Blended Voices: Cultural Integration Using Technology

1. Blended Voices: Cultural Integration Using Technology Presentation at New Hampshire Society for Technology in Education (NHSTE) April 11, 2013 Presenters: Professors Audrey Rogers and LyraRiabov Southern New Hampshire University

2. Presentation Overview • Project: Combined Classes and their goals • Models and structure of the project • Technology for achieving the goals • Students’ produced podcasts • Students’ reflection podcasts • The website of the project

3. Project • Bring students of diverse backgrounds together • Discover ways that technology can facilitate cultural collaboration between students • Explore strategies to help English Language Learners practice and learn English, as well as American culture • Learn about the impact that cultural integration can have on domestic students

4. Project Goals • To make connections between Undergraduate Day students and international students through discovering similarities and differences • To learn about the cultures and daily experiences of the international students – at their home countries and here at SNHU • Help ESL students practice and learn English, as well as American culture • To learn how available technology can facilitate exchanges and connections between students.

5. Making Connections • Students discover similarities & differences • Students listen and learn about other cultures • Technology facilitates exchanges and connections between students.

6. The Role of Technology • Combined classes are project – based and involve students’ active research, interviews and use of technology: the Internet, e-mail, MS Word, the Blackboard Discussion Forum, creation of podcasts in iTunes, PowerPoint, Prezi, ePortfolio, audio recording using Audacity, photo camera and Google Earth • The results and feedback from both groups of students are impressive. • See the websitefor the American and international students’ project assignments, the PowerPoint slides of their presentations, as well as their videos, pictures, and podcasts

7. Understanding Podcasts • A Podcast is…an audio or video recording that is broadcast • Able to Subscribe and download programs to computer, MP3, iPod • Viewed whenever, wherever: Program On Demand

8. Students are Podcasting • To discover the content • To become highly engaged in the learning • To connect with others • To publish their work

9. Questions To Ask • Is it right for my course/content? • Will it engage and teach my students? • What are my school’s privacy rules? • Do I have technical support? • What is the feasibility and long term sustainability?

10. Structure = Success • Decide on content goals. • Choose a framework for engaging students. • Podcasts = group goal • Podcasts = reflection tool

11. Project Template Step 1: Decide on content • Divide the content into “chunks” Step 2: Pair up students • Students research and write the script Step 3: Practice/rehearse. • Natural flow with confidence and enthusiasm.

12. Template con’t Step 4: Record the podcast. • Use software that generates an MP3 audio file such as Audacity. Listen and retake as necessary. Step 5: Publish the podcast. • Allow people to subscribe. • Follow school’s privacy guidelines.

13. Template con’t Step 6: Promote the podcast. • Encourage school personnel, students and their families to subscribe. Step 7: Reflect! • Have students express what they learned; and evaluate the experience making any changes for next time.

14. Podcasting in the Classroom: Our Story • Education Students and International Students combine classes Model 1: 1 session Model 2: 2 sessions Model 3: 3 sessions [see handout for full description]

15. Student Podcasts Podcasts Reflections JuliaStephaneyJingSophiaLangzhu JuliaStephaneyBonnie Website of the Project

16. Benefits • The above models offer an opportunity for the domestic students to have a first hand experience of learning world cultures • and ESL students to learn about American culture, practice English and make friends with American students. • This project also helps domestic and international students to broaden their world cultural experience by using an abundant resource right on campus. • Students learn how to use current technologies.

17. Limitations • Some students need more time to make an authentic connection. • Technology does not always cooperate. • There is planning and preparation between departments.

18. iTunesU • Publish the podcasts and share with a larger community • iTunesU: • ESL Students' Podcasts in iTunes 2009 • ESL Students' Podcasts in iTunes 2010 • EDU 235 Podcasts in iTunes 2009 • EDU 235 Podcasts in iTunes 2010 • Project Website

19. Resources • Rogers, Audrey and Riabov, Lyra. (April 2011) “Cultural Integration in Action:Two Faculty Members’ Perspectives” InSight: Rivier Academic Journal, Vol.7, No.1, April 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://www.rivier.edu/journal/index.htm. • http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/podcast/index.html • http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutorials.html • http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/17-audacity-tutorial.htm • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMgemQahuFM • LyraRiabov’s“Combined Classes” Website: • http://it.snhu.edu/riabovlyra2/Combined%20Class%20Project.htm • LyraRiabov’s ESL Culture Studies Website: http://it.snhu.edu/riabovlyra2/ESL%20Culture%20Studies.htm • This Presentation Handout and PowerPoint slides:http://it.snhu.edu/riabovlyra2/Research.htm