Presentation by: Jim Valentine, Director, ALI Tessy Tzoytzoyrakos, Master Lecturer, ALI Eric Roth, Master Lecturer, ALI Jim Cunningham, Program Manager, ALI

1. Reconstructing and Customizing the
American Language Institute (ALI) Program
through Videoblogging and other
Instructional Tools in Blackboard
Jim Valentine, Director, ALI
Tessy Tzoytzoyrakos, Master Lecturer, ALI
Eric Roth, Master Lecturer, ALI
Jim Cunningham, Program Manager, ALI

2. Part 1: Director’s Perspective
University Faculty Adoption and Use of
Instructional Technologies:
A Department Chair’s
(& Educational Anthropologist’s)
Perspective
James (“Jim”) Valentine, Ph.D.
Director
American Language Institute (ALI)

3. Context: ALI & Online Courses
• Foresaw likely expectation for creation of online ESL courses –
HSC students as trial population
• Not funded/ no course releases for faculty with experience
teaching online
• Mandate to create online ESL courses – working with Embanet
• Possible target audiences:
• Matriculated students in summer prior to arrival
• Growing number of off campus master’s programs
• Non-USC students seeking university-level, quality English for
Academic & Professional Purposes courses

4. 5 Adopter Categories (Rogers, 1995)
1) INNOVATORS
2) EARLY ADOPTERS
3) EARLY MAJORITY
4) LATE MAJORITY (alternatively “REFLECTIVE OBSERVERS”)*
5) “LAGGARDS” (alternatively “CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS”)*
*Alternative category titles are taken from Jacobsen (1997).

5. Innovators (INs)
“Innovators are venturers who identify and explore new
frontiers without map or guide. Their interest in new ideas
leads them out of local peer networks” (Jacobsen, 1997,
p. 6).

6. Early Adopters (EAs)
“Early adopters are a more integral part of the local social
system than innovators; localites rather than
cosmopolites. … The EA is considered the ‘individual to
check with’ before using a new idea, and are generally
sought by change agents to serve as local evangelists for
speeding the diffusion process” (Jacobsen, 1997, p. 6).

7. Early Majority (EMs)
“The EM [Early Majority] adopts new ideas just before
50% of the members of a system. … The EMs unique
position between the very early and relatively late to
adopt makes them an important link in the diffusion
process. As one-third the members in a system, they
provide inter-connectedness in the system’s interpersonal
networks. … They may follow with deliberate willingness
in adopting innovations, but seldom do they lead”
(Jacobsen, 1997, p. 7).

8. Late Majority (LMs) or “Reflective Observers”
The LM [or “Reflective Observer”] is a skeptical one-third
of a social system, and adopts new ideas after the
median (i.e. 50th percentile) member of a system.
Adoption may be both an economic necessity and as a
result of increasing network pressure from peers.
Innovations are approached cautiously… and system
norms must definitely favor an innovation before they are
convinced” (Jacobsen, 1997, p. 7).

9. “Laggards” (LGs) or “Conscientious Objectors”
“Laggards (LGs) [or “conscientious objectors”] are the
last in a social system to adopt an innovation. The point
of reference for the LG is the past[;] decisions are often
made in terms of what has been done before…. LGs tend
to be suspicious of innovations and change agents. …
Resistance to innovations on the part of LGs may be
entirely rational from the LGs’ viewpoint, as their
resources and confidence are limited and they must be
sure that a new idea will not fail before they adopt”
(Jacobsen, 1997, p. 7).

10. “Typical” Distribution of Adopter Categories
(Source: Jacobsen, 1997 based on Rogers, 1995)
.

11. Relevance to ALI Context re: Adoption of Online/
Hybrid Courses
As director faced with mandate to create online courses,
• Turned first to the Early Adopters (Tessy & Eric)
• Experienced, risk takers, comfortable with change,
uncertainty; leaders within department
• Familiarity with “core” courses (oral & written)
targeting largest population of students
• Experience, advice, recommendations re: adoption
of Learning Management System (Blackboard)

12. Conclusion (part 1: Director’s Perspective)
• Development of initial, prototype online courses has
greatly informed the ongoing development of hybrid
courses currently used by ALI faculty members.
Because of our online development experience as well
as the fact we are using a shared and widely diffused
platform (Blackboard), it could be argued that we have
surpassed the “critical mass” point of adoption among
ALI faculty in this area.
• However, there is much more to be learned.
• Now on to demonstrations by Tessy & Eric

13. References
Jacobsen, M. (1997). Bridging the Gap between
Early Adopters’ and Mainstream Faculty’s
Use of Instructional Technology.
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED423785
Rogers, E.M. (1995). Diffusion of Innovations
(4th ed.) New York: Free Press.

