Reflection on the ILT module and my future steps

    The Innovating Learning and Teaching (ILT) module has opened my eyes to the revolutionary possibilities of digital technology in the classroom. Creating online course, experimenting with gamified tools, and learning about AI-based tools have helped me better understand how technology is integrated into teaching-learning process. One of the primary lesson I learnt was the chance to go into different learning theories, such behaviourism and connectivism. Now I am able to consider how I might use these theories in my instruction, which gives me an opportunity to create learning activities that are more relevant. Additionally, I learnt a lot about frameworks like the Padagogy Wheel, the SAMR model, the CoI framework, and TPACK. Hence, all of them have improved my comprehension of how technology can support different approaches to teaching.

    In addition to this, I have had an up-close look at designing online courses through my work with LMS like Google Classroom. I now know how to manage and organise content efficiently while taking into account the nuances of online and blended learning. These tools, along with others like Wordwall and EdPuzzle, made it clearer to me how dynamic and interesting learning can be through the use of multimedia and interactivity.

    In particular, the AI session was quite insightful. During the lesson, we were given the task of writing AI tools that we use in our daily teaching practices. Few of the tools we looked at and wrote were truly AI-driven, as it turned out. I was able to differentiate between applications that actually employ AI, such as ChatGPT and Magic School, and others that would just automate tasks without utilising AI features. It also made me realize how necessary it is to balance between digital tools and interpersonal communication in order to enhance critical thinking and improve student engagement.

    I see a lot of exciting possibilities when I think about how technology will impact education in the future. AR/VR technology might produce immersive language learning experiences, and AI-based tools and platforms might personalise lessons based on real-time data. However, I think that ensuring ethical use and protecting student privacy will become more difficult as these technologies develop. I believe that my role as a teacher is to guide students on how to use these technologies without leaking personal data.

    In the future, I want to encourage interaction in my classes by including tools like Kahoot! and Curipod, which I ironically came across the last week of our sessions. I believe that AI might assist with teaching, but it will not replace us. Additionally, I want to promote the ethical use of technology in the classroom highlighting the value of protecting data. Also, I am dedicated to keeping up with the newest innovations in education as I pursue my professional development. To make sure that I am constantly improving, I plan to actively participate in webinars and online communities.

    Last but not least, I plan to continue keeping this blog and posting on a daily basis. This is because through this module, editing, proofreading and posting my insights on new information and theories has become sort of a habit for me. Designing online course turned out to be a quite intriguing process as well, even though it had its own difficulties and took a lot of time to organise. I think I will design another online course soon.😁

Areas for improvement in my online course

    Greetings to my fellow teachers! Once again I am writing about the development of my online course. However, this time, the post that I am writing is going to be the last one under the label of online course design. It has been a wonderful experience to design the course "Mastering Everyday English Writing" which forced me to consider how to make opportunities for learning that are both useful and engaging. Even though the course provides a range of resources and exercises to assist students, considering how it was implemented has shown where it could be improved to increase its overall effectiveness and inclusivity.

    Lesson alignment with the overall objectives of the course is one of the factors I have taken into account. Lesson 5 was originally split into two separate topics, but it was reduced into a single final writing assignment. This modification made the module simpler, but it also showed how crucial it is to make sure that every task is directly related to the main objective of the course. Formative assessments also could be incorporate into the updated version of the course, successfully linking lessons 1-4 to the final project, strengthening the sense of continuity and advancement (Al-Freih, 2021).

    Another aspect of the course that may be improved is collaboration. There is room for more interactive, group projects even if platforms like Padlet and Kialo give students the chance to brainstorm and develop ideas together. For instance, in Lesson 4.1, students may collaborate on writing a short story, and in Lesson 4.2, they could edit another person's personal narratives (Sun and Rueda, 2012). 

    Furthermore, any successful online course must be accessible, and I understand that this particular course needs to be made more inclusive for learners with different needs. Content would be more accessible to students with visual impairments if audio descriptions were added to videos in tools like Edpuzzle or Twee. Furthermore, offering simplified instructions or bilingual glossaries could help students with different skill levels overcome the difficulties and guarantee that everyone participates completely in the course.

    The possibility of technology fatigue, which can result from using several digital tools, is another factor to consider. While the course integrates lots of digital tools in tasks, offering diversity, some students may find it too much to handle. Combining activities into fewer platforms could simplify the technology ecosystem, improve course usability, and lessen students' cognitive load (Zhao et al., 2019).

    Therefore, in the process of course design, the crucial step is to think back on these areas that need improvement. I think that every change presents a chance to better serve students' needs. I'm convinced that this course may develop into an even more successful and inclusive experience for students if I strengthen alignment, boost teamwork and collaboration, increase accessibility, develop feedback systems and address technology fatigue.

References

Al-Freih, M. (2021) ‘The impact of faculty experience with emergency remote teaching: An interpretive phenomenological study’, IAFOR Journal of Education, 9(2), pp. 7–23.

Sun, J.C.Y. and Rueda, R. (2012) ‘Situational interest, computer self-efficacy and self-regulation: Their impact on student engagement in distance education’, British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(2), pp. 191–204.

Zhao, Y., Lei, J., Yan, B., Lai, C. and Tan, H. S. (2019) ‘What makes the difference? A practical analysis of research on the effectiveness of distance education’, Teachers College Record, 121(3), pp. 1–44.

