It is a telecollaborative activity that integrates a web-based multimedia case study (an actual classroom problem) and online discussion among geographically distant pre-service teachers.
Institution reporting the task:
Language of task instructions:
English
Target Group:
Foreign language teachers
Level:
| C1 |
|---|
| C2 |
References and acknowledgements:
None
Type:
Collaborative tasks
Estimated Duration:
4 sessions
Topic:
telecollaborative teacher training
Tags:
| telecollaboration |
|---|
| teacher training |
| case study |
Acknowledgements:
None
Language Configurations:
Lingua Franca
Language(s) that the task can be used in:
Any
Dominant language production:
Writing/reading asynchronous
Target Competences:
| Language competence |
|---|
| Intercultural skills |
| Online communication skills |
| Teaching skills |
| Media literacy |
Specific pedagogical objectives:
| Development of self-reflection skills in pre-service teachers |
|---|
| Development of higher order thinking skills |
Suggested Communication Tools:
Collaborative tools
Suggested Resources:
A case study of a practical classroom problem . The case study should be written by in-service (experienced) teachers, digitalized and broadcast online. It should be linear (presented chronologically) but, at the same, fully interactive with a forum attached to every scene of the studied case (presenting an individual class management problem within the studied case). Individual scenes and related forum postings should be available both chronologically (as parts of the whole case) as well as via a timeline
Instructions:
The task expands the learning community of pre-service teachers at two universities by presenting them with a multimedia case study that provides a common frame of reference for online dialogue about teaching and learning.
Materials needed: a case study of a practical classroom problem . The case study should be written by in-service (experienced) teachers, digitalized and broadcast online. It should be linear (presented chronologically) but, at the same, fully interactive with a forum attached to every scene of the studied case (presenting an individual class management problem within the studied case). Individual scenes and related forum postings should be available both chronologically (as parts of the whole case) as well as via a timeline.
Communication: via a Usenet newsgroup*
*The cited article was published in 2000. Today wikis or google groups would be a suggested solution
Project participants: Students from at least two different universities
Project chronology:
Stage 1, Preparation
Students go through an online tutorial (users guide created to assist with technical and etiquette issues) and spend the first two weeks of the semester posting to discussion threads that are designed by the supervisors to develop a sense of community and to allow the students practice with the newsgroups. Students also read about the design and development of telecollaborative activities so that they can have a sense of how the activity in which they will participate was developed.
Stage 2, the project proper
- Each student should read every posting related to the assigned scene.
- For each scene, each student should contribute at least one new idea, question, comment or suggestion and should respond in a thoughtful, facilitative manner to at least two other postings. One of these postings must be to a response made by an individual in a different course.
- These guidelines will be used only long enough for everyone to feel comfortable with regular, active, and meaningful participation in the discussion. The supervisors can then eliminate the tight structure so the on-line communication can become more natural.
- Posting for the assigned scenes will be due before a given time on a given day following the assignment, so that all classes will have a chance to read all postings.
- It is recommended that students look at the online discussion at least every other day to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the number of postings that may accumulate in a week’ s time.
- Students will begin reading the scenes in the case study, discussing them in class and responding to the online discussions as outlined in the syllabus.
- Students may be encouraged to start new discussion threads if they feel so inclined.
- It is recommended that the supervisors do not to participate in the newsgroup itself but rather communicate individually with the students as necessary.
Learner Texts:
None
Document related to the task:
Criteria for Completion:
The two supervisors may think of their own completion criteria.
Comments and suggestions:
The article from which the task was extracted was published in 2000. This is why, the supervisors may choose to reconsider the social software they want to use as well as the length of the preparatory phase.The estimated duration should be in weeks (7-8) rather than sessions.
Author/copyright:
The task was found in: Dawson, Kara M.& Mason, Cheryl L. & Molebash, Philip. (2000). Results of a telecollaborative activity involving geographically disparate preservice teachers http://www.ifets.info/journals/3_3/f05.html
