jolie (and Brad Pitt). Teacher shows one picture at a time, starting with pictures of Cambodia, a chateau in France, etc. slightly adding more detail.
• students guess, what this session will be about.

Warm up

• collecting associations/brainstorming
• media: blackboard

Listening comprehension

• students listen to podcard once
• collecting new information on blackboard (adding to brainstorming)
• pass around worksheet, students listen to podcard again; fill out gap-worksheet: fill in gaps, mark unknown words
• compare, explain unknown words
• answer questions (true/false questions)

Homework

What do you like/dislike about Angelina Jolie? Justify your answer.

FIELD-TRIP RESULTS

On the day of our field-trip we had the chance to talk to two teachers. I have asked them my questions concerning  the use of New Media at school and here are the answers.

Are the teachers capable of teaching the use of New Media appropriately?

The two teachers we have talked to feel capable of teaching the use of New Media. One of them is a young female English teacher, who learnt to deal with the topic during her academic studies and trainee ship. Since the other teacher’s subject is computer science it will not surprise you that he is very capable of teaching New Media in class.

Where did they get their competence from?

I think it is obvious where the computer science teachers of this school got their competence from for teaching New Media.

So let us look at the “common” teachers:

Here it depends on how long the individual teacher’s academic studies date back. The younger teachers usually feel more capable of teaching New Media because they have used them quite frequently during their studies. For the older generation it is a lot more difficult to teach the New Media in class. They did not have the opportunity to learn about them in their studies and now have to acquire the necessary knowledge on their own.

The teachers for computer science are quite frequently asked if there are any problems concerning the use of New Media, not only by the older but also by the younger teachers. They are the experts on the topic, so it suggests itself.

The school offers an introduction concerning the New Media, but this introduction only deals with the technical aspects of the topic, not with its content in class.

So every teacher is responsible for his knowledge and competence on the topic. There are two possibilities to cope with this responsibility:

1. Self-education

2. Further vocational training

In my opinion these two possibilities are self-explanatory, so I just want to add a saying that fits here very well:

YOU LIVE AND LEARN!

New Media @ Stiftsschule Amöneburg

PAST:

After having read the new blog task, which included the sentence “remember if and how your teachers included the New Media in the classroom”, I thought: “That is easy, because I made my Abitur in 2006 and you do not forget everything in two years time.” But then I started thinking … and I could barely remember any use of New Media at my old school. Maybe it is my fault and I am simply oblivious. So I called my friend Lorena and asked her. Her answer did not surprise me. So I guess if we both can not remember it there was not too much of it, right?

My teachers almost never used the New Media. They were very close to their old friends Mr. Blackboard and Mrs. Overhead transparency. So they rarely used a PowerPoint presentation in class. The only ones who did use it were students who wanted to impress the class and especially the teacher to get a better grade. Those students spent hours at home to prepare such a presentation because they did not learn anything about it at school. My teachers used to say: “A PowerPoint presentation would be nice, but it is not necessary to get a good grade.” But of course the pupils who did one were praised for their effort. There were also exceptions to the norm. Some teachers, mainly the younger generation, tried to include the New Media. Sometimes my whole class moved to the computer room (Yes, we had one!) and our whole lesson took place in front of a computer. Then the teacher gave us for example a certain research task and helped us finding information. But as already mentioned, that was the exception of the rule. So far my own memories…

PRESENT AND FUTURE:

I did some research on http://www.stiftsschule.de/ to find information about the situation today. Unfortunately I could not find a lot of information about my topic. I have read something about a “media” project and thought that I have found something about the use of New Media in class. I was wrong. The focus of the project was on television. The pupils had to make films about the negative effects media can have. The internet was not mentioned here at all.

So I asked my sister, who still attends my old school and will make her Abitur next year and some friends. I want to make clear that not everything mentioned here is true for every teacher at Stiftsschule Amöneburg.

They told me that there has not been a big change since I have left. The school’s equipment concerning computers is composed of one lab with 16 computers and one computer room with eight computers. The lab can only be used by teachers for lessons or AGs because it is locked and only teachers have a key. The computer room is intended for “Oberstufenschüler” only. It is not locked. They spend their free lessons there to chat or surf around in the Internet. For the amount of almost 1500 pupils these computers are not too many, right? And if two teachers want to use the lab at the same time they have to arrange somehow, because there is only one.

