CALL Newsletter - July 2011 (Plain Text Version)

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In this issue:
LEADERSHIP UPDATES
• 
•  LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
•  LETTER FROM THE CHAIR-ELECT
ARTICLES
•  SCAFFOLDING THINKING SKILLS THROUGH WEB-BASED ACTIVITY
•  USING THE VOICE MEMO IPHONE APP FOR CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK
•  USING ICTS IN TEACHING ENGLISH ACADEMIC WRITING
•  WEB-BASED PLAGIARISM-CHECKING TOOLS TO TEACH PARAPHRASING SKILLS
•  SUMMARIZING SILENCE: CONVERSATION AND WRITING ACTIVITIES WITH SILENT FILMS
COLUMNS
•  MAKING CONNECTIONS
•  A report on the Developers showcase
ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY
•  CALL FOR ARTICLES
•  ABOUT THIS MEMBER COMMUNITY

 

ARTICLES

SCAFFOLDING THINKING SKILLS THROUGH WEB-BASED ACTIVITY

Migyu Kang, Iowa State University

In an Asian-dominant intensive language ESL program of a Midwestern American university, students demonstrate specific cultural patterns of classroom interaction, such as frequent silence and little involvement in open discussion. This behavior is reflective of their socialization in their previous English-learning classrooms in their countries of origin, behavior that reflects Asian societies’ teacher-centered values. With this backdrop in mind, I designed my high-intermediate ESL reading class based on an integrated approach to language teaching (Celce-Murcia, 2001), a project-oriented computer-assisted language-learning (PrOCALL) approach (e.g., Debski, 2000; Lewis & Atzert, 2000; Toyoda, 2000, 2001), and Bloom’s revised taxonomy (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Cultural project work was developed to facilitate ESL learners’ thinking skills in a more learner-centered classroom reflective of American cultural interaction.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

As the teacher of the course, I developed a project entitled “Cross-Cultural Journey via Project Work” with learner interests, needs, and goals; reading proficiency levels; technological skills; institutionally identified learner outcomes; and cognitive thinking skills in mind. The class provided learners with 3 hours of traditional class Monday through Wednesday and 2-hour lab session on Thursday and Friday with a 1-hour meeting every day. In lab sessions, students worked in dyads on a course project involving scenarios and demanding particular thinking skills to complete identified tasks.

For Step 1 of the project, students used a Google map I created via a mashup, a web application hybrid. They searched, compared, and contrasted features of three MP3 players and selected their favorite. Step 1 was focused on improving lower-order thinking skills. Table 1 describes the scenario and the required thinking skills.

Table 1. Process of Step 1

A. Scenario

The Computer Science Department at a university is planning to purchase MP3 players for cross-cultural projects. The department has narrowed its choice to three MP3 players: iPod, Zune, and Sansa. For their final decision, the faculty wants to hear from a committee of students about their preferences and reasons. The department wants the members of your group to make a formal presentation on the players before it makes a decision.

B. Process

In this project, you will be involved in the activities of searching, compiling, comparing, and contrasting features of the three different MP3 player brands: iPod, Zune, and Sansa. The map-based tasks require you to follow the steps below:

1. Take the rating template with you for guidance related to what features of MP3 players you need to compile.

2. Visit the three manufacturers of MP3 players (i.e., Apple, SanDisk, and Microsoft). On the map, SanDisk for Sansa is yellow, Apple for iPod is pink, and Microsoft for Zune is orange. Compile information about the MP3 players. (Remembering-Understanding)

3. Visit one or more nearby stores on the map or search the Internet for additional sources. (Applying)

4. Compare features of the MP3 players. (Analyzing)

5. Reach an agreed-upon rating with your partner and select your favorite. (Analyzing)

6. Develop and submit your group report with the components of Introduction, Rating Template, My MP3 Player, and Resources. (Analyzing)

In Step 2, students searched data about a specific cultural topic related to two or three songs they would like to download to the MP3 player they chose in Step 1. One song had to be from their country of origin and the other from the United States. They decided on a specific cultural topic based on the themes of the songs and searched data about their topic. They used YouTube, Wikipedia, Flickr, and Google and other search engines for data compilation. As a final product, students developed their own group webpage with the data collected about their topics. Step 2 was focused on improving higher order thinking skills. Table 2 describes the scenario and the required thinking skills.

