E-TOOLS AND TEACHING ESL THROUGH DISTANCE

EDUCATION

Veronica BaigCorinne BosséDebra HovenTunde Tuzes

ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY

OVERVIEW

• Introductions and background information• Moodle—a Learning Management System• Voice/ Video Communication

– VOIP systems, Elluminate

• Discussion Boards• Blogging

– Free writing, Interactive exercises

• Collaborative Writing– Peer Editing, Wikis

• What’s New?– m-learning, e-portfolios, digital story telling, Me2U, facebook, …

Who are we?

• Veronica Baig, Academic Coordinator, English Language Studiesveronica@athabascau.ca

• Corinne Bossé, Instructional Media Analystcorinneb@athabascau.ca

• Debra Hoven, Associate Professor, Centre for Distance Education

debrah@athabascau.ca• Tunde Tuzes, Write Site Facilitator/Engl 255

instructor tundet@athabascu.ca

Background Information

• Athabasca University

“… is Canada’s largest, and most flexible, open and distance education provider. More than 37,000 students are studying undergraduate courses and approximately 3,200 students are enrolled in graduate degrees”

AU Calendar

ELS/ESL/ WRITING/TESL

• 6 ESL/ELS courses all at the preparatory level:– 4 are zero credit courses– 2 may be taken for credit

• 2 Writing courses—non-ESL but with ESL support– 1 preparatory—possible credit– 1 first year—full credit

• Graduate students in MAIS and CDE who have an interest in TESL projects

SOME DICHOTOMIES

• Undergraduate (including preparatory)– Individual study– Asynchronous delivery– Internet optional

• Graduate – Paced, cohort based study– Synchronous delivery– Internet required

WHY BLOG?

• Provides students with a sense of community

• Allows for increased interaction

• Permits mini-lessons

• Provides a wider audience

• Keeps students involved

• Practices specific skills

ELS BLOGS

• Different format than most blogs– Not a chronological log– Welcome– Course announcements– Weekly participatory activities– Side bar for course related information,

resources, and mini-lessons– Footer for mini-lessons

ENGL 140: GRAMMAR

http://english140blog.blogspot.com/

Interactive activities:– Grammar Question– Vocabulary– Exam Practice– Sentence Completion

Sidebar:– Module/Assignment Links

Footer:– Wimba/Mini-Lessons

ENGL 177: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

http://engl177blog.blogspot.com/

Interactive Activities:

• Sentence Completion

• Grammar Question

• Sentence Combination

• Vocabulary

• Half-Way There Challenge

ENGL 189: ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS

http://english189.blogspot.com/

Interactive Activities:

• Grammar Question

• Plain English

• In The News

• Vocabulary

RESOURCES

Electronic Village Online (TESOL)• http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/

TESOL/EVOL/portal.htmBlogging4Beginners• http://bloggingforbeginners.pbwiki.com/Podcasting• http://www.slideshare.net/ClaudiaB/podomatic-

create-or-upload-audio-files-and-post-them-to-your-blog/

Widgets• http://widgets.yahoo.com/