Saturday, June 11, 2016

"Create 1.1.3 – Appearance" Quest

"Create 1.1.3 – Appearance" Quest

I think that an online learning site has to be easy to navigate while including interactive elements as well as consistent and easy to read fonts. I also think that it is important for sites to use consistent nomenclature so that as students move from one module to the next, activities and assignments are named in the same ways. All of these things work together to make the learning experience pleasantly navigable and easily understandable in the absence of a physical teacher to guide the students through. Here are the resources that I perused:

1. GAVL- Aside from the fact that I am partial to my home team, we do offer great courses that adhere to my standards as listed above. With consistent colors and course layouts, it is easy for students to switch between content areas and to know immediately what to do.

2. KhanAcademy- This very successful online educational site is very organized. I like the linear layout of the pages in outline form, which include images, video, and text.

3. Shmoop- This website is super user friendly and engaging. I require that my students use it as extra practice for the AP exam. It offers content organized by introduction, skills, and practice exams from a dashboard view. There is also an element of gamification in that students can accumulate points for completing activities.

4. Mountain Heights Academy- Another linear design, this site offers OER courses laid out as weekly pods that include links to videos, PDFs, worksheets, quizzes, and fill in the box forms. It seems easy to follow and navigate but many of the links I tried for the practice activities did not work and were last modified in 2012. I am not sure how useful this site is since it is not being maintained. (I visited the Language Arts courses.)

5. Français Facile- This site is exclusively in French and offers free courses, tests for determining proficiency levels, and practice for students of all levels. The major drawback of this site is that you really need a working knowledge of French in order to know what topics to even select. I like to use it with my students but I assign specific pages to them rather than encouraging them to hunt around, mainly because it is so difficult to navigate.

6. Bonjour de France- Another site entirely in French, this one is a bit more user friendly for students to navigate on their own. The main page has a menu for choosing the skill you'd like to fine tune. Many of the modules have interactive activities and self-tests. The biggest problem with this site is that, for a non-native or lower level student, there are copious advertisements that look like activities, so it is easy to be distracted and taken to a different website.

7. ALISON- This site offers free courses in multiple languages on many topics. I could not view the courses themselves without signing up for an account but the sheer breadth of courses was impressive. It was easy to see what was courses are available and the welcome page for teachers mentions that students can learn 24/7 via self paced courses, study groups, secure "flash" testing, an option of an ad-free environment, and certification at the end of a course based on global standards. They also reach a wide group of students: workforce re-entry, employers, students, teachers, publishers, and professionals.

8. FUN- Free and open courses for higher education include official start dates and services by various institutions, such as Université Paris-Saclay, Univeristé Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, etc.

9. Académie en ligne- Sponsored by the National Ministry of Education of France, this site offers free online courses ranging from elementary school through high school. It is directed at native speakers of French. After a brief exploration, it is very user friendly but really consists of a textbook in PDF form with several audio files. Not very interesting at a glance but easy to navigate.

10. Les Bons Profs- This site is very interesting! The free courses are for the last 5 years of school for students in France. They are organized by subjects and of course I looked over the French courses. They are very easy to navigate and offer video of instructors teaching, activities to do and writing assignments. I loved the colors they used that indicated the types of exercises.


Tuesday, June 7, 2016

"Create 1.1.2. – Creating a Content Map" Quest

"Create 1.1.2. – Creating a Content Map" Quest

How ironic that I just used Bubbl.us on my last post!!

Here is my Content Map for how to conjugate verbs in the imparfait in French. Please click on the image to enlarge.


Content maps are important for a variety of reasons. First, a visual representation can help the creator view the steps involved in the process at hand in a linear but graphic way. Second, such a representation affords the creator a chance to move elements around easily (when using a site like Bubbl.us) which allows for multiple views of how said content could be presented or used. Third, a content map allows for the addition of and connection to various other elements that enhance the learning of the initial content. Personally, I like for students to create these because they have to demonstrate their understanding of the steps involved in a process or of the connections between ideas. 

"Create 1.1.1 – Time Management" Quest

"Create 1.1.1 – Time Management" Quest

I created this mindmap on Bulbb.us. Click to enlarge.
https://bubbl.us/mindmap


"Communicate 4.3.1 The Synchronous Session" Quest

"Communicate 4.3.1 The Synchronous Session" Quest

Click on the image below to enlarge


Synchronous Sessions are invaluable to connecting with students and letting them know that they are not alone, that they have friendly support, and that they are expected to maintain a virtual presence in my class. GAVS no longer requires students to attend weekly sessions, but in my AP French class, I actually do require that they either attend or that they watch a recording of the session and that they submit the work assigned during the session via dropbox. This time together creates a sense of belonging and camaraderie, as well as affords the students the opportunity to practice in "real time" what they will do on the day of the AP exam while also getting immediate feedback. This is the only time in the course that students get immediate feedback and I find that they really enjoy and appreciate my efforts.

