This is our presentation from the IATEFL / ZHAW Conference, 30th June 2018, discussing how we located different e-tools into an collaborative essay assignment.
EAP practitioner attitudes to collaborative assignments (BALEAP Conference, 2...Peter Levrai
This presentation introduced preliminary findings into practitioner attitudes to collaborative assignments and discussed some of the tensions and opportunities.
This describes a framework for scaffolding students through the group essay writing process and provides an overview of student perceptions of the process.
A definition for student collaboration in EAP: Implications for practicePeter Levrai
Student collaborative assignments are becoming more common across Higher Education and also feature in a large number of EAP programmes. However, there is a significant gap between researcher and practitioner conceptions of the term (Bolster & Levrai, in press). At the BALEAP 2019 conference in Leeds, we attempted to close the gap and proposed a definition for a collaborative assignment in EAP, drawing on both research and practitioner perspectives; “A collaborative assignment is one where learners work together and make equitable contributions to develop an indivisible artefact for which they share responsibility and ownership. During the development of the artefact, learners may work synchronously or asynchronously, face-to-face or online, but there is interdependence between group members, drawing on all their strengths.” (Bolster & Levrai, 2019).
Having a clear definition of a term allows investigation into best practice and this talk goes on to discuss the implications for practice in terms of assignment design, delivery, and assessment. We will discuss the practicalities of designing and implementing a collaborative assignment. We will also look at how a practitioner can navigate what can be a problematic process and move from being a "guide on the side" (Rummel and Deiglmayr, 2018) to make the most of an innovative approach.
Sustainable development goals for a sustainable eap course baleap 2017Peter Levrai
This is our BALEAP 2017 presentation about using backward design to develop an EGAP course based around the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, nominated for a BC ELTons award
Substance Over Style; Meaningful Academic Oral PresentationsPeter Levrai
This presentation outlined the importance of oral presentations in an EAP course, with particular focus on moving beyond developing technical presentation skills to tasks which promote academically sound presentations.
Oral Presentation Tasks: Making use of the Trojan horsePeter Levrai
This presentation looked at the benefits of using oral presentation tasks and what the expectations should be of academically sound presentations. It then discussed different activities and strategies that could be used to exploit presentation tasks to their fullest.
EAP practitioner attitudes to collaborative assignments (BALEAP Conference, 2...Peter Levrai
This presentation introduced preliminary findings into practitioner attitudes to collaborative assignments and discussed some of the tensions and opportunities.
This describes a framework for scaffolding students through the group essay writing process and provides an overview of student perceptions of the process.
A definition for student collaboration in EAP: Implications for practicePeter Levrai
Student collaborative assignments are becoming more common across Higher Education and also feature in a large number of EAP programmes. However, there is a significant gap between researcher and practitioner conceptions of the term (Bolster & Levrai, in press). At the BALEAP 2019 conference in Leeds, we attempted to close the gap and proposed a definition for a collaborative assignment in EAP, drawing on both research and practitioner perspectives; “A collaborative assignment is one where learners work together and make equitable contributions to develop an indivisible artefact for which they share responsibility and ownership. During the development of the artefact, learners may work synchronously or asynchronously, face-to-face or online, but there is interdependence between group members, drawing on all their strengths.” (Bolster & Levrai, 2019).
Having a clear definition of a term allows investigation into best practice and this talk goes on to discuss the implications for practice in terms of assignment design, delivery, and assessment. We will discuss the practicalities of designing and implementing a collaborative assignment. We will also look at how a practitioner can navigate what can be a problematic process and move from being a "guide on the side" (Rummel and Deiglmayr, 2018) to make the most of an innovative approach.
Sustainable development goals for a sustainable eap course baleap 2017Peter Levrai
This is our BALEAP 2017 presentation about using backward design to develop an EGAP course based around the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, nominated for a BC ELTons award
Substance Over Style; Meaningful Academic Oral PresentationsPeter Levrai
This presentation outlined the importance of oral presentations in an EAP course, with particular focus on moving beyond developing technical presentation skills to tasks which promote academically sound presentations.
Oral Presentation Tasks: Making use of the Trojan horsePeter Levrai
This presentation looked at the benefits of using oral presentation tasks and what the expectations should be of academically sound presentations. It then discussed different activities and strategies that could be used to exploit presentation tasks to their fullest.