14. Part 2: Video Blogging and Other Tools
Tessy Tzoytzoyrakos

15. The Flipped Classroom
• Class time is structured for meaningful and
engaging learning experiences.
• Students interact with content and with each other.
• Video lectures are typically the key ingredient in
this pedagogical model.
Q. Students interact with content but what about
student collaboration?
What if you have large classes?

16. Videoblogging on Bb
Enhancing Interaction and Student Participation
What you will need:
• webcam and internal mic
• Youtube account
• Let’s try this! Video Blogging Instructions

17. Why Videoblogging?
• It eliminates the hassle of using external cameras,
tripods, memory cards to record student
presentations.
• It saves time! No need to upload large video files
• It saves even more time! Videos are readily
available. No downloading!
• Bb allows for comments just like a regular blog.
• It saves us storage space.
• It enhances collaboration and communication,
• Students and teachers love this tool!

18. So what’s the catch?
• You need to try before you buy!
• It’s simple to use but it’s also a new tool, so expect
some degree of trial and error.
• Make sure you have good internet connection.
Ask for assistance
• Ask your students to assist you. Give them an easy
assignment and have them try it out.
• Email tzoytzoy@usc.edu with questions.

19. Streamlining Teacher and Peer feedback
Rubrics Tool on Bb
Ready for one more tool?
1. Go to Course Tools FIRST
2. Rubrics
3. Create Rubric
4. Create an Assignment and select your rubric

20. Part 3: Sharing Resources and Creating
Possibilities
Eric Roth

21. Case Study: ALI 245
• Multiple versions in two years
• 3 unit course for high intermediate students
• 1 unit version on campus (ALI 145)
• 2 units online
• 2 unit version (hybrid) on campus
On

22. Deconstructing
• What are essential writing tasks for international
students?
• Which skills cross disciplines?
• How can writing assignments build in flexibility for
a wide range of English language learners?
• How can information be effectively delivered?
• Which online tools seem most intuitive?
• Can we better engage the English language
learners?

23. Reconstructing
ALI 245 includes three core writing projects:
1. The Professional Portfolio : biostatement
job/internship ad
creating a resume
cover letter
2. The Annotated Bibliography: students read, summarize, and
critique several (4-6 articles) on a topic for their final
research paper.
3. The Term Research paper (4-7 pages) including abstract,
annotated bibliography, citation page, and biostatement.

24. Lessons from our Online Program
• Instructions and assignments must be accessible in multiple
places
• Everything needs to be concise and easy to understand
• Checklists can be helpful for online and hybrid courses
• Include Blogs to enhance interaction and communication
• Authentic materials and worksheets can reduce dependency
on textbook
• Rapport can be built and maintained with no physical
contact

25. Rebuilding Hybrid Version
• Organize LMS for easy access to class materials and
assignments
• Include blogs, checklists, rubrics, reduce dependency on
textbook
• Add Toolbox (shared resources) and more articles
• Create and share more online resources across sections

26. Navigating our LMS Template
Creating Stronger Foundation
• Weekly Lessons
• Weekly Assignments
• Projects
• Shared Resources
• American Culture
• Global Perspectives
• Listening and Speaking
• Writing Resources
• Living in Los Angeles
• Choices, not obligations
• Flexible format

27. Part 4: Administrative Issues
Jim Cunningham
ALI Program Manager

28. Blackboard vs. 3rd Party Moodle
Benefits of Blackboard
• SIS Integration
• Courses automatically set up when instructor is
assigned on SIS.
• Students automatically enrolled in Blackboard when
they register on Web Registration.
• Curriculum housed on USC servers.
• Easy transition to use Blackboard for our on-ground
courses.
• On campus support and training.

29. Blackboard System Admin
• Easily copy course templates
• Customize templates
• Manage instructor assignments more effectively