The school start celebrating on the National Day at 9:30 today. Students were very happy and they dressed different cloth related to UAE culture. They brought their little brothers and sisters. Moreover, they song different music related to UAE in the assembly and they were acting. Also, they were buying a traditional food and the school ask women from outside to put Henna for students. However, I didn’t have time to see and attend everything.
I talked with my SST about the suitable topic for my Action Research. From collecting questionnaires , interviews and discussing with miss Maryanne I suggested to my SST to choose Using Blog in English. She liked the topic and agreed to run this project next semester. Now, I’m relaxed because I will start searching journals and articles from library catalog about my topic. This will help me start writing Literature Review that leads to write Need Analysis Report next.
After that, I conducted an interview with miss Natalie about using technology. She saw the importance of technology is adding in students learning, but if the traditional way works better technology is not necessary integrated in the classroom. Moreover, she let teachers use web quests after finishing from each chapter. Actually, she writes web quests by herself for students and sometimes she takes a ready web quests from websites to use it in the class. Finally, I found that she would be interested in running sessions about how to set up class website and blog. Moreover, she preferred using blog outside teaching time.
Subsequently, I interviewed miss Bassma who is an English teacher. I found out that she integrates technology in the classroom because it enhanced her teaching and make the lesson interesting. Moreover, she used web quest once or twice each week for her students. Also, she would like to have training about using new software because it will help her to deliver lesson perfectly.
Finally, I distributed questionnaire for students, waiting , and explaining questions for them. I found out most of them used technology a lot. Also, they have Internet/wireless access at home that will help me next semester. Moreover, they are familiar to use different types of software especially Microsoft Office. Lastly, most of them used e-mail and MSN as communication tool.
Happy National Day and Aid Mubarak for all of you…
Today I met teachers that I will interview them to arrange the suitable time for them. I interviewed miss Hessa and miss Mariam only.
I found both of them used the same technology in the classroom such as multimedia projector, laptop, speaker and Internet. Moreover, they used web quests for their students that surprised me. Furthermore, teachers used the same software for their teaching which are Microsoft Office. However, I found miss Hessa used more software like Voc. factory which create and build vocabulary activity. Also, she used other software that she installed it in her laptop, but she did not remember their name. In addition, both of teachers used email and messenger to communicate with their students at home and they would like to use communication tools in the classroom.
On the other hand, from my interview I noticed both of teachers faced the same problems while using technology. For example, multimedia projector doesn’t work and laptop stuck in the middle of the activities.
Finally, both of teachers attend different sessions in the school and out of the school. They believed training session to use new software is defiantly important for their job.
Tomorrow, I will interview miss Bassma and my SST miss Natalie. I hope that they have time for tomorrow’s interview because they will celebrating for the National Day.
Today, I came early at 7 to check my email , see and replay my classmates posts in Vox. Unfortunately, the Internet connection doesn’t work in all the school. I went to see Science teachers if they are free to distribute my questionnaires and to attend a class with them. However, they were very busy and stress with the exams.
After that, I attended an English lesson with miss Redah. The lesson was in English club. There was multimedia projector and 8 computers for the students to do their work in their free time. Moreover, there were lots of dictionaries and English resources for students to use such as reading and grammar practice. I noticed, a big number of stories for beginning levels in the shelves. Teacher ask students to read one story each week and write a summary about it.
Teacher gave a lesson for grade 12 Art. Teacher connected her laptop with the multimedia to show students 2 pictures. One picture was about a boy who practice his hobbies and the second one was about a blinding boy setting alone. Teacher planned to gave her students activity related to Dictogloss. She divided students to 5 groups and she read the instructions for students twice. First, she read the text and student were listing to her. Second, she read the text and students write down their notes. Third, She gave them A3 papers and she asked them to rewrite the story by their own words. She gave them 15 minutes to recreate story with their group. After that, teacher asked them to put their papers in the board and each group have to check for other groups. Then, teacher read the story again to check if they write the important vocabulary. Next, She went to the board to check their grammar and evaluate each group. Moreover, she asked each group to evaluate others work. At the end of the lesson, teacher asked students to reflect on this story and to tell what they learn from this activity.
An example of recreating story for one of the group.
To reflect on my observation for today, I was very delighted that miss Redah applied what she learned from the workshop that we attended last week. I think by this way she used novel activity for students that will help students to be motivation. I noticed students paid attention with the teacher because it was a new activity for them. Moreover, I believe asking students to reflect on the end of the lesson will let them to talk and express their feeling about the activity and their work. This will help them to practice their speaking before they enter the college and communicate with others easily.
Tomorrow, I will make an interview with 4 teachers because they were busy today in grading students tests. I hope I will finish my interview by tomorrow because they will be busy on Wednesday by celebrating for the national day.
