:: Final Blog post ::

1. What were your expectations of technology before starting the class?

I expected that I would produce and edit a video file for teaching a lesson by myself and learn about how to incorporate and apply technology into making lessons. I also expected that I would find, modify and create teaching resources by using technology.

2. What did you get most out of the class?

I have learned very informative and valuable sites for teaching and learning English from vocabulary to writing. Each useful resource from the sites will be very helpful for me to teach and learn English and I think that I may improve my teaching skills through application of them.

3. Out of all of the the technologies/programs we learned about, which ones did you find the most useful?

I think all of them are useful, but if I choose the most useful things from the technologies/programs i learned about, there would be as follows.

- Quizlet (http://quizlet.com) for vocabulary learning,
- University of IOWA's phonetics pages for teaching pronunciation,
- http://breakingnewsenglish.com for lesson plans,
- http://www.manythings.org/e/listening.html  for ESL listening activities,
- http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/short-stories  for kids' storytelling,
- http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/story-starters for developing a story,
- http://socrative.com for assessment,
- http://screencast-o-matic.com for recording a video

4. How will you implement technology into your language learning/teaching?

When I plan and make lessons, I will use and apply them. For example, I will make activities by using resources from the above site. When I teach pronunciation, I will show university of IOWA's phonetics pages to make students understand how to make sounds of target pronunciations. When I have storytelling time for young children, I will use the site of learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org. When I teach writing for beginner, I will use the site of scholastic.com. I will use the site of socrative.com to check students' comprehension. If I practice a flipped classroom or provide them a video file for pre or after lesson at home, I will use screencast-o-matic.com to make my lesson to be a video file.

5. Were the assignments/projects beneficial to you?

Yes, They are very helpful and beneficial to me. I can learn how to apply them in my class and have deep understanding through creating a projects or assignments. If I didn't have opportunities for assignments/projects, I would seem unable to internalize them. They were very valuable experiences for me.

6. How was learning about the flipped classroom?

I think it was a new experience which enlighten me. I had known only a traditional way as a educational method before learning about the flipped classroom. When I saw the flipped classroom of Busan schools, I had a positive perspective, but less confidence in implementing it. However, during making the lesson plan and the video file for it, I could extend knowledge and skills for teaching and learning. I could also be more closer to the flipped classroom through practice of it. But, this way too demands that teachers should prepare lots of works for their lessons. Therefore, during learning about it, I think that teachers who would like to practice the flipped classroom should be supported and compensated by government or education organization. Anyway, learning about the flipped classroom was both a difficult and an interesting experience for me.

7. What are your hopes for the future in relation to educational technology?

I think education technology will be more required for teaching and learning in the future. If teachers apply educational technology with a good way, it will be very useful and helpful for students' learning. I hope that teachers are supported to improve their technology skills by government and educational system, and students and parents have more knowledge about importance of educational technology. By doing this, I hope that educational techology is more developed and established well over the educational environment . As my personal hopes, I will try to use and apply these various kinds of technologies that I have learned from this class for my teaching. Therefore, I expect that I will be able to make my creative lessons and activities by myself through the application of these technologies, not just modifying and editing previous resources.

Busan Schools Flip Korea's Society, Classrooms

1. How did you feel after reading/watching the materials?

I’m very interested in the flipped classroom after reading and watching the materials. I have not heard this type of class before, but I would like to try the new teaching/learning method in my class in the future. I think the flipped classroom is very sensational way to give a big change and improvement in our educational system. However, I also see not only advantages but also disadvantage from the articles and the videos, so it is more important for teachers and schools to establish well this type of methodology by guidance and supporting from the experts in this filed. Even if there are some problems, I hope that this way is settled down well and expanded more and more.

2. What are some of the pros you see with using a flipped classroom?

I think there are many advantages when using a flipped classroom.

First, the best advantage I think is that students who missed their class can get chances to take the lesson again. Moreover, they can rewind the lectures to improve comprehension of the class. Therefore, students who get frustrated with following the difficult lesson are getting fewer, their achievement will be increased.

Second, in the flipped classroom, students are centered in their learning and they can actively participate in the activities in the classroom after watching video lessons at home. Traditionally, when students take a class, they are passive in their learning by conveying information. However, if students view the lectures they are going to learn at home, they can meet familiar contents in their class and it will make students more active in their learning. In addition to this, students learn from each other and more advanced classmate can teach other students, which is seemed to be appropriate level to them.

