The Integration of e-Learning into

the English Language Curriculum

Curriculum Leadership and Management

for English Language Education

25/27 November 2014

English Language Education Section

Curriculum Development Institute

Education Bureau

Objectives

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To discuss the role of English Language curriculum leaders in planning the school-based curriculum in secondary schools, in particular how to integrate e-learning into the curriculum

To provide suggestions on how to lead and manage the English Panel effectively, especially in the implementation of e-learning

To share strategies and experiences in supporting English learning with the use of information technology

Run-down

14:00 – 14:05 Registration

14:05 – 14:15 Overview of Policy

14:15 – 14:30 What is e-Learning?

14:30– 15:05 Integrating e-Learning in the English Language Curriculum (Part 1)

15:05– 15:20 Break

15:20 – 16:10 Integrating e-Learning in the English Language Curriculum (Part 2)

16:10 – 16:50 Experience Sharing from Yau Tse Tin Memorial College

16:50 – 17:00 Q & A

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Overview of Policy

The Fourth Strategy

on Information Technology in Education (ITE 4)

4

Keeping ITE in step with

curriculum development

5

Key actions for ITE4

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Action 1: Enhancing schools’ IT

infrastructure

Providing a WiFi campus for all

Using mobile devices wisely

Action 2: Enhancing the quality of e-learning resources

Developing an e-textbook market

Leveraging global e-learning resources

Sharing of resources by teachers

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Action 4: Building professional leadership,

capacity and communities of practice

Enhancing professional development of teachers

Rendering support services

Action 3: Renewing curriculum, transforming

pedagogical and assessment practices

Articulating clear learning objectives

Promoting an e-learning repertoire

Using e-assessment for student learning

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Action 5: Involving parents,

stakeholders and the community

Communicating with parents

Working with stakeholders and

the community

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Current situation at most schools

What e-resources are we using now?

• e-Version of the textbooks provided by the publishers

• Video sourced online (e.g. YouTube)

• PowerPoint slides prepared by the teachers

• Online platform developed by service providers

How are they used?

• to provide stimulation and arouse students’ interest

• to present new concepts (e.g. grammar & vocabulary items)

• to promote self-learning

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What is e-Learning?

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e-learning vs e-teaching

Extracted from a blog entry by David Warlick (http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/)

If you ask ‘How does IT facilitate my teaching?’, you still

do not understand the genuine essence of IT in education.

‘How does IT help my students become autonomous

and proactive learners, and increase their lifelong

learning capacity?’, you are enlightened.

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O e-Learning refers to an open and flexible learning mode involving the use of the electronic media, including use of digital resources and communication tools to achieve learning objectives. The essence of e-learning is the use of technology to deliver learning content more effectively and the learning process in e-learning environments is expected to consider three key elements for maximising learning opportunities conducive to 21st century skills development. They include blending formal and informal learning approaches, balancing individualised and collaborative learning to help learners to increase awareness of learning achievement and collecting evidence of improvement.

Extracted from Consultation Document on The Fourth Strategy on Information Technology in Education:

Learning to Learn and Learning to Excel A Holistic Approach 13

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Learning is…

Listening &

Interacting

Reading

Presenting

Assessment

Collaboration

Researching

• To achieve

learning

objectives

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e-Learning is…

with

the aid of

electronic

technology

e-Learning enhances L&T effectiveness

through:

motivating students

catering for learner diversity

facilitating interaction and collaboration

promoting assessment for/as learning

enabling self-directed learning

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Integrating e-Learning

into the English Language curriculum

Part 1

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Planning the implementation of e-learning

Curriculum planning

- Admin measures

- Entry Point

- Strategic planning of integration

The use of e-resources

- Classroom management

- Purposes

Resources management

- Resources management

- Funding

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• Technology allows for the creation of new tasks inconceivable in the past Redefinition

• Technology allows for significant task redesign Modification

• Technology acts as a direct tool substitute with functional improvement Augmentation

• Technology acts as a direct tool substitute with no functional change Substitution

Dr. Ruben Puentedura, PhD. http://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/

Enha

ncem

ent

Transformation

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Curriculum planning

- The use of information technology

Substitution (Enhancement)

Computer technology is used to perform the same task as it

was done before the use of computers, e.g.

students print out a worksheet and finish the practice

activity.

Same old

practice with

a computer

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model 20

Augmentation (Enhancement)

Computer Technology offers an effective tool to perform

common tasks, e.g.

students complete a writing task with Microsoft Word and send

the file to their teacher.

Technology

makes editing

easier

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model 21

Modification (Transformation)

Technology allows for significant task redesign, e.g.

students produce a digital story about a little boy and his

pet, with music, pictures and audio recordings inserted to

present the ideas.

No computer =

No product

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model 22

Redefinition (Transformation)

Computer technology allows for new tasks that were previously

inconceivable, e.g.

students create a documentary video on environmental

protection. They collaborate with students from other schools

(or cities) to generate ideas for the product. They are

expected to contact outside sources (e.g. Green Peace) for

information.

