10-week online training course “AEI eLearning Su13 Assessment E-teacher”

  This course gave me the brilliant opportunities to learn deeper about types of assessment such diagnostic, formative, and summative and practice more by designing the tasks through rubrics, checklists, and other forms to check the student’s progress. I have learned the difference between traditional and alternative assessment and will try to use more the second one in my practice. I understood that feedback to students in oral or written form is very valuable for them because they can think about their challenges, their needs and progress achievement. Students after such analysis will be motivated to learn more and to work harder. They will use teacher’s office hours to ask questions, to ask for peer-assessment and comments on the written work. The role of feedback is enormous in learning process. Organization of work can be different- individual, work in pairs or small groups and to concentrate on the project –based learning when students have the goal, task, and they have to work collaboratively in order to find a solution and present it to others. Another approach that we not only discussed but tried practically is e-portfolio that is innovative form of teaching and learning. By working with portfolio, students learn to make changes and improve the work continuously according to the tasks, comments of teachers and pairs, and some recommendations for improvement of the work. Portfolio is available to other readers to see, comment through wiki site.

Action research is an activity that students enjoy accomplishing in my school, especially through scientific researching conferences and research work presentation to representative of community and VIP participants from International organizations. They usually present interesting ideas for the development of student’s research and recommend how it can be improved. At this course we also discussed importance of action research and different stages in its organization.

Our reflection and discussion at the course with my Teacher Nicole and colleagues around the world- this is the most unbelievable part of the educational process as we could share our thoughts, plans, social life attitudes, and prospective for the future growth. Motivational and inspirational comments on the forum encouraged me to work with enthusiasm and to improve my professional background.

“Natalia, you are the star of discussions with warm and encouraging comments to everyone. This is one of the fabulous aspects of teacher training online. We appreciate participants who take such an active interest in promoting collaborative learning.
Thank you for your collegiality and bright, enthusiastic presence in the threads!

Thank you for the thorough and admirably clear work on the tasks. We have all learned a lot of relevant detail about your professional situation and issues you face surrounding assessment. I am certain you’ll find direction through this course!

As you mention, proper models and examples of what can be said in different situations are important to motivation. In fact, through such examples we have the opportunity to model reflective, creative, and critical thinking.

You are the shining presence in the discussion that shows how well collaborative learning online can work. I like to let you all discuss the ideas together without bending the conversation toward "the teacher." So, it is wonderful to have you take time to respond to so many posts.
You make important points about authenticity and the necessity of strong professional development. As for assessment literacy, it is exactly the case that we need to offer non-threatening ways for in-service teachers to learn more about assessment. The more we know, the more precisely we can serve our students! (Nicole)”
In the article “Musing: A Way to Inform and Inspire Pedagogy through Self-Reflection” Jane Moore, Vickie Fields Whitfield mention the role of personal growth, flexibility, technology, professional development, and planning in a teaching process. If we consider one by one these elements, we can conclude that without reflection nothing can be done in order to find out the challenges and come up to achievements. Our reflection according to the requirements of feedback helped us to understand the meaning of the concepts and to analyze what was done in a course. My instructor wrote “Your reflection shows how deeply you’ve considered concepts learned in the course; you’ve woven these into your explanations well.  Your enthusiasm is tangible, and I have no doubt that your colleagues will also benefit from your having taken the course.  Yes, I think most of us originally had vague objectives and criteria that lacked detail.  Typical teacher prep programs just do not put enough emphasis on assessment.  It is rewarding for me to see how much you got out of the course design and praxis.  Thanks for taking time on the assignments and here’s to a bright future!  ~~Nicole”

I eager to implement my new knowledge and skills into my practice and share ideas and knowledge with my colleagues, Teachers of Advanced English Teaching Program (ACCELS), teachers of Khorogh (Aga Khan School), active leaders of our community and teachers /administrators of Southern Region in KR.

I am looking forward to study again and to pass other e-Teacher online courses that will help me and my trainees- educators in Kyrgyzstan to become innovative teachers who appreciate the student’s work and value student-centered approaches in the classroom which personalized learning and education for the progress in society. School that use formative assessment in practice lead to success in teaching and learning, and these are characteristics of effective and successful school. New ways of teaching by using assessment tools will influence on the local and then state level. The changes in educational system have to be initiated by pilot schools, enthusiastic and innovative teachers and their experience can be learned for the future achievement. Schools that do not make progress should be open to learn new experience and implement it in their practice. City Department and Ministry of Education of KR have to become partners with the innovative schools and teachers, who were educated in the best Universities of the world, in order to achieve positive results and realize the common goals of educational reforms.

