An 894 Creative Work Project

Tradition Meets Innovation: Using Web 2.0 Technologies and Mind-Mapping Tools for a Face-To-Face College English Vocabulary

Class

SFSU ITEC 894 – Dr. Kim ForemanBy Sylvia Y. Schoemaker RippelDecember 2008

Background

• Problem: The typical F2F college English classroom has limited time and place for student-centered instruction

• Explored Solution:New “any time/ any place” connectivity with Web 2.0 read/write technologies

Purpose

• For 21st Century Learners o Find more effective methods and materials

of college English vocabulary instruction to meet the diverse needs of the individual learners

• Prototype Development o Design and develop a prototype using

Web 2.0 technologies for more student-centered vocabulary instruction

Analysis – Process and Goal

• Classroom time is limited; learning needs and vocabulary requirements are extensive.

 • How to best deal with classroom

limitations and vocabulary expansion for diverse learner needs

ANALYSIS – Subject and Students

• Vocabulary courses o Only recently emerged as a separate skill-

based course. Computer tools help in new collocations, frequency analysis.

• Diverse student needs o Students have varied needs in this area,

varying greatly according to background (both native and international students) and learning needs (basic to extensive, general to area-specific) among other variables.

New technology tools used to extend the traditional English vocabulary studies classroom:

•Email – Individual info tracking and contact lists•Blogs – Course blogs, student blogs•Wikis – Course wikis•Mind-mapping – Graphic encoding of learning content

Design Goals

• Develop a prototype for various units of instruction that can be extended through concurrent Web 2.0 resources, especially blogs, wikis, and mind-mapping graphic encoding tools such as the open source program, Freemind.

 • Use the Web 2.0 technologies to enhance

learning through the four C’s of connectivity, communication, collaboration and community.

Vocabulary Studies Method

• Vocabulary objectives were addressed by developing a systematic approach expressed in the acronym “STAR”:o S: Structureso T: Themeso A: Actionso R: Review Introduced with an online at

http://starvocabwiki.wetpaint.com

STAR Wiki – Screenshot: Start Page

S. T. A. R. : STAR METHOD MIND-MAP

STRUCTURE

THEMEACTION

REVIEW

STAR Instructional Methods

• Structural Analysis of Words (STAR: Structure) • Conceptual framework for vocabulary study –

contexts and processes (STAR: Theme) • Computer and Internet resources ; blogs, wikis,

Freemind maps (STAR: Action)• Automated vocabulary study programs ;

Freemind flash methods, blog-sharing, wiki-sharing (STAR: Review)

Screenshot: STAR – Structure Introduction

Screenshot STAR – Structure Word Analysis Example

Screenshot: Theme Intro Map

Screenshot: World of Words Text Topics Map

Thematic areas include

1 People2 Places3 Actions4 Nature5 Time6 Quantities7 Qualities8 Objects9 Ideas10 Values

Screenshot: World of Words Course Text Strategies

Screenshot: STAR - Action

WHEN

WHAT

HOW:THINKWRITETALKFIND

WHO

WHERE

WHY

Activities and Review

• Blogging/Journaling:o Students keep a blog/journal of words for

personal study and review.

• Personal vocabulary targets:o Words taken from class conversations,

classroom materials, readings, texts, current events, popular media (newspapers, magazines, T.V., radio, film), and online sources.

• Projects, and exerciseso students select several semantic categories to

develop new vocabulary with content organized thematically.

Screenshot: STAR -Review

Assessment• Academic evaluations:

o Evaluation of instruction and assessment of the learning process within the university context (and education generally) is a core concern and has given rise to built-in measures of effectiveness.

• Placement practices:o Students are screened at various stages in the admission and

placement process. Instructors and courses are evaluated by students in each class each semester.

• Special personal reviews:o A local academic expert reviewed the project and was helpful in

guiding its development in the areas .• Standard classroom assessments provided initial feedback. • Midterm reviews and exams

o General observation: students who earned higher marks on traditional assessments also demonstrated by holistic observations higher levels of creative applications of Web 2.0 resources /

Potential Assessment Rubric Example from http://aseparatepeace.wikispaces.com/file/view/Wiki+Journaling+Rubric.cwk+(WP).pdf

Wiki Rubricfrom NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English

Summary

• Vocabulary is a component of college studies generally and English studies specifically

• Through the Web 2.0 environment and the STAR vocabulary context, students themselves are encouraged to contribute real-world, personally-meaningful, course-related content.

• Students in the prototype study were able to go beyond simply responding to text and other instructional guides; they themselves extended the learning resources well beyond the classroom setting through Web 2.0 connectivity and productive elaborations.

Conclusions

• The traditional English college classroom is changing, as is education generally.

• The expansion of the learning landscape has presented new options and obligations for both instructor and learners.

• The changes initiated by the digital revolution have made possible innovative strategies that benefit individual students as well as whole communities of learners.

Classroom Connectivity -- Toward a New Tradition in Learning• By all indications, students in the

vocabulary class have adapted well • They have achieved a higher level

personal involvement • They have extended learning for

themselves, their peers, and the educational community at large

• The new technologies for connectivity promise a new tradition in learning.