Category: Individual Studies

Posts from the Individual Studies course with Michael in Summer 2023

An Educator’s Stance on AI?

September 2, 2023 / tanya77d / 1 Comment

When I set out to write this blog, my first thoughts reminded me of Kohnke et al.’s (2023) stance in his review article on ChatGPT, that the AI tool “supports language learning by simulating authentic interactions”, and Bates (2015) reminder to humanity about how resistance to new things/ideas is a common initial reaction before eventual acceptance and integration occurs.

So, I wanted to share these two examples of how I utilize this widely debated AI tool to enhance my ESL teaching practices and navigate them more effectively.

Example 1: When you have a morning class that starts early, there are occasions when you need to consume a couple of cups of coffee to feel fully awake and alert. However, in the absence of coffee, one might find themselves turning to ChatGPT for assistance, which is precisely what I did this morning when I needed to create a cloze exercise for the vocabulary my students had learned in a class the day before.

Example 2: The prompt given to AI was used for a Debates and Discussions SPIN class at my ESL school, where my motive was to encourage them to work on their communication skills and especially their confidence:

https://chat.openai.com/share/78727ee6-9187-4469-9766-3894aa8c5eb2

Nevertheless, this represents my endeavor to connect with the community of educators and potentially provoke responses from them regarding their perspectives on:

I wonder what my fellow teachers think about using this tool to create resources or to supplement their regular teaching-learning discourse?
What ethical considerations should be taken into account when integrating AI into ESL teaching, especially in terms of data privacy and student interactions?
How do AI-driven assessments and feedback mechanisms work for you to have more efficient and effective ESL language evaluations?
In what ways can AI tools help ESL teachers in individualizing instruction for diverse learners with varying language proficiency levels?
What strategies can ESL educators employ to strike a balance between AI-driven language support and the human touch in their teaching methods?

References

Bates, A. W. (2015). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. BCcampus.

Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). ChatGPT for Language Teaching and Learning. RELC Journal, 0(0).

Sustainable CALL development

September 1, 2023 / tanya77d / 1 Comment

The emergence of “Ecological CALL” draws its inspiration from the ecological metaphor that is known to be borrowed from natural sciences and biology, the “sustainability” metaphor has its origin in environment but has expanded its influence to society, politics, economics and most importantly, to the realm of education (Blin et al., 2016, p.223).

While quickly browsing through the article, I came across a definition (p.224) of sustainability that closely resonated with my own understanding of the concept, among the various definitions mentioned:

“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

(Brundtland 1987: chapter 2, item 1)

However, what is ‘sustainability’ in CALL?

In my view, CALL inherently possesses sustainability attributes, but reading this article has broadened my perspective, and made me aware that sustainability extends to various other dimensions within the realm of CALL, as depicted in the diagram below:

Four Pillars of Sustainable CALL

Using the SpeaksApp (2013) project as an example, the authors proceed to identify (renamed by the authors for the purpose of scalability, adaptability and generalization) the four crucial tenets underpinning “sustainable CALL”:

What really caught my eye was the distinction between the two models that are still in their infancy but have been introduced in the article:

What is the Institutional Model?

Begins with the assumption that the four pillars are “equally and mutually interacting” (Blin, 2016, p. 234).
Primarily, zooms in on the role of institutions with regards to technology integration in a language classroom.
Tends to avoid the deep interactions between the elements of T-L environment.
Mostly focuses on the policies, infrastructure, and resources within an educational institution to support technology-enhanced language learning as opposed to the quality of the quality of experience and outcomes achieved.

What is the CALL ecosystem Model?

A hierarchical system between the four pillars (Blin, 2016, p. 234)
More holistic and emphasizes on the interconnectedness of elements in the T-L environment.
Accommodating of changes for a better world’s vision.

According to the authors, these models are still in their early stages of development and may require further research to precisely delineate their differences. Nonetheless, it is evident that the advantages of the CALL ecosystem model are readily apparent.

REFERENCES

Blin, F., Jalkanen, J., & Taalas, P. (2016). Sustainable CALL development. In F. Farr, &
L. Murray (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology (pp. 223-238). Routledge. Routledge Handbooks in Applied Linguistics.

