Saying Goodbye...

 One Last Reflection

     Hello everyone, or should I say goodbye? As you can guess from the title, this is my final post, and it is time to say farewell. With the fall term coming to an end, we are preparing for final exams and wrapping everything up. In this post, I would like to share my final reflections on the course and its assignments.

     I believe that in the 21st century, every teacher candidate should be familiar with current technologies and advancements. That's why, Current Issues in Teaching course was highly beneficial, as it helped us become familiar with emerging technologies and gain firsthand experience using them. One small challenge about the course was that group work required a fixed number of students, and a more flexible grouping system could have been more efficient.

     Working with my peers was generally easy since we are now quite experienced with group work. Additionally, last year’s Instructional Technologies and Materials Design course helped me adapt to the similar procedures used in this class. However, generating creative ideas was sometimes challenging for me.

     My favorite task was the AI-Integrated Teaching Material, as the process was smooth and I believe that our idea was both fun and creative. On the other hand, my least favorite task was creating a Flipped Teaching Video, since I was not familiar with producing educational videos, which made the process more challenging.

     To future students, I would recommend being open to trying new technologies and adapting to advancements, as these skills are essential in today’s educational context and necessary for this course.

     Overall, this course contributed greatly to my personal and professional development. Frequent group work strengthened my teamwork skills, and learning approaches such as flipped teaching enriched my instructional knowledge. I believe these experiences will be valuable in my future teaching career.

Thank you, take care, and goodbye! 😊

AI in ELT

 It's Time to Be A Fashion Designer!

      Hello and welcome again, everyone! I am back with the final assignment of the fall term. For this task, we created AI-integrated teaching material for EFL high school preparatory students, aiming to enhance learning through AI tools.

      Our target learners are high school preparatory students, and we designed a fun, fashion-design related activity supported by AI tools. Our focus is writing, and the activity is based on Theme 3: Personal Life. It includes three sections: Pre-task, Target-task, and Post-task, and can be used to integrate AI use into lessons. We also prepared an ASSURE lesson plan.

      The process went smoothly from start to finish. The part we spent most time on was deciding the skill focus and theme. My partner, Yasemin, and I shared responsibilities equally and worked well together. I especially liked our ideas for various tasks: Generating AI fashion model images, getting feedback for the created fashion models, then commenting on them like fashion designers. It made the assignment really fun for me.

See you!

My Peer: Yasemin Sağır

Our AI-Integrated Teaching Material:

• https://www.canva.com/design/DAG8tepm2XQ/-MsMtqnmnmkDrEw5zqO7mA/view?utm_content=DAG8tepm2XQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h4e2e78c3c5
  

The ASSURE Lesson Plan: 

• https://marmaraedutr-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/yasemin_sagir_marun_edu_tr/IQDze2qo5KG2TbW5iTvn6K8BAXJKC8m0qST6-jG-U4gTjnk?e=0u7cC0

FEEDBACK SESSION:

     After the feeedback session, we made some minor changes with my peer Yasemin. We added the general title on the first page, deleted the style names under the pictures and numbered the instructions.

2nd Draft:

• https://www.canva.com/design/DAG9qWyKfNI/yeZsNhpzyiJS5ksy58WShA/view?utm_content=DAG9qWyKfNI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hbf8bccf978
  

AR/VR Integration into ELT

 Exploring Shanghai, China without Going There

    Yes, you have read it right. Thanks to this assignment and AR/VR technology, even with a limited sources, we were able to take a short virtual trip to Shanghai, China.

    For this assignment, we were supposed to create an augmented/virtual reality integrated teaching material for high school English preparatory class students. As a group of four, we chose Shanghai as the city to integrate into our material. First, we selected two landmarks to introduce: the Oriental Pearl Tower and Yu Yuan Garden. Then, we chose the Shanghai Natural History Museum for the museum introduction section. Later, to include a cultural aspect, we decided to add the Spring Festival. After each VR trip, we added various questions for the students to answer in order to help them practice and check their comprehension. At the end of the material, students need to write a letter to either their best friend or a family member, describing their trip to Shanghai and their overall experience.

   The process of this particular assignment was quite smooth for me. From the beginning, we shared each task equally and communicated clearly with each another. Whenever something was unclear, we asked our teammates for clarification and this helped us to avoid any possible problem during the preparation process. Working with my team mates made the assignment both productive and enjoyable for me.

