My End-of-course Reflection

I would describe this course as a really 'technical' course for preparing prospective English teachers in utilizing IT in their teaching, even more technical than the three English Language Teaching Techniques courses. Every time, we produced concrete, visible products for the attained learning objective(s).

Throughout the course, I have produced various teaching products, which definitely demonstrate the advantages of IT over the traditional teaching approach, some of which as summarized below:

1) Thesaurus - which definitely helps students improve their variety of vocabulary in writing without spending money purchasing a solid thesaurus

2) Quizlet - which helps students revisit and revise important concepts online, and students will then not have the excuse of not revising because of losing teachers' printed-out materials

3) Hotpotatoes - which undoubtedly saves teachers time in formatting in Microsoft Word in the process of designing matching, word puzzle exercises, etc.

4) Photo Story 3 & Adobe Spark - which positively encourage students to speak English (either narrate their own stories or recreate other stories), and this supplements the deficiencies of students not speaking English inside classrooms, although communicative language teaching approach is being implemented

5) Screencast-o-matic & ActivelyLearn - which facilitates the implementation of flipped classroom, something which lots of teacher find it hard and time-consuming to do

6) Powtoon and Prezi - which serve effectively as presentation tools to arouse students' interest (and thus lengthen their attention span) in the 'Motivation' stage of a lesson

7) Kahoot! & Google Response - which make instant response from students to teachers possible, and this defeat the blame from the English panel chair and/or principal that 'my teaching is one-way and too much teacher-talk'

I have seen lots of schools putting something very broad and vague like 'strengthen students' learning by utilizing multiple teaching approach' into their schools' Areas of Concern (sadly, including my alma-mater). IT in education should have fallen into the multiple teaching approach, but they still refuse to incorporate this into their school-based curriculum.

As a typical attitude in Hong Kong, 'People say a lot. Then I see what they will do', our education context falls into this cliché. I hope I will be the one who can initiate the change to IT in education within my school.

Once again, thanks Dr. Paul SZE Man Man for teaching this course wholeheartedly and sagaciously.

Session 11: Engaging Students using Kahoot!

Students treasure the chance that they can instantly interact with teachers in the classrooms and the teachers respond to their initation. Kahoot! then becomes the most popular interactive tool in Hong Kong classrooms.

In the following demonstration, a group of S6 students, who are very interested in the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), are given a Kahoot! quiz to test on their general knowledge on CUHK. The Kahoot! quiz covers a wide range of areas and faculties, aiming at enhancing students' general knowledge on CUHK!

You can play the Kahoot! via the following link:
https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/bce1ba95-4b2a-481f-8381-f94485e98d07

Session 10 - Using Powtoon and Prezi to Impress Others in Presentations

Microsoft Powerpoint may not be, as the name goes, necessarily powerful. More often, it becomes a cliche that everyone 'abuses' Microsoft Powerpoint. In view of this, two new presentation applications which can be utilized to impress others are introduced here.

The scenario is set as follows: a group of Secondary 6 students listen to a JUPAS talk, which talks about 2 occupations, clinical psychologist and psychiatrist, in school hall. This talk serves the aim to spark their interest in entering the mental health helping profession.

 

The Powtoon Version:

https://www.powtoon.com/c/eTicxCsxLKl/1/p

 

The Prezi Version:

http://prezi.com/14xisy3___3n/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Session 9: Using Adobe Spark as a Substitution for Windows Photo Story 3

The Windows Photo Story 3 introduced before is actually quite an old-fashioned software, which may suddenly not be responding when you are spending your effort editing the video, and then you need to close the application forcefully and redo it.

In view of this, Adobe Spark is an updated software which serves similar functions with Windows Photo Story 3. In the following demonstration, I have recreated the Arsenal video with Adobe Spark.

You can access the Adobe Spark video via the following link:

https://spark.adobe.com/video/PO7aT9MrdBMRZ

One fun fact, while loading, the Adobe Spark will show you some re-made famous quotes, which, on one hand, flaunts its advantages, and on other other hand, allows me to rethink and be inspired.

(Actually I have used the above quote 'If you can dream it, you can do it' for printing on the totebag as souvenirs for Shaw College students for my Shawbeat society :D)

Session 8: Using IT to Facilitate Reading - JCloze and ActivelyLearn

Application 1: J-Cloze


C-cloze is another type of gap-filling exercise which provides students a cue 'the beginning letter of the word' and requests students to fill in the remaining letters of the word. Other than hand-writing the exercise, JCloze serves a very good function in realizing the production of C-cloze exercises.

In the following demonstration, a short email excerpt from my reputable professor, Dr. Eunice Tang, is adapted to form the short paragrah for a C-cloze gap filling exercise. You can access the link here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dtgfq3hwhuihmkk/Transportation_to_CGP_from_Leeds.htm?dl=0

Application 2: Activelylearn.com

Activelylearn.com is such an interactive online tool for students to make good use of IT to facilitate their reading skills. It may be an even more useful too for teachers, since they can conveniently convert their favourite online articles (which they read secretly inside their staff rooms) to an inspirational learning tool!