Brundtland, G. H. (1987). Report of the world commission on environment and development: our common future. Oslo, United Nations.

Theoretical Perspectives in CALL

July 26, 2023 / tanya77d / 1 Comment

A short synopsis of the four theoretical perspectives in the reading:

References

Blin, F. (2016). Towards an ‘ecological’ CALL theory: Theoretical perspectives and their instantiation in CALL research and practice. The Routledge handbook of language learning and technology, 39-54.

Farr, F., & Murray, L. (2016). The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology. In Routledge eBooks. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315657899

Well! What is Open Ped?

June 18, 2023 / tanya77d / 2 Comments

Having reviewed the various approaches to learning environments, I came across Open Pedagogy, which piqued my curiosity and sparked my interest in exploring my own thoughts on the subject. What did I think about it?

The sole instance I could recall and the primary connection I could establish with Open Pedagogy relates to a past semester when my professor assigned an assignment without providing a rubric. It did definitely leave me ill at ease. However, then it began to make sense. She expressed her intention of not wanting us to confine our work within predefined parameters, essentially avoiding constrictions or already set boundaries that could potentially stifle our creativity and limit our exploration of the subject matter. Now when I think about it, rubrics can to a certain extent impede a person’s ingenuity, if not totally restrict it.

Previously, I obviously didn’t devote much consideration to it, but now, after conducting some research on the said instructional approach, I could see a multitude of ideas emerge and simultaneously evolve. Especially, after looking at David Wiley’s mind map of Open Ped, I could see what the 5 Rs (Retain, Reuse, Revise, Remix and Redistribute) meant.

Source: https://online.umkc.edu/what-is-open-pedagogy/

Catherine Cronin, an open education researcher describes Open Pedagogy as “a values-driven, transformative approach to teaching and learning that is based on collaboration, connection, and the creation and sharing of knowledge in a networked world.”

This learner centered approach emphasizes on learner agency, empowering them to take an active role in their own learning. Take what I am doing right now, maintaining a blog where I regularly reflect on my learning experience, engaging in peer discussion and sharing insights. This is open practice!

Open Access Journals where students are the publishers, authors, peer reviewers, and even editors is another example of how open pedagogy contributes to the dissemination of knowledge.

Upon reflection, I have come to realize that, without consciously intending to, I have structured my learning design blueprint in alignment with the principles of Open Pedagogy. As an illustration, the case study assessment and CANVA presentation will facilitate student collaboration, enabling them to collaboratively generate their own open educational resource (OER). This process will actively involve them in research, content curation, and the publication of their work under an open license, exemplifying the principle of authentic assessment. It appears I have hit the mark!

My comment on Noah’s blog post :

REFERENCES

Cronin, C. (n.d.). Opening up Open Pedagogy – Catherine Cronin. http://catherinecronin.net/research/opening-up-open-pedagogy/

What Is Open Pedagogy? | UMKC Online. (n.d.). https://online.umkc.edu/what-is-open-pedagogy/

My Epistemology as an Educator

June 11, 2023 / tanya77d / 0 Comments

Reading Chapter 2 of Tony Bate’s book Teaching in the Digital Age made me think about my worldview of truth i.e., my epistemological stance about the nature of knowledge. How did I know what I know? What are my implicit beliefs about the nature of knowledge as an educator?

Even prior to delving into this chapter, I had already acknowledged within myself that I have long embraced constructivism (Carl Rogers, 1969) as a cornerstone of my teaching career. It aligns most harmoniously with the way I validate my teaching methodologies and the knowledge that shapes my personal “truth.” Thinking about my teaching pedagogy which was largely shaped by teaching approaches that involved inquiry-based learning, problem-solving, collaborative learning, Scaffolding, thinking about thinking (metacognition), and guided practice for the most part, I started exploring what Bates had to say about the nature of knowledge and its implications for teaching.

However, as I progressed with the reading, I quickly found myself questioning my truth. A doubt emerged, maybe effective instruction is actually practicing a combination of instructional approaches that are tailored to the need of the students and the demands of the classroom dynamics.