     I believe that integrating AR/VR into education, especially into language classrooms, is quite beneficial. Many people learn best by doing things and experiencing them in natural or realistic environments, and virtual reality provides this opportunity. It allows students to feel more engaged and motivated while learning a new language. Therefore, I believe that AR/VR technologies should be integrated into our current education system more actively to create a more immersive and effective language learning experience.

My teammates are:

• Aslı Özyıldırım
• Beyza Zabun
• Yasemin Sağır

This is our teaching material:

• https://www.canva.com/design/DAG7fCrQ9ZI/M8WcYBKjmp_82uswT__vgw/edit?utm_content=DAG7fCrQ9ZI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

This is the ASSURE lesson plan:

• https://marmaraedutr-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/yasemin_sagir_marun_edu_tr/IQCxR_Erz9wnRIfJnB6NCKNBASSQlSg4xe52SckNXn24blw?e=KX7JaH

FEEDBACK SESSION:

       After the feedback session, we made some minor changes in our material and the lesson plan. We changed the instructions of the first part: The Oriental  Pearl Tower and also added one more question (question number three).

      For the second part: Yu Yuan Garden, the instructions were revised as well. Also question number three is changed from "What can you tell about the history of Yu Yuan Garden?" to "What have you learned about the history of Yu Yuan Garden?".

         For the last part, we added two guinding questions and changed the placement of the question number three and four to include factual questions first and then the personal questions. 

      We changed and edited the lesson plan based on the second draft of our teaching material. 

This is the 2nd draft of our teaching material:

• https://www.canva.com/design/DAG8ImgfqS4/HLnKGK6Pi6aDj28j8AAtXg/edit?utm_content=DAG8ImgfqS4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

This is the 2nd draft of the ASSURE lesson plan:

• https://marmaraedutr-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/hilalyildirim23_marun_edu_tr/IQB39XK8oIWUTJ9P9MqbB0wwAdRyWFSqaH7OcxSXyxFIuh8?e=HVKubt
  

Flipped Classroom Approach

 Flipping a Classroom: An Innovative Way of Teaching

 When I first heard about the flipping classroom approach, I was really surprised and tought "How can you even flip a classroom? What an interesting consept!". Do not worry if it is your first time encontering this concept, because I will explain it right now. It is basically an approach that enables teachers to pre teach the lesson before coming to the physical classroom so that students can actually have time to practice and actively engage with the relevant material in the classroom. 

  When it comes to the advantages and disadvantages, with the help of this approach, time constraints and limited practice would be minimized. Teachers could detect what students have learned and what they are lacking. Also, more practice could ensure a more permanent learning.

 Unfortunately, nothing comes without its downsides. The inaccesibility to the internet or technological devices can hinder the process. Also, if the students do not fullfill their responsibilities on time, such as watching the pre-recorded lesson videos, in class activities could be meanigless for them. 

 For our task, we were supposed to create a flipped teaching video for 5th grade public school students. We chose to teach them some vocabulary items and our topic is "Animals".

  Finding and deciding on a video creating tool was not easy. However, all of us did some research and lastly decided to use "Powtoon" as our tool. Powtoon is a nice platform that has various elements such as animations, visual effects and editing tools. It helped us a lot while creating our video however, not being able to work at the same time was a huge problem for us and we had to take turns to edit the video. That's why, while two of us edited the video other two found the materials to use in it such as the pictures, audio etc. Everyone took a part in the creation process and we divided the voiceover into equal parts. At the end, we managed to create the video together! :)

My teammates are: Aslı Özyıldırım, Beyza Zabun and Yasemin Sağır 

You can watch the the video from this link:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc7Q5eKNWUM
  

This is the ASSURE lesson plan:

• https://marmaraedutr-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/hilalyildirim23_marun_edu_tr/IQD-mQFRotlyRaw48HvMCwG4AWM-jpy05wCsFALxy75rdDE?e=nQG0AY

This is the link of the tool we used:

• https://www.powtoon.com/

 For the second draft, we added the voiceover and made some small changes such as adding 

new visual elements etc. Also, we finished some parts of the ASSURE lesson plan that were not complete before. 