In the following demonstration, an article from ESPN about my favourite football player, Lucas Perez, is converted into a learning tool by activelylearn.com, aiming at testing students' grasp on main theme gist and meanings of some specific words.

You can access the link here: https://read.activelylearn.com/#student/reader/339621/notes

However, once I have finished producing the exercise, I discovered that students have to complete the designated questions before proceeding to answering the latter questions. Inconveniently, teachers cannot produce questions which require cataphoric reference, which a word in a text refers to another later in the text and they need to look forward to understand. Be careful!



Session 7: Using Screencast-o-matic for Recording Computer Screen

The application Screencast-o-matic makes the implementation of flipped classroom a step closer to reality - Teachers can simply present their prepared Powerpoint on their computers at home and add an audio track to it. Then, a shareable link to students is generated. After students watch the video, other activities can be carried out using the class time for correction of students' misunderstanding (if any) and/or consolidation of the targeted language item.

In the following demonstration, part of my second supervisory lesson in my second teaching practicum is flipped using this useful application.  You can access the video via the following YouTube link:

https://youtu.be/hop2XyDEcw0

I also found that this application (only the FREE version) can act as a good tool for students to practise their oral skills by having a voice-over recording! In the following example, I voice-over the reputable ELED CUHK video (and it really looks hilarious for the voice-over for Ms. Sammi Chan - take a look!) and provide explanations for 2 of the respectable professors - Dr. SZE Man Man Paul and Dr. TANG Lai Yiu Eunice.

You can access the link via the following YouTube link:

http://youtu.be/P-fTifqaB20?hd=1

Session 6: Using Audacity and Photo Story 3 for Oral Activities

Session 6: Using Audacity and Photo Story 3 for Oral Activities

Some students may be too timid to 'show off' their beautiful and/or audacious voice inside their classrooms. Then, some voice recorders are needed to serve as platforms for their demonstration of their oral utterances. Audacity is a good replacement tool for the default Windows sound recorder. In this task, I have recorded the very famous, encouraging quote from Sylvester Stallone.

Feel free to listen to my voice via the following Dropbox link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uxgkaolywhcav0e/let%20me%20tell%20you%20something.mp3?dl=0

 

 

Having trained students' 'audacity' in spoken utterances, they can start producing 'photo stories' by the free Windows Photo Story 3. Some people have some misconception towards the idea 'photo story' - They think it has to be self-revealing, telling others their own stories. In fact, this is not. The story can be concerned with something else, something which is of the interest of the students. For example, if a student loves a great person, s/he can narrate a story of him/her; If a student is in love with a drama, s/he can also narrate a descriptive story for the drama series. In these ways, the usage of Photo Story can be varied and extended.

 

Using the same inspirational quote, I have created a photo story (with my audacious voice) for my favourite football team, Arsenal. The video transits from the defeats Arsenal have experienced to the triumphs Arsenal have got, with the assistance of a piece of powerful background music.

 

You can access the video via the following Dropbox link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8ja4mslailfh2i/Arsenal_Photo_Story.wmv?dl=0

 

 



Session 5: Learning Vocabulary through Mindmap and Matching Exercise

Application 1: Mindmap

Some famous scholars mentioned, 'Human beings function because of their ability in categorization'. Other than surviving, categorization is also helpful in learning, especially learning English vocabulary.

In the following mindmap, students of the MbChB (GPS) program are going to learn some technical vocabulary items concerning different systems in our body.

You can access the mindmap via the following link:

https://bubbl.us/Mzg0NzY0OS83NjI4OTcxL2I0MmY4Y2NmM2RmZDNhODc5NmJkMjA0ODQ2MmQ4Mzg1-X?s=7628971





Application 2: Matching Exercise

In the following exercise, senior secondary students (or university students) are going to learn some names of institutions of their reputable teachers (or professors).

You can access the matching exercise via the following link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sfn0sfoh4ilyjnk/CUHK_Professor_Doctoral.htm?dl=0





Of course the matching exercise does not only restrict to matching something similar (or with same meanings) - It can also be used to match something distinctively different. In the following demonstration, a group of S6 students aiming at getting 5** in DSE English Language learn 5 pairs of antonyms.

You can access the link here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/41vtxjjlqbxu1ki/Opposite_Adjectives.htm?dl=0









Session 4: Integrating Learning Vocabulary with Technology

Technology can actually be made good use for the facilitation of students' learning in English vocabulary. In the following paragraphs, 2 applications will be used as demonstration.


Application 1: Quizlet


Rather than using the flashcards provided by Longman Pearson, teachers can actually create their own flashcards to fit in their teaching of their own desired words. In the following Quizlet, students are going to learn some 'jargons' and 'technical terms' which are usually used in the Chinese University of Hong Kong campus.

 You can access the website via the following link: https://quizlet.com/_30g9kq


Application 2: JCross


One of the applications in HotPototoes, JCross allows teachers to create their desired crossword puzzle in the blink of an eye. In the following demonstration, some of the 'big group' names appeared in Shaw College Orientation Camps will be learnt by students. These words are generally very challenging and 'elegant', since they have been thought twice by the organizing committee of each 'big group'.