Building Sustainability into an EAP CoursePeter Levrai
This is the PPT for our BC webinar on 17th November 2017 for our ELTons award winning course for university students based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, Develop EAP. You can view the full webinar and PPT with hyperlinks here https://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/continuing-professional-development/cpd-materials-writers/building-sustainability-eap-course
This is a presentation analysing the use of a mixed panel to assess end of semester presentations by electrical and electronic engineering students, describing the advantages of a mixed panel for engaging students more thoroughly and adding necessary authenticity to the presentation task
Assessment is a critical part of teaching and learning so it is important to help students engage with it and see the wider benefits (Boud, Elton, Shohamy). The Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) at the University of Leeds redesigned its model of assessment for modules at CEBFR B1-B2: this was partly in response to the need for ‘less assessment done better’ but also to design the assessment in such a way that it enables students to evidence their linguistic skills and intercultural awareness and the academic skills developed on a credit-bearing language module. We introduced a group speaking task in Semester 1. By encouraging students to use digital media for the assessment, they can add a link to the task to their CV and their digital profile, thus evidencing their skills and abilities for a prospective employer. This presentation demonstrates the outcomes of the new model of assessment and how it underlines to students the added value of taking a language module in enhancing their employability.
The growing recognition within current educational literature that student engagement and motivation are essential to successful learning (Coates, 2006; Zepke and Leach, 2010) supports a student-centred approach to Teaching and Learning. Cognitive and more particularly constructivist views of student learning suggest that learners’ active and independent/ interdependent involvement in their own learning increases motivation to learn (Raya and Lamb, 2008; Hoidn and Kärkkäinen, 2014) and develops their autonomy (Benson, 2011). Furthermore, the ability to influence one’s own learning has been associated with improved academic performance (Andrade and Valtcheva, 2009; Ramsden, 2003). The shift to a more student-centred curriculum and the need to align assessment with Learning and Teaching practices (Biggs, 2003) has prompted the development of new approaches to assessment in all sectors of education, including higher education. Assessment for and as learning approaches recognise the role of assessment as a vehicle for learning as well as a means of measuring achievement (Gardner, 2012; Nicol and MacFarlane-Dick, 2006). The active use of assessment in learning necessitates engagement both within and outside the classroom.
This paper will examine the use of assessment for and as learning as a means of fostering learner engagement both in and out of the classroom, based on the qualitative analysis of undergraduate students' learning logs as well as peer individual and group feedback. It will conclude with a consideration of the assessment design principles associated with this approach, and its contribution to the development of learner autonomy and engagement.
Technology is in all walks of our lives and young people are often defined as the web-generation. It has now become a challenge to embed technology into the modern teaching and learning of foreign language classrooms and harness students’ enthusiasm in ICT.
Research has indicated that technology benefits those who use it as a pedagogical vehicle of productive tasks. (Michael Evans, 2009)
My project embraces this challenge and enhances students’ learning by using digital tools to develop student independence. It encourages them to become creators of their own learning by setting out their own website to present a topic of their choice related to a cultural aspect of Italy. They need to research and present the topic using the project guidelines. They are encouraged to engage with all four language skills to communicate and are invited to share their work with others to benefit from feedback and learn from each other.
This task based project allows students to cover a number of topics specifically tailored to their ability and interest. Moreover, it works well alongside the aims and the learning outcomes of the module. The “real life” situation, proposed in the project, motivates students to use the language for a purpose and promotes other skills such as: team work, peer learning, time management, organisation and digital communication. These skills bode well for the students as they are the basic requirements that employers look for when recruiting.
The scope of the project has a multicultural and multidisciplinary application. It can be adopted and adapted by any subject area and be considered as an alternative interactive form of assessment which by its nature would be important to the student employability.
Among the many challenges of language teaching in Higher Education there are the constraints imposed by the Framework of Qualifications for Higher Education (FQHE). This requires that students – regardless of their linguistic abilities - use higher order cognitive skills and learn independently. With limited contact hours available in an IWLP setting there is a great tension between delivery and practice.
How can this tension be eased? Can beginner students use higher order cognitive skills in the language classroom? As we develop transferrable skills is there still room left for creativity?
