Teaching with Technology

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Teaching with Technology

Crossing borders: issues in music technology education

March 30th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Jennifer

This article explores the differences and effectiveness of two music technology courses at the UK Open University (OK OU).  The two courses are TA225 The Technology of Music, and its newest and expanded version, TA212. 

The reasoning behind the expansion was the need for more cross-disciplinary content, which included three additional components:  background knowledge; music knowledge; and, technology.  Both the development and use of technologies for musical applications require different levels of expertise, and knowledge of core topics traditionally located across disciplinary boundaries.  Thus, the necessary additions were made to facilitate more expansive knowledge sets related to music technology.  As a result, TA212 (the expanded version) included professors from across different disciplines: science, electronics and engineering, ICTs, manufacturing technology, music, and physics. 

The original course devised a three-part block structure.  The first covered the basics (acoustics, psychoacoustics and music theory); the second examined musical instruments (including voice and electronic instruments), and the third covered sound recording and processing (desktop sound processing and MIDI).  The expanded course developed a five-part block structure.  The first block expands on the ‘Music Primer’, a program that students will use through the course; blocks 2-4 are similar to the TA225 structure which introduces the basics of music notation and theory in block one, musical instruments in block two and sound and recording processing in block three; and, the final block expands on work carried out throughout the course, providing further exploration of the course software in preparation for the final project.   

The expanded course also provides a multitude of support for students.  This support system is referred to as a Supported Open Learning (SOL) framework, which includes face-to-face tutorials, asynchronous online support, course-wide conferences using the University’s system, and peer-tutoring.  Additionally, students have the opportunity to engage in online conferencing through ‘Café’ an informal chat; a ‘Course Discussion’ and ‘Course Assessment’ for self-help among students.  Finally, students have access to a number of resources disclosed on a password-protected website, which includes a ‘news’ area containing information on the latest technological developments and important announcements. 

Course assessment also changed as a part of the expansion.  For TA225, the course assessment was assignment-based, comprised of four short, question-based assignments, and a final exam.  The design of the exam was similar to that of in-text activities based on the teaching text and associated with specific learning outcomes.  The TA212 exam was replaced with a final project, and a series of tutor-marked assignments and small projects. 

Based on student feedback, administrative review and professor assessment, the TA212 proved to be more of a successful course.  The main reasons were related to the differentiation between the block structure, which in the TA212 included more introductory and preparatory components to assist students in the mathematical components of the acoustical work and musical knowledge, as well as the addition of the final project for application of learned material throughout the course.  The other comment referred to the amount of support in the TA212 course, which allowed students to connect and work together through their challenges related to course material and final projects.  The support of the online resources also proved beneficial for encourage more advanced students to pursue more challenging projects. 

These types of courses prove challenging because of the diversity of disciplines within the classroom.  The expanded courses addresses these challenges by creating a more inclusive knowledge basic and support system to assist less advanced students and challenge more advanced students. 

Ferreira, G. (2007).  Crossing borders:  issues in music technology education.  Journal of Music,

          Technology, and Education(1)1, 23-35.  doi: 10.1386/jmte.1.1.23/1

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From Pac-man to Pop Music: Interactive Audio in Games and New Media

March 29th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Ted

Teddy’s CTCH603 Reading Log 03.29.2010

For class session 03.31.2010

 

From Pac-man to Pop Music: Interactive Audio in Games and New Media

(Ashgate’s Popular and Folk Music Series)

This book review should be read by all as an introduction to the genesis of the “Popular Musicology” field. I was totally fascinated by the in-depth insight concerning the real-time application of music to new media. This review is highly informative of the ties between the comparatively new gaming industry and the well established music industry. According to the article, gaming is presented in this book as a new vehicle for marketing music and music to market gaming units. Consumers have access to hand-held devices, console equipment and computerized online gaming environments. As we can see, format for gaming is not an issue. Music is employed in order for games to appeal to certain consumer groups.

Next the book addresses the issues regarding why mobile phone gaming has not kept up with console-based gaming. Also, it discusses the growth of the ringtone industry and the use of “adaptive music”. Adaptive music is a musical product as a result of either interaction with the user or as a context sensitive product that evolves based on the moment by moment evolution of the game. This innovative apparatus like many other technical inventions holds the attention of gamers as they are participants for hours at a time. I can only imagine the girth of musical exposure one receives during such an experience.

