So here we are day 3! This is a very intensive class, very interesting but to keep up one has to really make the time. Well tonight Wsesam, Lana and I were able to meet on line through the Hangout .
Lana had a bit of a technical difficulty at first, she was using Windows 8 and could not connect to Hangout, but Wessam was able to help her and after that it was pretty smooth sailing.
I have not used Hangouts before this class, over the weekend, I tried it with a friend to practice and liked it.
Wessam did a very good job guiding the discussion referring to the topic at hand and trying to keep the ball rolling.
We started by sharing our understanding of long distance learning and blended learning and we got into a bit of a discussion there.
We would like the opinion of the instructors on these:
1st My future Arabic class : I have students in the classroom daily and students in a classroom in another district joining my class via TV in their classroom and camera. I see them , they see me and my class and my students see them, so this is a synchronous meeting. The kids in the other district will have a teacher in their classroom that will facilitate the process, for ex. I will be emailing her handouts and other materials the students will need to distribute them, all the kids the ones in my classroom and the remote classroom will be accessing dashboard, my blog and everything available to all.
Now here is the million dollar question : is this a blended class, long distance class or traditional class?
We all agreed it is not simple traditional, because of the "Geographic" location of the kids in the other district and the way they connect to the class.
It is not long distance since the kids in my classroom are there with me and the other are meeting with us synchronously.
We were not sure if this is blended learning because the understanding was that blended learning means meeting for some of the learning time but also spending time with our the teacher completing work on your own.
I attended a class where we met 4 times and we had 4 weeks where we just did work assigned and turned it in and one time everyone met on line synchronously and had a class. That was a typical Blended learning class.
So where does my Arabic class fit?
The other example we discussed is the class that Wessam is teaching using AL KiItab with the companion website. He meets with his students 4 time a week, I believe for 50 minutes and the students use the companion website to complement the learning with an equal amount of time on line learning on their own.
Now is this considered blended learning or is it traditional ?
Lana mentioned giving private lessons via Skype which is very convenient for students who do not have the time to travel to get to her or they are too far. She considers that as traditional face to face class with the enhancement of technology. This was an example that we discussed to tackle the logistics and feasibility aspects. However one f her students said: I think this is great but I need to come in it is not the same as face to face.
All three of us felt that in particular for the Arabic Language and probably many of the less commonly taught languages like Chinese, the traditional face to face is preferable.
However we agree that distance learning has many advantages. It really opens up many doors and make it possible for some people to study and take the courses they need when otherwise they could not have done so without online classes.
I have a friend living in Lebanon, who was working on a Law Degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and only had to come one or twice a year for testing. That is amazing.
I also mentioned to my group that a few years ago I was taking an accounting class online and my father got ill, had to fly to Lebanon, but since my class was online I was able to finish the class while in Lebanon. Awesome!
I personally think that a blended classroom is the best of both world. I think the direct contact with a teacher for a language class is somewhat essential and some games and gestures are not the same when played on line. On the other hand, some students learn better when they have time to review, listen re listen, practice, practice through hand on activities , take as much time as they need or go faster and move ahead. It gives a chance for differentiation in the classroom.
We have a language lab in our school and I take the kids there often, they can work on different things, some get the challenge, others get the remediation they need.
In our discussion we diverged a little and talked also about some of the materials we use and methods. Lana recommended a book for my beginner class and I will be looking at it .
We discussed the % of use of the target language in the classroom. Lana prefers books for her students that are only written in Arabic. I think my students would have a hard time with that since my class is a Language and culture elective and not a full fledge language class. My french classes are different and I do use the target language most of the time.
Our hangout meeting lasted 1h and 40 minutes and it was a very interesting discussion.
Lana had a bit of a technical difficulty at first, she was using Windows 8 and could not connect to Hangout, but Wessam was able to help her and after that it was pretty smooth sailing.
I have not used Hangouts before this class, over the weekend, I tried it with a friend to practice and liked it.
Wessam did a very good job guiding the discussion referring to the topic at hand and trying to keep the ball rolling.
We started by sharing our understanding of long distance learning and blended learning and we got into a bit of a discussion there.
We would like the opinion of the instructors on these:
1st My future Arabic class : I have students in the classroom daily and students in a classroom in another district joining my class via TV in their classroom and camera. I see them , they see me and my class and my students see them, so this is a synchronous meeting. The kids in the other district will have a teacher in their classroom that will facilitate the process, for ex. I will be emailing her handouts and other materials the students will need to distribute them, all the kids the ones in my classroom and the remote classroom will be accessing dashboard, my blog and everything available to all.
Now here is the million dollar question : is this a blended class, long distance class or traditional class?
We all agreed it is not simple traditional, because of the "Geographic" location of the kids in the other district and the way they connect to the class.
It is not long distance since the kids in my classroom are there with me and the other are meeting with us synchronously.
We were not sure if this is blended learning because the understanding was that blended learning means meeting for some of the learning time but also spending time with our the teacher completing work on your own.
I attended a class where we met 4 times and we had 4 weeks where we just did work assigned and turned it in and one time everyone met on line synchronously and had a class. That was a typical Blended learning class.
So where does my Arabic class fit?
The other example we discussed is the class that Wessam is teaching using AL KiItab with the companion website. He meets with his students 4 time a week, I believe for 50 minutes and the students use the companion website to complement the learning with an equal amount of time on line learning on their own.
Now is this considered blended learning or is it traditional ?
Lana mentioned giving private lessons via Skype which is very convenient for students who do not have the time to travel to get to her or they are too far. She considers that as traditional face to face class with the enhancement of technology. This was an example that we discussed to tackle the logistics and feasibility aspects. However one f her students said: I think this is great but I need to come in it is not the same as face to face.
All three of us felt that in particular for the Arabic Language and probably many of the less commonly taught languages like Chinese, the traditional face to face is preferable.
However we agree that distance learning has many advantages. It really opens up many doors and make it possible for some people to study and take the courses they need when otherwise they could not have done so without online classes.
I have a friend living in Lebanon, who was working on a Law Degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and only had to come one or twice a year for testing. That is amazing.
I also mentioned to my group that a few years ago I was taking an accounting class online and my father got ill, had to fly to Lebanon, but since my class was online I was able to finish the class while in Lebanon. Awesome!
I personally think that a blended classroom is the best of both world. I think the direct contact with a teacher for a language class is somewhat essential and some games and gestures are not the same when played on line. On the other hand, some students learn better when they have time to review, listen re listen, practice, practice through hand on activities , take as much time as they need or go faster and move ahead. It gives a chance for differentiation in the classroom.
We have a language lab in our school and I take the kids there often, they can work on different things, some get the challenge, others get the remediation they need.
In our discussion we diverged a little and talked also about some of the materials we use and methods. Lana recommended a book for my beginner class and I will be looking at it .
We discussed the % of use of the target language in the classroom. Lana prefers books for her students that are only written in Arabic. I think my students would have a hard time with that since my class is a Language and culture elective and not a full fledge language class. My french classes are different and I do use the target language most of the time.
Our hangout meeting lasted 1h and 40 minutes and it was a very interesting discussion.
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