The Usage of Zoom platform in blended learning: benefits and challenges

 

    Zoom has developed into a vital tool for blended learning, successfully bridging the gap between face-to-face and online instruction. In this blog post, I will explore the benefits and challenges of using Zoom in blended learning.

    I believe that Zoom's accessibility is one of its biggest advantages. Both learners and teachers may connect easily, no matter where they are, owing to the platform's adaptability with a variety of devices. Zoom offers a way for students who are unable to engage in in-person sessions to do so virtually, preventing them from missing important learning opportunities (Li and Lalani, 2020). Lessons may also be reviewed because of the recording option, which gives students flexibility while balancing their schoolwork and other activities.

    In addition to this, Zoom's interactive resources improve student engagement. Participation is encouraged by features like chat, polls, and breakout rooms. Breakout rooms, for instance, facilitate small-group talks during peer collaboration exercises, which are crucial for cooperative learning and critical thinking (Martin and Bolliger, 2018). Additionally, the chat feature enables students to exchange ideas or ask questions without interrupting the lecture's flow.

    Zoom is a flexible tool for a range of educational purposes because it also facilitates multimodal learning. For example, teachers can accommodate materials to both visual and auditory learners by using the screen sharing tool to provide slides, videos or live demonstrations. The capacity to incorporate different media formats into online instruction is consistent with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, which make sure that all students may access the content (Hodges et al., 2020).

    However, Zoom is not without its challenges. Technical problems, such as unstable internet connections, can make it difficult to participate for teachers and, most importantly, students. These difficulties worsen the digital divide and produce unequal learning opportunitiess for learners in places that lack adequate digital infrastructure (Xie et al., 2020). To lessen these problems, teachers should offer asynchronous options or alternative resources. 

    Zoom's application raises privacy issues as well. To safeguard student data and guarantee compliance to institutional regulations, features like screen sharing and video recording need to be carefully managed. To protect participants, teachers need to be aware of privacy settings and promote ethical platform use.

    Summing up, Zoom is a useful tool in blended learning because of its adaptability and a variety of functions, even though it is not a perfect digital tool. Teachers can optimise its potential to develop inclusive and stimulating learning environment by solving the issues with access and privacy. For example, synchronous Zoom sessions combined with asynchronous material distribution can help accommodate different learning speeds and lessen "Zoom fatigue" (Hodges et al., 2020). Additionally, offering teacher and student training on how to use Zoom effectively can improve the quality of the learning process as a whole.

References

CAST (2018) Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Available at: https://udlguidelines.cast.org 

Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T. and Bond, A. (2020) ‘The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning’, Educause Review. Available at: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning 

Li, C. and Lalani, F. (2020) ‘The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever. This is how’, World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/  

Xie, J., Siau, K. and Nah, F. (2020) ‘COVID-19 pandemic – online education in the new normal and the next normal’, Journal of Information Technology Case and Application Research, 22(3), pp. 175–187. doi:10.1080/15228053.2020.1824884.

Ensuring inclusivity in my online course

        Greetings to my fellow teachers! When I created the online course, I wanted to make sure that the learning environment was inclusive. And in this blog post, I will discuss the steps I took to guarantee diversity and how UDL principles influenced my choices.

        Universal Design for Learning: What is it?

    A paradigm for developing learning environments that accommodate the various demands of every student is called Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL, which was created by the Centre for Applied Special Technology (CAST), places an emphasis on offering a variety of interaction and expression methods in order to accommodate different learning styles and skill levels (CAST, 2018). Teachers may eliminate obstacles to learning and create an inclusive environment where all students can succeed by implementing UDL principles.

     My approach to inclusivity in my online course

       One of the main principles of UDL is involving students with diverse interests and learning styles. I used a variety of tools and methods to do this:

• Interactive content: I made use of Padlet for group brainstorming, Google Forms for short polls and tests and other digital tools to make content interactive. By accommodating both auditory and visual learners, these resources guarantee active engagement.
• Tasks in Edpuzzle with subtitled videos: I made Edpuzzle assignments that allowed students to watch videos with embedded comprehension tests. I made sure all videos had subtitles so that a wider audience could access the information, especially for students who are hard of hearing or who would rather read than listen.
• Flexibility in participation: Students have the freedom to express themselves whatever they feel most comfortable by choosing to upload voice recordings using the Voki platform or as a text in Google Classroom.

       In addition to this, representation in teaching materials is essential for inclusivity. I ensured that the course content was both accessible and varied. All lesson overviews were designed in simple language, with headings and bullet points to enhance readability. For visually impaired learners, PDF resources were made compatible with screen readers, ensuring that every student could access the materials without barriers. Fruthermore, I incorporated visual and audio aids throughout the course. Captioned videos made lessons accessible to those with hearing impairments, and narrated slides in a presentation for final writing assignment (with the help of AI) allowed students to comprehend new information better. Also, recognizing that some learners could find it difficult to type becaues of cognitive or physical challenges, I gave the students of online course the choice to submit voice recordings for storytelling or explain their written work. For instance, in one activity, students recorded their responses to a prompt about crafting an informal message.

    References

CAST (2018) Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Available at: https://udlguidelines.cast.org