This presentation will explore such questions by analysing the principles of the flipped classroom (Bergmann & Sams, 2012; Lockwood, 2014) and Enquiry Based Learning (Kahn&O’Rourke, 2004) and how they have been applied to a beginner Italian module. It will examine the challenges in introducing aspects of these methodologies including how students react when invited to be increasingly responsible for their own learning and how the relationship with the teacher is affected. The use of some online resources and collaborative spaces will also be considered.
Building Sustainability into an EAP CoursePeter Levrai
This is the PPT for our BC webinar on 17th November 2017 for our ELTons award winning course for university students based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, Develop EAP. You can view the full webinar and PPT with hyperlinks here https://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/continuing-professional-development/cpd-materials-writers/building-sustainability-eap-course
This is a presentation analysing the use of a mixed panel to assess end of semester presentations by electrical and electronic engineering students, describing the advantages of a mixed panel for engaging students more thoroughly and adding necessary authenticity to the presentation task
Assessment is a critical part of teaching and learning so it is important to help students engage with it and see the wider benefits (Boud, Elton, Shohamy). The Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) at the University of Leeds redesigned its model of assessment for modules at CEBFR B1-B2: this was partly in response to the need for ‘less assessment done better’ but also to design the assessment in such a way that it enables students to evidence their linguistic skills and intercultural awareness and the academic skills developed on a credit-bearing language module. We introduced a group speaking task in Semester 1. By encouraging students to use digital media for the assessment, they can add a link to the task to their CV and their digital profile, thus evidencing their skills and abilities for a prospective employer. This presentation demonstrates the outcomes of the new model of assessment and how it underlines to students the added value of taking a language module in enhancing their employability.
The growing recognition within current educational literature that student engagement and motivation are essential to successful learning (Coates, 2006; Zepke and Leach, 2010) supports a student-centred approach to Teaching and Learning. Cognitive and more particularly constructivist views of student learning suggest that learners’ active and independent/ interdependent involvement in their own learning increases motivation to learn (Raya and Lamb, 2008; Hoidn and Kärkkäinen, 2014) and develops their autonomy (Benson, 2011). Furthermore, the ability to influence one’s own learning has been associated with improved academic performance (Andrade and Valtcheva, 2009; Ramsden, 2003). The shift to a more student-centred curriculum and the need to align assessment with Learning and Teaching practices (Biggs, 2003) has prompted the development of new approaches to assessment in all sectors of education, including higher education. Assessment for and as learning approaches recognise the role of assessment as a vehicle for learning as well as a means of measuring achievement (Gardner, 2012; Nicol and MacFarlane-Dick, 2006). The active use of assessment in learning necessitates engagement both within and outside the classroom.
This paper will examine the use of assessment for and as learning as a means of fostering learner engagement both in and out of the classroom, based on the qualitative analysis of undergraduate students' learning logs as well as peer individual and group feedback. It will conclude with a consideration of the assessment design principles associated with this approach, and its contribution to the development of learner autonomy and engagement.
Technology is in all walks of our lives and young people are often defined as the web-generation. It has now become a challenge to embed technology into the modern teaching and learning of foreign language classrooms and harness students’ enthusiasm in ICT.
Research has indicated that technology benefits those who use it as a pedagogical vehicle of productive tasks. (Michael Evans, 2009)
My project embraces this challenge and enhances students’ learning by using digital tools to develop student independence. It encourages them to become creators of their own learning by setting out their own website to present a topic of their choice related to a cultural aspect of Italy. They need to research and present the topic using the project guidelines. They are encouraged to engage with all four language skills to communicate and are invited to share their work with others to benefit from feedback and learn from each other.
This task based project allows students to cover a number of topics specifically tailored to their ability and interest. Moreover, it works well alongside the aims and the learning outcomes of the module. The “real life” situation, proposed in the project, motivates students to use the language for a purpose and promotes other skills such as: team work, peer learning, time management, organisation and digital communication. These skills bode well for the students as they are the basic requirements that employers look for when recruiting.
The scope of the project has a multicultural and multidisciplinary application. It can be adopted and adapted by any subject area and be considered as an alternative interactive form of assessment which by its nature would be important to the student employability.
Among the many challenges of language teaching in Higher Education there are the constraints imposed by the Framework of Qualifications for Higher Education (FQHE). This requires that students – regardless of their linguistic abilities - use higher order cognitive skills and learn independently. With limited contact hours available in an IWLP setting there is a great tension between delivery and practice.
