Group work

Work group ( Set 1)

Q1: What are the focusing points of Online Learning?

          We may have already known that Online Learning is an alternative of effective remote learning which may help the learners who are able to use, at least, the computer and internet, to reach the search engines such as Google, Bing, any search engines and softwares and engage themselves in the virtual learning environment.        Before the learners access the effective Online Learning, they have to be ready  for the  learning process and know that Online Learning lead them to be more active and more curious on self-studying, to form their behavior potential such as responsibility, punctuality by the manner of learning and to be more familiar with using the computer, internet, software, and their functions. In my opinion, these are the points before having online learning. During the Online Learning, learners must concern about what they will learn about, about the objectives on their course or goal to achieve, about time (even though they can learn in anytime, anywhere, it's still difficult if they had not a good time management) and learners should to have a learning plan for enhancing their existing knowledge to the progressive level as well. And after have been finishing Online Learning, the evaluation will come out from each learner that may be evaluated by their attention,  the time they gave on studying, and comprehension on their subjects. 

          So the focusing points of Online Learning are the learning manner during the course, capability to access  an effective instruction surrounded the problems about distance between learner and instructor, the time conflict(between learning and working or travelling or curing etc.) and lacking of offline resources( books, journals, magazine ,etc.) Internet accessibility that Learners or those who would like to learn online have to connect to Internet, leading the learners  familiar with using the computer, learning software, different devices and internet on the modern age, where people live with daily-updated information and medias, where many kinds of technology come out everyday, where the knowledge is mostly on the websites, online software and also comes with communication and the internet plays the important role. And this means that the more technologies developed the more choices of devices to use in education, so online learning allows learners to use not only computer but also other devices such as I-pad, or smart phones, Interactive activities  the online learning activities include of video, chat, video streaming and many supplementary medias that involve learners to have interactions to each another, Games and quests that are always used in online learning to fit the different learners. So learners can choose the games to learn online according to their taste and Adjustability of different age of learners because online learners focus on specific levels of themselves. According to their ages: kids, teenagers, and adults, the learning platforms have to be different.

Q2: Do they have benefits and limitations? What are they?

          Most of things in this world have benefit and their contrary in themselves , and yes , there are the same in Online Learning, Benefits and Disadvantages or Limitations. The benefits and disadvantages of Online Learning are as the following: 

Benefits of online learning 

1. According to thoughts of constructivism educator, Online Learning enables learners to construct their long-term storage after they inquired and discussed to find out or discover new things by themselves. 

2. Online course can be used everywhere to access  to the resources in the  Learner’ place, wherever computer and internet are available, whenever they have available time for pacing to the big online classroom and they don't need to worry about problem of place, time, or any kind of traffic jam.    

3. Less expense (or not), surely learners can save more expenses about dormitory, transportation and parking lots, etc. 

4. It' global connection 

Online learning connected to internet, the channel that all over the world people use. So it's easy way to exchange ideas and thoughts and work together cross country- culture-and language. 
5.May activate their learning motivation and learning potential , even they are not in face to face class, they still have many tasks to work on, many knowledge to learn in breadth and depth which are based on our interesting  and unknown

           

6.May be one efficient approach in both individual learning and learning in group. For learning in group, the benefits are to share their opinions and discuss together, to enhance dimension of learning on the same thing in the different point of view and to ameliorate (improve) the ideas in the positive and creative way etc. For individual learning, the good points are to concentrate on depth learning , they can learn more thorouhgly on his subject and experience to find the solution on any problems to improve their personal learning skills such as aptitude, notice, analyze , their learning manners such as diligence, punctuality and so forth.

Disadvantages of online learning

1. Load of works 

As online learning system has to follows the same standards of classroom instruction, maybe teacher has to assign load of works to let students by themselves to reach the standards. 

2.May be less active learning activities 

In some subjects that need Face-to-face interactions such as Phonetics and any kinds of Language laboratories, online learning can give the immediate feedback or reply to learner in case that they should develop their pronunciations or accents. 

3.Get more knowledge than competencies 

Through online learning students get rare opportunities to develop competencies because more of online course based on content not on competencies.

        Not yet, the disadvantages of Online learning must be differentiated by the learners ( each one’ potential may not equal to the each another). When we have to learn online some problems may simultaneously meet the learners in some ways , the knowledge on the websites sometimes couldn’t answer all the question, on the points that they are confused, without teacher or instructor we will be lack of taught which comes directly from teachers’ experience and the learners may be led out of their subject easily by their bad manners of surfing the internet( not enough concentration). However, every problems, that they face, will also lead them to the personal skills. 