Following this initial event, participants are provided real-time interaction through the learning of music composition and improvisation techniques. Afterwards, students investigate the use of dynamics and dynamic processing. Dynamics deal with the levels at which one records an event, while dynamic processing involves the selected methodological means or device to record those levels. Some persons prefer to use compressors, limiters and gates. On the other hand, others desire to use tools of the digital domain such as plug-ins having noise reduction software, reverb, de-essers and noise eliminators. This part of the book ends after a brief discussion of grandular synthesis and a section called “Audio and audience” that addresses the sociological, psychological and soci-pyschological effects that gaming has on the gamer!

The book moves on to discuss the rationale behind the conception of Ashgate’s Popular and Folk Music Series. According to the author it is based on three key factors:

  1. A need has risen.
  2. The emergence of cross-overs (mixed and new genres)
  3. To engage in debates and offer critiques of musical practice as the product of free & individual expression.

Gaming of the past is just that! No longer are we unable to not hear and participate interactively due to the absence advanced technological memory or power. Our need for more ram and everything imaginable has been met beyond our comprehension. The new day of Popular Musicology has arrived and is quickly closing the gap that once kept music of importance anchored outside of prior centuries. Our technical resources have greatly expanded and the sky is the limit as to what we can create. There is a need for a new genesis of a new discipline that draws from the disparate disciplines and meta-disciplines. Gaming and music are the seeds of “Popular Musicology”!

Retrieved from “Journal of Music: Technology and Education” http://web.ebscohost.com.mutex.gmu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=104&sid=c4d2b28a-f34c-45e5-b659-a0f67929d18c%40sessionmgr114

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Using Multimedia with Blackboard for Graduate Courses in Teacher Education

March 29th, 2010 · 2 Comments · Uncategorized

“Using Multimedia with Blackboard for Graduate Courses in Teacher Education” by Muhammad K. Betz is an interesting article that argues that the use of multimedia benefits the distant learner. Professor Betz has based his arguments on a body of research on the effects of multimedia on education by Mayer R., a well known researcher, and some of his colleagues who have written and argued that “verbal explanations alone in instructional situations is less conducive to learning …. than … verbal explanations in conjunction with multimedia”
In this article, Professor Betz presents his review of the literature on the effects of multimedia in assisting the learning process in the distant learning environment. He further adds that since some research has indicated that face-to-face education is better rated than distance learning, educators involved in distance learning are required to research for ways to ”improve the quality of online courses” and to make distant learning more effective.
The use of Multimedia in online courses was not presented as a novelty but rather as a solution to a problem so as “to improve an existing practice”. This approach will allow teachers to find solutions that will provide the distant learners the optimal learning experience.
The introduction of multimedia modules in distant learning courses is burdensome because it requires additional layers of effort and production that further overloads the instructor. If these efforts are not done correctly, they may overload the students cognitive abilities. Nonetheless, if these efforts are properly designed and executed, research has presented strong evidence that multimedia helps learning of online students.
The article presents literature and experiments about the “two cognitive principles” related to multimedia and the way it enhances learning. These two principles are:
• “contiguity principle…states that the effectiveness of multimedia instruction increases when words and pictures are presented contiguously in time or space”
• “modality principle relates to the premise that auditory presentation results in higher recall than visual presentation”
The concept of meaningful learning that requires “deep processing” of information when combined with the use of multimedia may risk the possibility of “cognitive load” which is the overload that may result from the needed dual mental processing of verbal/auditory and visual/pictorial materials. Professor Betz has presented nine techniques to use so as to manage the needed dual processing of the input information without the risk of the feared mental overload. These nine techniques as presented in the article are:
1. Off-loading: or balancing input between the two channels;
2. Segmenting: or placing time segments between content segments;
3. Pretraining: or preinstructing students on content;
4. Weeding: or removing extraneous content;
5. Signaling: or placing coding clues into content;
6. Aligning: or optimally placing text and graphics;
7. Eliminating redundancy: or avoiding identical spoken and written content;
8. Synchronizing: or presenting related graphics and narration simultaneously;
9. Individualizing: or prescreening individual learners for required cognitive skills.
The use of multimedia such as Microsoft PowerPoint with the addition of a voice and/or video clips to the slides have shown to be effective in providing additional explanation to distant learning students who had struggled to understand text instruction materials that were presented alone. These findings were documented through the result of a survey of the students that have participated in the research. The results of the survey indicated that the use of Microsoft PowerPoint, with or without the integrated voice or video, has improved the students’ learning in the online course that was used to examine the effectiveness of multimedia use in distant learning instruction.

