We arrived on the half way of our ten week long e journey. I have gathered a lot of useful
tools. I am ready to implement what we learned on the first
half. Next week is time to put theory in to practice. Our actions speak louder
than our words.
This week, I got opportunity
to redefine teaching learning in the light of projects
based learning. Project based learning takes the students to tackle real world
problems in their own way. It promotes learners autonomy and enhance
communication skills and collaboration skills which they need in their
professional. I was always taught with traditional chalk and talk methods. I
followed the same traditional methods. Now I am ready to make some change taking
some insight from Project Based Learning. I hope to orient my students towards
the use of modern technology in their learning. Maybe we can teach without using
modern technology for another ten years in Nepal. But by the time my present
students become teachers, they will have to become proficient at using
technology.
Assessment system is
traditional in higher education of Nepal. Students are evaluated with three/four
hours pencil and paper based examination by exam board and students have to
wait another ten month to get exam result. I never knew how I was evaluated and
what we were expected to perform during exam. I learned alternative assessment
tool rubric. It describes the
expectations to achieve certain grade. It makes evaluation transparent. Teachers
use it to award grade and learner to compare and improve their project works. I
created my own rubric to assess my student’s biographical essay. Rubistar is
user friendly sites with many templates to customize and create rubric.
Another important web recourse I came across is WebQuest. It
is web inquire based extended lesson plan. It is carefully planned learning
activity on Internet using web recourse. It minimizes the students searching time
because all the resources that students need to work on are listed the
webquest. It specifies the tasks, process, resources and evaluation process of project.
I created a sample WebQuest on Zunal.com for my bachelor students. It is simple one. I will see its practicality.
I decided the model and tools for my course project. I need
to work further to make my project
manageable. I am waiting course instructor suggestion to proceed.
This week was fruitful for both of us. I also like the transparency of the Rubistar alternative assessment. It will make students life less stressful on one side but will put more responsibility on their shoulders.
ReplyDeleteThe Webquests are also great tool to support individual work of students as you mentioned. I have prepared one myself and will keep on preparing more.
The very best of luck to you in your teaching.
Matej
Dear Matej
DeleteWe must make our student realize autonomy means more responsibilities.Otherwise they have to pay a lot for their autonomy.
Respectfully,
Krishna
Dear Krishna,
DeleteI liked the manner you stressed upon PBL as a way of redefining ourselves as teachers; not to mention the saying that you used here, on your blog, "actions speak louder than words" which is so very applicable to teaching in particular.
I also loved the way you summarised all we need to know about projects and the benefits of using them: PBL= "real world problems"+learner's autonomy+communication skills+ collaboration
In terms of rubrics, I also found Rubistar very practical and easy to work with. It's so nice to find such a help sometimes. Therefore, thank you Courtney for opening our eyes in this sense!
What Matej has said with regards to Rubistar alternative assessment and Webquests seems very true and I agree that these tools help us, teachers, a lot. It's MINIMAX actually: minimizing our part and maximizing our students' role!!
Dear Krishan,
ReplyDeleteNamaste!
We learned very improtant skills and techniques about using technology in the EFL/ESL classroom. you put very nicely the
existing situation of Nepali examination system i.e. based on three hours writing. Apart from this, some university has started some modified examination system i.e. Kathmandu University. However, it is not sufficient.
I am agree with you that PBL is really good method or technique to teach students.Likewise, Web quests is good for creating lesson which can motivate our student and teachers.
Thanking you.
With Kinds,
Mukti
Dear Mukti
ReplyDeleteIt takes sometimes to move a head.It's almost impossible to change old mindset overnight. How difficult is it to apply CT methods in your class? If we don't get institutional support,PBL will be more challenging for us?
But we must try so that people will see the difference.
Thank you
Krishna
Dear Krishna,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post on your blog. You have very nicely summed up the important elements of week 5. Yes, I also have found this week very fruitful and full of exciting activities. I particularly liked the Project Based Learning ideas and resources. This week we not only learned about the theoretical or methodological aspects of but also tried it when we created our own WEBQUESTs using http://www.zunal.com. That additional task has given us some hands on practice as well as a chance to earn some bonus scores. Moreover, the ideas gathered on alternative assessments are also time befitting and again we had some hands-on practice opportunities as we have been asked to create rubrics using the RUBISTAR tool.
I am familiar with the kind of concern that you have about traditional teaching and assessment system in the South Asian countries. Bangladesh is not an exception to this. But what I believe is we can march forward with at least some of the useful ideas given in week 5 and try them in our classes. I know, there will be bottlenecks, threats and resistance from students and colleagues....but we have to prove that there are better ways of teaching and assessing our learners than what we have been doing for ages.
Thanks for your nice post once again. Hope to read your future posts in the coming weeks.
Haider
Bangladesh
Dear Haider
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing your ideas. Academic work requires collaboration. We don't have the culture of collaboration as much as we need. It takes time to set the system.
We have started our journey .Let's see how far we reach.I am not much familiar with teaching situation in Bangladesh. But I learned their problem in writing form presentation of some people in 16th NELTA conference.
Regards
Krishna