Q3: What are the key elements of the online program?

          Before we analyze a thing into the elements, we have to know about it first. So I will pick a short definition of the online learning program.

“Online learning program is learning facilitated and supported through the use of information and communications technology (ICT), with pedagogically sound, learner-focused and accessible.”

          So the online program is an academic learning based on using technology for reaching the knowledge resources, focus on learners interesting in their learning areas and easy to access with the internet that consists of 4 key elements of online program. There are students, facilitators, curriculum and technology.

1. Student

The online program was created for students who do not have time to learn in class. They can study and practice with the online program at home. Student can study the lessons by themselves. They can submit homework and ask the questions by email address but they need to be discipline toward their work. So they need to manage the time to study by themselves. 

2. Curriculum 

The online curriculum consists of 2 factors: process and outcomes. They can learn and work together in the same time. The functional programs in online curriculum should be developed to involve student and instructor to discuss assignments and learn together by internet. 

3. The instructor 

The instructor teaches and gives the lessons by internet for students 24hrs per/day in classroom. Students can ask the questions if they do not understand and the instructor can answer the questions by Email, creating up the education, and collaborating environment and dealing with the students who are adults and may require individual needs. 

4. The technology 

The instructor should be the first person use the technology. Students have to prepare the lessons before the class begins. Students can discuss with instructor in class. In concluding technical support is very important for online program because students and instructors should be able to participate together with the online course.

Q4: What is the new" blended learning"?

The blended learning is the learning and teaching model that allows teacher to teach students through many interactive media such as Web Based Instruction, Video conference, Skype or Facebook and in classroom. 

Blended learning can combine various learning activities to involve face-to-face live classroom, E- learning and Self-spaced learning. 

We can study materials and research with the Blended learning program. By this kind of learning, we do not need to learn in the classroom only but we can learn everywhere and every time we want to learn.

1.Select and sequence real-world / target tasks

Aspect of Task-Based Syllabus Design in The English Centre studied by David Nanan

 From Aspect of Task-Based Syllabus Design in The English Centre, University of Hong Kong, written by David Nanan, in December 2001,

The former syllabus design was concerned with selection(1), sequencing(2) and integrating(3) lists of linguistic features. These last twenty years, the new models have been created by the syllabus designer, including task-based learning

Elements in language learning  
                                                       

1.Learning Data : Without language data, learners couldn’t access the learning, at less, they must know the basic grammar and understand what instructor taught. In language data, there are “authentic” and “non-authentic” data which are different in their purpose of usage and their writing form. and both of them are existed in language classroom.

                - Authentic data : used in real life, sometimes in false starts and incomplete sentence

                - Non-Authentic data : used in the specific purpose, always in well-form(correctly

grammatical sentence)

2.Information : is the data of knowledge that learners need to study and do understand from the teacher or book with an explanation in detail, or inductive approach. The examples of information are :

                - experiential information : needed for learning about the target culture , cilvilisation etc.

                - linguistic information : needed for learning about the language grammar, 4 skills of language learning

                - process information : needed for learning how to do for learning language

3.Practice : this element of learning called “core of learning” before being good language user. the familiar approaches on practice to the writer include of tasks, exercises and activities,with their focusing points and outcomes.

                - Task : a practice sometimes focusing on a single grammatical structure with a non-linguistic outcome

                - Exercise : a practice focusing on a single language element with a linguistic outcome

                - Activity : a practice focusing on one or two language items with a communicative outcome

The writer discriminated “the tasks” to 2 types, those are real-world or target tasks (1) which learners everyday did outside the classroom and pedagogical tasks(2) which learners always meet inside the classroom, and subdivided the pedagogical tasks into those with a rehearsal rationale and those with a pedagogical rationale. And these are definitions of words about Practice that learners may have already known.

Real-world or target task: A communicative act we achieve through language in the world outside the classroom.

Pedagogical tasks: A piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than forms. They have a non-linguistic outcome, and can be divided into rehearsal tasks or activation tasks.

Rehearsal task: A piece of classroom work in which learners rehearse, in class, a communicative act they will carry out outside of the class.

Activation task: A piece of classroom work involving communicative interaction, but NOT one in which learners will be rehearsing for some out-of-class communication. Rather they are designed to activate the acquisition process.

Enabling skills: Mastery of language systems  grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary etc. which ENABLE learners to take part in communicative tasks.