Hanan

Betz, M. (2005). Using multimedia with blackboard for graduate courses in teacher education: International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning , 2( 6), Retrieved from http://itdl.org/Journal/Jun_05/article05.htm doi: 1550-6908.

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Distance Ed is fine for lecture-based classes – but not for those with labs, right?

March 29th, 2010 · 2 Comments · Jonathan

Faculty have varying levels of reactions to the idea of teaching their courses using distance learning technology. The generic response seems to be that distance education might work for other courses, but not for the courses taught by the professor engaged in the discussion. While it is usually possible to resolve questions about classes involving traditional lectures with occasional questions, one consistent concern has been about classes that involve physical laboratory experiments.

This question is addressed by Abel-Salam, Kauffman, and Crossman, who conducted a study of student learning outcomes in a fluid mechanics class offered both on campus and via distance learning. Approximately 1,000 students’ performance were analyzed with about one third of the students taking the course via traditional on campus delivery and the other two thirds taking the course via distance learning.  Students were expected to complete eight experiments during the semester and are graded on areas such as accuracy of results, organization, and understanding of the material.

Students in class performed the experiments in groups while students attending on line watched extremely detailed videos of the experiment being conducted by the professor. The professor covered the same material as would be covered in a live lab, including detailed explanations of questions that are normally asked in a live environment. For the most part, the students have the same experience as working in a live group in which one student does the work and everyone else takes notes, asks questions, and calculates results. The students were expected to complete the same lab reports regardless of the setting.

The results of the study, based on questions about the experiments and procedure asked during the final examinations, showed no significant difference between students in either setting.  Students were graded in the final on questions on technical proficiency, report writing procedures, and data analysis. Course grades were correlated to final grades for both groups, again with no significant variations. Thus, the objections of faculty to the use of distance learning technology in courses with a laboratory component may be overcome. In addition, as technology improves, new methods for these courses may be developed

Abdel-Salam, T. M., Kauffmann, P. J., & Crossman, G. R. (2007). Are Distance Laboratories Effective Tools for Technology Education? American Journal of Distance Education, 21(2), 77. doi:10.1080/08923640701299041

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A Case Study of Wikis’ Effects on Online Transactional Interactions (KBA #5)

March 29th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Gil

The first article in this sixth volume of JOLT, A Case Study of Wikis’ Effects on Online Transactional Interactions applies the learning theories of M.G. Moore concerning transactional distance (less is better) and learner autonomy (more is better) to the use of wikis in an online learning course. This brief article is painstakingly documented and includes over two pages of sources. The survey instruments are exquisitely described, as are the dynamics of Moore’s learning theories. This excerpt gives a sense of the discussion:

In order to achieve desired learning outcomes, both the learner and the instructor should decrease
the transactional distance via the instructor and the learner initiating and participating in dialogs (D) in the
forms of interaction, the instructor developing and the learner following the structure of the course content
and delivery (S), and the instructor enabling and the learner exercising autonomy (A). The theory
suggests that high levels of dialog (D+) can decrease the transactional distance (TD-). A low level of
dialogue (D-), on the other hand, might impede the learning process by increasing the transactional
distance (TD+)(Benson & Samarawickrema, 2009; Moore, 1997).

I must say this made for some difficult reading at times, so much so that I looked up Moore’s own description of this concept summarized here:

The first attempt in English to define distance education and to articulate a theory appeared in 1972. Later this was
called the theory of transactional distance. What was stated in that first theory is that ‘distance education is not
simply a geographic separation of learners and teachers, but, more importantly, is a pedagogical concept. It is a
concept describing the universe of teacher-learner relationships that exist when learners and instructors are separated
by space and/ or by time. This universe of relationships can be ordered into a typology that is shaped around the
most elementary constructs of the field – namely, the structure of instructional programmes, the interaction between
learners and teachers, and the nature and degree of self-directedness of the learner.

Moore’s explanation of these concepts makes much more sense to me. The research question in this article is whether the use of wikis increases learner-to-learner or learner-to-instructor interactions, either of which are deemed to reduce transactional distance and so contribute to the learners’ realization of learning outcomes (via learner-content interaction that is not a research question in this particular study).

