This document summarizes an online course on using information technology for language education. The three credit course uses blended learning with both face-to-face and online components. Students will develop skills in designing language tasks using ICTs, gain a global perspective by connecting with students online, and improve problem-solving skills by acquiring technical skills. Assessment includes weekly online contributions and a group project. The course aims to provide examples and discuss advantages and disadvantages of using technology for language learning.

1. Dr Paula Hodgson, Faculty of Education, HKU

2. Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2j9qw-A0NM&feature=related

3. Paula’s profile Roles: School teacher; staff developer; researcher Experiences: Hong Kong – Schools, IVEs, universities New Zealand – University of Auckland Expertise: using IT for learning, teaching and assessment Course outline Approaches to teaching and learning

4. Three-credit course: blended mode of learning experience Face-to-face: lectures and interactive seminars Online: discussion (forum & NanoGongs) in Moodle Individual blog writing Assessment: Weekly online contribution (individual) – 50% Project (group) – 50%

5. Develop skills in designing language tasks (i.e. reading, listening, speaking and writing) for blended learning through using ICTs; Develop global perspective when students are connected through using ICTs; and Develop problem-solving skills when acquiring technical knowledge and skills when designing English teaching and learning activities through ICTs.

6. Login through FLMS of Fac. of Edu.: http://web.edu.hku.hk/ http://web.edu.hku.hk/flms.php http://babed.edu.hku.hk/ Year 2010-11 Semester 2 2010-11: EDUC2010. Information technology for language education Moodle: http://babed.edu.hku.hk/login/index.php Course resources: PowerPoint files, web links Graded activities: Forum (textual) NanoGong (oral)

8. YOUR EXAMPLES MY EXAMPLES http://e3learning.edc.polyu.edu.hk/examples.htm http://eldss.edc.polyu.edu.hk/showcase

9. Using electronic dictionary (web-based, digital device, mobile phone) Learning grammar with computer language games Listening to English songs/audio clips downloaded to iPod, mp3 Doing exercises with Grammar eBook Learning more English outside the curriculum through Siu Sir http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/siu82english Reading archived and current news and international affairs through Wisenews Doing exercises with online English Builder Reading Wikipedia (building vocabularies and sentence patterns) Writing blog entries in English Reading English online newspaper Writing with Word .

10. Advantages Improved writing fluency [frequency and accuracy]; phonetic awareness [phone testing ­ depending on how it is taught]; self-directed learning [online exercises; mp4] Disadvantages : Developing dependence [auto-correction]; developing inaccuracy in spelling; not the convention in public exams; limited interactions/responses

11. Writing argumentative essay http://goodpoint.elc.polyu.edu.hk/ Practising journalism by writing news articles in blog http://ettl.edc.polyu.edu.hk/~egdora/newsblog/2010_1_sem3/ Doing language activities with iPad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4VWXI4zYPU&feature=related

12. Teacher readiness versus student http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=fvw Age http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8468351.stm

13. Content knowledge Creative writing English grammar Pedagogical knowledge Communicative approach Blended approach Technological knowledge Using Web2.0 iPad