The final, final project

AEPE students have worked as volunteers in order to provide a support in organization of the conference for the teachers of English from Southern region of KR. All of them included by preparation of coffee-break, counting of participants at the conference, presenting poster-papers and success story posters and so on. 

 All of them have presented a demonstrative lesson at the chosen schools or University and have  participated at the sessions that were organized by trainers from LINGVO center in Bishkek, and peace corps volunteer-trainer. At each evening different activities were organized for participants and AEPE students were responsible for a coordination of event.

As the result, they could improve their organizational skills, and team work. 

 



Eventually, students were graduated the program and were certified by awards at the official ceremony.

 The program was finalized and the future projects were developed

AEPE students at the project "Mass media in development of peacefull communication"

AEPE students (those who wished) could have an opportunity to participate in additional for them program “Mass media in development of peaceful communication”. 7 students attended and successfully completed requirements of 5 trainings, round table, and a conference. They have developed and improved their knowledge about the topics: Conflict resolution, globalization, leadership and active participation in community, ecological issues, social networks, e-mail, video-conference, distant education, blog as a tool for peaceful communication.

We discussed the differences between blogs: a teacher blog, student blog, class blog, and project or topic blog.Presentation of different blogs. Students create their own blog through blogger.com site by my supervision. They typed and published the first article at their blogs.Presentation of work on wikispaces.com. As a teacher they can use a wiki as a class homepage-a place where they can post messages and assignments as well as provide links to resources.  It can be a platform for work- where all tasks and assignments for the term will be posted and students will know ahead what the requirements are and the criteria of assessment according to their collaborative work in the classroom.Students worked on computers and created their own page in wikispace.

Students worked very actively in groups, they were interested in learning about technology  not only through lecture and presentation but by using “real technology: computers, Internet resources, projector for presentation. They learned themselves and helped as volunteers and facilitators to others in groups.

Students could work at computer with access to Internet.  

Debates through online discussion. http://newprojectforus.wikispaces.com were very interesting and motivating for future collaboration and work.  Students practiced by using this tool for discussion.

They practiced and have learned how to use Survey monkey questioneers.

Students were active and presented their ideas effectively.

As a result, the participants of the project Ak-Maral , Aizirek, Jypara, Almaz, Sagungyl, Ilhom, Kyzburak
• Increased the level of knowledge and skills in computer technology  by creating a discussion online and through e-mail, blogs, wikis, photovisi, picasa.com; delicious.com, and other sites.  Students could practice in using online and offline tools to work with computer, such as PPT, Games, essay writing, clustering.

They have improved the understanding of peace and world harmony. Have increased the level of knowledge to promote a  peace , ethnic tolerance through discussion and debate topics about tolerance , conflict and types of conflict persons , mediation , and peaceful projects through communication technologies , etc.
• They have developed a network between active teachers and activists in support of cooperation and promotion of peace .

• AEPE Students have proposed project ideas to work with students and teachers in schools and University. They are able to provide training to others, organize discussions, presentations, and apply their new skills in developing lessons plans by bringing technology into the classroom.

AEPE students summarized ideas and presented  their teaching model for their future lessons, that can be used in the classroom.  They introduced ideas that  can be used at the lessons and at extra-curricular activities in discussing peace education topics.

Those pupils who are visual learners would enjoy working with digital cameras, video, and online resources. Learners with good reflection skills will use blogs or build e-portfolio. Social learners will use chat, email, and social network sites.

Kinesthetic learners will use virtual tours, photo story, and animation (animoto).

This relationship between technology tools and learning styles can be applied and used effectively in each lesson by teachers who have learned to use it in their classroom.

It’s not a summer camp, it is a work and a training!!!

AEPE students had to wake up early and to go to bed very late, because it was an intensive course of professional development on teaching English at Issik-Kul, sanatorium Aurora at August, 2013. AEPE students improved their knowledge in grammar, vocabulary, and could learn better about methodology of teaching writing, reading, grammar, speaking, and listening. All of these questions were discussed by different examples and practical work. Students worked individually, in pairs, in groups, and presented their information to each other.
I had a chance to present a  topic : Digital learning in transition
Main points for discussion were:

• Introduction
• The role of Technology and Globalization in modern world
• Personalize learning, student-centered approaches of work by a pair work, group, team work, project-based work.
• Motivation and inspiring for , in, and about learning
• Bloom’s taxonomy and levels of learning and understanding
• Conflict issues and negotiation, peace education
• A program that will be organized for active leaders of society, leaders, teachers, and  students
• Opportunity to learn by creating e-mail, reflective blog, networking sites (Nicenet.org, wiki space, Facebook, etc.)
• Information about dates and time for the training
• Mission and vision of leaders in a modern society.
• Model of an active leader

They have created own proposal to work with teachers of southern region in Mamakeevo, Osh (for the future step that was realized in 3 days,29-31 July, 2013
The goals were:

·        To present “New English File” for teachers of southern region to enhance the teaching abilities

·        Provide methodological support to teachers of southern region through “New English file” book

·        Create a network between teachers of English language of different regions of Osh and Jalal- Abad oblast for exchanging teaching experience.