How can this tension be eased? Can beginner students use higher order cognitive skills in the language classroom? As we develop transferrable skills is there still room left for creativity?
This presentation will explore such questions by analysing the principles of the flipped classroom (Bergmann & Sams, 2012; Lockwood, 2014) and Enquiry Based Learning (Kahn&O’Rourke, 2004) and how they have been applied to a beginner Italian module. It will examine the challenges in introducing aspects of these methodologies including how students react when invited to be increasingly responsible for their own learning and how the relationship with the teacher is affected. The use of some online resources and collaborative spaces will also be considered.
Creating a space for student collaboration.ppsxPeter Levrai
This is the PPT for the presentation we gave at the Language Centre Days in Vaasa, Finland, discussing the importance and need for teacher development regarding student collaboration and practical ways in which we can start off a student collaboration.
Recent researchers continuously stress on the importance of writing instruction in language learning. Therefore, there is an immense need to have an appropriate instrument to measure the writing instruction and the instrument has to be fully tested for validity. Therefore, we developed and validated an instrument using Rasch Measurement Model to assess two prominent approaches (product approach versus process approach) used in writing instruction contemporarily. We tested the instrument by computing its infit, outfit, item reliability, item separation, item difficulty and item discrimination. The results demonstrated that the instrument showed adequate estimates of reliability in assessing both the approaches used by teachers in ESL classrooms. The raw variance result showed that the accuracy of the items of product approach (85.7%) and process approach (63.7%) were excellent and good. The values of item reliability and item separation for product approach were 0.98 and 6.33, while process approach showed the item reliability and separation values of 0.65 and 1.37 respectively. The results showed that product approach is being dominantly practised that did not enhance students’ writing skills in the long run. To address this issue, we propose a new framework for writing instruction as a guide to ESL teachers.
Teaching Language Skill: Speaking and WritingUNY Pasca PBI-B
presented by : Musfera NV and Awaliawati W. in RBL class.
source: McDonough, J., Shaw,C., & Masuhara ,H.,
(2013) .Materials and methods in ELT. John
Wiley&Son.
Nurturing curiosity and inquiry within the curriculum through the use of tech...RichardM_Walker
How may we engage students in inquiry-led and problem-based learning through the use of technology? In this presentation we will consider how active learning principles can be applied to the design of blended learning courses, with digital tools employed to support active learning opportunities for our students. Through a presentation of case examples from the University of York (United Kingdom), we will consider how blended activities can encourage participants to engage in creative learning and problem-solving. An engagement model for active learning, derived from the case examples, is presented as a stimulus for a broader discussion on effective design approaches to support student-led inquiry and problem-solving activities.
Collaborative learning-Workshop presentation to college Development Scotland ...Nkurunziza Janvier
In a range of presentations and workshops practitioners currently involved in research shared their research results and recommendations for policy and practice.
Workshop sessions included:
Transition from college to university through the development of higher order learning skills
Research Implications- Collaborative Learning in a wiki
Breakthroughs in Education; Make Building Stones Out of Stumbling Blocks
Teaching generation Y in FE: challenges and misconceptions
Education not credentialisation: let's all go read a book
Teacher Agency and Education Policy Change
For more information e.g. programme, presenters,etc, go to http://events.collegedevelopmentnetwork.ac.uk/events/show/4876
What Does Effective Writing Instruction Look Like? Practices of Exemplary Wr...TDWolsey
Abstract
Recent research indicates that pre-service teachers receive insufficient instruction in the teaching of writing (Graham, et al., 2014). A study of 50 U.S. teachers in preparation found that only about 25% had a writing-intensive methods course in their program (Myers, et al., 2016). Using constructivist grounded theory, researchers investigated the modes and methods of 18 teacher educators across the U.S., the content of writing methods courses, how they structured learning experiences for new teachers, and the theoretical and practical models of writing that were employed.Data were gathered through collection of course syllabi and interviews with writing faculty. Data were analyzed through open coding for themes. The research team triangulated the data for reliability and did member checks to refine the themes. Findings showed that exemplary writing instructors viewed writing as a tool of power for social justice. They sought to develop teacher candidates who saw themselves as writers by employing a process writing approach across a variety of genres, taught in writing methods classes. The implications and the applications to k-12 classrooms will be discussed in the session.