The author notes that most work concerning Moore’s theories predates the collaborative tools afforded by web 2.0.

The graduate course used in this study was very much like our own CTCH603, concerning teaching with technology. In that course, rather than blogging about journal articles, students were required to collaboratively compose syntheses of their readings using a wiki. With apologies for this lengthy citation, it nevertheless presents the meat of this study:

In terms of writing, reviewing, and editing contents on the wiki
pages, participants tended to report them in the beginning of the course. This suggested that later in the
course either the writing and reviewing processes were internalized thus participants did not explicitly
describe them in the reflective survey, or learners did not always review, revise, and rewrite in wikis. The
latter could be a potential drawback of using “semi-open” wikis in educational settings. Since semi-open
wikis, constrained by the concern of students’ privacy, are not accessible to everyone on the Internet,
students are not motivated in constantly contributing and revising the wiki document (Lawler, 2008).
Another possible explanation might be because learners feel fatigued because they think that writing on
PBworks is an endless process. If they have to turn in a hard copy of the reading synthesis or respond to
an online discussion thread, that often signifies the end of the assignment. On the wiki, however, because
participants can go back to change the content of the page anytime, they might not perceive a tangible
ending point of the assignment. As a result they could lose the momentum to continue their writing,
reviewing, and editing processes at the end of the course period. Instructors therefore need to devise
process guidelines to encourage students’ regular participation in developing the wiki document.

The author goes on to further caution against negatively impacting learner autonomy.

Gil’s Assessment

I find myself craving the unfettered prose of Richard Mitchell, deceased author of The Underground Grammarian and frequent critic of “eduspeak”. One of the lessons I have taken from CTCH603 is that (learner) engagement with the technology tools supporting instruction, i.e., with content, consistently ignites the interest of everyone in the class. My sense from this article is that, as with the Second Life business course I’ve written about previously, in this case the technology itself (this time, wikis) was not sufficiently transparent to the learning process to fulfill its full potential as an instructional tool; consequently much of the reported outcomes have more to to do with initial adjustments to a new technology than to the pedagogical efficacy of the tool itself. Perhaps as we better learn these tools we shall transform as learners, and as educators.

Source: Wen-Hao David Huang, “A Case Study of Wikis Effects on Online Transactional Interactions,” MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Vol. 6, No. 1 (March 2010): 1-14.

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Using the Internet to Enhance Music Teacher Education

March 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Kim, Uncategorized

New technologies offer exciting possibilities for transforming music education curricula. Often, music education classes tend to employ a traditionalist, teacher-centered triad of lecture, reading, and discussion. Music educators in higher education argue that current computer technology can make music teacher education more practical by employing student-centered “constructivist” pedagogy with readily accessible resources and multiple alternate sources of information. The article I chose to read this week is about enhancing music teacher education using the internet and it is to report how a technology-assisted, constructivist approach enhanced graduate courses in the history and philosophy of music education offered by two geographically distanced universities.

Pedagogical strategies advocated by constructivists appear to share a common core of distinctive characteristics. Such characteristics may include student-centered construction of understanding, integration of prior knowledge and experiences, reflective practice, a project or activity approach, and often cooperative or collaborative learning. The authors started a project based on this constructivist pedagogy approach to investigate the outcomes of music education students’ e-learning experiences.

The Project: An Overview

Students enrolled in graduate classes in the history and philosophy of music education at two universities collaborated in learning projects via Internet-based technologies. The goal of the collaboration was to provide students with additional experiences and insights not typically afforded by the traditional graduate music education classroom. The students had an electronic discussion forum on various musical topics and the instructors did not directly participate in these discussions. As time went on, students were more fully engaged in discussion and contributed extra work beside their course requirements.

Project Assessment

Overall, the students were positive regarding many aspects of the collaboration. They liked the asynchronous nature of the on-line activities. They felt that the Web site development project was worth-while. They felt that the dialog with the students at other university broadened their course experience, and they expressed interest in taking other courses that used Internet-based technologies as part of the instructional process.

Students were relatively neutral toward other parts of the experience. They did not necessarily think that the on-line responses of their colleagues had any more depth or focus than if they had been given in a traditional class discussion. In addition, students generally expressed neutral opinions with respect to comfort levels in communicating with their instructor and other students electronically.

