Dear all,

I think some of you know a little bit about me through working together, but I will give you all a bit of background information, so get your popcorn ready…

Since graduating from university, I spent a lot of time travelling around the world, doing various strange jobs to keep me away for the UK. However; when I found myself working in a commission only telesales job, working 12 hours a day, and living off of rice and tomato ketchup - I realised it was time to come home. I then attempted to settle, and worked in recruitment for Barclays Bank and Boots the Opticians.

6 months prior to my 30th birthday, on a dull day at work, I started reflecting on my 29 years and 6 months of life, and before I knew it, I was typing ‘teaching abroad’ into Google. The next thing I knew, I was on a plane en route to Bangkok. The rest, as they say, is history. I spent 2 years in Bangkok, working for International House, along with some Business English. I returned home September of last year, and couldn’t actually believe my luck when I got offered the job at CELE, and I still feel the same way now! I teach on the General English programme, and I have had quite a big involvement in the creation of parts of the course, in particular the GE1 skills focus course. I also find myself writing GE1 exam papers every 4 weeks. I would love to tell you all that I have been teaching for years, have PhDs coming out of my ears, and I am the fountain of all teaching knowledge, however, I can’t. This will have to do for now.

Ok, so I am going to try and upload some pictures. I will see if I have any vegetables to add to Alex’s pumpkin…

Hello!

Hi All

I'd like to introduce myself to Sandra and Sarah - welcome! And write a little about me. I've been teaching English for 4 yrs now. Post-Celta I was in at the deep end teaching EAP for a large international language school in Waterloo. I remember the Dos assuring me 'not to worry' as 'it's only in-depth reading and writing' (!) Hmm. I I taught study skills, seminar and critical thinking classes on the UFY course and lots of content based courses including Int. Business, Meetings and Neg., Travel and Tourism, etc and devised and taught an Art History syllabus which incorporated a lot of film and working with visuals. I've also taught intensive IELTS classes, ESP for business Execs., and TOEFL. Most of my teaching has been in London, however I have also taught in New Zealand and Nottingham, where I've been since October.
When I first started I taught Seminar Skills and Listening and Note-taking (AE2) and on the GE team. Since January I've been teaching Skills and Language Focus on the GE Team.
Prior to all this I worked in travel, charity (Friends of the Earth/National Trust (in a workhouse - believe it or not!) and the arts, and in various other episodes!

Introductions and first task for you

Hi,
I work with most of you (Sam, Klaus, Claire, Anne and Julia). I've met Siobhan too. The only person I haven't met is Sarah. You have noticed that Sandra (Kanj) is a contributor too. I have asked her to join the blog and chip in now and again as she works at CELE and is an ex-PGCTEAP student (proof of life after the PGCTEAP).

If we're to work together online I think it's useful if we get to know each other a bit. Even if most of us work for Nottingham University I don't really feel I know you very well at all and you probably have little idea about me.

So.... I'm going to ask you to do something. I want you to send a post to the blog telling the other participants a little bit about you and I'd like you to do this by Monday (Siobhan and Julia won't be able to do this just yet ... holidays and other tasks to deal with first).
I'll start the ball rolling...

I've been Head of New Technologies in EAP at CELE for eight years now. I spend my time developing online courses, teacher training, teaching research writing (online and f2f) and teaching Analytical Thought. I have been a course director on the presessional programme, taught just about every module and component CELE offers, and will be teaching on the new BA programme CELE has launched.

I am in the process of writing up my PhD. I am writing on barriers to teacher autonomy and professional development, particularly the impact of new technologies on professional identity, collaboration, epistemology and ideology. I'm engaged in trying to find frameworks, theories and practices that enable us (teachers) to use technologies to enhance the quality of our professional development and create a work culture where we can develop both collaboratively and autonomously. This is a substantial challenge - and I hope that my work will have an impact at CELE (one day!). I publish and present at conferences too. I'd like you to read this article I wrote as I hope it'll give you an idea of how I see teacher development.

Prior to CELE, I worked for many years in various universities in France.

What passes for free time is spent on an allotment. What about you?

Recommended Reading

Hiya,
I've had a couple of requests for recommended readings. There are two books which will give you a reasonable overview of CALL (no one book is perfect and books about technology tend to date rather quickly). Both of these are available in the library (click on the image to go to the library record).


Levy, M. and G. Stockwell (2006) Call Dimensions: Options and Issues in Computer Assisted Language Learning. ESL and Applied Linguistics Professional Series.





