Amity Course Instructions 2013

7/30/2019 Amity Course Instructions 2013

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HANDBOOK

for Amity

Introduction to Language Education in the U.S.

An Online Course for Interns of the Amity Institute

Lisa M. Dorner, Ph.D., 2012

[email protected]

handbook and course revised January, 2013
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Handbook for Introduction to Language Education in the U.S.

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Table of Contents

Course Overview p. 3

Using CourseSites.com

Information for Amity p. 4

How to Sign-in (Amity Staff) p. 4

How to Allow Access to New Facilitators p. 5

The Four Modules and Related Assignments p. 6

Information for Course Facilitators p. 7

How to Revise the Announcements p. 7

How to Enroll New Students (Interns) in the Course p. 10

How to Create Groups p. 12

Information for Interns p. 13

How to Sign-up for CourseSites.com

How to Enroll in Introduction to Language Education in the U.S.


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Course Overview

The online course, Introduction to Language Education in the U.S. (LangEduc2012), was

developed expressly for the Amity Institute by Lisa M. Dorner, Ph.D. in 2012. The course is

available on CourseSites.com. As of August, 2012, there is no cost to host the course on this

website. However:

Amity must make use of the site EVERY 60 DAYS for it to remain online/free.

The course covers four main topics through online modules or sections on:

(1)the U.S. education system;(2)U.S. students and families;(3)classroom management; and(4)theories of language education and acquisition.

The three main goals of this course will be for interns to:

(1)develop their understanding of U.S. schools and students;(2)obtain support, resources and tips for successful teaching and cultural exchange;(3)practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking English.

To meet these goals, each online module includes a set of readings, opportunities for intellectual

exchange, and a written or video-taped assignment. Interns will email their written assignmentsdirectly to their Amity counselor.

This handbook provides instructions for Amity counselors and facilitators, including how to

enroll new interns into the course. This handbook also provides a sheet of instructions for the

interns, including how to login and begin coursework.

The instructions for facilitators, pp. 7-12, and for interns, p. 13, may be copied and sent

separately to the appropriate group.

If there are any questions about this course, please contact the course developer at

[email protected].
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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CourseSites.com: Information for AMITY

The information in this section explains how Amity Counselors and Facilitators can access anduse CourseSites.com.

Further detailed information about how to use this platform is available on CourseSites.com,especially their Quick Start Guide, found at:https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-

course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.html.

Counselors and staff at Amity should use the Username and Password below to access thecourse, Introduction to Language Education in the U.S. The Amity Institute may also use this

Username and Password to create other courses on CourseSites if desired.

How to Sign-in (Amity Staff and Facilitators)

Go tohttps://www.coursesites.com.

In the upper-right hand corner, click on Login. On the new page, please enter:

Username: AmityInstructor

Password: interns

From this page, Amity has the power to create new courses on CourseSites.com.

In the right column, click on Introduction to Language Education in the U.S.

On the page that appears, Amity may change information about the course, as well as

invite new facilitators and interns to the course, as described in the pages that follow.
https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.htmlhttps://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.htmlhttps://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.htmlhttps://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.htmlhttps://www.coursesites.com/https://www.coursesites.com/https://www.coursesites.com/https://www.coursesites.com/https://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.htmlhttps://www.coursesites.com/webapps/Bb-sites-course-creation-BBLEARN/pages/getstarted.html


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How to Allow Access to New Facilitators (Instructors)

To allow access to facilitators, please follow these steps:

1. Login to CourseSites.com, Introduction to Language Education in the U.S. (see p. 4).

2. On the left side of the screen, under Control Panel, click on Users and Groups toexpand its sub-menu.

3. Then, under this header Users and Groups, click on Users.

On the new main screen, hover the mouse over Invite, and click on Users.

On the new page that appears, enter the following information:

a. Under 1. Select Role, choose Instructor.b. Under 2. Email Information, enter all the facilitators email addresses.c. Edit the email notification as desired.d. Under 3. Submit, click Submit.

The instructor will receive an email with instructions about how to create a CourseSites.comaccount. They will be asked to name their own CourseSites.com website.


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The Four Modules and Related Assignments

The course is divided into four modules, or sections, which each last three weeks.

During each module, the interns will:

(1)read articles or websites about the topic of the module;(2)listen to a presentation/lecture; and(3)reflect upon key questions, especially in a final assignment (usually a written essay).

Interns will email their written assignments or send links to video-taped reflections to theirAmity counselor.

Upon completion of the courseafter they email their written assignments to Amity or provide

links to any video responses they createdthey should receive a certificate of completionfrom Amity.


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4. Under 2. Web Announcement Options, make sure Date Restricted is chosen.5. Next, in the section Select Date Restrictions, click on Display After, and enter the

dates, as suggested below, for each of the corresponding Announcement titles.6. Scroll to the bottom, and click on Submit.

Announcement Titles and Corresponding Dates to Enter

Welcome to Language Education in the U.S. for Amity Interns 3 weeks before course begins

(e.g., January 21)

*Please begin the Amity course on Language Education! exact date course begins(e.g., February 11)

*Module 1 EndsSend Reflection [email protected] 3 days before Module 2 begins(e.g., March 1)

Module 2 on Students and Families Begins exact date Module 2 begins(e.g., March 4)

*Module 2 EndsSend Reflection [email protected] 3 days before Module 3 begins

(e.g., March 22)

Module 3 on Classroom Management Begins exact date Module 3 begins

(e.g., March 25)

*Module 3 EndsSend Reflection [email protected] 3 days before Module 4 begins

(e.g., April 12)

Module 4 on Language Education and Acquisition Begins exact date Module 4 begins(e.g., April 15)

*Module 4 EndsSend Reflection [email protected] 3 days before Module 4 ends(e.g., May 3)

Congratulations! The Course is Over final date of course(e.g., May 6)
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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How to make sure the Announcements include the correct text (dates) . . .