Students disagreed with one statement on the questionnaire. Overall, they indicated that they would not like to take a course that was conducted entirely over the Internet. While the students had stated a desire for courses that included Internet-based technologies as part of the instructional process, they appeared to value aspects of the traditional classroom as well. It may be that the Internet can be most effectively used with some students as an additional method of learning, enhancing, and supplementing traditional classroom activities.

The authors state that as the Internet becomes ubiquitous, music educators need to explore possibilities for utilizing this resource to help students learn. The Internet allows music teacher educators to expand their horizon of students beyond a single classroom, breaking down traditional time and distance constraints. The best way for students to gain appropriate technological skills is for them to experience and use technology, not under a separate agenda, but as part of their own knowledge construction. And it is teacher’s responsibility to guide students to technologically equipped musician/teacher.

William I. Bauer and James F. Daugherty (2001), Using the internet to enhance music teacher education.

Journal of Music Teacher Education 2001;11;27

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Measuring Oral Proficiency in Distance, Face-to-Face, and Blended Classrooms

March 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Valerie

Article #5

Many language teachers are still skeptical about whether or not a blended language learning class  (hybrid) or , or a completely distance-learning language class, can provide second language learners with the oral skills they need to achieve linguistic proficiency.  This article examines a case study involving both a hybrid and distance-learning first-year language course.  The curriculum of the target language involved different types of instructional material, which included CD-ROM/DVD programs, online content-based web pages, and chat.  These materials were evaluated based on how well they assisted the language teacher with the course.  The results from both classroom tests, which was “delivered by phone and automatically graded” (Blake 114), addressed the issue of oral proficiency.   This article offers some perspective on the pros and cons of  language courses with a hybrid or distance-learning formats, how they help language learners advance in proficiency of their target language

Most language teachers use some form of technology to assist them in teaching their classes.  However, some language teachers believe distance-learning courses, as mentioned earlier, do not provide enough oral language skills to language learners.  And “perhaps others secretly worry that these new distance-learning classes might displace them”(Blake 114).   Nonetheless, the reason for implementing distance-learning or hybrid course formats was because both type courses offered reduced face-to-face contact and these “virtual courses appealed to people who work full-time and, therefore, need flexible access to instruction.  These type course also “meet student demands for less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) such as Arabic, Punjabi, or Farsi” (Blake 115).  However, the question remains can these courses compete with traditional second language classes that meet several times during the week, when it come to oral proficiency.  

Previous research studies conducted in the distance-learning fields showed great promise  Yet, none of “studies assessed the effects that the distance-learning format itself had on the fostering of oral proficieny, especially since language educator’s emphasis is on communicative competency” (Blake 115).   The results of these studies were not informative because the researches lost control over several variable and unable to compare the distance-learning and traditional classroom outcomes. 

In conclusion, I do not believe that hybrid and distance-learning classes would be beneficial for ESL students, but have great potential for LCTLs.  Second language acquisition take effort and determination on the learners part.  “A distance-learning course is only one piece of the equation, but for LCTLs it offers ‘access to introductory instructions when local classroom do fit into their schedules.  Having sound pedagogical instruction that provides the student with communicative practice, so they will be communicatively competent in the real world is the key to language proficiency.

Blake, Robert. “Measuring Oral Proficiency in Distance, Face-to-Face, and Blended Classrooms”. Language Learning & Technology. October 2008, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp 114-127.  http://llt.msu.edu/vol12num3/blakeetal/

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Mobile Language Learning

March 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Susan

Blog 7

They are everywhere and their numbers are growing. They are changing nations by changing the lives of their people. They provide access to economic opportunity even in some of the most remote places on the globe. And they are being mined for their educational possibilities as well. Mobile phones have dramatically expanded their reach and capabilities. In recent years, their prospects in the education arena are being explored. Chen et al’s, Effects of short-term memory and content representation type on mobile language learning examines ways to maximize mobile phone’s educational effectiveness as a language learning delivery system. 

 

If an upside of mobile learning is the availability of phones, the downsides include limitations due to small screen size and the fact that researchers have shown “that some learners cannot effectively use mobile devices for their learning (p. 93)” and there is agreement “that mobile devices such as PDA’s and mobile phones serve only as an extension for learning; they do not replace existing learning tools”. While the limits of mobile phones, as a learning delivery system, are being debated, they are a means of providing learners with access to education. 