I thought about my approach to promoting positive behavior in the classroom, which includes utilizing praise and rewards as a means of reinforcement, collaboratively establishing classroom rules with students on the first day of class, and facilitating weekly group projects where clear instructions are provided and individual roles and responsibilities are assigned by me. Clearly, I am not training any pigeons like Skinner (1968) did, but this part of my teaching-learning discourse does incorporate the principles of behaviorism.

Next, I contemplated the utilization of graphic organizers and KWL charts during our collaborative story-writing sessions, the engaging concept mapping and discussions as pre-reading activities, and the occasional implementation of mnemonic techniques as memory aids. It became apparent to me that placing emphasis on mental processes such as information processing, problem-solving, and memory retention is indeed an integral aspect of my ESL teaching methodology and a cognitivist approach that Bate describes as “teaching learners how to learn, on developing stronger or new mental processes for future learning, and on developing deeper and constantly changing understanding of concepts and ideas” (p. 58).

Following that, I considered the valuable contributions of my learners from diverse backgrounds, whose varied experiences enriched the classroom discussions and led to distinct approaches to meaning-making. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that fostering a collaborative and cooperative environment undoubtedly facilitates the development of cultural understanding, thereby empowering learners to establish robust PLNs within their learning space. Forming these connections definitely lends to expanding and leveraging the power of technology, networks, and online resources to improve and develop their language learning and life-long learner capacities in an interconnected digital realm.

Source: https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/how-couse-design-puts-the-focus-on-learning-not-teaching/

Apart from realizing my amalgamation of instructional approaches, my big takeaway from this chapter was realizing that knowledge is no longer static and this shift is because knowledge is ever-evolving and in a technology-driven world, it is being generated at a rapid pace. Furthermore, Academic knowledge is no longer the sole form of knowledge of significance in the world of academia, and as teachers, we must encourage our students to explore and appreciate other forms of knowledge that lie beyond the academic.

Just like my teaching philosophy, knowledge is “not a pure, objective concept, but driven by different values and beliefs about the nature of knowledge” (p.76).

REFERENCES

Bates, A. (2015). The nature of knowledge and the implications of teaching. Teaching in a Digital Age, 1(3). http://dergipark.ulakbim.gov.tr/glokalde/article/view/5000135229

The Fundamentals of the Realm of Digital Natives

June 8, 2023 / tanya77d / 0 Comments

“Yet our educational institutions were built largely for another age, based around an industrial rather than a digital age” (Bates, 2015, p. 15).

WHAT?

Tony Bates (2015) in chapter one of his book Teaching in a Digital Age talks about the challenges and the opportunities that the ongoing Third Industrial Revolution has resulted in. The digital revolution, which has affected all walks of life, has not failed to leave its mark on the education sector. The impact is unmistakable and evident.

There is no denying the fact that this undercurrent that is at present riding the highs of the digital age holds in itself great caliber to reform the way we teach and learn. In a world where we are constantly witnessing new innovations, where “change” is the new normal, and where “digital natives” (p.34) are always immersed and stimulated by means of social media, there is a pressing need to study the multi-faceted nature of digital media to ensure equitable and effective learning experiences.

Pros (Right) and Cons (Left) of the Digital Age as described by Tony Bates (2015) in *Teaching in a Digital Age*.

Moreover, the lesson also necessitates the need to re-imagine assessment methods, instructional design, teaching methodologies, and student engagement to cope better with the pedagogical differences while making the shift from face-to-face to online learning to make the transition a successful learning experience.

So… What?

Well, as a result of the shift, the digital age demands a shift in the teaching paradigm, a departure from the conventional to embracing the needs in order to meet the expectations of digital learners.

Emphasizing the need to match pace, Mark Prensky (2001) highlighted how “digital natives” fundamentally think and learn in a manner that is essentially different, which makes the question, “Why should their learning experience be different?” (p.35) only more compelling.

However, the questions persist, how can a better understanding of digital learners empower educators’ pedagogical practices?