Language exercise: A piece of classroom work focusing learners on, and involving learners in manipulating some aspect of the linguistic system

Communication activity: A piece of classroom work involving a focus on a particular linguistic feature but ALSO involving the genuine exchange of meaning

Steps in designing a Task – Based program

2.Create pedagogical tasks ( rehearsal / activation)

3.Identify enabling skills: create communicative activities and language exercises

4.Sequence and integrate pedagogical tasks, communicative activities and lanugauge exercises

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TBL – Task Based Learning

A Framework for Task-Based Learning offered by J.Willis

                According to A Framework Task Based Learning offered by J. Willis, Longman ELT. Syllabus designers

Conditions for Language Learning

-          Exposure... to a rich interaction among learners or people but comprehensible input of real spoken and written language in use.

-          Use… of the language to understand and to join things in class.

-          Motivation… to read and listen , to write and speak and improving linguistic competence to achieve the goal( i.e. to process and use the exposure )

-          Instruction… in language ( i.e. chances to focus on form )

First coming three conditions are the essential states  of  language learning and the following is desirable state of  language learning that may or not be found in the classroom.

Designing tasks which promote personal competence in language learning , positive and creative thinking and existing knowledge or generating your idea play an important role to achieve the successful goal

Typology for TBL Task Design

	ORDERING, SORTING, CLASSIFYING
LISTING		COMPARING, MATCHING
	YOUR TOPIC
PROBLEM SOLVING		CREATIVE TASKS, PROJECT WORK
	SHARING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, ANECDOTE TELLING

6 types of tasks that should be came out with outcome.

1.Listing : brain-storming and face-finding

                Outcome : completed list or draft on mind map.

2.Ordering and sorting : sequencing, ranking, categorizing and classifying

                Outcome : Set of information ordered and sorted according to specified criteria.

3.Comparing : matching, finding similarities and finding differences

                Outcome : could be items appropriately matched or assembled or the identification of similarities and / or differences.

4.Problem solving : analyzing real situations, analyzing hypothetical situations, reasoning, and decision making

                Outcome : solutions to the problem, which can then be evaluated.

5.Sharing personal experiences : narrating, describing and exploring and explaining attitudes, opions and reactions

                Outcome : largely social

6.Creative Tasks : brain-storming, fact-finding, ordering and sorting, comparing and problem solving and many others

                Outcome : End product which can be appreciated by a wider audience.

Task-Based Learning Framework

Components of a TBL Framework
PRE-TASK PHASE
INTRODUCTION TO TOPIC AND TASK Teacher explores the topic with the class, highlights useful words and phrases, and helps learners understand task instructions and prepare. Learners may hear a recording of others doing a similar task, or read part of a text as a lead in to a task.
	TASK CYCLE
TASK Students do the task, in pairs or small groups. Teacher monitors from a distance, encouraging all attempts at communication, not correcting. Since this situation has a "private" feel, students feel free to experiment.Mistakes don't matter.	PLANNING Students prepare to report to the whole class (orally or in writing) how they did the task, what they decided or discovered. Since the report stage is public, students will naturally want to be accurate, so the teacher stands by to give language advice.		REPORT Some groups present their reports to the class, or exchange written reports, and compare results. Teacher acts as a chairperson, and then comments on the content of the reports.
Learners may now hear a recording of others doing a similar task and compare how they all did it. Or they may read a text similar in some way to the one they have written themselves, or related in topic to the task they have done. LANGUAGE FOCUS
ANALYSIS Students examine and then discuss specific features of the text or transcript of the recording. They can enter new words, phrases and patterns in vocabulary books.		PRACTICE Teacher conducts practice of new words, phrases, and patterns occurring in the data, either during or after the Analysis
Sometime after completing this sequence, learners may benefit from doing a similar task with a different partner

A Standards-Driven, Task-Based Assessment Approach for Teacher Credentialing with Potential for College Accreditation, written by Judy R. Wilkerson and William Steve Lang.

Based on A Standards-Driven, Task-Based Assessment Approach for Teacher Credentialing with Potential for College Accreditation, written by Judy R. Wilkerson and William Steve Lang.