Third, students feel happier and enjoyable in their school life. In traditional classroom, what students do mostly in the school is to take a lecture from teachers. However, during the class, students interact with their classmate to solve the problems in the activities and they help each other. It also makes students’ confidence strong.

Lastly, teachers can recognize well about students mistakes and errors while they are supporting students’ group activities. In traditional way, teachers usually know what students understand and don’t understand after taking an exam or testing them. However, in the flipped classroom, teachers can focus on students’ errors by observing and guiding students with a minimum of interference, not teaching all contents of a subject during the class.

3. What are some of the cons you see with using a flipped classroom?

I have positive view of a flipped classroom, however I also think that there are some problems.

First, if a flipped classroom becomes successful, students should watch the online lesson at home before the class. However, at first period of implement, most students didn’t follow the principle and they have complaints about a flipped classroom. If they didn’t watch an online lecture, a teacher can’t lead the class and students can’t focus on group activity.

Second, teachers need lots of time and skills to prepare for creating an online lesson. This becomes teachers’ burden and gives them lots of stress. Therefore, some teachers don’t want this way or they may give up implementing a flipped classroom halfway.

Third, if students don’t have a computer and internet connection, they can't participate in a flipped classroom. Some students who are families in low income areas don’t have equal opportunity for learning.

Lastly, some students who are passive or introverted don’t like this type of the class. They may feel annoyed and teachers encounter with difficulty in changing their mind.

4. Have you ever been a student in a flipped classroom?

No, I have never been a student in a flipped classroom. However, I would like to experience a flipped classroom if I have a chance.

5. Would you use the idea of the flipped classroom to teach your students?

Yes, I would. Even if a teacher needs to prepare lots of work to practice the flipped classroom, I'm very interested in it. I belive that the flipped classroom has many advantages and will have positive effects on students learning. Of course, I see some problems and side effects from the material I watched. However, if we try to overcome difficulties, it may have benefits to both teachers and students through the method. On the other hand, from the point of view of a teacher, it requires lots of teachers’ efforts and responsibilities. Therefore, I am not sure that I can implement the flipped classroom without a stop. I like the educational method of the flipped classroom, but I have less confidence in implementing it successfully.

6. How do you think Korean society would react to the flipped classroom becoming standard across Korea?

If a flipped classroom is introduced and implemented in Korea, It may be expected to suffer difficulties and some side effects until the new program becomes successful. Some teachers think that it is very effective way to teach students and try to implement the flipped classroom. However, others don’t want to have lots of things they have to prepare for a class, especially older teachers who are not good at computer skills and changing minds. Parents also need to understand well the concept of the flipped classroom. Most of Korean parents don’t want to have activities even in hagwons(학원). Moreover, some parents will check whether their children watch an online lesson at home or not. This may be stressful to both parents and students. Nevertheless, most people may agree that there are already many problems in education system and Korean education need to have a big change. Therefore, I think there are lots of room for further innovation and improvement through the flipped classroom in Korean society.

My Quizlet Experience

About My Quizlet Experience

1. How easy was it to use quizlet?

It was easy and simple for me to use quizlet. Quizlet is a website focusing on learning vocabulary, so it provides users with easy navigation which is simplified the categories by three sections of Study, Play and Tool and each section supports more detailed functions to being able to apply to learning vocabulary. Especially, when I created my own vocabulary list, I could make simply flashcards by using essential functions to help understanding the meaning of words such as definition, uploading related images, and playing audio and voice recording for terms. So I made my own quizlet set with images and explanation conveniently and the way to creat and use quizlet set was not hard and complicated, even though I am not good at dealing with a software.Therefore, I think quizlet can be relatively easy to understand how to use it for even a beginner user.

2. Did you experiences any challenges in using the software?

Yes, I did. Even though the navigation and functions are easy to use, but I experienced some challenges. One is that when I made a definition of a word, it has not enough contents to be supported by the quizlet. So, I have to find related information and make the definition with my own word. The other is that when I chose pictures related to the definition of a word, I have to choose them in limited options and sometimes there were no pictures related to the meaning of words, so if I try to use other images beyond the option given, I need to pay for it.

3. What level did you decide to make the cards for? Why?

I made the cards for elementary school students, 4th - 5th grade (11 - 12 years old) at beginner to intermediate level, because they may be interested in visual resources and use internet easily. There are various kinds of functions to be attractive for elementary students such as flashcards and games of scatter and gravity. So I think it may be interesting way to study vocabulary for elementary students who feel bored of learning words from a text book.

