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Korean Flipped Writing Classes: Learning from Doing

Wall Flip, by JB London

2015 KAMALL-GLoCALL International Conference

Abstract:
Flipped learning approaches are being eyed for their potential to improve learning through reorganizing both the classroom and homework experience. Front-loading content and lower-order thinking activities normally provided during class time can free time during class to focus more on higher-order thinking activities. The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the flipped classroom model as implemented in an academic writing class at a Korean university and to use insights from student performance, student perceptions, and applied practice to revise instructional design. This action research was conducted with 137 students over two semesters of an academic English writing course. Data were collected through course assignments, end-of-course surveys, and student interviews. Findings indicate overall approval for aspects of the flipped classroom approach, including the use of instructional video and the focus on higher-order thinking activities during class. However, aspects of instructional methodology and content development were seen to be in need of modification and reconsideration. These findings will benefit teachers who are struggling to develop writing courses in a similar context.

PPT File (2015 KAMALL-GLoCALL_Korean Flipped Writing Classes)

 

What is Twitter, a Social Network or a News Media?

via an.kaist.ac.kr

Interesting research project done here in Korea at KAIST. I first read about it here (http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/guest/25128/?a=f).

Essentially, the findings suggest that Twitter is efficient as spreading news, but not very good at promoting reciprocal relationships.

I’m not sure that I agree. I have formed some relationships in Twitter, mostly local people. We exchange information in Twitter and I have even met with quite a few in the real world. I find it is a much better medium to develop new relationships than Facebook. Facebook is for the existing network and Twitter for the expanding network.

Regardless, the findings are interesting and do reflect one way that I use Twitter these days. I use it as a mega-aggregator. I no longer use Google Reader or News, and I no longer make my daily visits to CNN or other news sites. Twitter is my new recommendation engine for information. I follow 850 individuals, businesses, and news sites. I use TweetDeck to break out the different groups/lists that I’m interested in: Korean local, News, Students, and miscellaneous hash tags.

Whether this is only a fad or the future, it is a fascinating technology and culture that has grown around the technology.

JALT 2008

The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) contacted me about advertising their conference at the end of the month (OCT 31). I was happy to do so. It’s a great organization and I just wish I could go myself. Please see the picture below for more information or go to their website at http://jalt.org/

Media_http1bpblogspot_ngqat

Skypecasts as a mediator of authentic communication – ALAK 2007

Just got back from a wonderful conference. The Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALAK) put on a great show at Sookmyoung Women’s University today.

Jungtae Kim and I participated in the CALL Fair. We put together a little presentation on the use of Skypecasting in language learning. If you have used Skype, you know that it is a great program, but have you used the Skypecast function? Most people haven’t, but it has great potential for autonomous learners and even more formal classrooms. Take a look at the presentation and abstract below. Then follow the link to a quick video on setting up a Skypecast.

Of course, I have to be completely honest. Skypecasts were down today and even last night when I recorded the video. They have been down a lot lately. However, I’m sure that they will be back up and running, but even if they are not there are a few similar sites out there that can be used in a similar manner.

Here is our presentation.

Here is our outline.

Here is a link to a video that we created on creating Skypecasts: Video

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or suggestions

Dan

Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Deliver Individualized Instructional Resources to Language Learners

Korean Association for Multi-media Assisted Language Learning (KAMALL) 2007 Conference

Below is a copy of my presentation for Saturday, November 10 at Korea University in Seoul, Korea.

Here is the presentation.

Here is a copy of the presentation slides with my notes (.pdf file via Scribd)

Here are the files associated with this presentation.

Don’t know where Korea University is? Here’s a map.

Please, let me know if you have any questions. Leave a comment here and I’ll be sure to get back to you.

Dan

Why & how to use online message boards

James Trotta
Jason Ham

Teaching English in Korea ESL Blog

Learn English grammar online (discussion forum)

Forum is open to the public

Started out by doing grammar tasks (go find this form used out in the Web) then moved to student-directed topics (whatever you are interested in) and then moved to prompting culture topics.

Polling is good to get students going on the topic. I think that this is a good method, good suggestion, that I hadn’t thought about before.

They pay NES $.20 per post to reply to learners’ postings. Great idea, though James did say that it was coming out of his pocket. I don’t think anyone is going to make a living off of it, but it is a small motivation to participate.

KOTESOL 2007 – Content-based ESL for EFL learners

Clara Lee Brown

cbrown26@utk.edu

Univ. Tenn, Knoxville

CBI in Korea,

New emphasis on English, with greater competency requirements, English Villages, native speakers….lots of money.

She emphasized the need to use the language, rather than learn the language (Krashen lover 🙂

Message is more important than the delivery of the message.  Communication is king.

Really, this is a commentary on EFL in Korea, hitting on the need to revamp the system.  Change the goal and change the approach (Paradigm Shift)

 

What she doesn’t address is modification, error correction, dual-language instruction, and lack of authenticity (CBI in Korea is NOT authentic).

Because CBI EFL in Korea not authentic, we have to be very careful in how we carry it out.

Authentic materials are NOT comprehensible input, which she says is a rationale for CBI.  Then she recommends not buying textbooks and using authentic materials ???  This is directly taken from Krashen. (She addresses this later, but really glazes over the need for output.  Emphasizes input again).

 

Just like you have to break through the affective filter to reach the LAD, she’s got to break through my filter to reach me.  Her blind focus on input, raises my filter.

 

I really enjoyed her approach with the audience and I think that we have more in common than not, but her presentation put me off a little.  I’d love to discuss it with her in small group.

Using blogs to improve writing fluency

Terry Fellner

Matthew Apple

Maggie Lieb

Saga University

10:30-10:50 AM

Looked a writing fluency. Established fluency = word count + lexical frequency + comprehensibility

Focused on increasing writing fluency.

  • Enlarge active vocabulary (from passive to active)
  • Increased exposure to vocabulary
  • use of blogs
  • concordances
  • Movie trailers
  • Grammar games
  • Diamond ranking (Fellner, 2005)

Used daily topics, in a 7-day course,that were emailed to the students. They were restricted to 20 minutes for a blog posting. They then commented on classmates’ blogs.

They wrote more (though that is a little fuzzy). They did control of typing speed (great idea). They tested on first and last day.

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