              The Southeast Center for Teaching Quality had studied on highly qualified teacher requirements,and had found the problem about the ineffective and invalid test and evaluation which were used for measuring teacher competence. After that The researchers had already resolved this problem with task-based , standards-driven and job-related assessment approaches which had been adopted by the most of schools and the colleges in Florida since 2004

Context

            According to the NCTAF’s statement in January, 2003 on the failure of policies and practices, caused by the unacceptable teaching standards that was not accordance with K-12 learning standards. The solution came out from the Commission with the teaching preparations in teachers who have demonstrated the knowledge and skills to set forth in national and state standards for both teachers and children and It was a great step to ensure the perfect outcome of designing new system with a constant eye on validity.

Ten recommendations from the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing

1.      Indentifying the construct to be mearsured

2.      Define the purpose

3.      Determine the use

4.      Indentify the measureable conceptual framework

5.      Develop a blue print or framework to guide the design process

6.      Keep checking validity – both construct and content

7.      Build assessments that can be studied for internal consistency

8.      Develop systems to ensure faireness toward all those candidate assessed

9.      Check the consequences of the decisions

10.   Build it once, and revise it

Competency Assessment Aligned with Teacher Standards (CAATS) Model

            The Competency Assessment Aligned with Teacher Standards (CAATS) Model consists of five developmental steps which can help the designers of teacher assessment systems for reaching Ten recommendations from the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing

Step 1: Define content, purpose, use and other contextual factors

Designers start to determine the content and purpose and use

-Purposes : based on need. Institutions may have dual and triple purposes

For example

- Teacher certification must be aligned with state program approval

                        - program improvement and teacher reflection or growth must be aligned           with the NCATE conceptual framework

-Content : defined in many ways but reasonable to be consistent with NCATE Standard

-Uses : diactate what will be done with data

Step 2: Develop a valid sampling plan

Next step is the identification and the alignment of standards with each other into assessment domains, followed by the analysis process to see clearly the similarities and differences between and among the perceptions of the importances from each group of professionals.

Step 3: Create or update tasks aligned with standards and consistent with the sampling plan

 Make an useful approach with Standard alignment, a brief description of the task for public consumption, comprehensice directions for task completion and detailed scoring rubrics or guides that include both criteria and a scale in it . And the more specific and clear the directions and rubrics, the less danger there is of some forms of construct irrelevant variance in performance.

Once the tasks are written based on these specifications, several additional procedures need to be followed:

-          Evidence of content validity should be gathered to ensure that the tasks are representative of the construct and its conceptual framework, proportional, and in fact job-related.  Reviews of coverage of the standards, combined with surveys of (or discussions with) experts, can help ensure that the tasks are representative and job-related.  This would constitute an important source of validity evidence. 

-          Standards for establishing minimal competency should be established – the point at which teachers will be denied graduation or certification.   Methods of setting criterion decision points are widely documented (Impara, 2000, Rudner, 2001).

-          Evidence that adequate instruction is provided for each task needs to be gathered, so that teachers have the maximum opportunity possible to complete successfully the tasks.  This has been called instructional validity, although it is not a technical term in the Standards.

Step 4: Design and implement data tracking and management systems

The data has been done accumulating and managing for decision making, agree on a rubric for decisions at the task level and share information about teachers to make informed summative decision about progression.

Tracking systems, recordkeeping and other procedural details with these options

            -Student or personnel folders

            -Portfolios

            -Databases

Other important implementation issues are:

-          Consensus around the system needs to be built and supported.  Reward systems could include anything that makes faculty or other assessors more amenable to the accountability requirements. 

-          A maintenance program is necessary and should be created to include training of assessors, collection of scored examples showing different levels of proficiency, orientation of teachers being assessed, alternative strategies or tasks for teachers who need them, advising materials (including due process), and an appeals process. 

-          Formal review times to update and improve the tasks and the system should be established in advance.  Identified people or committees responsible for data collection in a timely and regular fashion are also important for the valid implementation of the system.

Step 5: Ensure psychometric integrity

Ensure the credibility validity, reliability and fairness of assessments. And assessment designers should make use of the Standards(1999). Make the Conceptual framework for assessment and this framework can be operationalized through a “psychometric plan”. The plan should include the following elements:

            Purpose, context, and consequences of the system

Construct measured (teacher job performance)

Conceptual framework (knowledge, skills, and dispositions)

Use, interpretation, and reporting of scores

Test specifications, content map, and item pool

Assessor/rating selection and training procedures

External assessment system review personnel

Assessment system analysis methodology (e.g., CTT or IRT)

Methodology for gathering evidence of validity, reliability, and fairness

Conclusions

Objective tests and certification exams, observations and portfolios provide important evidence of job performance and the potential for good job performance,  but they should not be used to the exclusion of comprehensive performance assessments over time.