Final Evaluation
ESL-PodCards
In the section experience I already reflected on a number of different online learning tools, which I got to know in this class during the first half of this semester. Since then we worked a lot on our teaching sequence, the 2nd field trip as well as on the preparation of the expert talk via the web-conference. Therefore, I will not talk just about further tools I got to know but also give a final and general evaluation of the entire seminar.
As part of our teaching sequence as well as in the section listening comprehension, I already talked about "Randall's Listening Lab" and its advantages and disadvantages.
Thus, I want to focus on a different learning tool about listening comprehension, namely "ESL PodCards". Among the different tools we focused on in our group work, this tool was one my favorite ones. This is mainly due to the reason, that the user can choose between a great variety of different English dialects to listen to. That means one is not limited to either American or British English, dialects which are most often provided on online learning tools for listening comprehension, but can rather choose from whatever one wants to listen to. The different options of dialects include: Australia, England, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, USA, Wales, New Zealand. Beside the different dialects, the website also offers transcripts and worksheets which can be used in the classroom.
As part of our teaching sequence as well as in the section listening comprehension, I already talked about "Randall's Listening Lab" and its advantages and disadvantages.
Thus, I want to focus on a different learning tool about listening comprehension, namely "ESL PodCards". Among the different tools we focused on in our group work, this tool was one my favorite ones. This is mainly due to the reason, that the user can choose between a great variety of different English dialects to listen to. That means one is not limited to either American or British English, dialects which are most often provided on online learning tools for listening comprehension, but can rather choose from whatever one wants to listen to. The different options of dialects include: Australia, England, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, USA, Wales, New Zealand. Beside the different dialects, the website also offers transcripts and worksheets which can be used in the classroom.
Prezi
Another tool we got to know and which we had to use for the presentation of our 2nd field trip was Prezi.
This online presentation tool turned out to be quite different from presentation tools I am familiar with, as for example powerpoint. As my presentation partner and I had never used Prezi before, it was definitely necessary to watch the introduction video. Since this tool, as I consider it, is really different from powerpoint, watching the video was essential to create a presentation.
Once one has gotten used to the basic functions, it is possible to watch further videos that show how one can use more and advanced applications provided by Prezi.
What is really cool about this tool is that you do not actually create the presentation on individual slides but rather on the entire screen. It is possible to zoom in and to zoom out so that you can actually see the whole presentation at once on the screen, even if the font might be a little to small to read.
All in all, I really liked working with Prezi. However, for our presentation we only used the basic functions. Therefore, I am eager to get more acquainted with this tool and to learn more applications which I can use to create some nice presentations in the future.
Another new medium, which I got to know and which I think is very valuable to know about, is the interactive whiteboard about which I have a section on as part of my additional works. For further information you should check it out under the section "more". In class, we got a basic introduction by our instructor about its main functions and possibilities but this was definitely sufficient to make me eager to learn more about this great new medium.
All in all, I review this class as very valuable and interesting. I got to know an enormous variety of different online tools and websites which might become very important once I will be a teacher. However, this great variety of different tools sometimes has the potential of causing confusion as well. It can become quite overwhelming to become exposed with such many different tools from which most you do not know. I want to point this out, since getting to know a new tool only can make much sense when you also know how to actually use it in school. With such a great variety, however, this can become quite difficult sometimes. I think it would be quite utopian to think that I will use all the different tools I got familiar with during the last four months.
Personally, I want to pick out those which represent some potential for using them in the classroom. The choice of certain tools might also be connected to personal preferences towards them. It is not hard to imagine that some people like something more than others. However, it is still great and very useful to, at least, got acquainted with them so that you can, as a next step, decide for yourself which of the tools you want to explore more and actually use in the future.
