Investigative Project:

Module 9: Developing relationships and wider connections

Julie Tee

ELTHAM College of Education

September 2008

Julie Tee

• School: ELTHAM College of Education

• Language: Chinese and ESL

• Year Levels: Chinese 2 to 4 and ESL Year 11

ELTHAM College of Education

Our School• ELTHAM College of Education is an independent ELC to 12 non-denominational co-ed

school in the northern suburbs of Melbourne Victoria. Situated in a green wedge environment, it is a lovely place to work. We have a large number of international students in years 11 and 12, but overall, our population is generally an homogenous Anglo-Australian cohort, with a sprinkling of students from other cultural backgrounds.

• Junior school teaches Chinese. Currently four languages in secondary school but that will be changing due to falling enrolments (cannot sustain so many languages). Students have little opportunity to practise their new skills except, perhaps, for a visit to a Chinese restaurant or on exchange in year 11. Need to broaden student exposure to other cultures at younger levels.

• We are a relatively wealthy school although in many respects our access to ICT remains rather poor. Expected to incorporate ICT but few IWBs, etc. No laptops.

• Website currently provides students with access to Chinese activities at school and from home.

• New advances, particularly with regard to Web 2.0, need to be incorporated into curriculum. Teachers currently undergoing professional development in a range of technologies and there are plans to incorporate some of these into the curriculum from 2009. (Studywiz is currently being trialled).

Module 9: Developing relationships and wider connections

Accomplished language and culture teachers are part of a professional education community and they establish professional relationships with others.

My Investigation: To pursue one of my identified strategies (the

use of ICT/Web 2.0) for developing wider connections for myself professionally and personally as well as for my students educationally so that they may become more globally-oriented and culturally sensitive.

What I have done:

• Undertaken professional development in Web 2.0 applications with SLAV (School Libraries Association Victoria)

What to do next:

• Apply this new learning to my teaching of Chinese

教汉语

What did I do?• Set up a blog for teaching Chinese• Used this blog to record my reflections on my investigation• Set up a wiki for Chinese teachers• Joined technolanguages ning, networking with like-minded professionals• Made contact with teachers of other languages as well as teachers of

Chinese through the above within both Australia as well as overseas• Became a member of Global Gateways and explored possibility of

exchange relationship with a school in China (still in the planning stage, although have suggested setting up a wiki on which students can introduce their respective schools)

• Began collaboration with Jess McCulloch on a wiki for teachers of Chinese in the Northern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne

• Became a member of the SLAV Web 2.0 Alumni ning, devoted to continuing the discussion on applying new technologies in school education

• Developed a school ESL blog for Year 11• Created a blog for learning Chinese on globalteacher (early stages)

Teaching Chinese Blog

Teaching Chinese Wiki

Learning Chinese Blog

Technolanguages ning

SLAV Learning 2.0 Re-Imagine Alumni ning

Year 11 ESL Blog

What did you learn?

• It is important to establish and maintain broad and varied professional relationships in order to develop one’s competence in both technology as well as teaching

• We should use ICT for both personal professional development as well as a means of enhancing student learning

• It is essential that we be proactive• We must model ourselves as life-long learners if

we are to encourage our students to do the same

Where to from here?

• Become more fully involved in my new learning and professional development as an active participant, initiating discussion, and be less of a passive reader of other teachers’ blogs

• Become more willing to try new things and apply to my classroom

• Push for greater access to latest technology in my lote teaching/environment

• Continue to develop wider connections through participation in networks and links made possible by blogging

• Further develop links with school/schools in China

Remember: The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step!

千里之行，始于足下