Layers

Actually, I begin to prefer layers to tables. Layers are easy to edit width, and more importantly, it is easy to change position in a page. You can insert images, text, and media in a layer and move them into different positions. However, it is a little bit difficult to keep the page in such a nice order as in tables. Here is a small tip in using layers.

If you want to move an image in a layer, always remember to click on the corner of the layer until a square shape appear and drag the mouse on the square shape to move the image. If you drag in the image, you unintentionally take the image out of the layer.

I am often annoyed when typing the text in a layer as it seems the space between lines is wider. My current solution: I don't use "Enter" key, instead I adjust the layer. However, it takes much time. I may find another way.

How to design a rubric

I have just read an interesting chapter in a book of Jonassen et al. " Learning to Solve Problems with Technology"(2003). The chapter is about how to design authentic rubrics to evaluate student's performance and product. I myself have struggles with rubric design. In my previous teaching, I often used scoring system because judging students'progress is required to be based on the "raw score". Consequently, there are some situations when high-scored students of English are unable to speak English, top ten pupils are unable to read a simple Vietnamese readings. These situations do not only root from inappropriate assessment tools but also from ineffective teaching methodology. This is a current thorny problem in Vietnam. I think rubrics are one of the most effective ways to solve such issue.

Back to rubric design, I agree with Jonassen about unidimensional characteristics in rubric design. A "molecule" (p. 231) should be seperated into "elements" (p. 231) in which every crucial factor must be considered in detail. However, in reality, if we include all of the important factors in a rubric, we would be frustrated with its complexity. In my opinion, we should focus on the most important aspects that demonstrate students' performance and products. For instance, we can include two elements : facial expression and body language into a molecule: gesture- a more general but specific enough to evaluate.

Actually, designing a rubric is not easy at all. Designers should keep in mind the purpose of rubrics, and of learning tasks. Also, teachers should collaborate with students to design rubrics. After designing it, teachers should experiment it to check reliability and validity.

Here are some rubrics websites that I found very helpful:

Student friendly writing rubrics
http://www.middleweb.com/ReadWrkshp/RWdownld/MvaleRubric.pdf

Discovery schools : All of aspects from assessment to lesson plans
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

Presentation rubrics
http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/rub.pres.html

Classroom assessment techniques examples
http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/rub.pres.html

Choosing assessment methods
http://www.apa.org/ed/critique_study.html#goal_7

Create a new rubric
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=NewRubric&module=Rubistar

Assessment Criteria
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_and_Rubrics/Rubric_Bank/SpeakingRubrics.pdf

Portfolio Collection
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_and_Rubrics/Rubric_Bank/WritingRubrics.pdf

Alternative/Performance- based assessment
http://intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_and_Rubrics/Rubric_Bank/WritingRubrics.pdf

Implementing performance- based assessment in classroom
http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=6&n=2

Form of alternative assessment
http://www.miamisci.org/ph/lpdefine.html

Portfolio assessment
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/assess6.html

Portfolio and self- assessment
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/literacy/assess6.html

Portfolio assessment
http://www.pgcps.org/~elc/portfolio.html

Use of portfolio in assessment evaluation
http://ag.arizona.edu/fcs/cyfernet/cyfar/Portfo~3.htm

Portfolio assessment
http://www.funderstanding.com/portfolio_assessment.cfm

Portfolio assessment
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/teacher-training/curriculum-planning/20153.html

Defining portfolio assessment
http://www.unm.edu/~devalenz/handouts/portfolio.html

Guidelines for using portfolio assessment in teaching English
http://www.anglit.net/main/portfolio/default.html

Portfolio assessment in foreign language classroom
http://www.nclrc.org/portfolio/modules.html

Scoring rubric: Writing
http://www.bcpl.net/~sullivan/modules/tips/rubrics_sec/writ_express.html

Curriculum design
http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/curric/vsc/engp.html#reading

Creating flash with Xara 3D and PhotoImpact

The still image is retrieved from the page http://69.69.245.68/ghosts/ghosts2a.htm

Snowy animation is added, using PhotoImpact.

I used to use Xara 3D and Photo Impact to create flash files, especially animated texts and animated backgrounds.

Xara 3 D: Easy to use. You could choose different shape of form and various kind of animation. In addition, you could change color and brightness of shadow of text and form. You could download the trial version at http://www.download.com/3000-2186-10013009.html

Photo Impact: A little bit complex. However, you could create an animated firework background or a windy village without much effort. Here is the website where you can download the trial version: http://www.download.com/Ulead-PhotoImpact/3000-2192_4-10016652.html

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

Extract 1:
TACITURN
The taciturn husband answers his wife in grunts and monosyllables, if at all.Definition: Habitually silent or unwilling to engage in conversation.

Extract 2:
“This is very exciting...my parents will arrive in New York next Friday!!! I am very happy of showing them around and have them here for two weeks.”