Drastic change

brought by the use

of computer

https://sites.google.com/a/msad60.org/technology-is-learning/samr-model 23

Curriculum planning

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Administrative measures

key focus of school development plan / forming a core group

Appropriate entry points

themes / levels / language skills /

student abilities / teacher readiness

Strategic planning of integration

Traditional Enhancement Transformation

E.g. Use of Sonic Pics / Pic Collage / Phonto (www.sonicpics.com,

www.pic-collage.com)

- enable digital storytelling

E.g. Use of ToonDoo / Comic Touch / Comic Creator

(www.toondoo.com, www.plasq.com/apps/comictouch,

www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/comic/)

- allow students to compose their own comics

• Some e-tools to enhance students’ learning motivation and enable effective

presentation:

Integrating e-learning into the curriculum - The way to “Transformation”

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Example 1: Use of Phonto

Theme: Nature

Focus: Writing a poem

Procedure:

1. Students understand and appreciate poem(s).

2. Students learn poetic language and features.

3. Students collect images from copyright friendly sites (e.g.

Pics4Learning.com, Morguefile.com).

4. Students create their poems and combine the photographs with

poetry.

Digital Storytelling with an iPad by Karen Bosch

http://www.slideshare.net/kbosch/digital-storytelling-with-an-ipad 26

Example 2: Use of Pic Collage

Theme: Endangered species

Focus: Writing a report

Procedure:

1. Students read texts on endangered species.

2. Students learn the structures and language of a report.

3. Students search for information and photos online.

4. Students create their reports with Pic Collage.

Digital Storytelling with an iPad by Karen Bosch

http://www.slideshare.net/kbosch/digital-storytelling-with-an-ipad 27

Integrating e-Learning

into the English Language Curriculum

Part 2

28

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Use of e-resources

– Classroom management

Some considerations:

Establishing classroom routine

Having control over students’ computers

Providing clear guidelines / instructions for using

e-resources

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Catering for learner

diversity

• Learning styles

• Learning abilities

Facilitating interaction & collaboration

Social networking

Exchanging views on forum

Promoting assessment

for/ as learning

• Using the Google Doc / Forum to exchange comments

• Teachers collecting data on student performance on assessment platform

More information

available

• e-Dictionary

• Search engine

• Videos

Enabling self-directed

learning

• Computer-based courseware allows students to revisit content as often as they wish

Use of e-resources - Purposes

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Possible e-resources: blogs, interactive learning platforms Advantages: Enhance interaction and collaboration between students and teachers,

students and students, establish a learning community among students

E.g. Use of kidblog

(www.kidblog.com)

- enable sharing of views and ideas among students

E.g. Use of google docs

(doc.google.com)

- facilitate process writing and assessment for learning

Facilitating interaction & collaboration

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Advantages: Provide timely feedback on student work with media-rich comments

(typed, written, audio and video comments)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6HJf_UKVR8

http://www.edudemic.com/providing-feedback-student-writing-video/

Assessment for / as learning

Possible e-resources: Explain Everything, Google Doc

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Possible e-resources: e-textbooks, e-books, digital multi-modal texts

Advantages: Enable teachers to present concepts in different modes of representation,

e.g. through pictures, animations, videos and games;

Allow students to acquire and explore knowledge in a flexible way and

support independent reading

The Recommended e-Textbook List

(https://cd.edb.gov.hk/ertl/search.asp)

e-Books

Catering for learner diversity & self-directed learning

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Activity: Demonstration Supporting independent reading

with an e-text

Making predictions about the content using pictorial cues (e-feature:

mask)

Working out the meaning of words / phrases,

i.e. ‘blend into’ by clicking on the words in bold (e-feature: word

definition)

i.e. ‘blend into’, ‘sways like a flower in the breeze’, ‘shaped like petals’,

‘behave like giants’ by using semantic clues (e-feature: video clip)

Demo

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Resources management / funding

• Administrative measures to ensure smooth implementation of e-learning

• Capacity building

• Hardware system

• Making effective use of funding

Resources Management

• Quality Education Fund

• Pilot Scheme on e-learning in Schools

• Support Scheme for e-learning in Schools

Funding

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The interaction/communication among learners and with

teachers is more important than merely communicating

with a computer in the English classroom

Does e-learning mean using information technology throughout the English lesson?

What do students prefer, teachers or computers?

Teachers (48%)

Computers (19%)

No preference (11%)

No answers (22%)

A study on the use of computers to

conduct oral proficiency assessment at

Brigham Young University

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Modes of interaction in the English classroom

Teacher-Student interaction

Examples:

Giving instructions

Teacher’s demonstration on the use

of language items

Human-Technology interaction

Examples:

Reading e-books

Playing online language games

Producing e-texts

Student-Student interaction

Examples:

Conducting pair-work / group work

Conducting speaking / writing

activities to consolidate learning

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The purpose of using information technology is to facilitate

language learning, not to replace teachers.

Does e-learning replace the teachers?

E.g. Use of Popplet

(www.popplet.com)

- teacher introduces the task

- students organise ideas and collaborate

- teacher gives feedback on the ideas generated and enriches the

mindmap

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Dr. Ray Clifford, 1983.

Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation will Change the Way the World Learn Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Horn and Curtis W. Johnson

Why School? How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere? Will Richardson

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning http://www.educatorstechnology.com

Ruben R. Puentedura's Weblog http://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/

2¢ Worth of Seeking the Shakabuku (Blog entries by David Warlick) http://2cents.onlearning.us/

References

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