In this special day, there is a national day celebrations. First of all, I would say to you and myself
Happy national day
In this day, I was communicating with my mentor(Mr.Rob) via e-mail. I discussed with him about the action research project. He gave me some ideas and suggestion and I told him my opinion. I believe that, his suggestions are very important because he knows more than what I recognized from the school’s needs in improving learning. also, he knows what are the suitable learning tools that will affect students and teachers learning. Therefore, I always ask him about his opinion. You have to know that discussion and collaboration is very important to get the right thing done.
Me, Maryanne and Rob decided to apply one of the LMS OR CMS in the school.
I did a research about how to write a literature review which will help me in the second semester. I found this pdf which I think it is very useful to guide you for writing a good literature review.
I hope that you find it useful.
I reorganized my data collection tools to help me in writing the need analysis report.
Finally, Me and Mr.Rob decided on the e-learning method that will be applied in the school. He sent for me different links as examples that created by colleges and schools to clarify how this LMS and CMS will benefit the students and teachers. I am so glad that I found this support from my Mentor.
Coming Back. You may not see me write reflection for Wednesday and Thursday. I was in the college, practicing IELTS all the day. I had my exam on Saturday.
Let talk about today.
This my last week in Sharjah English School. Today is Sunday and it was full busy day with thinking, planning and discussion. I reorganized all my collection data tools. This help me to plan my ideas about my action research. I agree with Kyricou that “planning enables you to think clearly and specifically about the type of learning you wish to occur in a particular lesson and to relate the educational objectives to what you know about the pupils and the place of the lesson in the general programme of study” (Kyriacou, 2001, 19).
Actually, I listed all my ideas that I planned to use for the school.
These are my ideas:
1- Learning Management System
- Edu2.0: http://www.edu20.org/
· Upload games and activities that I created
· Register all teachers and students
· Upload many resources
· Set up discussion forum for students and teachers
- Wimba Classroom 6.0: http://www.wimba.com/solutions/higher-education/wimba_classroom_for_higher_education/
2- Educational games and activities using:
- Hot Potatoes
- Study Mate
- Articulate Engage
- Web 2.0 tools
- EdCreate: http://www.edcreate.com/
- Kubbu: http://www.kubbu.com/
Create diifereent kind of activities and games for different lessons in one curriculum.
3- Communication tools
Wimba Collaboration Suite: http://www.wimba.com/solutions/higher-education/wimba_collaboration_suite_for_higher_education/
- Blogs such as: Wordpress, Vox
· Register all the students
· Put instruction
· Students can use to reflect, upload their work and collaborate with their teachers
· Teachers can see students’ reflection and put instructions and comments.
4- Assessment: Create many assessment for different lesson in one curriculum using:
- Articulate Quizmaker
- JobWerx: http://www.jobwerx.com/wq.html
- Multiple Choice Quiz Maker v.2.3.0
- Different software at: http://www.1000files.com/free/quiz.html
- Course Genie
5- Web quests:
- Create 3-4 webquest lessons using DreamWeaver of one curriculum in one website.
- Include different activities and assessments.
- Include images and videos.
- Include resources
Also, I did a research on each idea to find suitable resources.
My monitor was happy to see my ideas. He was more interested on the learning management System tools(LMS). I explained for him each idea and the software and online application that I am going to use. I had a discussion with Miss Maryaane and Mr.Rob. it was an interesting meeting. We discussed the ideas together, I saw that each one say an opinion. I agree with Maryaane when she said that “Creating materials for lesson may not be used by the teachers”. It is really wasting my time and effort. I believe that online learning is more effective and beneficial for students. As the U.S. Department of education stated that “"on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction”. They support their statements with logical reasons which are:
· the blended e-learning often results in additional learning time because students find this kind of education more engaging and useful.
· e-learning provides new instructual elements that are more difficult to use in classroom education (video's, collaboration, ...)
· online education can be more tailored to the needs of individual students
http://www.dokeos.com/en/node/596
Moreover, it can be accessible anytime and anywhere. Students can access at home, club, café or anywhere which helps them to be engaged continuously.
I am planning to use either Moddle or Drupal.
Today, most of teachers were busy with giving exams for their students. First, I planned to attend one of the science classroom, but they had practical test with their students. Then, I planned to attend English lesson, but they were giving exam for their students whole the day.
I went to secretary office to photocopy my questionnaires for teachers. I was waiting for several minutes till I photocopied my papers. After that, I distributed the questionnaire to 10 of English teachers. I received 7 of them and I am waiting for 3.