Extract 3:
Ground meats (beef/ park/ veal) 1 1/4 lbs.
Onion chopped 1/4 cup
Fresh parsley chopped 1/4 cup
Carrot shred 1/4 cup

Extract 4:
Q: What is it like to be a 12-year-old New Yorker?A: It’s good, it’s fun. It’s to do a lot of stuff, you know...
Q: Can you imagine yourself living somewhere else?A: Not as a kid, not really. Maybe when I’m older.

Extract 5:
At that time I started to think of films I consider the best and the worst, and why I placed them into these two extreme categories. Was it because of plot, characters, main themes or maybe setting? At first glance all of these are essential and have a great influence on the whole of a film.

You may think the above lines were extracted from different resources: a dictionary for teenagers, an informal letter to friends, a cookbook, an interview in Children Journal, and a talk about films. However, in fact, it was taken from a blog for ESL students. It is interesting and amazing to see that students can define a word, conduct an interview, and debate around bad and good films, and then share to massive public. Thanks to information technology, students are able to do all as a normal daily work. Thanks to multimedia, learning languages, especially ESL has become more active, interactive and authentic. It is possible to assert that Computer- Assisted Language Learning (CALL) approach gradually plays a crucial role in language classroom. This paper provides an overview of CALL approach, its application in ESL/EFL classrooms and some implication on using CALL approach.

According to Mark Warschauer (1996), dramatic technology achievement in 60s generated CALL, and proceeded CALL development into three phases which are termed: “behavioristic CALL”, “communicative CALL”, and “integrative CALL” (Mark Warschauer, 1996). The first phase of CALL implemented in the 1960 and ‘70s was based on behaviorist learning theory in which repetitive drills are enhanced. In this period, the computer serves as a tool to deliver teachers’ instructions to students: giving repetition exercises and immediate evaluation.

Then, occurrence of other learning approaches and introduction of microcomputers in the late 1970s and early 1980s brought about a communicative method to use CALL in classroom. At that time, CALL was based on communicative language learning approach in which the computer articulates as a stimulus to facilitate the learner group work and interaction. Besides, the computer also become a “tool” and a “workhorse” (Taylor & Perez, 1989) to assist the learner in word processing and grammar checking, and empower students in using languages. In addition to this, drill and practice programs were still employed. So, the distinction between behavioristic CALL and communicative CALL does not involve which programs are used but how programs are used for what purpose.

Although compared to the previous phase, communicative CALL is an advance, it seems that the computer was not mobilized at the whole potential. CALL should be improved in a more integrative manner, in which the computer is used to help students do language projects or tasks. Technological developments such as CD-ROM and Internet, especially hypermedia, provide ample opportunities to students to navigate projects. Hypermedia which links many resources together creates an authentic resourceful learning environment. Students are able to study at their own pace, exploring and developing their utmost appropriate language learning styles. In addition, Internet allows students seek and share information easily. In this way, collaborative work, interaction, and research skills are stimulated.

Although There is much debate over CALL use in classroom, no one can deny its benefit to students. In ESL/EFL classroom, multimedia helps students and teachers become more involved in tasks. To students, with blogs, they can chat and share their thoughts to their classmates; with pod casts, they can record their oral presentations; with camcorders and cameras, they can conduct interviews in English and “publish” their own dictionary; and with powerful internet and English software, they have ample opportunities to practice four skills. To teachers, they can use multimedia to conduct classroom activities such as giving instructions, demonstrating lessons, and more importantly, giving guides to students’ projects. Multimedia actually creates a comfortable, authentic English learning setting to students.

However, as Roger asserts “The true power of what we do in our classrooms depends less on technology, and more on what we do with the technology we have” (as cited in Jonassen, Howland, Moore & Marra, 2003, p. 66), outcome of English learning does not only depend on multimedia but also on pedagogy and its use in classroom. Teachers should always keep lesson objectives in mind, prepare learning activities, select appropriate multimedia tools and design effective assessment tools. Teachers should combine CALL approach with other teaching approaches, even the traditional ones such as the translation method for student language retention. Computers are not going to “revolutionize” the way English is learnt (Kenneth Beare, 2007), rather, the way to use them to augment learning approach creates radical changes.

References
Beare, K. (2007). FAQ CALL Questions. Retrieved March 15, 2007, from http://esl.about.com/library/weekly/aa071698.htm

Jonassen, D.H., Howland J. L, Moore, J. L., & Marra, R. M. (2003). Learning to solve problems with technology (2nd ed.). New Jersey, USA: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Taylor, M. B., & Perez, L.M. (1989). Teaching languages with computers: The state of the art. California, USA: Athelstan.

Tesol 2.0 (2007). Retrieved March 12, 2007, from http://www.tesol2.blogspot.com/

Warschauer, M. (1996). Computer-assisted language learning: An introduction. In S. Fotos (Ed.), Multimedia language teaching (pp. 3-20). Tokyo: Logos International.