4. What topic did you choose for your cards? Why?

The topic I choose for the cards is for school life. I think it is very useful and essential for elementary school students to know the words directly related to the environment around them in everyday life. It may be helpful for them to build up the knowledge of words because the topic provides opportunity especially for students to be able to use the words frequently.

5. What did you think about the different functions? (Flashcards, Learn, Speller, Test)

I think the functions have very useful to study vocabulary, especially for understanding the meaning of and  good memory of words. Flashcards give students visual interesting and useful function. Students can guess what a term is and what the meaning of a word by clicking to flip, and also listening them when using the flashcards. Learn is to check if I know exactly the vocabulary terms I studied and  Speller is to practice writing a word listening pronunciation of it. Both function provide the results of what I missed and never missed. So students can focus more on studying words they missed. Therefore students can study vocabulary actively and memorize words easily through the exercises in these functions. Students can use a self-assessment through Test as well.

6. How can you incorporate this software into the classroom?

I think I can use this software to help and support for students' learning vocabulary. Before, in or after class I can use it. For example, I share flashcards with students in quizlet for next class. Students have to study the vocabulary through the flashcards I provide before class. Then students can understand more the lesson by the vocabulary support. In class, I can use the flashcards to do activities or games. After class, I can check how they understand the words or give them homework to practice the words more through Learn and Speller and to check the knowledge of words by themselves through test and games of scatter and gravity. Learning a word is not enough to meet only one or several times, so it should be encountered many times and students should use vocabulary very often in various kinds of contexts. For this reason, I can use this software to give them opportunities for exposure of words and practicing activities in the classroom.

Call assignment : Introduction of myself and Answers for some questions

:: About Me ::

Hello everyone ~

Welcome to my blog ^^

 

I’m Hyeseoun, Jang and studying English education in Hanyang Tesol Program. After finishing the course, I am going to teach children and students English.

My hobby is cooking and favorite food is sushi. My favorite color is purple but I don't like black. The best movie I've ever seen is "Notting Hill". I like positive spirits but hate negative thinking. The famous saying I like is "It ain't over till it's over." by Yogi Berra.

 
My family members are a husband and my daughter. My daughter is so cute and lovely, but sometime she makes me crazy because she is just 4 years old and so egocentric, and always asks me to play with her all day long. 

 

:: Answers for some questions ::

 

What experiences do you have using technology in general? 

My life is full of using technology like ordinary people. I ususally use smartphone, computer, home electronic appliances and transportation. When I get information and interact with people, I use smartphone and computer. When I do housework, I usually use washing machine, vacuum cleaner, oven and so on. When I move to somewhere, I use a car or subway. I can’t imagine how life works without technology.

 

What are some frustrations that you have when using technology?

When technology doesn’t work, our life also doesn’t work well. One day, I threw into my smartphone in the toilet. I had to get it repaired at service center for a half day. At that time, I felt frustrated that my life was boring and I felt stuffy without smartphone just for a while. I'm also frustrated when internet is not connected suddenly while using online banking.

 

How does technology make your life better?

Technology makes my life easier, faster and more interesting. When I want to eat out for special food, I can get famous restaurants from the internet. When I use free lecture through youtube for getting skills and knowledge, I don’t need expensive tuition, specific time, and moving. I can travel for every countury I want to go by the development of transportation like car, subway and airplane.  Because of the development of technology, we can get more information easily and have more abilities than before.

Have you used technology as a learner or teacher?

Yes, I have. As a learner, I used youtube to listen free lecture and DVD to watch English movie and CD or tape player to study listening test. I also used various kinds of software like microsoft word, power point and PDF when I read or write English.
 

When I was teaching, I used talking-pen and uploaded video files through kakaotalk program. Talking pen is very useful for young learners’ learning language for listening stories by native speaker’s voice and recording of children's speaking. I also took videos which were students' speaking or reading in my smartphone and sent it to parents in kakaotalk program as a feedback.

Do you have any fear of using technology?

Yes, I have. Actually, I'm not good at using new technology. It takes me a long time to use new skills proficiently. So, as technology has been developed and new skill comes out, I feel difficult to adapt it. My life already mostly relies on using technology. Therefore, it is terrible for me to imagine that if technology doesn't work or the development of technology is so fast and then I can't catch it, my life may become uncomfortable.
 

What are your hopes for his class?

When I listen about the introduction of this class, I think it is fantastic! If I can produce and edit a video file by myself as a teaching method, not simple using it from youtube, I can handle in situation with unexpected problems of technology and use resources for learning English of my child and students without much cost. So I really hope I learn and use various kinds of techniques for making teaching resources from this class.