Beatty, K. (2003) Teaching and researching computer-assisted language learning. Longman

Excellent resource to get you started

Computer Assisted Language Learning: Critical Concepts in Linguistics edited by Phil Hubbard (2009) and published by Routledge (Critical Concepts in Linguistics series) has just been published. Normally a book like this would cost a bomb. Phil has provided tables of contents for the four volume collection and where an online version of a chapter (74) exists he has provided a link. Even where there's no link provided many of the chapters have already been published in journals that Nottingham subscribes to.
I would suggest you have a look at the collection and see what you can find.
In a future post I'll provide more thematic and structured readings for you.
The link you need to go to is:
http://www.stanford.edu/~efs/callcc/

Alex

Introduction to the Module

Hello everyone, in this second post I'd like to give an overview of the module. As we'll be working online - and I'm very much looking forward to working with you all - it is probably important to make sure everything is clear. If anything is unclear please ask.

I'd like to discuss the following:
Objectives;
Pedagogy and rationale;
Outline and contents;
Organisation;
Expectations and tasks;
Assessment;

Objectives:
The aim of this module is to examine the theory and practice of new technologies within English for Academic Purposes (EAP). As you know, technology-enhanced language learning and teaching develops and changes very rapidly. Often a technology is adopted by teachers simply because it becomes available - in a way technology often leads innovation, rather than changes in pedagogical thinking leading to the development of appropriate technologies. This means it is absolutely crucial to adopt a critical stance vis-a-vis adopting technology in teaching and learning. One of the key objectives of this module is to develop the skills and tools to be able to assess the impact of technology on teaching and learning. Another important aim is to try to assess the changing nature of academia due to the increasingly invasive and pervasive role technology plays in academic life for students and teachers. Bearing in mind these two broad aims we will be looking at technology form both a teaching and learning perspective that focuses on technology and EAP, and we will be looking at technology from a much wider perspective.

In terms of the pedagogical approach I'd like to take with this module I hope that it'll be:

Collaborative
Critical
Conversational
Autonomous

I hope it'll be collaborative in the sense that we all try to make sense of the topics and issues raised in this module. I have added you all as authors to the blog, so you post whatever you like whenever you like. You can post your thoughts, questions, comments, whenever you like.

I hope it'll be critical in the sense that understanding technology in EAP requires an ability to relate a wide range of theories (SLA, design theory, autonomy, critical theory etc.) to the use and impact of technology in higher education.

I hope it'll be conversational in the sense that I would really like you to discuss issues of interest to you with all other participants on the course. We can all benefit from each other, I hope.

Autonomous, in the sense that although I have provided a structure to this module I do hope very much that you'll be able to pursue issues and ideas of interest and relevance to you and your (future/ideal/actual) teaching context. I believe that you will benefit more from this module if you have that freedom.

Outline.
We will cover the following topics in this order over the next five/six weeks. Some we cover in more depth and others will be given a lighter touch.

EAP, Autonomy and new technologies
Evolution and theories of CALL
Computer mediated communication and academic language acquisition/learning
EAP Distance learning
EAP, Self-access and new technologies
Data-driven learning E-literacy: Academic study skills in a wired campus
Evaluation of the impact of new technologies for teachers and learners in EAP

Organisation:
I will deliver all materials through the blog and the blog will be updated pretty much on a daily basis.You can also book regular group or individual tutorials with me (in my office, online, by phone ... whatever is convenient for you)

Expectations:

I really hope that you will:

Collaborate
Engage with topics and participants
Offer constructive criticisms and suggestions
Pursue individual and group interests

Assessment:
1 x 2,500 word written assignment on a particular aspect of EAP and new technologies
OR: 1 x 1,500 word assignment (60%), dev. of materials (20%), 45-min. lesson plan & delivery of lesson (20%)
Assignment titles to be jointly negotiated
Assignments must have a strongly theoretical element

Erm... think that's probably enough for today.

Alex

PS If you prefer to download this post rather than read off the screen ... follow this link:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AWa91sEJaeViZGZ4NnBneDVfMTQ1Z3JjdjZ2ZDk&hl=en

OR download the post as a pdf here:
http://vsac.cele.nottingham.ac.uk/alex/pgcteap/blog/introduction.pdf

Handouts from Introduction Lecture

Hi,
the blog will contain all the handouts, links and materials for this module in the next few days.
Meanwhile here is the PowerPoint from the Introduction Lecture.



This is an interesting video exploring the potential of Web 2.0 technology.

The creator of this video has also produced other very interesting ideas of technology and education. Have a look they are quite interesting ...

The first is entitled: A Vision of Students Today

The second one is a lecture and very worth watching.

A Portal to Media Literacy