The majority of my EFL work and therefore what I feel most comfortable in working my artefact around is exam preperation, specifically the IELTS test. I too would like to produce something where collaboration is a key aspect of the learning experience.
So as to keep the focus narrow, I wanted to focus on one aspect of the test which potential users of the artefact might enjoy/find attractive approaching in a collaborative manner. Task 1 in the writing section involves the description of a set of data, often represented in a chart, table, graph etc. I'd like to provide a learning environment where people could work together to create a text description of the data as required in the test.
This environment would be replete, naturally, with the data representation and the rubric as generally set out in the IELTS test and some key vocabulary that could be used in its description. Their task would be to look up the vocab if necessary in order to use it appropriately, decide on the structure, tense, information to be included together and together typing out a 2-3 paragraph piece of text. In addition to this I felt that this could be recorded as a video and made available to future students via YouTube etc. The data could be changed on a weekly basis with the videos of previous attempts then made available.
My fears and concerns mainly revolve around the software that I'd have to use to create this environment and then make it user-friendly/intuitive and considerations of whether this is already available. In relation to the software, this is part of what drew my to this module as I thought I would be forced to become au fait with the kind of applications I'd like to use in the future professionally.
The theme for this I'm rather unsure of. It's possibly Inclusive as the online environment makes this kind of study available to people that can't physically get together in a classroom. This type of collaborative approach to writing a Task 1 answer is no new approach in a bricks and mortar establishment but people in more rural areas or are housebound don't have the option. However, if it is a new online approach to studying IELTS it could also be Innovation. The format would be Activity/Workshop.
I have no title as yet. Thoughts, suggestions, ridicule would be welcomed.
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That’s an interesting idea Gareth. I was trying to picture how this would work as a collaborative task in an online environment. Do you image students would all be working online at the same time like in Elluminate? If so, you could record the group’s interactions although obviously there would be issues of privacy if you wanted to make the record available on YouTube.
It’s good that this project is something you want to progress anyway. This module won’t introduce you to software that might help you build your idea, although of course the community of others that you engage with as a networked practitioner may well help you with this. Is part of your project plan going to be putting out a specific call for help about this?
Regarding the themes, I agree that most projects could fit into two or more themes. What you need to decide is the story you want to tell about this learning activity at the conference, and how it relates to one of the conference themes.
Rhona
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Hi Rhona
Thanks for your comment. Yes, ideally learners would work together synchronously though this, I feel , will be the most amitious aspect of what I'd like to achieve. I will indeed be putting a call out for input on this and I think that my ambitions may become curtailed to some degree as the project develops (or maybe not). I received some feedback from Chris Pegler in OpenStudio as well where she recommended I consider Implementation as the theme and on reflection, she's right as the main thrust of my journey will be how I can actually produce this artefact.