Technology Discussion Forum for
Foreign Language Teaching- Spring 2008
The Language Learning Center, a division of College Information Resources,
cordially invites you to our semiannual Technology Discussion Forum for
Foreign Language Faculty. Come and share ideas and experiences using technology
in foreign language teaching.
DATE: Monday, May 12th, 2008
TIME: 10:00am ~12:00pm (Breakfast items available at 9:30am)
LOCATION: Language Learning Center at Haverford College
(Stokes 205)
PRESENTATIONS
Title: Collaborative Writing using Wiki
Presenter: Professor Duane
Kight, French Department
I have recently begun using the WIKI tool in Blackboard for collaborative
writing assignments with students. These have taken the form of collective
compositions and of one-on-one collaborative compositions based on the
students’ interactions with me. Some have focused on comprehension
of a video, others on a specific grammar point. I have used these
at the beginning and intermediate levels, and both the students and I have
found them to be an interesting way of enhancing learning more conventionally
done through individual compositions or grammar drills. There are
some drawbacks, but the advantages inherent in this tool outweigh these.
Title: Student-centered Pronunciation Exercise:
an option where students work harder, not their teacher
Presenter: Professor Yoko Koike, East Asian Studies
This year my first-year students worked on their pronunciation by using
Web-based material. In this exercise, they recorded their voices with the
help of both audio and visual aids. They revisited their own recordings
after two days and self-evaluated them, highlighting the good and the bad.
They repeated their recording trying to improve the self-identified problem
areas. One benefit I have found was that the students knew what I was talking
about when I made corrections in their pronunciation in class, which had
not always been the case. The goal of this exercise is to raise awareness
of the correct pronunciation standards.
Title: Web 2. 0 in Language Teaching
Presenter: Hiroyo Saito, Director of the Language Learning
Center
The new web, often referred as Web 2.0, has brought a large amount of
collaborative and interactive tools to language teaching. My presentation
includes:
• What is Web 2.0?
• What are the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0?
• Greatest appeal of Web 2.0 to educators.
• Web 2.0 services /applications.
( Google productivity tools, Real-time collaboration tools, Social Bookmarking
tools, and Digital storytelling tools)
• The drawbacks of Web 2.0
This presentation will be a preview of the
hands-on web 2.0 workshops I am planning to offer during the summer.
