Tuesday, June 23
1:30 PM-2:30 PM
EDT
Salon A

Engaging College Students in Global Interaction via Digital Media: Setting the Stage for the International Writing Exchange (IWE) Project

Roundtable ID: 45158
  1. aaa
    Lyudmila Smirnova
    Mount Saint Mary College
  2. aaa
    Nellie Deutsch
    University of Phoenix

Abstract Robust literature and experience with distant collaboration demonstrate the promise of globally connected classrooms. In the world of digital media and emerging technologies, it is easy to build connections between classrooms around the world throughout the school year. The International Writing Exchange (IWE) connects teachers and students from around the world for cultural awareness and academic writing practice. A Roundtable Presentation at edMedia was designed to inform educators about IWE and motivate them to participate. The authors will share their personal experience in the IWE project and joint syllabi design, their discoveries and lessons learned from the multiple IWE projects since 2009

Objectives

Interactive Writing Exchange (IWE) Project objectives: * Learn about other cultures, daily lives, aspirations, careers * Higher education, High School - English for Academic Purposes * Improve EFL learners’ writing Workshop Objectives: * Develop consensus among the participants about the concepts of global interaction, academic writing skills, and interactive technology * Exchange ideas and experience in the use of Blended/online learning technologies (Web 2.0, Mobile, etc.) * Practice with the interactive digital media tools useful for IWE * Recruit teachers for IWE project * Brainstorm and determine the IWE goals, topics, and ideas for joint syllabi

Topical Outline

The workshop will include both asynchronous (not dependent on time) and synchronous (time dependent) learning environments. The asynchronous will be conducted on the Moodle website and the synchronous learning environment will be conducted via Skype, WizIQ through the IWE workshop. Participants will be introduced to the activities on the IWE Moodle site, encouraged to post to the discussion forums as students and practice resources and activities in the sections of the IWE workshop sandbox course as project coordinators. Part 1 Introduction Getting acquainted - introducing each other and the course content. Learning how to start an IWE project, engage participants and their classrooms in getting to know each other activities, Trying out digital media for introduction (Movenote, PresentMe, Voicethread, Knovio, animoto (30 sec. free /not free), thinglink, padlet). Part 2 Global Interaction defined and explored Exchanging ideas and understanding of the meaning of global interaction, writing exchange, developing writing skills for global interaction Brainstorming ideas for interactive projects - topics, communication guidelines, project time frame, (ideas for syllabi) Part 3 Interactive Media Discussing digital media for coordination and for classroom interaction Practicing Interactive media --- g-docs, Skype, WizIQ, Moodle, etc. Connecting online for interaction on specific topics Part 4 Project ideas design time Identifying the goals for IWE Designing the guidelines for coordination and interaction Determining topics for Interaction - weekly tasks, discussion prompts, assignments, and projects Coordinating ideas for syllabi Part 5 Showtime Presenting IWE ideas Discussing the guidelines for coordination, student interaction, possible issues and troubleshooting Exchanging contact information for the joint IWE projects

Prerequisites

College professors of education and writing courses, high school teachers of English and other subject areas interested in global collaboration. Prerequisites: Computer skills

Experience Level

Intermediate

Qualifications

Ludmila Smirnova, Ph. D. is Professor of Education at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y., where she has taught courses in Curricular Planning, Methods of Teaching, Literature and Children, Psychology of Learning, and Teaching with Technology since 2001. She has become increasingly recognized for her leadership in the application of emerging Internet technologies to instruction. Ludmila leads numerous workshops on the application of Smart Technologies and Web 2.0 tools in college and primary/secondary classrooms. Prior to this, she was professor of education at Volgograd State Pedagogical University (Russia), where she also served as Dean of the School of Foreign Languages training teachers of English, German and French. During her 25-year career in Russia, Ludmila was known for her innovative educational projects, reintroduction of Montessori education in southern Russia and the design of innovative themed “charter” schools and promoting teaching with technology at her School of Foreign Languages. Her prolific publications include books, chapters, papers and conference presentations worldwide. She is a partner, co-designer and co-facilitator of the Moodle for Teachers workshops at IT4ALL Integrating Technologies for Long Life Learning. Together with Dr. Nellie Deutsch she trained thousands of educators from all over the world on how to use Moodle in teaching online, blended and fully online courses and professional development and interactive events. She was a co-designer and coordinator of Snowblog CT net city – global version 2009-2010 with Israel, China, the Ukraine and Russia. She initiated and supervised It’s a Small world project with the professor of English at the Moscow Institute of International Relationships in 2012; Together with Dr. Nellie Deutsch she played a role of reviving, co-developing, coordinating and training teachers for IWE as well as participated with her classes in the annual Interactive Writing Exchange projects since 2010 with the educators from Japan, France, Germany, Russia, China and Israel. She presented her findings and chaired sessions at numerous national and international conferences, MOOCs, and webinars.

Presider: Ferdinand Guinko, Université Laval

Topics

Conference attendees are able to comment on papers, view the full text and slides, and attend live presentations. If you are an attendee, please login to get full access.
x