Using ePortfolios for Integrated LearningMahara Hui
Presentation at Mahara Hui 2017 by Diani Gedera, Stephen Bright and Anthea Fester (University of Waikato) in Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 April 2017.
YouTube presentation link can be found here: https://youtu.be/vZPj2opolmU
Reflections on making an EAP course more sustainable - language learning mate...Peter Levrai
This is a presentation delivered at the 2023 Language Centre Days in Finland. It reflects on the influences that guided me to sustainable teaching materials.
A sustainable course in action - English for Multidisciplinary Teams.pptxPeter Levrai
This is a PPT from a presentation from the Language Centre Days conference in 2023. This introduces an EAP course developed in University of Turku to engage students from different faculties with issues connected to sustainability and develop their collaborative skills.
Key takeaways from fast forwarding to the future.pptxPeter Levrai
This is a PPT from a presentation from the Language Centre Days conference in 2023 which reviews the key take-aways from a book chapter we wrote for how we can shock-proof our teaching to deal with unexpected events.
That thing we don't talk about - Facilitating and assessing student collabora...Peter Levrai
This was the Community Open Session we delivered at the 2023 BALEAP conference in Warwick University, sharing some emergent concepts from our research into collaborative assessments.
"Be the change you want to see" Bolster & Levrai - BALEAP Sustainability PIM ...Peter Levrai
When we talk about sustainability in EAP, we need to consider not only how we can raise related issues with students but also how EAP practitioners, as a
professional community, can implement sustainable practices. This can impact the kinds of materials we develop, and what we do with them once they exist, to
ensure we move away from single use/single class materials. Materials should be flexible, adaptable and multipurpose. In this talk we reflect on our experience
of developing and releasing an award-winning EAP course we believe achieves that.
Develop EAP: A Sustainable Academic Skills Course was designed in 2016 with flexibility in mind. It is based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), a rich resource which can be revisited with different cohorts of students, and which can engage them emotionally, intellectually and academically. The
design and flexibility of the course contribute to its sustainability as it is easy to update so the content retains currency.
Once we had developed the course for one EAP English Medium Education setting in Asia, we recognised its potential utility in other teaching contexts. Rather
than pursuing commercial publication, we elected to make the course available for free download in 2018. Sharing materials electronically with fellow EAP
practitioners is not only environmentally friendly, but also socially just in a world where educational resources are unequally distributed.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
Looking Behind the Curtain: using technology to facilitate & assess group essay writing in EAP
1. Looking Behind The Curtain:
Using Technology To
Facilitate & Assess Group
Essay Writing in EAP
Peter Levrai and Averil Bolster
ESP SIG / ZHAW Conference
June 2018
2. Overview
● Collaboration, as a 21st Century Skill, is increasingly prevalent in
Higher Education (Scotland, 2014).
● We have a shared interest in collaborative writing & collaborative
assessments in English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Particularly
● Today’s talk is focused on the location of different e-tools in the
collaborative writing process.
Teacher attitude
to, and facilitation
of, collaboration
Assessment of
collaboration
3. Overview
● The framework to support
collaboration is taken from
● A blended EGAP course
available for free download from
https://developeap.weebly.com/
● The framework is explained in a
forthcoming article in
Assessment & Evaluation in
Higher Education.
4. Collaborative writing
● Grounded in Sociocultural theory (SCT).
● Learning takes place when working with others.
‘Collaborative writing describes an activity
where there is a shared and negotiated
decision making process and a shared
responsibility for the production of a single
text’
Storch, 2013, p. 3
5. Collaborative writing
Some Benefits
• Better quality essays
(Wigglesworth & Storch,
2009; Shehadeh, 2011)
• Better task fulfilment,
grammatical accuracy and
complexity (Storch, 2005;
Mulligan & Garofalo, 2011)
• Better grades (Mulligan &
Garofalo, 2011; Berry, 2007)
• Added benefits e.g.
teamwork & critical thinking
(Shin, 2015)
Some Drawbacks
• Assessment is complex
(Strijbos, 2016; Strauss & U,
2007; Berry, 2007)
• ‘Social loafing’ and
‘freeloading’ a concern
(Strijbos, 2016)
• Can be resisted by students
and teachers (Strauss,
2001)
• Collaboration can be an
opaque process (Gammie &
Matson, 2007; Johnston &
Miles, 2010)
6. Addressing Drawbacks with Technology
● Talib & Cheung’s (2017) 10-year review found, ‘technology has
supported collaborative writing tasks’
● Mitigates some of the drawbacks e.g. free-loading, assessment
(Levrai & Bolster, in press)
● Computer supported collaborative communication (CSCC)
allows for greater insight into the collaboration process, making
previously invisible interactions visible (Elola & Oskoz, 2017;
Alghasab & Handley, 2017; Williams, 2017)
7. Process writing in EAP
● The essay remains an important assignment type in EAP.