Unfortunately the number of computers did not change, but at least there are more and more beamers available in the classrooms. But according to my “informants” they are barely used by anyone.

There is the opportunity to participate in so-called computer AGs. Those were also offered when I attended this school. You can learn the basics of computer usage like “Word” or “Excel”. A big disadvantage of those AGs is that they take place in the late afternoon after the normal lessons. Most pupils do not have the time or they simply do not feel like attending additional lessons. So they do not occupy this opportunity.

Summarizing my blog, I think my old school could do a lot more concerning the use of New Media in class. The teachers use them rarely and if, almost unexceptionally for presentations or research. Of course there are some “reasons” the teachers would probably mention, like “pupils do not do what they are supposed to”, “it is very time consuming” or “the lab is always occupied”. Which “reason” do you like best? Pick one!

The Image Of The Other

This week I would like to introduce you all to an interesting E-mail project that I found on http://www.gesamtschule-ruhrort.de/projekte/email_projekt-f.htm. It is called „the image of the other“.

What is the main idea of the project?

The main idea of “the image of the other” is to encourage cross-cultural communication and through that intercultural learning. The first step when starting this project in-class is to find a partner class in a school abroad. The second step is the organization of a meeting in one of the countries, where some members of each class have one day to get to know each other and to get in touch. The time they spend together is the foundation of the project that will connect them for at least one school year. Now the pupils start writing E-mails in-class. They are supported by the teacher and by lessons dealing with writing E-mails. So they can learn step-by-step how to do it. The participating pupils get to know each other and the foreign culture by writing about topics like family and life situation, school and leisure time activities. To complete the project after one school year the pupils from both schools meet again, now in the partner country and exchange their experiences during the project. The ambition of “the image of the other” is to motivate the pupils to keep in touch with each other furthermore and make friends across the world without any schooling intervention.

What is the aim of this project?

As already mentioned this project was invented in order to encourage cross-cultural communication and through that intercultural learning. The pupils get to know pupils from foreign countries, their school life and leisure time activities. In addition to that the project strengthens tolerance and understanding and breaks down cultural boundaries. Furthermore, the children can improve their English in speaking and writing. Another important fact is that the students get used to the new media by writing E-mails with lesson- and teacher-support.

What is the content of the E-mails?

The content of the first E-mail is an introduction of the writing pupil. The following E-mails deal with the topics “my home”, “my family”, “my school”, “my hobbies” and “my country”.

What activities are planned during the project?

The most important activity is the communication between the pupils via E-mail. Additionally the mentoring teachers stay in contact to exchange ideas and experiences throughout the school year. The first and the last activity of the project is a meeting with all the participating pupils and teachers. After the meetings the pupils can exchange pictures that were taken there and collect them in a kind of book. They can also add some experiences and E-mails and document the project in a “reader”.

What is the role of the teacher?

The teacher is the organizer of the whole project. He has to find a class in another country, which wants to take part in the project. During the project the teacher has a tutoring function. He helps his pupils with writing E-mails in the foreign language and guarantees that they are written correctly and frequently.

What do I personally think about the project?

I like the new idea about this project, which in my opinion is, having the future “pen pals” meet before and after the E-mail project. I think it is very motivating for the pupils to write E-mails to people they have actually met. That way it is more fun and a lot more authentic than writing E-mails to total strangers. Another thing I like about the project is that the involved pupils learn a lot about different cultures and improve their speaking and writing skills in English. But I do not know if there is enough time to involve the project at school, because it seems to be very time consuming, especially in lower grades. Additionally, it is not that easy to find an appropriate class abroad. Nevertheless, I would give it a shot with my future pupils and try my best to make it work.

What do you think about it? Would you use it?

Will you pass this test?

In this week’s virtual session on Internet communication I have read something about “Netiquette”. Of course it was not the only interesting topic of the session but it somehow affected me most. It stands for “network etiquette” and shows you the do’s and don’ts of online communication. Before reading it I have never noticed the mistakes I made when communicating via Internet. I am glad to be able to avoid them now.

