Online English
Developing a Critical Facility to Engage Learners
Introduction
In 2013, educators from 15 Queensland institutions worked in collaboration to create an online English learning platform known as the Massive Open Online English Course (MOOEC). The lessons provided on the MOOEC cover a range of topics and proficiency levels targeted towards English learners worldwide.
This panel will bring together some of those educators involved to talk about their insights into creating online content for international learners, and how to engage students in a digital age. Analysing the online lessons we created as a case study, we will discuss the criteria and benchmarks used to adapt classroom material into an effective online format, and the consideration of how digital technologies can be used to enrich students' learning experience.
Applications of Online Technology to
Engage ESL Learners
Offshore and online
Creating content to attract and appeal to an international audience
Cultural impacts on learner engagement
Developing classroom lessons for specific cohorts and adapting content to online formats
Bringing online technology into the classroom
Creating content for your existing onshore cohort
MOOEC for engaging offshore learners
Marketing and recruitment Identify potential markets for recruitment
MOOEC for engaging offshore learners
Marketing and recruitment Extend institutions’ reach and reputation internationally
Showcase our institution/brand and what it represents
Try before you buy
Engage in collaborative ventures where resources and expertise can be pooled / allocated more efficiently
MOOEC for engaging offshore learners
Admissions Pre-departure language practice
Bridge gap between language results/letter of offer and commencement onshore
Provides a cultural orientation to life in Australia
Reduce costs for both students and institutions by shortening the time it takes to reach the English language requirement for pathway or degree programs
Successful completion of lessons as an administration tool
Studying in Brisbane
Living in Brisbane
MOOEC for engaging online learners
Experimentation Creates a space for experimentation with online teaching and learning
Captures the ‘digital footprint’ of learners
Large data sets
Analytics used to understand global student needs, demands and interests
Page views by country: Argentina Australia China Croatia Czech Republic Egypt France Hungary Iran Pakistan Portugal Russia Serbia South Korea Spain United Kingdom Vietnam
MOOEC for engaging online learners
Teaching and learning considerations Instructional design
Digitising classroom content vs designing a digital lesson
Accountability for what is being taught and learned
Understanding of the common conceptions, misconceptions, and difficulties that learners experience online
Internationalisation of the curriculum
MOOEC for engaging online learners
Content considerations for an onlinecontext
Interactivity and motivation
Fun and enjoyment cited as a reason for exploring online education by 95% of students (Duke University: 2013)
Individual in-depth and quick hit lessons
Videos for engagement
MOOEC for engaging online learners
Content considerations for anonline context
Interactivity and motivation
Content considerations for an online context
Scaffolded support
..
Source material in a scroll or pop -out box
Creating achievable questions and unambiguous answers
Content considerations for an online context
Connectivity and feedback
No prescribed teacher-student interactions = creative opportunities for feedback
Need to develop and sustain effective peer-to-peer networks to put learners in direct contact with others for authentic
communication
Discussion boards, posting comments/writing, asking
questions that are answered by the community
Content considerations for an online context
Functionality
Viewing experience across different devices
screen size and touch-screen technology
bite-size chunks of information interspersed with activities
video format
Cultural Impacts on Learner
Engagement
Darren Brookes
Queensland University of Technology
Cultural Bridge to Classroom Video Project (2007)
DESIGNING AN ORIENTATION AND TRANSITION STRATEGY FOR COMMENCING STUDENTS: APPLYING THE FIVE SENSES MODEL Associate Professor Alf Lizzio, Griffith University, 2006“Successful students know the value of learning ‘how things are done’ and what is important or valued in a new culture.” (Lizzio, 2006, p. 2)
Lizzio’s Five Senses of Successful Transition
Background of Cultural Bridge Videos
Cultural Bridge to Classroom trigger videos were designed toenable QUTIC students to adjust to the academic culture of QUT. These videos were incorporated into the blended learning materials for the EAP for direct entry into QUT faculty courses (IELTS 6.5).
The videos were used at the beginning of study skills classes to generate discussion around the culture surrounding academic study in Australia. There were seven videos:
Asking Questions in Lectures
Working in Groups
Learning Styles
Referencing
Cultural Bridge Video Lessons - Interactivity
When the Cultural Bridge Videos were integrated into the QUT Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS), they were rendered in Adobe Captivate 7and teamed up with formative quizzes that not only checked students’
comprehension but also their ability to understand cultural differences between academic study in their home countries versus Australia.
Services and Support Section of the QUTIC Website
Cultural Bridge to Classroom trigger videos were uploaded to the college website as an example of what support services the college offers and also to showcase the college facilities.
Reasons for adapting video lessons to MOOEC
Production values and quality of videos very high
Consistent style, actors, music, etc. used
Targeted topics based on staff and student needs analysis
(pre-project scoping)
Reliability of resource and low risk
Opportunity to showcase the college and resources
Getting value out of existing expensive resources
QUT resource, no need to obtain permissions, licences, etc.
MOOEC Lesson Design for Cultural Bridge Videos
Design of lessons encompassed questions related to linguistic competence and cultural competence:
Listening for Comprehension Listening for Cultural Cues All of the students are happy with their marks.
- True - False
The tutor tells the students to read their criteria sheets.
- True - False
Tutors use criteria sheets all over the world to mark student's essays.
- True - False
Students need to be more independent in Australia. - True
Screenshot of Cultural Bridge Lesson on MOOEC
Bringing online technology into the
classroom
MOOEC in a pathway provider
Current focus of English language by TEQSA
identify students requiring English language support
develop students’ ELP and academic language proficiency both prior to and following enrolment (TEQSA terms of reference, 2013)
Ensuring appropriate language exit levels achieved
Changing student demographic cohort
Technological literacy and access
MOOEC in QIBT case study
All new students diagnosed
Linguistic competence analysed
Coded against metalanguage categories
Frequency of error guides MOOEC content
MOOECs communicated through semester
End semester assessment
MOOEC: A closer look
Instructional video Short Rationale Common problems Possible solutions Easy to follow guide
MOOEC: The exercises
Range of question forms
Tests concept
Allows instant feedback
MOOEC: Empowering teaching
Responsibility for language
Instant needs analysis
Blended learning
Flipped classroom
Reduce support team workload
Peer to peer teaching
MOOEC: Institutions not in isolation
Cross institutional sharing
Exposure to new approaches