Emerging Technologies in ESL Teaching

Jorge F. Figueroa- Flores, PhDAssistantProfessor of ESL/EnglishUniversidad del EsteCarolina, PR jffigueroa@suagm.edu Emerging Technologies in ESL Teaching

Objectives • By the end of this presentation you will be able to: • Identify emerging technologies for your classroom. • Compare and contrast web 2.0 technology with other technologies used in ESL. • Evaluate different options for your classroom or unit incorporating emerging technologies. • Incorporate emerging technologies into your teaching.

Introduction • For many years we’ve heard about the use of technology in the ESL classroom. • What about the applications? • What software is the best? • According to Ybarra and Green (2003), computers can play an integral part in providing ELL students with valuable language experiences as they learn a new language.

Technology Use for ESL • On Site use • involve learning that takes place in the classroom or computer lab in a teacher-led, whole-group setting. • supplement to the core curriculum and are carried out within normal course meeting times. • the use of software programs designed for language learning.

Technology Use for ESL • Blended use • a supplement to the primary course curriculum and is used both within classes or labs and outside the classroom (e.g., in the home, library, or community center) without the teacher. • According to Chapelle (2008), technologies that lend themselves to blended uses include software, and computer-mediated communication (CMC). • A LMS is necessary to carry out this type of use.

Technology Use for ESL • Project-Based Web Learning • learners work togetherto complete tasks that are primarily Internet-based and may involve the use of e-mail and word processing. • Webquests are a specific type of Project-based Web learning that focus on inquiry and group work and involve gathering information and resources from the Internet

Technology Use for ESL • Smith –Stoner & Willer (2005), mention that Web-based games can be accessed from the classroom and other locations. • Examples include crossword puzzles, games based on grammar, vocabulary, and spelling, matching games etc…

Technology Use for ESL • Online Learning • is entirely Internet-based. • Teachers never meet onsite • A LMS is necessary to carry out this type of teaching/learning. • Communication and the transmission of course content take place online. • Reynard (2003) has named this type of learning for ESL computer mediated distance education (CMDE) • Well known LMS include: Blackboard, Web CT, Moodle.

Technology Use for ESL • Three examples of online learning projects are English for All, USA Learns, and Learner Web.

Are we using Emerging Technologies? • The answer is……. “partially”. • We use links, sites, and software. • But we are not using all the advantages of the emerging technologies. • Remember that emerging technologies involve innovation, communication, and last generation systems.

Emerging Technologies are….

The Transition…

Look around….and always look around your classroom…

How can we benefit our ESL students? • The answer is the Web 2.0 • According to O’Reilly(2005), the Web 2.0 are web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. • The evolution of traditional technologies into web applications focusing on the end user. • Web 2.0 is an attitude not a technology

How can we benefit our ESL students? • Applications that move away from the traditional desktop. • A second generation of web-based communities and hosted services such as social networking, sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies

O’Reilly Graphic

Directories are needed • Web 2.0 Directory (http://www.go2web20.net) Find all Online tools and applications on one page, get a short description, compare, read reviews, see what people are saying about each one on the web. • Listio (http://www.listio.com) Listio is a directory of web 2.0 applications and tools. Users can submit new web 2.0 sites, or vote and comment on the best web 2.0 websites

Integrating Web 2.0 to ESL • Most students use Web 2.0 technology thanks in part to video streaming and social networks: • You Tube, Google Video • Facebook, Twitter, MySpace • Podcasting

My Proposal…. • Integrate blogs, wikis and podcasts to the ESL/English course and keep promoting social networking and video streaming. • Combine the traditional classroom setting with Web 2.0 technology.

What is a Blog? • A Blog is a website where entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. • Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. • A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. • The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs

Why Blogs? • Engage students with native speakers • Good for assessing writing • Let instructors post and track homework • Empower students • Integrate Internet resources as links

Blogs in the ESL Classroom • The use of blogs in the ESL classroom • Use as a journal or diary. • Promotes critical thinking. • Open Classroom walls. • Can assess student writing. • Promotes Process Writing • Shows the wider world what is happening: • students+students with other schools+parents+organizations • Anyone with Internet connection • Could create language learning communities

To Create a Blog…. • Blogger (http://www.blogger.com) is a free blog publishing tool from Google for easily sharing your thoughts with the world. Blogger makes it simple to post text, photos and video. • Wordpress (http://www.wordpress.com) is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. • Blog (http://www.blog.com) provides a fully-featured publishing platform for free. Blog by yourself or establish a writing community, all under an address

What is a Wiki? • Is a software that allows users to easily create, edit, and link pages together. • Why Wikis? • Because content is the priority and not the design. • They are easy to read and follow up by the learners. • They combine video and audio. • Used for creating collaborative websites. • Empower communities.

Wikis in ESL? • We use Wikis for… • Collaborative projects • Classroom projects • Web pages • Integrate audio, video, text, files, and images • Discussion boards • Online platforms

To Create a Wiki • Wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com) Wikis are simple web pages that groups, friends, and families can edit together. Starting your wiki at Wikispaces is fast, free, and easy. • PbWiki (http://www.pbwiki.com) Wiki website where you can start your project and have a cool online collaboration. • Wiki (http://www.wiki.com) A web site that makes it simple for anyone to create and share web pages, images, and much more in an instant. If you can browse, you can wiki!