Tomorrow, I will start to analyze and study my questions after collecting all questionnaires’ papers. Moreover, I will distributed questionnaires for Science teachers. Finally, I plan today with two of English teachers to make an interview with them for tomorrow.
Today I planned to attend a Physics lesson with miss Bassma. She had an exam for two periods. She took my number to let me know about the lesson she will teach after two periods of exam to observe her. she forgot about me and I begun to search for other lessons to observe. However, I was delighted to attend a workshop after waiting for hours without any observation. Each Thursday one of the English teacher make a workshop to benefit others about different activities they can do with their students.
The workshop was about Professional Development Dictogloss Workshop by My SST miss Natalie. The audiences were 7 of English teachers. It was in the English classroom(LRC) where she linked her laptop with the multimedia projector and speaker.
She described a Dictogloss which is type of teaching techniques where the classroom is students centered, build their skills and work as a group to recreate text. After that, she explained the purpose of dictogloss. It encourages students to focus in meaning when listening to the text. Then, she showed us a small video for 45 sec about handicapped. She divided us to two groups of 4 teachers and she read a text once. She asked us to write down notes in the second time of her reading. She gave each group a flip chart paper to recreate the story. She asked 2 groups to proof read and edit the text before presenting. Finally, she explained how this exercise be used to evaluate students?
To reflect on my observation for today, I think it is a great thing to make a weekly workshop to develop teachers skills. I believe the workshop that I attended will help teacher a lot. First, students will recognize the key word and meaning. Also, they will practice their listening and speaking skills. In addition, students will work cooperatively and share the information with others. Lastly, the exercise will help to extend proof reading and editing skills.
Today I attended a Chemistry lesson taught by miss Sheikha for grade 10. The lesson was in the laboratory where they have a practical lesson.
The lab was designed very well for teacher and students need. It was provided by different measurement tools for each group, chemicals equipment, lab coats for each student and different posters about safety procedures to use equipments.
The lesson was about Measurements Accuracy. Teacher explained about measurement tools. She showed them the smallest number and the biggest number in some tools to help them in solving equations. Before they begin, she paid their attention about the safety procedures in using tools. After that, she asked them to wear their lab coat. Teacher let them to work individual to make experiment. She walked around the classroom to monitor students and gave them support. Subsequently, she solve equations related to the experiment with her students. Finally, She allowed them to work as a group to solve other equations.
To reflect on my observation for today, I think the lesson was very interesting because students can apply what they learn. This will make them motivate it to learn and it will help them to realize using different measurement tools. Moreover, I believe, giving hints and support in solving problems help students to be confident.
I did surveys, interviews and conversations with students and teachers in Sharjah English School.
From my surveys and interviews I think of developing something that helps students to collaborate and communicate with their teachers and students formally. As I noticed that the school has no communication tools used for educational purpose. Therefore, I believe that the students need to communicate with their teachers and colleagues while they are at home. In addition, from the surveys I noticed that almost the students have competent skills in using communication tools such as facebook, Wiki, Chat rooms. This will help me a lot to think in one of the LMS that has several features such as discussion forum, online lessons, file storage and others.
In addition, I noticed that in the primary section most of the teachers use resources that provided with curriculum and I saw some of them are not attractive and beneficial. I thought to develop lessons including different games, activities and quizzes that I can created in different programs such as: Hot Potatoes, Course genie, Study mate, Articulate quiz maker and others.
In addition, I saw that most teachers and students has no idea about web2.0 tools. Therefore, I planned to search and find some web2.0 tools that may help the students in their studying.
These are some ideas that I am thinking about.
What do you think about my ideas?
Can you share me some ideas that you think it will work in the school?
While am going to meet the Science teacher I paid attention to history building in the school. It was very attractive with lots of historical equipments. I liked the seating arrangement and I was surprised to see the multimedia projector there.
After that, I attended a lesson with miss Thuraya who is a Biology teacher. The classroom was provided by multimedia projector and overhead projector. It was decorated little by some posters at the back of the classroom.
All her lessons for today were reviewed the answers in the book and doing a practical lessons. At the last period she gave a lesson about Aerobic Respiration for grade 11 Science. First she reviewed the last lesson with the students about Cellular Respiration. Then, she gave them some equations on the board. Subsequently, teacher used overhead projector to show Krebs Cycle diagram on the board and she explained it step by step. After that, she let them to work individually to find ATP equation of Glycoysis in human body. Finally, she demonstrated two transparency about different equations.
To reflect on my observation for today, I think teacher doesn’t use novel and creative materials for students. Students need materials that attract them to make them motivate it. However, she used a lot the overhead projector in the classroom to stop students be busy with the book and to let them think about equations.
My Groups
-
Higher Colleges of Technology Updated: 2 days ago
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