 

To capitalize on mobile phone availability and to maximize some of their educational potential, the authors studied the effects that written and pictorial annotations displayed on mobile phone screens have on different types of learners.  These annotations serve to summarize the meaning of vocabulary words though pictures and written descriptions. The study considered past research regarding visual and verbal learners, people who respond well to processing and then retaining, in long term memory, information that has been provided in visual and verbal formats. Research in this study aimed to determine how well different combinations of visual and verbal annotations were received and retained by people various types of learning abilities, i.e., people with: higher visual learning abilities, higher verbal learning abilities, lower visual learning abilities, lower verbal learning abilities and all possible combinations. Also, examined was participants’ reception to the visual and verbal annotations. These results were correlated with each participant’s visual and verbal learning abilities.

 

These correlations revealed that “providing learning content with pictorial annotations can help learners with lower verbal and higher visual abilities” (p.106). The same was true of written annotations for learners with lower visual and higher verbal abilities. Learners with high abilities in both areas benefitted from both annotations. To some degree learners with a combination of learning abilities high in one area and low in another were helped by both annotations. However, learners with lower visual and verbal abilities “do not benefit from learning content containing both written and pictorial annotation” (p. 104) and  “more annotation causes a higher cognitive load … and prevents those learners from learning” (p. 105). Additionally, this cohort found the information provided to be irritating.

 

These findings are very interesting. They lead to further questions regarding possible customization of design features for mobile and other learning systems; such as a toggle feature that enables unwanted and potentially overwhelming inputs to be turned off.  But the most important find is that mobile phones, a resource that much of the world has access to, helped users to learn new vocabulary words. The possibility for mobile phones to benefit learners in other language learning applications and in other fields is promising. Even if the extent of their role as an educational delivery system is still being debated, mobile phones can provide access to education for busy professionals and for people in parts of the world who would not be able to have access otherwise.

 

 

Chen, N., et al (October 2008). Effects of short-term memory and content representation type on mobile language learning. Language Learning & Technology, (12) 3, p. 93-113. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/vol12num3/chenetal.pdf

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An e-learning course tackles narrowing cultural differences in academic writing

March 28th, 2010 · No Comments · Susan, Uncategorized

Blog 6

Learning a language is more than learning vocabulary and grammatical rules; it includes learning the cultural nuances that texture a language’s use. Xing et als’ article, Raising the students’ awareness of cross-cultural contrastive rhetoric in English writing via an e-learning course examines five basic differences between Chinese  and English academic writing and labels these differences contrastive rhetorical features. The article describes how Chinese postgraduate students (studying English as a foreign language (EFL) in China took an e-learning course and “closed the gap” (p. 83) between several of these contrastive rhetorical features.

An objective of the course was to make students aware of the five contrastive rhetorical differences that had been determined to encapsulate the major differences between Chinese and English academic writing. These differences were:  placement of the thesis statement; the use of discourse markers to provide transitions between paragraphs and between ideas; use of metaphors; the number of paragraphs and topic changes. Essentially, the Chinese writers wrote in a circular style that does not directly address the main topic. Native English writers quickly identify the main idea and write in a linear style that directly explores the main idea. This distinction is important because, “from the point of view of the teacher … overseas students may have a logical orientation, but it may be perceived to be illogical to a reader anticipating a different culturally-constrained demonstration of logic” (p. 71).

To “facilitate students’ academic writing in the target language” (p. 76) the e-course utilized “synchronous chat room facilities, including the occasional use of Web video cameras, and asynchronous e-mail and bulletin boards”. This framework allowed for collaboration between and among students, teachers and tutors.  Graphs, charts and essays written by the native English speaking instructors were posted for the students to review. Additionally, these materials were to elicit students’ questions and comments to which the instructors and other students responded. Similarly, students posted their writing and received comments from their cohorts, teachers and tutors.

The collaborative aspects the e-course afforded was well-received by the students and considered a key element to the program’s success by the instructors. “The communication between Chinese students and English native speakers allowed students to observe, compare and analyse parallel materials from their respective cultures. They could exchange viewpoints in a reciprocal way and gain an ever-deepening understanding of the other culture, thereby expanding their cross-cultural analysis” (p.78).

