Week-7 Reflections…!!!

Greetings..!!!

The week-7 also has been quite insightful and enriching due to the tasks and the readings.

1. The very first task was on readings on Learner Autonomy and how to promote it. This has been informative and insightful as the articles have been very useful in understanding and clarifying the various aspects of promoting learner autonomy among the students. The discussion could help me take a pause and ponder over the issues discussed on Learner Autonomy. I could analyze my teaching from various angles and reading others’ ideas have been quite insightful and enriching.

2. The second task was on sharing One-computer Lesson plan. This was also interesting to think and share the plan. This has been the case with me most of the time that one computer is available for me in the class. So, through this I could see the possibility of incorporating the optimum use of it. Reading the shared plans by others was quite enriching. I realized that this is the case with many of my other friends as well. It was amazing to see the pool of ideas that have been shared by other friends.

3. The third task was on describing the implementation of our project. This week, the students searched for the stories related to the theme of the story discussed and made a powerpoint presentation on it in groups. They could get the various types of stories and some of them could share it with the class. Now, my students are working on their own to prepare a newsletter in groups on what they have done and they may add some of their stories as well. I could see the level of involvement and excitement on the part of them while preparing the powerpoint presentations. 

4. The fourth task was to get one of our friends as the Peer Reviewer. This was a bit challenging for me as initially I did not find it alright to ask or invite somebody for the same. Then, I posted a request and waited for somebody to reply. Today, to my surprise, I got now two persons who have responded so I think we can work as a group of three, if it is alright with the other two friends. It was a new type of experience for me.

The interaction with the friends has, indeed, been quite enriching and useful. Hope the same for all.

Thanks.

Mohini

Project Task_Implementation_2

Hello,

1. This week, the students searched for the stories related to the theme of the story discussed and made a powerpoint presentation on it in groups. They could get the various types of stories and some of them could share it with the class.

2. Now, my students are working on their own to prepare a newsletter in groups on what they have done and they may add some of their stories as well.

3. I could see the level of involvement and excitement on the part of them while preparing the powerpoint presentations. I think they found it interesting and enriching to work like this. In the next step, they are going to share their newsletters to the whole class and it will be followed by the discussion and the feedback.

Thanks.

Mohini

Week-6 Reflections…!!!

Greetings..!!!

The week-6 also has been quite insightful and enriching due to the tasks and the readings.

1. The very first task was on readings on how to make interactive powerpoint presentations. This was done through the variety of links available that, in fact, could make me realize the actual potential of powerpoint as the technological tool. This has been informative and insightful as the articles have been very useful in understanding and clarifying the various aspects of using powerpoint presentation. Even, the tips given have been quite helpful. The discussion on engaging our students by interactive powerpoint presentations through a variety of tools that we already use and the tools that we are likely to use, could help me take a pause and ponder over the issues discussed. I could analyze what I do and what I can still do to make my teaching more interactive.

2. Another task was on creating an interactive powerpoint presentation. This, in a way was, for applying the theory into practice. That is, we got quite a lot of information on how to make an interactive powerpoint presentation and then it was time to apply the learnt knowledge. At first, I found it quite challenging because we were asked to include more interactivity tools. But once I started with it, I found it quite interesting and easy to do so. I chose to insert video and it was also a bit challenging as it took time to insert a video due to some technological requirements.

3. Another task was on describing the implementation of our project. I have started with the implementation of my project and I have discussed the story – ‘A Lesson in Life from a Beggar’ with my students followed by the discussions on it. That is, they read the story and discussed it in detail. It was done through the powerpoint presentation and the video on the importance of positivity in Life. Now, my students are working on their own to find out other stories related to the theme of this story and busy in making a presentation on it. I think that they found it interesting to work like this and they are quite involved in completing the project tasks.

The interaction with the friends has, indeed, been quite enriching and useful. Hope the same for all.

Thanks.

Mohini

Project Task_Implementation

Hello,

1. I have started with the implementation of my project and I have discussed the story – ‘A Lesson in Life from a Beggar’ with my students followed by the discussions on it. That is, they read the story and discussed it in detail. It was done through the powerpoint presentation and the video on the importance of positivity in Life.

2. Now, my students are working on their own to find out other stories related to the theme of this story and busy in making a presentation on it.

3. I could see the level of involvement on the part of them in the discussion and in the follow-up task. I think they found it interesting to work like this. In the next step, they are going to share their presentations to the whole class and it will be followed by the discussion and the feedback.

Thanks.

Mohini

Week-5 Reflections...!!!

Greetings..!!!

The week-5 also has been quite insightful and enriching due to the tasks and the readings.

1. The very first task was on reading alternative assessment and using rubrics for PBL. This has been informative and insightful as the articles have been very useful in understanding and clarifying the concept of alternative assessment. The discussion on using all these for our students could make us think keeping our teaching context in mind. This would help us in finalizing our projects well.

2. Another task was on creating the rubric on rubistar. At first, I could not create the rubric and asked for guidelines, but I could not get any help then I tried again step by step and I could create the rubric. I created a sample rubric for my students keeping their reading task in mind. Creating this rubric seems to be challenging, as we are supposed to describe the descriptors for each category in detail. Hence, I could not create from scratch so I used the guidelines given and created from there.

I would like to create one independently for my other project task.

3. Another task was on describing the technology change that we see in our classroom. Through this, I could analyse what my students are able to do, what they can do and what they will be able to do. Even, I could understand various tools that can be useful in doing so.

4. I liked the idea for extra credit. It is a good incentive for the participants to be more active. In a way, it helps to browse through the various tools and understand their proper uses. I could create the sample webquest for my students and I was very happy to see its implications. I have not used it earlier. I think this can become an important tool for interaction as well as for guided assignments.

5. I appreciate that one of our friends wanted to have an extra platform to discuss and it had been created. I hope this would help us learn better through interaction, if used properly.

Overall, this week I found myself busier with the tasks and the assignments.

The interaction with the friends has, indeed, been quite enriching and useful. Hope the same for all.

Thanks.

Week-4_Reflections

Greetings..!!!

The week-4 also has been quite insightful and enriching due to the tasks and the readings.

1. The very first task was on reading various articles on Reading/Writing/Vocabulary Skills and be familiar with the technology-enhanced lesson plans. I think reading these articles has been an insightful experience. Moreover, the suggested links that were given are just wonderful. Some of them I came to know for the first time like - http://fog.ccsf.edu/~lfried/  . I am sure that I can adapt certain activities for my classes and, in fact, ask my students to visit these and solve the exercises, quizzes and puzzles.  

2. Another task was on Designing a technology-enhanced lesson plan. This has been also interesting but a bit challenging. We were asked to plan based on the template given and share our views on how we will integrate technology into our teaching. Sharing from each other has been quite useful to all of us.

This task made me think what I can do for my class and I could also understand what others plan to do for their classes. Sometimes, the teaching contexts are similar or quite different, so the discussion provides a wide spectrum of ideas to be considered.

3. The third task was of sharing the Class Issue as part of the project task. While thinking on these lines, it was challenging for me to prioritize the issue and to express the most related issue. Because, when generally, we are asked about the issues, we have a long list to share. But, here it was only one and that too such issue which can be taken up as a project. But, after a while, I could write one of my major challenges of managing the heterogeneous class.

Overall, this week has given us a mental exercise. So, I think that would help us for the weeks to come.

The interaction with the friends has, indeed, been quite enriching and useful. Hope the same for all.

Thanks.
Mohini