You can access the crossword puzzle via the following Dropbox link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bdppkaafsxbq443/Group_Names_in_Shaw_College_Orientation_Camps.htm?dl=0

Session 3: Creating Grammar Awareness Exercises using HotPotatoes

The following 2 grammar tasks are designed to raise S1 students' awareness on question formation in different tenses, since they are easily confused with the structures of questions in different tenses, for example, 'did you played the computer?', 'Is he goes to school by bus?', etc.

Task 1: Multiple Choice Questions on Question Formation in Different Tenses - Students will be tested on question formation on the following tenses: Simple Present, Simple Past, Present Continuous, Present Perfect

You can access the html file of this from the following Dropbox website:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tgwiw8g9oem76lf/Question_Formation_in_Different_Tenses.htm?dl=0

Task 2: Rearrange to Form a Question - Students will be tested on forming a question adapted from the video game - Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 by rearranging the blocks. This echoes with the New Senior Secondary Elective Series - Learning English through Popular Culture.

You can access the html file of this from the following Dropbox website:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0px8k7in3uriuyy/Question_Formation.htm?dl=0

Session 2: Investigating Language Using English Thesaurus

How can students benefit from the using of thesaurus?

Experienced (or even non-experienced) teachers always complain to students, 'I understand that you wanna convey the "blah blah blah" meaning(s), but you don't need to use the word(s) "blah blah blah" so often. See. How many 'blah blah blah' words have you used? Try to increase the variety of your vocabulary!' After hearing this, students will absolutely be puzzled: how can I improve my variety of vocabulary with you giving me a solution?

Thesaurus will be a way-out for this puzzle. Students type in the overused words, find out their synonyms, decide whether the intended meanings have changed in an unfavourable way or there are any changes in the grammatical structures, and substitute the overused words with the synonyms. That's how simple it is.

But of course, the process of making the decision whether the intended meanings have changed in an unfavourable way still requires the assistance and cultivation of English teachers.

In the following paragraph, a student has overused three words: 'nice', 'good', and 'like':

On the first day, we met our class teacher Mr Wong, we thought he would be very strict to us. After one week, we found Mr Wong was very nice! We like this secondary school and we like to be in 1A. This is a good school and 1A is very good. The teachers in this school are very kind and nice and our classmates are also kind, friendly and nice. We like each other very much.

With the help of a thesaurus, the above passage can possibly be changed into this:

On the first day, we met our class teacher Mr Wong, we thought he would be very strict to us. After one week, we found Mr Wong was very friendly! We love this secondary school and we *relish being in 1A. This is a wonderful school and 1A is very harmonious. The teachers in this school are very kind and welcoming and our classmates are also kind, friendly and gentle. We appreciate each other very much.

*As seen in the above passage, when we change the 'like' in 'like to be in 1A' to 'relish', it needs to be followed by a gerund/noun phrase. This may require teachers' professional help to students, especially students with lower ability.

Autobiography of Harold Lo

[The following layout is based on a reputable ELED alumnus, Casper T.K. Wong]

Harold F.W. Lo

 

Academic Qualifications:

• [Will Pursue] MSocSc (Psychology), The University of Hong Kong (2018-20)
• [Pursuing] BA (English Studies) & BEd (English Language Education), Minor in Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2012-17)
• [Have Pursued] Summer Immersion Programme, University of York (2015) 
• [Have Pursued] Summer Exchange Programme, University of Victoria (2014)

Professional Qualifications:

• Registered Group Father, Shaw College Orientation Camp 2014, Shaw College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Registered Shaw College Member (2012-17)
• Registered Resident, Student Hostel II, Shaw College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2013-16)

Work Experiences:

• Recognized Counsellor, Link Education Limited, Hong Kong (2016)
• Treasurer, Shawbeat Publication, Student Union of Shaw College, CUHK (2014-15)
• Welfare Officer, University YMCA Student Executive Committee, CUHK (2014-15)

Research Interests:

• Cognitive Learning in Vocabulary
• Students with Special Educational Needs

Session 1: CALL and Harold

Session 1: CALL and Me

I personally of course love information technology (IT) for fun, but whenever it comes to using IT, I remain doubted and skeptical, since IT is often badly connoted with 'playfulness', 'unseriousness'. My e-learning experience when I was a secondary school student only extended to using mobile dictionary for checking the pronunciations and meanings of unfamiliar English words (The Oxford Dictionary & Howjsay.com). That's it.

Throughout the 5 years of study in ELED program, I have been sensing the urgency (and somehow obligation) of using IT as an assistance in English teaching. The Education Bureau always emphasize that 'okay now the other countries are making good progress in integrating IT in education. Hong Kong as a well-developed city, we should be following this big trend blah blah blah...' And you can absolutely see the good intention from the government - to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong. However, we, still cannot get rid of the bad connotation between IT and playfulness, especially those teachers and me. That's the reason why I am taking this course as a preparation for myself for this trend in the education industry.

Let's see whether I will change my mind when this course finishes.




[This is Dr. Chan To, my respectable professor who taught me the course EDUC4130 IT in Education when I was in year 3]