Should technology integration not be an integral part of modern-day classrooms, especially the ones that focus on skill development as “Skills development is much more tied to specific teaching approaches and technologies” (p.22)?

In a world where knowledge is constantly and rapidly evolving, how can knowledge be best managed?

Now… What?

With a wonderful analogy of pilots who would not be expected to fly modern jets without any proper training, Bates (2015) asks why teachers are expected to become tech-savvy overnight without any prior tech training. Indeed, a grueling question.

Bates (2015) expounds that by incorporating interactive digital tools and resources, teachers can leverage OERs (Open Educational Resources) and initiatives that can improve the teaching-learning discourse for our students. Nevertheless, to create more interactive and dynamically charged platforms, there is an urgent need to stay updated with technological advancements to deliver our utmost best as educators. There is also a need for educators to demonstrate readiness that promotes a lifelong learner attitude toward professional development.

All in all, it is as much a responsibility of the educator as it is of the students to exist flexibly in a “knowledge-based society” (p.24) and to gauge the demands of the labor market and also, not let these demands dictate the sole focus of education. The emphasis should ideally be on fostering skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, adaptability, and a lifelong love for learning. Ultimately, the goal is to empower learners to navigate these ever-changing digital landscapes and make meaningful contributions to shape society’s progress, driving innovation and change for our collective future.

REFERENCES

Bates, A. (2015). Fundamental Change in Education. Teaching in a Digital Age, 1(3). http://dergipark.ulakbim.gov.tr/glokalde/article/view/5000135229

Prensky, M. (2001) Digital natives, Digital Immigrants On the Horizon Vol. 9, No. 5.

Blog Post #1 | Learning, Motivation, and Theory

June 4, 2023 / tanya77d / 3 Comments

Prompt: Describe an example from your life of when you were taught using each method described in this article: behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.

In retrospection, I have encountered the three learning theories throughout my learning journey and they have vastly shaped and influenced my personal development and professional growth as an educator.

For me, behaviorism was the most evident in my early days of schooling, perhaps when I was a toddler. Our good behaviour was rewarded and reinforced, and the ‘undesired’ behavior was condemned. I distinctly remember my elementary teacher used to give me those tiny sparkly stickers as a sign of her appreciation and it used to be a big deal back then to have received one. I was no exception, just like everyone else I also used to look forward to those moments of appreciation. I will say though that this method was successful in fostering a deep sense of discipline and responsibility in me.

When I began middle school, problem-solving, independent thinking, and critical thinking became the more resorted approaches. It was through group discussions and sometimes, even debates that we tried to unlock the mysteries of science and the dilemmas of social science. Sadly, I had to leave the enchanting logic of fairy tales behind and embrace the lens of reality. Cognitivism here allowed me to construct my own rhyme and reason with logical thinking. My curiosity for learning was definitely instilled by my Social Science and English teachers, who made it a point to involve their students in instigating discussions that really made us think and analyze before we digested or integrated any learning.

After moving to university to study English literature, Shakespeare and Milton among other great authors really challenged my world view and it was here that I more actively started connecting the dots between my favorite authors’ views and what I witnessed in my reality. The challenging yet intriguing perspectives of the philosophers, novelists, and dramatists made me reflect more keenly than ever before I put together and devised my own knowledge and learning of this world. As “memory is always under construction as a cumulative history of interaction” (Ertemer & Newby, 2013, p.141), the Constructivist approach cultivated in me critical thinking skills and facilitated a comprehensive understanding of worldly sophisticated ideas which I can say will always be a ‘work in progress’.

Thanks to all these wonderful learning experiences, I stay committed to learning as a life-long learner. Needless to say that these three learning theories are still an integral part of my learning. I come across them in my day-to-day existence. Even when I am watching news I am cautious about what I believe and digest, and what I discard as it might not appeal to my cognitive faculties.

All in all, these learning theories have largely contributed to my well-rounded development. They have not just contributed to my academic prosperity but equipped me with valuable life skills and attitudes that extend to both the private and professional spheres of life.

Response to Joysna’s Blog post:

REFERENCES

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 133-148.