Podcasting • Is a collection of digital media files which is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds (RSS of XML) for playback on mobile devices and personal computers • Why Podcasting? • Use voice to connect students • Audio and video can be integrated • Bridges cultures • Motivate students • Because a real audience exist

Podcasting benefits for ESL • Podcasts benefits • Record classes • Students record episodes • Good for assessing pronounciation • Short radio shows • Flexibility • Playback • Synchronization of Episodes

To Create a Podcast • Podomatic (http://www.podomatic.com) Get a free podcast, share your faves. • GabCast (http://www.gabcast.com) Is a podcasting and audioblogging platform that offers virtual communities, individuals and organizations an easy way to create and distribute audio content. • ODEO (http://www.odeo.com) Share your voice with the world. Insert your audio and create a podcast to share in your blog.

How we know this works? • Universidad del Este in Santa Isabel is one of the branches of Universidad del Este and part of the Ana G. Mendez University System • It’s located in the city of Santa Isabel in the South of Puerto Rico • It offers undergraduate and graduate programs and has over 1,000 active students

How we know this works? • The students are mainly young adults from the cities of Santa Isabel, Salinas, and Coamo. • The family background includes low income and limited education. • Mostly are first generation students. • The institution presented a retention problem within the Basic English/ESL courses. • Retention rate in the Basic English/ESL courses was 64% in 2007.

How we know this works? • After integrating Web 2.0 to the Basic English/ESL courses the retention rate increased to 94% in 2008 and was kept in 93% in 2009.

After the success… • It was decided to integrate Web 2.0 applications to all the general education courses including Spanish and Mathematics. • 85% of the professors from the School of Social Sciences and Humane Studies are blogging. • New technologies have been implemented. • Training in Web 2.0 and Open Source software has become essential.

What we are implementing now? • Web Streaming • It means taking the video and broadcasting it live over the Internet. • The process involves a camera for the video, an encoder to digitize the content, a video publisher where the streams are pushed to and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the content. • The URL can then be viewed by end users live

What we are implementing now? • Ustream (http://www.ustream.com) Broadcast video LIVE to the world from a computer, mobile, Android or iPhone in minutes, or watch thousands of shows from news to entertainment. • Live Stream (http://www.livestream.com) Broadcast and live stream your own channel for events, performances, sports, ... Sign up for a Producer account to stream live to millions from Livestream.com.

What we are implementing now? • Virtual mentoring and tutoring for ESL students. • Students sign up for mentoring or tutoring individually or in groups to a maximum of 6. • The professor, the teaching assistant, or the tutor provides the service on schedule thru audio or video conference • We use Skype (http://www.skype.com) and ooVoo (http://www.oovoo.com)

What we are implementing now? • Cloud Computing • It’s an emerging technology for the user. • It gives access to the user of controlling or backing up information without any hardware. • Frequently used with virtual flash drives. • File Sharing at it’s best.

What are we implementing now? • Using the cloud for ESL • By using file sharing with the students the professor provides online feedback of the document without expending paper. • Anyone could use this technology for document’s back up, file sharing, and creating web documents. • We use Box.net (http://www.box.net) because it offers 5gb of free space. • Another cloud is Dropbox (http://www.dropbox.com) it serves for the same purpose.

Important Applications for your Classroom • Video engines - Youtube (http://www.youtube.com) is a place to discover, watch, upload and share videos. - Teachertube (http://www.teachertube.com) Our goal at TeacherTube.com is to provide an online community for sharing instructional teacher videos. Upload your lesson plan videos or watch students.

Important Applications for your Classroom • Web Site creators - Webnode (http://www.webnode.com) is the best way to create and manage your own website or blog for free. You can add picture galleries, discussion forums or widgets and gadgets. - WIX (http://www.wix.com) Create a free website with Wix.com. Use Wix free website builder to design stunning Flash websites designs with drag and drop website builder.

Important Applications for your Classroom • Converters • Zamzar (http://www.zamzar.com) Online file conversion, covering a wide range of different image, document, music, video and compression formats. Free for files up to 100MB. • Comet Docs (http://www.cometdocs.com) Over 50 different conversions. On the fly OCR conversion capabilities.

Important Applications for your Classroom • Presentations Share your presentation on the Internet . Create links and embedded codes using Author Stream (http://www.authorstream.com) or Slideshare at (http://www.slideshare.net) • Create multimedia presentations with Animoto at http://www.animoto.com

Open Yourself to Open Source Software • Open Source software • It’s the user freedom to copy, execute, distribute, and change the application. • It’s a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process.

How are we implementing Open Source software? • Most of our students are on a limited budget. • They have no money to purchase software. • For every software there is an Open Source. • We are providing our students with Open Source Software such as Open Office, Moodle, and Cam Studio.

Open Office • Download at http://www.openoffice.org • A multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, free to download, use, copy, and distribute. • Insert the download tool in the blog or wiki to facilitate it to the students.

Cam Studio • Download at http://www.camstudio.org • As an instructor you can use Cam Studio to do different tutorials with your students and publish them on the web. • The recorded file has two formats AVI and SWF. • You can select areas to record live. • It has a clear sound.

Moodle • Is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). • It is a free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning.

Moodle • Places to work with Moodle (Free Web Hosting): • Key to School (http://www.keytoschool.com/) At Key To School (KTS), we believe that Moodle is indeed a gift to all educators. • Gnomio (http://www.gnomio.com) If you are interested in having your own free unlimited learning site with admin privileges fill the next form and you will have it online within seconds! • Global Classroom (http://www.globalclassroom.us/) Create your own school.

And remember…. • We are living “The Battle of the Apps”. • We don’t know what else is coming. • We should be ready and use it in the classroom. • We need to hear the learners because they dominate the technology.

Emerging Technologies in ESL Teaching