At the same time as the facilitatorchanges the date restriction time period, s/he must also re-

read each Announcement, to make sure that the written information has the correct due date foreach module. The start/end dates of each module are listed within certain announcements: the

ones that need editing are *starred* on page 8; these are the second, third, fifth, seventh, andninth announcements of the course.

Within the text of these five Announcements, please look for the MONTHS written in all capital

letters. Please edit the due dates accordingly, per the three-week module timeline listed above.

Here are two examples, for the second and third Announcements.

EXAMPLE FOR THE SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT

The Announcement titled Please begin the Amity course on Language Education! is the

second announcement of the course. It should post on the first day of the first module. For thespring semester, 2013, this day was FEBRUARY 11. This date, listed in the Announcement, will

need to change each semester:

Welcome! The Amity course on Language Education in the U.S. has begun. Each module is three weeks

long. The first module on "U.S. Education" starts FEBRUARY 11. It ends three weeks later. During this

time, you must (1) read the readings; (2) listen to the presentation; (3) complete the discussions; and (4)

within three weeks (before Module 2 begins), email your Module 1 Reflection [email protected]. Please

enter the coursesites.com to begin!

EXAMPLE FOR THE THIRD ANNOUNCEMENT

The Announcement titled Module 1 Ends Send Reflection to [email protected] is the third

announcement of the course. It should post three days before the second module begins (in

spring of 2013, March 1). More important, it reminds students about the due date of their firstwritten reflection: in the spring of 2013, this was MARCH 4. This is the date that needs to be

modified each semester:

Thank you for your participation in Module 1 on the U.S. education system! Please EMAIL your reflection

to [email protected] by MARCH 4. Then, you may start on Module 2.

Afterthe Announcements are ready for a new semester, the Facilitator must invite students to

the course. The following page provides instructions for inviting interns to enroll in the course.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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How to Enroll New Interns (Students) in the Course

Before inviting new interns, the Facilitator must delete all previous Users. Then, they will invite

the new set of interns to enroll in the course. Please follow these steps:

1. Login to CourseSites.com, Introduction to Language Education in the U.S. (see p. 4).2. On the left side of the screen, under Control Panel, click on Users and Groups toexpand its sub-menu.

3. Then, under this header Users and Groups, click on Users.

4. You will see a list of Users from the previous semester. You will choose to removeeach of the Students from the previous semester. Look for all Students and click on

the boxes, which are to the left of their names:


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5. After selecting all of the previous Students names, please scroll to the bottom of thepage and click Remove Users from Course. You will be left with a page that

includes only a list of Instructors:

6. Now you are ready to invite new Users (Students) to the course. On the new mainscreen, hover the mouse over Invite, and click on Users.

7. On the new page that appears, enter the following information:

a.

Under 1. Select Role, choose Student.b. Under 2. Email Information, enter the interns email addresses.c. Edit the email notification as desired.d. Under 3. Submit, click Submit.

The interns will receive an email with instructions about how to create a CourseSites.com

account. After they do so, they will have immediate access to begin the course.


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How to Create Groups (of Interns)

Sometimes, 100 (or more) interns will take Amitys course. In order to make this manageable,

the Facilitator will create smaller groups of interns based upon information provided by Amity.

Interns will use these small groups to contact other interns and to complete assignments over

email or instant messaging. The Facilitator should consider the following when creating groups:

Interns country of origin Interns native/country language The grade level that the intern is teaching The area of the country where the intern is living

As a general rule, interns whospeak the same home language should be placed together. This

way, they may help each other develop English skills by using their native language. TheFacilitator may also group interns who are teaching similar grade levels, so that they may

compare ideas about how to work with students of that grade/age. Finally, the Facilitator may

group studentsfrom different areas of the country, so they may learn more about the diversity ofthe United States, and the various laws and customs of different parts of the country.

Each group should have about 10 members. To create groups, please follow these instructions:

1. Look at the Control Panel menu on the left side of the screen. Under Users andGroups, please click on Groups.

2. Hover your mouse over Create Single Group, and then click on Manual Enroll.

3. The next page has many options for creating groups. For the first group, please fill in:1) Group Name and Description (e.g., Spanish Elementary Teachers)2) Tool AvailabilityPlease maintain the default choices to allow each group access

to Blogs, Discussion Board, Email, File Exchange, Journals, Tasks, Wikis.

3) Module Personalization SettingAllow4) MembershipPlease click on the names for your first group.5) SubmitPlease click on Submit.

4. Please repeat these instructions to create as many groups as needed.


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CourseSites.com: Instructions for INTERNS

The Amity Institute has created a course just for you! It is called Introduction toLanguage

Education in the U.S. The course number is LangEduc2012.

To begin the course, you must sign-up at CourseSites.com.

Please follow these instructions:

1. You will receive an email [email protected]. Within that email, please click on the link: Click to confirm and register.3. Click: I Need a CourseSites Account.4. Enter the information requested (First Name, Last Name, Email, etc.).

a. For Country, please choose United States (because you are taking the course inthe United States).

5. Click Sign Up.6. This takes you directly to the page for your course, Introduction to Language

Education in the U.S., or LangEduc 2012!

a. The first page includes Announcements about the course.b. To begin, please click How to Take This Course.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected].

Documents

Amity Course Instructions 2013