My Adobe Connect classroom is a reflection of me as a person and as a teacher. Above is capture of my classroom Welcome Chat layout. I use the same layout every semester for the Welcome Chat. I don't care for using the live video camera for several reasons (slow, causes interruptions in presentation, do not like to see my self talking) but I do post a photograph of myself so that students can "see me" during the meeting. In general for all meetings, I always include a welcome note, helpful links, files that students will need, a sign in sheet link, an announcement pod, and either a video or music for students to watch as they wait for stragglers to arrive to class. Usually, the music or video relates to the topic that will be discussed. The lesson is almost always student centered after the first few classes of the semester. The time is used to do the AP Exam free response items in a timed atmosphere.

I have never really had a problem with attendance at my sessions. I've always managed to have high attendance, even when I taught levels 1, 2 and 3. In general, students who have attended sessions tend to perform better in the course overall. I do not necessarily think that is because they attended, however. I think that students who are motivated and who excel in general are the more conscientious ones and that is the group who attends consistently and who performs well. I think students like the interactive nature of the sessions and the immediate feedback. They like being able to ask questions in real time. They like "being" with their peers. I like being with them!

"Communicate 4.2.3 – Discussions" Quest

"Communicate 4.2.3 – Discussions" Quest

What role or purpose do discussion forums serve in the online classroom and are they effective?

The role of discussion forums in online learning is multi-beneficial. Students are afforded the opportunity to present their ideas to their peers and to their teachers after having the opportunity to explore the content and topic at hand and after reflection. It allows for demonstration of deeper understanding in terms of original posts and response posts. In addition, it creates an environment where students can collaborate in a space where they often feel isolated. Discussion forums are effective when instructions monitor and guide students daily. Setting participation expectations at the beginning is extremely important in terms of soliciting the type of participation desired.


How do discussion forums function as a teaching tool? How could they be used effectively and ineffectively? Futhermore, what are some best practices for facilitating forums online?

As a teaching tool, the discussion forum is a place to explore various types of assignments that are interactive in nature, as opposed to the dropbox or assessment tools. A key element in discussion forums is student interaction. Without student interaction, the maximum benefits are not reached. Effective use of discussion forums includes, but is not limited to, Socratic method, polling, roll play, peer reviews, video and audio activities. The idea is to create an environment where students are critically thinking, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating. The teacher's role is to facilitate that interaction by commenting on every student's initial post in a way that encourages deeper thinking about the topic. Providing external links to current events or helpful websites is also a technique that adds to the value of the discussion forum.

In my AP class, students are expected to compare and contrast a topic in both the target culture and their own community. They have to research the topic, spend 4 minutes preparing an outline of what to present, then create a 2 minute response recorded in an audio file. They then listen to their audio file and write a transcript of what they've said. Producing the transcript affords the students the opportunity to notice their strengths and weaknesses. Then the students post their audio file and transcripts to the discussion forum. Finally, they are required to listen to others' posts and respond with questions that encourage more participation by others. Simple questions that illicit "yes and no" responses do not earn credit. This activity helps students prepare for the AP free response Cultural Comparison items by allowing them to practice the format, to examine their own work as well as the work of peers. It forces them to reflect on their performance and the performance of others, which enriches their understanding of the communication goals. My role is to ask each students thought provoking questions to make sure they've explored their topic deeply and to encourage more interaction within the class.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

"Communicate 4.2.2 – Digital Feedback" Quest

"Communicate 4.2.2 – Digital Feedback" Quest

While I love writing pithy feedback for students, it is not always necessary. Using a visual image to tell students about their performance is a valuable tool for several reasons. Students often don't read their feedback. (I know, shocking!) However, when they scroll through their grades, they can quickly see how they are doing when a digital image such as you see below is posted in lieu of lots of text.


I also like to include video for extra help, even when the students are performing well. Some students appreciate having more information even when their grades are satisfactory. Below is an example where a student made a fine grade but, in addition to the rubric and text feedback, I provided a link to a video for the student to learn how to include even more advanced writing structures into their submissions. 


