Workshop on Technology for College Lecturers and Freelancers
4 - 6, May 2015
Conducted by Dr. Karen Price, Lecturer, School of Education, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Doctorate, Applied Linguistics (with highest honors), Faculte des Lettres, Besancon, France. M.A., New York University and Maitrise, Applied Linguistics (with highest honors). Dr. Price is specialized in Second Language Acquisition, Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Educational Contexts for Emerging Technology, Second and Foreign Language Methodologies and English as Second Language.
Dr. Price has published several articles and chapters in many authoritative books on Second Language Acquisition and Technology, she has acted as Keynote and Plenary Speaker in many International Conferences, conducted workshops and has presented numerous papers in various conferences in difference countries.
Day 1: 4 May, 2015
Workshop on Technology Solution in Low Tech Situations began at 10.00 am at the conference hall of RIESI. A total of 19 delegates joined the workshops. The delegates were from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Coordinator of the workshop Mr. Hitesh C Bhakat welcomed the dignitaries and delegates. Director, RIESI Mr. Narasimhaiah inaugurated the programme. Mrs. Uzma Raheel, Lecturer, RIESI proposed vote of thanks.
Academic session began at 10.15 am. Dr. Karen Price eliciting responses from delegates on their local contexts and availability of resources in their classrooms began the academic session on the use of ‘plickers.’ Dr. Price made delegates use the cards and tablets provided to them. The session continued with hands-on-experience of use of technology. The session continued till the lunch break. The delegates remained active throughout the session. Answering queries on best tools and technology uses in the classroom for SLA, Dr. Price further elaborated talking about ‘PICO’ projection and audio system. Discussion on ‘Schoology’ (LMS) website and its classroom activities for SLA continued till the lunch break. The post-lunch session was on hands-on-experience of use of ‘SLA Tasks using Schoology.’ The delegates were practically facilitated in using ‘Schoology Learning System’ in designing SLA tasks. The first day workshop remained very illuminating exercises for the delegates.
Day 2: 5 May, 2015
The Day 2 of Tech Solutions for Low-Tech Situations began with positive note. Internet Connections and other accessories needed to conduct the workshop found working very nicely. Dr. Karen Price began academic discussion on paradigm shift from Desktop Internet- Computing, Virtual Worlds and Games to Mobile Devices. Focusing on Pen-Based Audio Books to apps like Leaf-Frog (set up) I-pad Writing Games, Dr. Price divided delegates into three groups, and facilitated them practice speech synthesis by enabling them connect to www.letterschool.com, and http://onlinetonegenerator.com. Talking about Stylus-based and Paper-based Technology, Dr. Price helped delegates practiced ‘live scribe’ and showed how to turn words into action. Referring to translator like DRAGON (Nuance) Dr. Price focused more on Handwriting Recognition (Apps) Translator. Introducing ‘Augmented Reality, Dr. Price helped the delegates practice and create augmented text for their classroom use. Introducing Aurasma, and ‘my poster’ Dr. Price clarified delegates’ queries by citing own experience of software on the campus use in Boston University for foreign students. Further talking about Location-based apps Dr. Price talked about ‘WOICES’ TOOZLA’ and ‘Woxxy.’ Since some such apps were costly, Dr. Price advised delegates to use free ‘PIVOT’, Guttenberg, ‘schoology.’
The post-lunch session began with ‘Tablets with Game-pieces.’ Dr. Price made delegates work in groups and enabled them to have hands-on-experience. The delegates practiced diverse games like OSMO Game, letter-games by low-cost audio pen language games. The post lunch session was very practical in nature and made delegates learn, practice and present their group work to the whole class. Giving home assignment of Day 3 assignment on ‘Mic Note,’ ‘Curriculet’ and ‘Thinklink’ Dr. Price set two objectives for the day: how to use ‘google dos’ and on-going learning of the post-workshop. The workshop remained an eye-opening for all.
Day 3: 6 May, 2015
The Day 3 workshop on Tech Solutions in Low Tech Situations began with issues on Grammar and Words in SLA. Considering internet problems, Dr. Price elicited comments on rule and meaning-based use of language by citing ‘Noredink’ web and elaborated how the process of very sign up makes students develop implicit rules of language. Citing examples of using CORCODANCING in leaning the use of ‘have to’ and ‘must’ Dr. Price made delegates understand the meaning of words and how the usage differed from the meaning provided in dictionaries. Using web titled ‘WERTI’ Dr. Price made the delegates aware of different topics of explicit grammar practices. The post lunch session which focussed on ‘google drive’ and ‘micnote’ enabled the delegates practice in developing students’ sharing of group activity and teachers’ feedback on the work. Eliciting comments on use of technology, Dr. Price elaborated the usefulness of such technology in real time classroom language use with limited internet facility classroom.Administrative Officer of RELO, American Embassy Ms. Shweta Khanna, who kindly paid a visit to oversee the workshop, elaborated diverse scopes for continuous professional development (CPD) of Second Language Practitioners through RELO.
The highlight of the workshop was capturing articles, images, videos, and entire websites from the internet to use offline. Participants seemed to also particularly find the screen recording software (with or without their voice) quite useful. Other software find special mention which can be used offline was voice recording synchronized with text (MicNote) and Curriculet (reading software). The delegates got a chance to visit website like schoology with a great deal of information and links created for participants which they would be able to use after the close of the workshop.
The 3 day workshop ended with a very small valedictory function. Delegates shared their experiences on the workshops. Coordinator read formal report followed by valedictory address by Mr. Narasimhaiah, Director, RIESI. Dr. S. Venkateswaran, Professor, RIESI proposed vote of thanks. The coordinator expressed his gratitude to RELO for giving the chance to host the workshop conducted by Dr. Karen Price at RIESI and Director of RIESI for entrusting the responsibility to coordinate the workshop.