To make sure that all my readers benefit from my new knowledge I have invented this little test. It is similar to the personality tests you find in magazines which tell you if you are a good friend or lover. My test will tell you if you are the perfect Internet communicator or if you may have to pay more attention to your behavior online.

Let’s go! The test is composed of two parts. The first part consists of questions which a perfect Internet communicator would answer with “yes”. The questions of the second part should be answered with “no” by an expert for Internet communication. If you do not always have the right answer do not panic! Just pay more attention to the way you behave online and you will be fine! I hope the test will help you and you’ll enjoy it!

FIRST PART:

Do you remember that you are communicating with real people in the Internet? Always?

Do you keep in mind that your messages might be stored somewhere? Always?

Are your standards online and in real life the very same?

Do you know where you are and with whom you are communicating? Always?

Do you keep in mind that netiquette varies from domain to domain? Always?

Do you take a look around when you enter a domain to get to know its netiquette? Always?

Do you ensure that the time others spend reading your posting or message is not wasted? Always?

Do you ask yourself whether others really need to know or want to know your opinion or message? Always?

Do you make yourself look good? Always?

Do you pay attention to your spelling and grammar in messages? Always?

Do you keep in mind that you will be judged by the quality of your writing? Always?

Are you sure you know what you are talking about in your messages? Always?

Are your notes clear and logical? Always?

Are you pleasant and polite while communicating via Internet? Always?

Do you share expert knowledge by asking or answering questions about important topics?

Do you respect other people’s privacy? Always?

SECOND PART:

Do you forget that your conversational partner is a person with feelings? Sometimes?

Do you misinterpret your conversational partner’s messages? Sometimes?

Do you consider a lower standard of ethics or personal behavior acceptable in cyberspace? Sometimes?

Do you expect instant responses to all your questions online? Sometimes?

Do you assume that all readers will agree with your arguments? Sometimes?

Do you use offensive language? Sometimes?

Do you use your expert knowledge to take advantage of others? Do you abuse your power? Sometimes?

I hope you all passed my little test! I am looking forward to your multitudinous comments!

Internet Research

When I first read through the virtual session on Internet research I was quite surprised about the fact that I do not know everything about it. Seriously I thought I am an expert on that topic because of my experiences as a pupil and student researcher.
First of all I want to give you a quick insight into my Internet use. I am in the Internet every single day for at least five to ten minutes. I check my E-mails and do some other very unnecessary things concerning our topic in the very first session. You know what I mean, don’t you?

Of course I also use the Internet for research on presentations and term papers. In the Internet one is not only quicker, but also independent of time and space. I like to get an overview over a certain topic by typing it into a search engine instead of looking it up in many books. Now do not judge me for that. I do not only use the Internet for my term papers, of course not. It is only my very first step in the process. Later I use books and newspapers as it is appropriate for students.

If I do research on the internet there are some negative points I have to consider as well. The first one is that I do not always find what I need. The information can be questionable and outdated. I have to keep in mind that my results are not preselected or evaluated, so it is my job to do that for myself. That can be difficult…

… so I want to teach and show my students how to do research on the Internet successfully. I will tell my pupils that they can never simply use what they find on the internet. They have to evaluate their research results and it is my task to show them how. Regarding that I really liked the virtual session part about the guidance of pupils through a lesson based on Internet research. The explanation of the three different levels was new and very helpful to me. Now I have a clue about how to apply my knowledge about the Internet in my future classroom. I wish my teachers would have known about the guided, half-guided and free search!

Learning Theories and Principles of Learning

After having read the virtual session on Learning Theories and Principles of Learning I would like to provide my readers with some information about the basic ideas and theories of the three mentioned approaches, behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

Behaviorism is the oldest of the three approaches and was common in school programmes in the past. Especially in foreign language acquisition the preferred method for vocabulary learning was and still is drill and practice. Here the teacher gives input and the pupils have to repeat it until they memorize it correctly. In my school time I experienced this approach frequently. I did not mind it because it was a good way for efficient vocabulary learning for me. However some of my friends had their problems with this approach. Today this approach is regarded as old and out-of-date and is rarely used in schools.