Another way I like to leave feedback is by audio file. I always do this in the discussion forum. Using an audio file to encourage more discussion in an environment where I expect students to also use audio files is a best practice because I model my expectations for the students and give them a solid example of what they, too, should be doing. It also takes a step toward building relationships with the students due to the more personal nature of this type of feedback.



 I like to vary my means of feedback, as you can see from these three samples. Varying feedback input addresses all student learning styles, makes feedback more interesting, and adds a personalized touch to what could be a very sterile environment.




"Communicate 4.2.1 – Feedback" Quest

"Communicate 4.2.1 – Feedback" Quest

This email response assignment is one that I use in my GAVS AP French course to practice for the free response item that the students will encounter on the AP College Board Exam. I assign this using Flipsnack, where there are directions, email prompts, and tips for preparing the assignment as well as for preparing to do the task on the day of the AP exam.

I wanted to embed the item here, but I have a free Flipsnack account and do not have that ability. Instead, here is a link to the Flipsnack:
http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1905139&backurl=/shelf/my


Here is the rubric that I use to give feedback for this assignment. It is copied from the AP Scoring Guidelines.

2016 Interpersonal Writing: Email Reply AP® FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Tara Ingle
CriteriaScore and Feedback
Edit score and feedback for Criterion 1Clear score and feedback for Criterion 1

Edit score and feedback for Criterion 2Clear score and feedback for Criterion 2

Edit score and feedback for Criterion 3Clear score and feedback for Criterion 3

Edit score and feedback for Criterion 4Clear score and feedback for Criterion 4

Edit score and feedback for Criterion 5Clear score and feedback for Criterion 5

Edit score and feedback for Criterion 6Clear score and feedback for Criterion 6

Edit score and feedback for Criterion 7Clear score and feedback for Criterion 7

Overall ScoreScore and Feedback
 
Edit overall score and feedback




Here is a sample of written feedback that I also give on this type of assignment. The comments include links for help in areas where students are weak. First I provide a link to a document that the student can download which contains the same feedback that you see below the link:

2/12
**Be sure to go to the bottom of this feedback and click on “Assessment Details” to see the actual rubric.

Regarde mes notes qui t’expliquent des choses notables et des choses qui te limitent à ce niveau:

Chére[TI1] Mademoisselle,

Je serai heureux que ma candidature ait su vous convaincre et me permette de vous rencontrer lors d'un entretien à votre convenance. Dans cette perspective, je vous saurai gré, Madame, d'accepter mes respectueuses salutations[TI2]  Je serai hereux de faire partie du programme d’échange. Je[TI3] aimerais vivre en Ethiopie , parce que il est un très bel endroit . Il a une belle culture et beaucoup de gens et il fait chaud toute l'année. [TI4] J’aimerais X[TI5]  avec quelqu’un qu’ils sont[TI6]  gentils et sympathiques. Je ne pas[TI7] avoir[TI8]  des préférences ! Ce serait[TI9]  un honneur de travailler avec vous et votre programme !

En espérant vous avoir convaincu de ma motivation, veuillez m'informer le plus vite possible. Si tu[TI10]  avez des questions pour moi, n’hesitez pas à demander[TI11]  ! Merci pour votre temps !

  Amicalement[TI12] , Priya 

 [TI1]Do not use Cher/ Chère in formal communication.
 [TI2]Remove this from the beginning of the message.
This is a correct “formule de politesse” but it is used at the END of a correspondance, just before signing “Sincèrement”. It is also quite hard to memorize. You are welcome to select something easier, such as, “ Dans l'attente de votre réponse, je vous prie d’agréer, Madame, Monsieur, mes sincères salutations. » for the end.

 [TI3]Elision

 [TI4]While all this is probably true, it is too generalized. You must show specific knowledge of the culture. Maybe on the day of the exam, you will get a prompt about which you know nothing and then something this vague will have to do. However, for this course, use the opportunity to research and learn more about cultures so that you can respond with pithy answers and so that you can put the information into your brain for a rainy day (i.e. exam day). J
 [TI5]Il faut un verbe à l’infinitif.
 [TI6]Qui est gentil et symphatique
 [TI7]Negation
 [TI8]il faut conjuguer le verbe au présent.
 [TI9]Bonne utilisation du Conditionnel!
 [TI10]Il faut la langue soutenu.
 [TI11]Veuillez me les poser et je répondrai assez tôt que possible.
 [TI12]This is too informal. Please visit the links included for the “formule de politesse” for examples of appropriate closings.
Here is a sample of a submission from a previous class. It has some problems too but is more in line with the format that we are seeking. Be sure to read my comments to the student to see what was good and what needed improvement: example Ecriture 1.2 feedback.docx

2/1 Priya, there are two issues: This is not the correct assignment and the labeling of your file name is not acceptable. 
It seems to me that you still have not yet watched the Welcome Chat where assignment modification directions were explained and distributed via our Live Binder link. Here are the directions for this assignment:
AP Ecriture Flipsnack (Courriel)

Please resubmit before the deadline for full credit. Merci!

