Vodcasts in the Classroom
Presented by Amina Ghannam
and Sarah Thomas
George Mason University
Technology for Learning Symposium
Arlington Public Schools
Thursday, July 26, 2012
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Amina Ghannam
• Current doctoral student at George Mason University
– Research areas: Special Education/Education Policy
– Dissertation topic: Inclusion practices for Special Education students
• Special Education Resource Teacher, Loudon County
• Believes in the importance of using technology, from simple
processes to the more complex
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Sarah Thomas
• Current doctoral student at George Mason University
– Research area: International Education
– Dissertation topic: Technological strategies to facilitate Second
Language Acquisition in English Language Learners
• English Language Arts/Technology Coordinator, Prince
Georges County
• Believes in the use of technology to reach a generation of
digital natives
INTRODUCTION
• Nine million ELLs in the United States today, projections rise to
17 million by 2020 (Ruiz, Kabler, and Sugarman, 2011; White
and Gillard, 2011).
• Teacher certification requirements differ greatly among states.
– many educators do not receive preparation in the areas of
culturally responsive pedagogy, second language
acquisition, and instructional technology.
INTRODUCTION
• Katz (2003) : “the constant challenge facing
[language] teachers is to create a sense of
belonging, a community, despite very real
differences in their students’ L2 proficiency (p. 131).”
• Multiple levels of English language proficiency
present in one classroom.
INTRODUCTION
• Problem Statement: Langman and Fies (2010): minority students
in the United States, particularly English Language Learners
(ELLs), lag behind their peers in terms of mathematics and science
achievement.
• As the number of ELLs grows, this issue has gained importance
within the American educational system.
• Purpose: to highlight a selected of strategies that educators may
find useful in delivering instruction, particularly concerning special
education and ELL students.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
• Sociocultural learning
– students are able to present their ideas, presenting
different points of view
– teachers support and scaffold student discourse
(Mortimer, 2003).
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
• Ladson-Billings’ (1992) culturally relevant teaching
– pedagogy of opposition that recognizes and celebrates
African and African American culture
– later expanded definition to other minority youth
– sharing of power in the classroom equally between
teachers and students
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
• Digital natives and immigrants (Prensky, 2001)
– digital natives: the ‘net generation, capable of using
technologies and far more accustomed to them than
previous generations
– digital immigrants: everyone else
– technology shock: psychological reactions to unfamiliar
technologies; similar to culture shock
VODCASTS
• Technology can facilitate achievement among
students
– differentiation
– motivation/engagement
– new opportunities for discourse
TECHNOLOGY-INFUSED SOLUTIONS
•
Kim (2011): Podcasting and blogging
– Podcasting (2004): “Internet-based radio shows or other audio programs available for download over
the Internet to be played through a computer and on MP3 players such as the iPod (p. 633).”
– The process:
• record
– Audacity (PC, Mac)
– GarageBand (Mac)
• share
– email/DropBox
– Podomatic
– Soundcloud
• Example
TECHNOLOGY-INFUSED SOLUTIONS
•
Podcasting (cont’d)
– vodcasting: video-on-demand + “casting”
– similar process
• record
– via camera (flip, digital, web, etc.
• edit
– iMovie (Mac)
– Final Cut (Mac)
– Windows Movie Maker (PC)
• share
• Example
TECHNOLOGY-INFUSED SOLUTIONS
• Podcasting (cont’d)
• Vodcasting = beneficial in the digital storytelling
process
• Vodcasts and Podcasts also available on iTunes U
• CAVEAT: Copyright law
• Free resource: Voicethread.com
– Example
CONCLUSION
• Technology can be used to meet the needs of all students, including
Special Education students and English Language Learners.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with technology use in your classrooms.
– Productive lessons can be replicated in the future; “failed” lessons can
always be tweaked and retried.
– As White and Gillard advise, “if an ELL student finishes an
assignment, or has 5-10 minutes of free time, he or she could spend
that time immersed in one of the interactive technology-based learning
environments (p. 2).”
CONCLUSION
• “The biggest risk in life is not taking one at all.”
• The same can be said about instructional
technology use in the classroom.
QUESTIONS?
REFERENCES
Bang, H., Suarez-Orozco, C., Pakes, J., & O'Connor, E. (2009). The importance of homework in determining immigrant students' grades in schools in the
USA context. Educational Research, 51(1), 1-25.
Carhill, A., Suarez-Orozco, C., & Paez, M. (2008). Explaining English language proficiency among adolescent immigrant students. American educational
research journal, 45(4), 1155-1179.
Green, T. (2005). Using technology to help English language students develop language skills: a home and school connection. Multicultural education.
Winter 2006. Vol. 13. No 2. pp. 56-59
Hope, J. (2008). "One day we had to run": The development of the refugee identity in children's literature and its function in education. Children's
literature in education, 39(4), 295-304.
Katz, S. (2003). Near-native speakers in the foreign-language classroom: The case of Haitian immigrant students.
Kim, D. (2011). Incorporating podcasting and blogging into a core task for ESOL teacher candidates. Computers & education. 56(2011) 632-641.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1992). Reading between the lines and beyond the pages: A culturally relevant approach to literacy teaching. Theory into practice,
31(4), 312-20.
REFERENCES
Langman, J. & Fies, C. (2010). Classroom response system-mediated science learning with English language learners. Language and education. Vol.
24, No. 2, March 2010, 81-99.
Lee, L. (2009). Promoting intercultural exchanges with blogs and podcasting: a study of Spanish-American telecollaboration. Computer assisted
language learning. Vol. 22, No. 5, December 2009, 425-443.
Meskill, C. & Mossop, J. (1997) Technologies use with ESL learners in New York State: Preliminary report. Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, Washington, D.C.
Oikonomidoy, E. (2010). Zooming into the school narratives of refugee students. Multicultural perspectives, 12(2), 74-80.
Paez, M. (2009). Predictors of English-language proficiency among immigrant youth. Bilingual research journal, 32(2), 168-187.
Ruiz, M., Kabler, B., & Sugarman, M. (2011). Understanding the plight of immigrant and refugee students. Communique, 39(5), 1.
Rosell-Aguilar, F. (2007). Top of the pods – in search of a podcasting “pedagogy” for language learning. Computer assisted language learning. Vol. 20,
No. 5, December 2007, p. 471-492.
REFERENCES
Solano-Flores, G., & Li, M. (2006). The use of generalizability (G) theory in the testing of linguistic minorities. Educational measurement: Issues and
practice, 25(1), 13-22.
South, J. B., Gabbitas, B., & Merrill, P. (2008). Designing video narratives to contextualize content for ESL learners: a design process case study.
Interactive learning environments. Vol. 16, No. 3, December 2008, 231-243.
Sox, A. & Rubinstein-Avila, E. (2009). WebQuests for English-Language Learners: Essential elements for design. Journal of adolescent & adult literacy.
September 2009. pp. 39-48
Suarez-Orozco, C., Bang, H., & Onaga, M. (2010). Contributions to variations in academic trajectories amongst recent immigrant youth. International
journal of behavioral development, 34(6), 500-510.
White, E. L. & Gillard, S. (2011). Technology-based literacy instruction for English Language Learners. Journal of college teaching & learning. June
2011. Volume 8, Number 6.
Whitling, J., & Granoff, S. (2010). The effects of multimedia input on comprehension of a short story. The electronic journal for English as a second
language. September 2010 – Volume 14, Number 2.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Amina Ghannam
George Mason University
[email protected]
Sarah Thomas
George Mason University
[email protected]