Modern teaching approaches are mostly based on cognitivism. Here the learner himself is responsible for his learning process. He has to search for information to solve problems on his own. Through explorative learning the learner exposes himself to information which he is curious about and interested in. I like this approach, because the learner is active and can learn by doing. He finds out information on his own and thus is capable of not only memorizing facts but also of applying strategies. Explorative learning takes real problems from everyday life, which arise the learner’s interest much more than some abstract topics.

The last approach, constructivism, focuses on primary concepts not on isolated facts. Here learning is the quest for meaning, in which the learners construct their own meaning of the world. Therefore knowledge is constructed by the learner and not instructed by the teacher. I like the approach because it makes the teacher a coach cooperating with the students. But I see a problem here. It is the time that this approach demands being put into practice in everyday classrooms. I think the German curriculum does not leave enough time to use this interesting approach thoroughly.

All three approaches offer different definitions of learning and knowledge. In my opinion most successful learning can be provided by the combination of all three.

The Dumbest Generation

In our first session we watched an interview with Mark Bauerlein talking about his book The Dumbest Generation – How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (or: Don`t Trust Anyone Under 30).
Mr. Bauerlein argues that teenagers use the internet only to keep in touch with their friends, chatting around and playing online-games. They do not appreciate the possibilities of the internet as a source of information for culture, history or politics. Wasting their time in social networking platforms they have no time left and no interest at all to study for school. Therefore they do not have any knowledge about classical books, significant events in history or important politicians.
In Mr. Bauerlein’s opinion today’s digital culture is a source of danger for the future of America, since America’s future adults neither read books which are rich in content nor visit museums or theatres to learn about history and culture.
Furthermore he addresses the teachers for having the duty to help their students access the “adult world” through books. They should show their students how important books are for their further education and future career.
Mr. Bauerlein makes important points in the interview but since they do not hold for every single youth in America he should be more distinguished in his statements.
I agree with him saying that teenagers spend a lot of time in social networking platforms. They want to stay in contact with their friends, because in their age it is the most natural thing to do. They try to be popular among other teenagers. But I think a distinction is necessary here, because there are also pupils searching for information about a certain topic or event. Not all children are as stupid and ignorant as Mr. Bauerlein asserts.
On the one hand the usage of social networking platforms can be a good opportunity to practice social abilities, writing skills or argumentation techniques. They learn how to express their opinion through written language. These things will become very important in their future lives and careers. On the other hand teenagers may isolate themselves by entering these platforms. They may lose contact with real people around them by going into their room, closing the door and entering the virtual world. It is easier and more comfortable for them to write their opinion via the Internet instead of having to say it into a person’s face. But this real communication is even more important for their future lives. They should meet their friends outside the Internet and do some activity with them where they experience the direct confrontation with a person.
Of course the social networking platforms in the internet are necessary to contact people you known all around the world. But unfortunately several children use them to contact school friends or children from their neighborhood because they are too lazy to meet somewhere.
I disagree with Mr. Bauerlein saying that it is the teachers’ duty to help the children using the internet appropriately. In my opinion it is the parents who should look out for their children’s internet consume. They should show them what great possibilities the internet has to offer to widen one’s horizon and knowledge. Teachers have a supporting role here but not the leading one. That is with the parents since education always starts at home.
Concluding it must be said that although Mr. Bauerlein’s arguments are very generalized and provocative, they include a true nucleus. That is why this course will be very helpful for us future teachers. It deals with the topic of new media in the classroom and how we can use them appropriately. We, the future teachers, have to show our students how to benefit from the opportunities the internet gives us to find new and important information and what alternatives there are to find information. Hopefully this course will teach us how to animate our pupils to get a broader knowledge of the world they live in via the internet. We have to make clear to them how essential their historical, cultural and political knowledge is for their future career.

Hello to everyone!

I’d like to welcome all my readers very warmly to my first blog ever!

I take part in “New Media in Foreign Language Education”. This course is the purpose behind my blog. I will show you all my learning experiences in this “diary”.

I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Valentina Süß