As a result,

·        Students have learned to work in a team, they support each other, work in a pair and help others.

·        Students worked very hard, they prepared handouts, cards, PPT presentations, etc in creative way; games, activities, they have learned to write and discuss a lesson plan , according to 4MAT (Positive aspect- their lesson plans at the beginning of the program were designed poorly)

·        Students have learned to work in a pair to conduct sessions

·        Students improved their knowledge of grammar, their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing through all activities that were conducted to them at the training.

·        Students have learned how to use different methods and strategies of work in order to provide a lesson by student-centered  approaches

·        Students have learned how to write success story

·        Instructor published student’s ideas on the blog http://aepe2013.blogspot.com  where they reflected on the work during this project work.

·        Students developed network connection with teachers of southern region and shared their ides and teaching practice.

·        Students have learned how to use computer (to type, to prepare presentation, etc.)

·        They have organized themselves , their discipline was better

·        Students  have worked  as trainers with 12 teachers and practiced their skills

Discussion Club activity

Discussion Club activity

I am Reinhard Hohl, Australian and have had the pleasure of providing English native speaker topics to the Discussion Group at the AEPE for Teachers of English Language at schools and universities.
As a short description of some of the discussions, I describe the following,
During my group attendances, I described my impressions on the inter-relationship of the Age of Discovery,  Explorers and Colonialism, and the historical inheritance in the modern world.
In a following discussion I described the aura of London, its history, life and place in the current world. I grew up in London and it was with great pleasure describing my growing up experiences in the city.
I spent several years working in Papua New Guinea, and I held a video and descriptive discussion on the country, describing the lifestyle, short history, and progress in this ancient isolated interesting country.
 The attendees during my discourses, appeared interested, then followed with significant in depth questions with mirth and enjoyment – hopefully reasonably answered and clarified by myself. 
The role of native speaker in association with a language learning is to assist in the understanding of the language, expanding the aural appreciation of accents, dialects coupled with the phrasing, vocabulary and idioms in normal usage and  interaction.

Success story, Akmaral

English in my life

First of all, I want to express my willing of learning and teaching English. I will retell to you what role English plays in my life.

When I was in 8^th form I met Americans in Talas. They came there to see the celebration of Manas’ University, because I learnt English at school. I could speak with them on English. I was also introduced to Japanese and could speak with them also on English. I was very happy to understand them and could translate their speech into Kyrgyz for my mother and her friends. So, everyday we spent whole day together until their leave to America and Japan. On the last day they thanked me for helping in translation and payed for it some money. It was very unexpectedly for me to receive money, because I had never had experience to earn money by this way and one of Americans took promise from me to continue learning English since that day I have learnt English as I promised. That was my main reason why I chose English and teach it.

Day by day I was interested in English and decide to choose English at the University as I wanted to become an English teacher. I have been teaching English for about 7 years. During these 7 years I have been trying to participate in different courses, seminars, training, workshops to improve teaching skills. That’s why I chose AEPE long-term course with the aim to learn more in teaching, especially to find out new methods or methodologies. We should use new and modern methods with using high technologies as our world is getting progress and our educational system is also changing. I think, our long-term course is a very good chance to improve our teaching skills and get know more about teaching methodologies. Our teacher, Natalya Anatolyevna, has a very good experience in teaching. She taught us many useful things. I like that she assigned us to have  role playing, description of the situations, matching-up dialogues, use of PPT, teaching and listening to new phrases and I can’t count all of them. After finishing this course I will try to spread skills and knowledge about all methods what I learnt from this project to my students and I will help some of young colleagues to enhance new methods. Maybe, it will be very good if everyone try to write their teaching methods on their blogs, because everyone who wants to see or to learn it they can read about it everywhere no matter where they were.