"Communicate 4.1.2 – Rubrics" Quest

"Communicate 4.1.2 – Rubrics" Quest

Here is a rubric that created for my GAVS AP French Language and Culture class. This rubric is used to grade discussion submissions. In this course, the discussion forum is used to practice a free response item that students will encounter on the AP College Board Exam. Part of the rubric addresses the requirements of the free response task, while the other part of the rubric addresses the requirements of the discussion forum itself.

This rubric saves me an **enormous** amount of time and it provides the student with insight into what is required to earn a good discussion grade as well as what is necessary to accomplish the task for the AP Exam. In addition to the rubric, I leave feedback about their grammar and I also participate in the forum by asking students questions which should encourage more thoughtful discussion.

Criteria
Audio file is present and completely audible.
The audio file does not work properly, is submitted in the wrong file format, or there is no submission.
The audio file is 2 full minutes.
Audio file is between 1:59 and 1:55.
Audio file is between 1:54- 1:50.
Audio file is between 1:49-1:45.
Audio file is between 1:44-1:40.
Audio file is less than 1:40.
Transcription is present and complete.
The transcript is incomplete or there is no submission.
There is an introduction, a presentation of the Francophone culture, a presentation of the student's culture, and a conclusion. Transition words and cohesive devices are used.
One element of the format is missing: Check to see if you have all of these: introduction, a presentation of the Francophone culture, a presentation of the student's culture, and a conclusion. Transition words and cohesive devices are used.
Two elements of the format are missing: Check to see if you have all of these: introduction, a presentation of the Francophone culture, a presentation of the student's culture, and a conclusion. Transition words and cohesive devices are used.
Three elements of the format are missing: Check to see if you have all of these: introduction, a presentation of the Francophone culutre, a presentation of the student's culutre, and a conclusion. Transition words and cohesive devices are missing.
Four elements of the format are missing: Check to see if you have all of these: introduction, a presentation of the Francophone culutre, a presentation of the student's culutre, and a conclusion. Transition words and cohesive devices are missing.
No submission
- Contains 4 or more correctly used advanced verb tenses such as
le conditionnel, le conditionnel passé, le passé composé, l’imparfait, le plus-que-parfait, le subjonctif, le futur simple, or le futur antérieur

- Contains 4 complex sentences using dependent clauses, subordinating conjunctions, adverbs, or gerunds.

-Contains many compound sentences and some simple sentences.
- Contains 3 correctly used advanced verb tenses such as
le conditionnel, le conditionnel passé, le passé composé, l’imparfait, le plus-que-parfait, le subjonctif, le futur simple, or le futur antérieur

- Contains 3 complex sentences using dependent clauses, subordinating conjunctions, adverbs, or gerunds.

-- Contains many compound sentences (two independent clauses connected together with a coordinating conjunction) and a few simple sentences.
- Contains 3 correctly used advanced verb tenses such as
le conditionnel, le conditionnel passé, le passé composé, l’imparfait, le plus-que-parfait, le subjonctif, le futur simple, or le futur antérieur

- Contains 2 complex sentences using dependent clauses, subordinating conjunctions, adverbs, or gerunds.

- Contains mostly compound sentences (two independent clauses connected together with a coordinating conjunction) and a few simple sentences.
- Contains 2 correctly used advanced verb tenses such as
le conditionnel, le conditionnel passé, le passé composé, l’imparfait, le plus-que-parfait, le subjonctif, le futur simple, or le futur antérieur

- Contains 1 complex sentence using dependent clauses, subordinating conjunctions, adverbs, or gerunds

- Contains a balance of compound sentences (two independent clauses connected together with a coordinating conjunction) and simple sentences.
- Contains 1 correctly used advanced verb tenses such as
le conditionnel, le conditionnel passé, le passé composé, l’imparfait, le plus-que-parfait, le subjonctif, le futur simple, or le futur antérieur

- Does not contain complex sentences using dependent clauses, subordinating conjunctions, adverbs, or gerunds.