Integrating Corpus and AI into Langauge Classrooms

 AI-enhanced Corpus-based Teaching Material

         After a short break, welcome back again, everyone! For today’s blog, I have an interesting and very broad topic. Imagine a corpus, an online database like an imaginary library, and AI, a competent assistant, working hand in hand to create a successful language teaching and learning environment. It is the summary of our new assingment! :)

          As groups of three, we created an AI-enhanced, corpus-based teaching material along with a lesson plan based on the ASSURE model for high school students in Turkey.

We chose “quantifiers” as our topic for developing the material. Since it has various components that can be confusing for students, our activity aims to help them understand the topic, practice using a corpus along with AI technology, and come up with language patterns naturally.

The design process was a lot more easier than I expected thanks to Canva. We created a shared file and designed the material by giving feedback and suggestions to each other.

          Possible problems that might arise while implementing the material can be limited time or the students’ proficiency level. To address time limitations, teachers can divide the task into several sessions and assign some parts as homework. If learners have difficulty understanding the content, the material can be simplified or the number of questions can be reduced.

My teammates are:

Yasemin Sağır and Merve Arslan

 

• Here is the link of the AI-enhanced corpus-based teaching material:

 https://www.canva.com/design/DAG49EBp06Q/uCXX1-SnZSz6_GtkTYocfg/edit?utm_content=DAG49EBp06Q&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

• The lesson plan based on the ASSURE model: 

https://marmaraedutr-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/hilalyildirim23_marun_edu_tr/IQBhj8ON0vaTQ5wqAnRVIUkkAcrrKmntmERMzHzSWQXjFJs?e=O66M4J

 

FEEDBACK SESSION 

      After the feedback session, we made some improvements and changes on the material and lesson plan. Based on the feedback, the headings were not suitable for the students, also some questions were not appropriate for their age and  proficiency level. 

Here are the improved versions:

AI-enhanced corpus-based teaching material:

• https://www.canva.com/design/DAG5QuQ9Nh8/f7w_NifTRptODAahtG_B7A/edit?utm_content=DAG5QuQ9Nh8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

The lesson plan based on the ASSURE model: 

• gttps://marmaraedutr-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/hilalyildirim23_marun_edu_tr/IQCW4719iD4eR7KA6f9xeuB2AalGzO2Pd34J-NMWvxHm3tI?e=Tz6pS0

 See you in the next blog post!👋☺

An Unexpected Return :)

An Introductory Post: Blogging Once Again

Euge Leung - Puglie Pug

   Hi everybody! This is Hilal. With the start of a new semester, I will be blogging for my "Current Issues in Teaching" course as part of its requirements.

   I hope to enhance my learning and teaching practices by studying technology and its relation to an English classroom. 

   I believe that there will be posts about technology integration and related hands-on tasks. 

   See you in the next post! :)

Final Reflection Blog Post

 

Goodbye!

      Hello, and welcome one last time, everybody! I have reached the end of my second year and fourth semester, which means this is my final post for the “Instructional Technologies and Material Design in English Language” class. Let’s take a moment to look back and reflect on what I have learned throughout the semester.

     Before taking this course, I never realized how broad technology integration in English language teaching could be. I was not aware that creating blogs, podcasts, videos, engaging in online collaborative writing, and more could all be a part of an English class. This course truly broadened my perspective.

     I believe that one of the best ways to learn is by doing something firsthand. We started by learning the basics, and then we applied what we learned through firsthand tasks. I find this approach very valuable, especially because one day we’ll be teaching English ourselves to our students. Having firsthand experience is essential for giving effective lessons. By creating a blog and updating it regularly, with tasks ranging from making infographics to chatting with an AI bot, I developed creativity, responsibility, teamwork skills, and familiarity with various digital tools and platforms. I also learned how to apply them effectively in English language teaching.

     When I look back, I still remember the first tasks I completed. One of the most challenging for me was creating an infographic. It was something I had never done before, and starting from scratch was difficult. Planning and learning the tools took time, but it was a valuable experience. On the other hand, I genuinely enjoyed most of the assignments. Most of them involved creativity, which I loved. One of my favorites was the digital storytelling task. Making a video related to art was especially meaningful for me, since I already had experience with drawing, filming, and editing. It felt both familiar and enjoyable.

     Overall, I found this course to be highly effective in teaching new skills through hands-on experience. I do not have any suggestions for improvement. I think it succeeded in its goals.

Goodbye! 😊