Reflections on Week 7

Part One

This is our seventh week in the Webskills course. This week, the main focus of the assignments is on three related topics: namely, learner autonomy, the one computer classroom, and the use of mobile phones in language learning. In what follows I am going to reflect on these three topics and what I could do in my class to encourage greater autonomy in my students.

Learner Autonomy

I have read the assigned readings about learner autonomy. To give an exact definition or meaning of “learner autonomy” is not an easy task. Learner autonomy like poetry has become elusive. The term means different things to different people, depending on what angle one wants to view it from.

Researchers have coined “learner autonomy” and its sisters such as “ learner independence” , “Self access learning” and many more. In what follows I am going to reflect on how I practice and encourage my students to do activities that achieve this purpose. As a habit I divide my students into at least 3-6 groups depending on the size of the class. Working in groups students feel more secure and help each other to learn and solve the mastery of the activities. They develop their own intellectual and emotional aspects. They have to critically think, contribute to the group and evaluate what the other members of the group are saying, they ask questions and collectively they prepare a presentation to the other groups. In the long run, group work develops students’ independence. The students may find such technique difficult at the beginning, but as the time passes, they get used to it and become more motivated and confident. They in fact learn how to learn and become responsible about their own learning. They learn how to respect each other’s opinion and how to learn from one another. While the students are working in groups helping each other, I try only to check and help only if they ask for help. My role is as that of an advisor. I believe that doing activities in groups helps them to become autonomous and they learn English better than being on their own. I also encourage my students to do Jigsaw activities which indeed promote being autonomous and work in groups to solve the mastery of the Jigsaw problem. I also use games that encourage students to compete against each other in groups. In order to help them understand the task they perform in groups I usually ask a group to present a model or explain the task in front of the class to make sure that everyone understands the task. I help when necessary. In my class the only teaching aid available is the non interactive white board, but I use games and journal pictures to promote working in groups. I also divide my students into groups and get them work together and prepare a 20-30 minutes presentation in the semester. They share and search together and they learn from each other more than they learn from me.

The One Computer Classroom

I have read the article entitled: “Strategies and Applications for the One Computer Classroom”. It presents a list of ideas with a US school focus, but in fact most of the ideas are relevant to any setting. Most of the ideas presented by the author are practical. The article is very relevant to my teaching setting where I have only my laptop. Therefore, I am going to reflect on the uses of my computer (laptop) inside and outside my classroom. I use it as an administrative tool. I keep the students’ names and their attendance. I also use it to record their grades in my courses and keep the files for future reference. When my students ask me to write them recommendation letters, I refer to such files which help me comment on the student’s performance in my courses. I also use my computer to make my exams and store them. I also use it as a teaching tool. I use it to prepare my games, handouts, puzzles, lesson plans, letters and many materials that I use in the classroom. I also use the one computer as a research tool. I write my research work and publications using my laptop. I also use SPSS to analyze the data that I collect for my research studies . I use it to keep the files that I download from the internet. In other words, it functions as my desk and my personal library. When I teach very small classes (10 students or less), we gather in class around it and I use it to show Power Point presentations. My students also use their own laptops in their presentations to remind them with the steps of the presentation. I taught in some universities that had Data Shaw Projectors in the classrooms. Whenever there exists a Data Shaw Projector, I use it to show my students Power Point presentations that I have in my laptop. In short, I use my laptop as an effective tool that helps me plan and prepare my lessons. It influences my classes directly and indirectly.

Mobile Assisted Language Learning

I also read the article entitled: “Going to the MALL: Mobile Assisted Language Learning”. It reports some of the studies that were conducted to study whether or not mobile phones were useful learning tools. Most of the results of such studies concluded that mobile phones are very effective tools for language learning. Right now, I am going to reflect on the uses of mobile phones for educational purposes in my own setting. All students have their mobile sets, but they are mainly used for voice and SMS communication. Many of them have digital dictionaries and they use their mobiles to look for the meaning of new words or synonyms. Some students use their mobiles to play some listening activities in class when they do their Micro Teaching. Honestly speaking I have never ever tried to use my mobile for teaching purposes. After reading the initiatives of using mobile phones in the field of education, I started thinking of how to make use of this wide spread device in my teaching. I have started a brain storming activity to think of ways of incorporating this fascinating tool into my teaching.

To be Continued