Success story, Jypara

Success in the training

  It is very difficult to be a teacher, because teachers work with young learners, teenagers. All teachers must find their learning styles, work hardly in order to hold attention and interests from the students. If we participate at the seminars, training we can achieve a progress because I have learned many useful learning methods from training. It is very useful when we share own ideas, experiences, communicate clearly, easily, and effectively in English. From training I have learned how to work without school books. We can teach with songs, dialogues, short stories, games, dramas, pictures, listening of different short dialogues and I have learned how to organize enhancement activities, how to work in groups, how to prepare effectively, successfully for lessons. For our each lesson we must write clear aims. Also, I have learned to listen to other people’s ideas, work cooperatively, share own experience, help others and respect opinion of others. I got to be motivated and interested in learning and teaching through this program.

Succes story, Samara

Never late to learn

Study, study and study... To take a knowledge is endless. That’s why I wanted to attend this seminar. At the beginning of the seminar I had a lot of questions, such as:

1. How to write essay?
2. How to introduce new theme?
3. To use in a practice new methods
4. To use songs
5. To write projects and implement them

During attending this seminar I took a lot of new things and new methods. I could learn some idioms. I liked the phrases by “Murphy’s Law”. But with it we could learn a lot of rules in Grammar of English language.

I had some problems in using tenses, especially when we use conditional sentences. I liked the song “White Flag” of Dido. The song was easy to sing and the words were easy to remember. I could give this song to my students.

We worked and learnt how to write a project and implement it by project enhancement activity. It was my first achievement at the seminar, because after four and half months I am able to write projects by using a template.

I have learned some of new methods, games, songs and rules of English grammar. Thanks for managers who organized this seminar and of course the biggest thank to our teacher Natalya. She is not only the best teacher, she is a brilliant person. Thank you so much for this seminar.

This is a pilot program

AEPE program is a pilot program for teachers of English from schools and University of World Languages in Osh city. There are 6 students presently in the group who have classes in 90 min three times in a week.

This program potentially encourages teachers to reconsider their lesson plans, syllabus and strategies of teaching by student-centred approaches in activities. We discuss with students of my group a question “How to use Informational technologies at the classroom?” and practice ourselves by created e-mails, reflective blogs, and opened nicenet.org page for educational purposes. Also, I use my computer to present information, PPTs, songs, videos and others. A discussion Club on the topic of “Globalisation and the role of Internet” was very successful for this purpose.

 Teachers share their experience of participating at the course with their colleagues at schools and University. They can demonstrate to their colleagues the blog page if they access to Internet.

At the same time, teachers improve their knowledge and skills in English language. They review grammar rules and practice different activities with exercises which allow them to learn grammar well. As a trainer I use each time new strategies of work such as individual work, pair work, group work, and a team work. My students participate in discussions and debates at the training, write multiple-drafts essay, form project templates for presentations, read interesting articles, and work with Student and workbook “New English File”. This book is the main one at the course, but at the training we discuss grammar by using different topics, cards, posters, additional grammar Oxford books, information from Internet, video and audio files, podcasts with new phrases for each class, newspaper “Times”, and other supportive materials to achieve better result. They work with Quizes, Quicktests, Progress test, reflect on the blogs, work with a home task, and  participate in the class.

Monthly we organize and provide project enhancement activity for community including students, teachers, children from orphanage house and etc. AEPE students learn through the project to work together in a team, to share responsibilities, to reflect on the project work and evaluate each others work.

My students learn and teach others. The reaction on the student’s progress /challenges will be done and according to the success will be obviously if this program can have a “root” at this place.Will be this pilot program a usual program for teachers in our country? Will see, hope so!!!

Success story, Almaz

Success story

My name is Almaz. I am a teacher of English language. As far as I know languages, I never stop in learning and always develop my skills. For example: new words, phrases, new methods and approaches of teaching. Why I am telling it? Because we are teachers who have to be always in progress, so I decide to learn English deeply in order to conduct lessons effectively. Consequently, I have chosen AEPE course. I am glad that I am participant of this course. There are nine teachers, including me who always participates. Fortunately, we are active at the lessons. We always try to be flexible and fulfill all of our tasks, nevertheless teaching work has some problems. That’s why I would like to tell about our AEPE course. Firstly, I will tell what I did gain. In the first place this is grammar which we were deeply learning. Such kind of learning changed me completely. I improved my writing and speaking skills. So, it influenced one me, moreover I learnt about new methods of teaching and new approaches. It helped me to improve and develop computer literacy. Nevertheless, each work has some challenges. During the participation it was difficult to work with computers ourselves for our program, because it was new for us. Also, I wouldn’t say that it was easy to implement, there were several reasons, but we could do it with our group. Each participant was a leader to conduct project and we did it successfully.

Materials that we have used during the lessons helped me to be more experienced and motivated. Some of us have already used some games, new approaches and methods of teaching. In this way we could achieve not bad outcomes.