The English students who took the e-course were “successful in learning about defined aspects of English writing, reaching a level of performance that equaled that of native English speakers” (p.71). Their results were much better than those from a control group of English students that did not take the e-course.  Although, these students do not appear to have received any overt instruction in contrastive rhetorical features making it impossible to compare the two groups on the basis of instructional delivery methods, i.e., online versus offline.  That said, I think e-courses offer great opportunities for collaborative work, like the peer and instructional review work that was deemed such an important component by the students and the instructors. Because of class time restrictions, an offline class would be unlikely to afford the degree collaboration that is possible in an online class. From my experiences as an English as a second language teacher and as a cohort of international graduate students I have seen a hunger by international students to understand and master the cultural aspects of English writing. After all, they are being evaluated and rewarded by teachers and potential employers that are often native English speakers. E-learning courses can offer a powerful forum for language learners to develop an important awareness of contrastive rhetorical features along with the ability to address those differences through a more easily appreciated style of writing. 

 

Xing, M. ,et al (June 2008). Raising the students’ awareness of cross-cultural contrastive rhetoric in English writing via an e-learning course, Language Learning & Technology, (12) 2, 71-93. Retrieved from http://llt.msu.edu/vol12num2/xingetal.pdf

 

 

 

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CwBraun (Journal 4) GIS Pedagogy, Web-Based Learning and Student Achievement

March 25th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Chris

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This was an interesting article that evaluated the impacts of web-based learning (WBL) versus traditional lecture in preparing students to learn a new application used extensively in the classroom. The application of course is Geographic Information System (GIS) and the authors built self paced interactive learning modules (ILM) which replaced common lectures to prepare students for upcoming computer laboratory activities. The results showed an increase in grade-point averages for all computer lab work, but little change in overall course grades at the end of the semester.
The authors found that GIS education is well suited for WBL due to the fact that the computer itself is central to the effective use of GIS and in demonstrating concepts effectively. Even though the material that was traditionally taught on GIS theory was transferred over to web-based learning modules, the original timeslot for the class itself was preserved and used to focus on student problem areas and lab-related issues. The WBL gave the students time to view the lectures at their pace and as often as required and then the additional classroom period provided them an opportunity to re-enforce what was presented online.
An interesting quote from the article stated “Despite the mercurial rise in the use of computers and WBL, little research has focused on the ways these innovations enhance GIS learning compared with traditional approaches used previously to teach comparable material.” We recently discussed this issue in our 603 class reflecting that the use of technology in the classroom is often seen as having no research to back it up. Most research to date is centered on the cost or time saving ability that technology brings to the instructor and classroom, or its role in providing benefits in distance learning scenarios. Results are often centered on student and instructor attitudes towards WBL rather than to the actual learning increase or decrease, and to the problems of inter-student / instructor communications or the lack thereof.
In this particular exercise, the University of Arizona Geography 416 class on GIS Theory had been taught for over 10 years with little change to course instructional content or exercises besides small modifications to reflect student feedback, software and hardware changes. There was a lot of data available to use as research material in order to compare and contrast any changes realized with the introduction of WBL. With the availability of grant monies, the school created GISWeb which became an evolving data source and repository for GIS information accessible through the internet. The original Geography 416 instructional material consisting of overhead slides, power-point and lecture notes was organized and converted into interactive learning modules (ILM) using HTML. Using internet technology to its fullest, the school then added additional explanations based on past student classroom questions/answer periods as well as web links, additional graphics and finally examples of real world GIS applications. All this additional information was available to each of the students online and allowed them to target GIS instruction or applications that were of interest. As mentioned, classroom time was still maintained; however it was now more focused and directed towards how the online information was connected to what was expected both in the classroom and in the computer lab.
Although there was no statistically significant change in overall student performance using WBL over the traditional lecture method, there was a modest change in grades for the lab work completed in the GIS course. And, of course lab work in GIS is a large portion of what is expected in GIS based instruction. Interactive learning modules allowed the instructor to conserve lecture timeslots in the classroom for ensuring that critical concepts were realized, lab work was understood by all students and for coverage of GIS applications. Students surveyed responded positively to the ILM method of instruction specifically the self-paced nature of the information presented and the ability to go over repeatedly items that may have been otherwise difficult to grasp in a classroom lecture setting.
Cited Work:
Clark, Andrew M., Monk, Janice and Yool, Stephen R. (2007) “GIS Pedagogy, Web-based Learning and Student Achievement”, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31: 2, 225-239.

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