Table 2. Process of Step 2

A. Scenario

Now that the Computer Science Department at a university has purchased specific MP3 players for the cross-cultural projects, the department wants a class of students to implement a project with respect to the target culture and their own culture. This cross-cultural project enhances students’ target cultural awareness by comparing the target culture and their own.

B. Process

Follow the process below to implement the project.

1. Choose two traditional songs (folksongs) you want to download to the MP3 player you chose in STEP 1: one from your own country and the other from the United States. If you and your partner are from different countries, you will have three songs with two songs from each of your countries and one song from the United States. If you and your partner are from the same country, your group will have two songs. (Remembering-Understanding)

2. Based on the themes of the songs, choose one cultural topic, such as food, clothing, shopping, politics, the weather, arts, the legal system, literature, popular music, special holidays, and so on. Submit a report on the songs and cultural topic. Refer to guides on report writing. (Remembering-Understanding)

3. Collect data on your cultural topic on the Internet. The data should be from your country, your partner’s country, and the United States. Collect data written only in English. (Remembering-Understanding-Applying)

4. Compare data you collected. (Analyzing)

5. Develop an appropriate conclusion, such as differences and similarities, based on your data analysis. Submit a data analysis report. (Evaluating)

6. Design and develop a group webpage at http://ieopreading4b.wetpaint.com with the components of Introduction, My MP3 Player and Folksongs, a Cultural Topic, Conclusion and Resources. (Creating)

7. Present your group project to the class. (Evaluating)

 

MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT

I developed two Web sites for the web-based project work. One Web site was for student data collection tasks in Step 1. When they go to the Process section in this Web site, they can access the Google map that I developed. On this map, nine balloons represent places for MP3 players: Sansa is yellow, iPod is pink, and Zune is orange. Three of them are MP3 manufacturers―San Disk for Sansa, Apple for iPod, and Microsoft for Zune―and the others are nearby stores. Clicking the balloons directs learners to places for MP3 players with images and other information, such as Web site addresses and phone numbers. The other Web site I developed was a course Web site. Here, when they go to the Projects section on the menu, they can not only get information about the project itself, but they can also download materials necessary for project implementation. Further, wikis in wetpaint.com were used in order for students to create their own group webpage. I also developed lab guides, guides on essay/report writing, guides on oral presentation, project descriptions, rubrics, timeline tables, templates for MP3 ratings, and graphic organizers.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The lab sessions of the semester were divided into three tiers of web-based activity, as can be seen in Table 3.

Table 3. Project Procedure

 

In Tier 1, as a pre-project session, students read authentic materials related to cultures in the United States and in their home countries. Then, they wrote a cultural essay. In Tier 2, students started the project work by getting involved in data collection activity. First, they collected and analyzed data about three MP3 players by visiting the Google map I developed and other Web sites. Then, they wrote a group rating report. Second, students selected songs they wanted to download to their MP3 player they chose as their favorite. Third, based on the themes of the songs, they decided on a cultural topic and collected data on their topic. In Tier 3, students developed their own group webpage with the data collected in Tier 2. Finally, they showcased their group project during the oral presentation.



REFERENCES

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Addison Wesley Longman. USA.

Celce-Murcia, M. (2001). Teaching English as a second or foreign language. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.

Debski, R. (2000). Exploring the re-creation of a CALL innovation. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 13(4-5), 307-332.

Lewis, A., & Atzert, S. (2000). Dealing with computer-related anxiety in the project-oriented CALL classroom. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 13(4-5), 377-395.

Toyoda, E. (2000). Arduous but exciting: Web-creation project in Japanese. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 13(4-5), 441-448.

Toyoda, E. (2001). Exercise of learner autonomy in project-oriented CALL. CALL-EJ Online, 2(2). Retrieved March 12, 2010, from http://www.tell.is.ritsumei.ac.jp/callejonline/journal/2-2/toyoda.html

Migyu Kang received a doctoral degree from South Korea in English Linguistics. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate for a second doctoral degree at Iowa State University in Curriculum and Instruction with an Applied Linguistics and Technology minor.