Evaluation and design of online materialsFebruary 2012

Ruby Rennie

Outline of session

• Introductory ideas: some areas to consider

• Learning outcomes for your students• Finding out about materials• Evaluating materials• Creating materials• Group task• Group report

AREAS TO CONSIDER IN ONLINE LEARNING

Introductory ideas

Terminology

• Online learning• E-learning• Distance learning• Blended learning• Mobile learning• Web 2.0• VLE

Keeping up

• Changing technology• New apps• Save useful links eg delicious http://

www.delicious.com/rubyr/ • The research basis• Theoretical justification• Receive notifications: emails; RSS feeds;

podcasts; online discussions/forums http://www.futureofeducation.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

• Related journals• Conferences

LEARNING OUTCOMES

First considerations

• Learner needs• Learner context

– Learner background issues– Educational system

• Personal ideologies– Behaviourist?– Constructivist?

• Goals / outcomes

Systems and skills

• Reading, writing, listening, talking• Task-based learning• Problem-solving learning

• Grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, discourse

• Tasks and exercises (Ellis, 2003)

Simplified summary

• Learning doesn’t change• Processes don’t change• Issues don’t change• Consider tutor’s role

– Understand your ideology

• Start with learning outcomes

FINDING OUT ABOUT MATERIALS

Stepping up the double ladder

Learning • Theoretical

justification for choices

• Choosing appropriate materials

• Understanding processes

Technology

• World constantly changing

• Understanding choices

Role of tutor

• Understand learning and learners• Plan, evaluate learning• Understand available technologies• Integration• Evaluate and reflect• Consider materials with outcomes

EVALUATING MATERIALS

Finding and keeping track

• http://delicious.com/rubyr • Set up own blog

http://rubyonwheels.wordpress.com/• bookmark online journals

http://llt.msu.edu/ • Attend conferences and join groups

http://ltsig.org.uk/ • Share with others; work

collaboratively http://tesolmaterials.pbworks.com/w/page/20605955/FrontPage

Use systematic evaluation of learning• Learning outcomes• Learning processes• Plan and evaluate• Authenticity of outcomes / tasks• Checklists to be systematic

– E.g. Bates (1995)

Bates (1995) ACTIONS modelfrom Motteram (2011) Developing language-learning materials with technology In Tomlinson, B (2011) Materials Development in Language Teaching 2nd edition Cambridge: CUP

• Access• Costs• Teaching and learning• Interactivity and user-friendliness• Organisational issues• Novelty• Speed

CREATING MATERIALS

Useful tips

• Have a clear starting-point (blog? wiki? )• Don’t compete with professionally-

produced materials• Be aware of the range of possibilities• Don’t copy or repeat; embed

– Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubyrennie/

– Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/ – Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

dnL00TdmLY

• If it ain’t worth it, don’t do it!

GROUP TASK

Collaborate with group

1. Class wiki ttp://tesolmaterials.pbworks.com/w/page/20605955/FrontPage Request access

2. Browse; add comments to wiki – http://edu.blogs.com/edublogs/

– http://edcompblog.blogspot.com/

– http://onlinell.wordpress.com/

– http://davidwarlick.com/wordpress/

– http://blog-efl.blogspot.com/

– http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/

3. delicious http://www.delicious.com/rubyr/ Set up your own del.i.cious site

4. Take a lesson / activity either from your own ideas or from a textbook; the activity should be a writing task.

GROUP REPORT

References

Ellis, R (2003) Task-based learning and Teaching Oxford: Oxford University Press

Motteram, G (2011) Developing language-learning materials with technology In Tomlinson, B (2011) Materials Development in Language Teaching 2nd edition Cambridge: CUP