- Contains very few compound sentences (two independent clauses connected together with a coordinating conjunction) and mostly simple sentences.
No submission
• Effective treatment of topic within the context of the task
• Clearly compares the student's own community with the target culture, including supporting details and relevant
• Demonstrates understanding of the target culture, despite a few minor inaccuracies
• Organized presentation; effective use of transitional elements or cohesive devices
• Fully understandable, with ease and clarity of expression; occasional errors do not impede comprehensibility
• Varied and appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic language
• Accuracy and variety in grammar, syntax and usage, with few errors
• Mostly consistent use of register appropriate for the presentation
• Pronunciation, intonation and pacing make the response comprehensible; errors do not impede comprehensibility
• Clarification or self-correction (if present) improves comprehensibility
• Generally effective treatment of topic within the context of the task
• Compares the student's own community with the target culture, including some supporting details and mostly relevant examples
• Demonstrates some understanding of the target culture, despite minor inaccuracies
• Organized presentation; some effective use of transitional elements or cohesive devices
• Fully understandable, with some errors which do not impede comprehensibility
• Varied and generally appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic language
• General control of grammar, syntax and usage
• Generally consistent use of register appropriate for the presentation, except for occasional shifts
• Pronunciation, intonation and pacing make the response mostly comprehensible; errors do not impede comprehensibility
• Clarification or self-correction (if present) usually improves comprehensibility
• Suitable treatment of topic within the context of the task
• Compares the student's own community with the target culture, including a few supporting details and examples
• Demonstrates a basic understanding of the target culture, despite inaccuracies
• Some organization; limited use of transitional elements or cohesive devices
• Generally understandable, with errors that may impede comprehensibility
• Appropriate but basic vocabulary and idiomatic language
• Some control of grammar, syntax and usage
• Use of register may be inappropriate for the presentation with several shifts
• Pronunciation, intonation and pacing make the response generally comprehensible; errors occasionally impede comprehensibility
• Clarification or self-correction (if present) sometimes improves comprehensibility
• Unsuitable treatment of topic within the context of the task
• Presents information about the student's own community and the target culture, but may not compare them; consists mostly of statements with no development
• Demonstrates a limited understanding of the target culture; may include several inaccuracies
• Limited organization; ineffective use of transitional elements or cohesive devices
• Partially understandable, with errors that force interpretation and cause confusion for the listener
• Limited vocabulary and idiomatic language
• Limited control of grammar, syntax and usage
• Use of register is generally inappropriate for the presentation
• Pronunciation, intonation and pacing make the response difficult to comprehend at times; errors impede comprehensibility
• Clarification or self-correction (if present) usually does not improve comprehensibility
• Almost no treatment of topic within the context of the task
• Presents information only about the student's own community or only about the target culture, and may not include examples
• Demonstrates minimal understanding of the target culture; generally inaccurate
• Little or no organization; absence of transitional elements and cohesive devices
• Barely understandable, with frequent or significant errors that impede comprehensibility
• Very few vocabulary resources
• Little or no control of grammar, syntax and usage
• Minimal or no attention to register
• Pronunciation, intonation and pacing make the response difficult to comprehend; errors impede comprehensibility
• Clarification or self-correction (if present) does not improve comprehensibility
No submission
Original Post is made early enough before the deadline so that others can comment on the post and so that student can respond to others who make comments to them before the deadline.
Three or more response posts are present and encourage more participation through asking thought provoking questions based on content of others. Student has also responded to all questions from others.
Original Post is made early enough before the deadline so that others can comment on the post and so that student can respond to others who make comments to them before the deadline.
Two response posts are present and encourage more participation through asking thought provoking questions based on content of others. Student has also responded to all questions from others.
Original Post is made early enough before the deadline so that others can comment on the post and so that student can respond to others who make comments to them before the deadline.
One response post is present and encourages more participation through asking thought provoking questions based on content of others. Student has also responded to all questions from others.
Original Post is not made early enough before the deadline and therefore does not contribute to the overall discussion. The post does not allow time for others to read and respond to it.
The student may have made response posts to others but these were completed so close to the deadline that the other students did not have the opportunity to respond and therefore the attempts do not contribute to the overall discussion.
Original Post is not made early enough before the deadline and therefore does not contribute to the overall discussion. The post does not allow time for others to read and respond to it.
The student has not made response posts to others.
No submission
Overall Score