Week 6: Simply Technical

Dear all! Another week full of learning has come to an end, rather technical this time! Indeed, the discussion as well as the task were centered around "Technology tools for creating student-centered classes, including large classes”,
What I learned in week 6?
1-  Some good ideas and tools to help resolve the issue of large classes, pointed out by many colleagues, an a daily and worsing reality for me, expeciaaly. Fortunately, the readings of the weeks have suggested interesting, simple to implement ideas such as  Think-Pair-Share, Think-Pair-Square, ConcepTest, Quick-thinks, Minute paper, Scripted Cooperative Learning, Concept Maps.

The paper: Teaching Large Classes II – Enhancing Learning by Engaging

Students, by Rick Finnan and Donna Shaw sggests, in addition to the above mentioned ideas, some issues to take into consideration ( Making sure task is clear, specific and discrete, making learning objectives clear, keeping group work fairly simple and the time frame short", as well as the various advantages offered by these techniques.
Some of them are worth trying, as they will defitely help students have more practice ( Speaking, short writing practice) while teachers are more and more complled to teach in a lecture-style.
2- Technology software ( Blackboard 9, REspondus) that will probably be useful, but f which the "price" issue ( among others) is beyond our control as teacher
3- Interactive PowerPoint: a discovery for me! I have used PPt tools for a long time, but could not imagine there were so many things to do with me! I was just excited as I was going through the different steps contained in the document "Creating Interactive Presentations Using PowerPonit". The language ( my operating sytem is in French) and the software version of the document caused a few difficulties at the beginning, but I was able to implement a sample Toefl quiz.
I think I will deepen my skills in Interactive PowerPoint, that is particulary suitable for digitalization of TOEFL tests, especially the Grammar section ( Structure and Written Expressions).
 
 I think I've got my third idea for my porject!!!!
Best regards!