● Drafting, and writing, is not linear.
“Students are expected to improve writing projects through
multiple drafts, based on teacher, peer, or automated
feedback.” Godwin-Jones (2018, p. 2)
“… with the support of digital technologies and computers,
students tend to integrate the process of drafting and revising in
a more recursive way, and revision could happen at any
stage of the writing process, rather than after a draft is
produced.’ Zheng and Warschauer (2017, p. 63)
9. Using E-tools - Recommendations
First, learn how to use the tools yourself.
Encourage students to create a study-
specific Google account to access all tools.
Factor in time to demonstrate tool use and
provide opportunities for practice.
Beneficial if tools are agreed across
courses / institutionally.
10. Different tools for different stages
Pre-writing stage
• Question
Analysis
• Reading &
Researching
• Brainstorming
• Discussing
Early Drafting
Stage
• Planning
• Outlining
• Writing
• First draft
• Editing
• Rewriting
Late Drafting
Stage
• Revising
• Proofreading
• Moodle
• Claned
• Stormboard
• Google Docs
• MS Word
• Marking Mate
(essay checker)
11. Tools – Pre-writing Stage
Tools that raise content knowledge and facilitate discussion.
Upload inputs (multi-modal)
Users can comment and question
directly in text
Users can add their own content
https://claned.com/
https://moodlecloud.com/
Upload inputs (multi-modal)
Quizzes for comprehension / close
reading
Forums for discussion and peer feedback
12. Evaluation - Pre-writing Stage
• Increase students exposure to content texts
• Provides opportunity for critical engagement with texts
• Facilitate online discussion to either extend or prepare
for classroom discussion
• Allows the teacher to see individual student
engagement with ideas and texts
Benefits
• Student engagement can be superficial
• Potential for student overload
Drawbacks
13. Tools – Early Drafting Stage
To curate sources, organise ideas and start writing.
https://stormboard.com/
https://docs.google.com/
Students can curate multi-modal sources
Allows comments & chat features on
each post
Students can work synchronously or
asynchronously
Teacher can be a member of each group
Chatting and document history available
14. Evaluation - Early Drafting Stage
• Highly interactive
• Teacher is a member of each group
• Supports synchronous/asynchronous
collaboration
Benefits
• Tracking can be inconsistent
• Chat history lost in Google docs
• Learning curve (Stormboard)
Drawbacks
15. Tools – Late Drafting Stage
To polish the essay and prepare for submission
http://writingtools.xjtlu.edu.cn:
8080/mm/markingmate.html
Format essay for submission
Grammar & spelling support
Text checker designed for academic
writing
16. Evaluation - Late Drafting Stage
• Wide selection of tools available
• Helps with proofing and mechanics
Benefits
• Students need to engage each tool
critically
Drawbacks
17. Using Tools for Assessment
● The teacher can see more than ever before.
● There is more to look at than ever before.
● Can assess process and product.
● Need grading criteria i.e. in a discussion forum are you looking for
● Be realistic about what you can achieve.
number
of posts?
type of
post?
quality of
posts?
18. General Caveats
● Multiple tools present multiple opportunities for problems.
● Students need support to use each tool effectively.
● Supporting students digital literacy is as important as supporting
their language development.
● Students might use other tools (e.g. Whatsapp/WeChat group) the
teacher is not privy to.
● Collaboration doesn’t lessen teacher workload but spreads it
across semester.
19. Conclusions
One size doesn’t fit all - different tools are
suitable for different purposes.
Teachers and students need time to become
competent with the tools.
CSCC facilitates collaborative essay
assignments and mitigates some of the potential
drawbacks of student collaboration.
20. Bibliography
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21. Bibliography (cont.)
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