JALT2021 will once again be offering a series of online Professional Development Workshops (PD) in addition to the online Technology in Teaching (TnT) workshops.
This is the third year for these professional development workshops that were inspired by the College and University Educators Special Interest Group (CUE SIG) model implemented for their 2019 conference. Similar to last year, a stimulating range of online professional development opportunities will be available for the JALT2021 Friday sessions.
Digital communications technologies have never been more important in language education. As remote classes have become the norm, teachers are facing enormous challenges in selecting, understanding, and managing a wide range of tools for both on-demand and real-time classes. JALT’s Technology in Teaching (TnT) Workshops have never been more relevant. This year, we will offer two streams of workshops: live Zoom workshops with real-time interaction between presenters and participants, and on-demand workshops which can be streamed at any time. The TnT presenters, all experts in technology, will offer guidance on using technology and share ways to best integrate technology with language teaching practices. We anticipate an exciting exchange of ideas.
These academic research and classroom practice topics offer educators a great reason to make Friday a full day of learning and professional growth.
All of these professional development workshops are at absolutely no extra charge. They are included in the one-time, one-price registration fee for this conference. Mix and match your tailored schedule of both TnT and PD workshops. We look forward to seeing you online!
All Technology in Teaching (TnT) and Professional Development (PD) Workshops will be live online, Friday Nov 12, 1:30 PM - 8:15 PM.
Synchronous Online Flipped Learning Approach - SOFLA®
Helaine W. Marshall
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 1 • Professional Development (PD)
The Synchronous Online Flipped Learning Approach, or SOFLA, (Marshall, 2017; Marshall & Rodriguez Buitrago, 2017; Marshall & Kostka, 2020) combines two separate learning pathways that, in combination, can result in robust instruction: the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework for online teaching (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) and flipped learning (Bergmann & Sams, 2012). The presenter takes participants through the eight steps of SOFLA: (1) Pre-Work; (2) Sign-In; (3) Whole Group Application; (4) Breakouts; (5) Share-Out; (6) Preview and Discovery; (7) Assignment Instructions; and (8) Reflection. Guidelines, rationale, and caveats for each step are provided, with examples from the presenter’s classroom.
How Language Assessment Works: Rating spoken production using the CEFR
William Bayliss
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 2 • Professional Development (PD)
The Japanese national curriculum specifies balanced teaching of speaking, reading, listening and writing—and universities are moving towards assessing all four skills. As part of this movement, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and the British Council have jointly developed a Speaking Test for university entrance purposes called BCT-S, a localised version of the British Council’s global Aptis test. In this hands-on session, attendees will work with tasks, speaking samples and rating criteria from the Aptis test to better understand, in concrete terms, the way these tests rate candidate’s speaking performance using the CEFR descriptors.
Making an Attractive Website with Moodle
Mark Shrosbree
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 3 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Moodle is familiar among language teachers as a Learner Management System. However, by simply copying and pasting some basic HTML computer language, Moodle can also be used to create attractive, easy-to-navigate websites. With reference to a website created for teachers at a university, the presenter will explain how to make use of standard Moodle features, as well as some simple HTML. The presenter will also share ideas about user-friendly design and avoiding pitfalls. The workshop is suitable for people with no HTML experience, as well as those who are interested in learning how to expand the potential of Moodle.
A New Statistics Online App for Exploratory and Explanatory Data Analysis
Paul Collett
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM: Room 4 • Professional Development (PD)
I will introduce an online application created to help with quantitative data analysis based around New Statistics principles (Cumming, 2012). The application is easy to use, providing exploratory and explanatory output appropriate for use in research publications, presentations, or dissertations. The focus is on the generation of statistics for the estimation of the size and direction of research interventions: effect sizes, confidence intervals, and data-rich graphical plots. This is in keeping with current recommendations for quantitative research, moving beyond problematic issues surrounding statistical significance testing. The theoretical background and practical usage of the application will be covered.
Using Zoom to Record On-Demand Teaching Content
Daniel Beck
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM: Room 5 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Due to the pandemic, many educators became familiar with using Zoom to teach live lessons online. Zoom is also useful for making videos that can be available on-demand to supplement in-class teaching. This workshop will demonstrate how to take full advantage of Zoom’s features including using slides as a virtual background. Slide design for optimizing this feature will be demonstrated. Participants can try these features out on their own computers or simply observe. Questions and suggestions from participants are welcome.
Net Gain: Multiplatform Approach to Distance ESP Classes
Shari Joy Berman
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM: Room 4 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Remote learning demands teachers be more resourceful, tech savvy, and creative than ever. This session introduces successful, concrete techniques for a productive, student-centered environment at a distance, predicated on original simultaneous interfacing of Zoom and Teams with LMS follow-up. Focus will be on ESP projects (medical, international horticulture majors) including multimedia presentations, tasks, out-of-class online group meetings, as well as alternative testing and large class management techniques. Workshop participants will experience/evaluate games, quick tasks, and projects. They will also view class video clips, and brainstorm ideas to increase the “net gain,” to perhaps make these multiplatform techniques their own.
Using Corpora to Create Academic Writing Assignments
Sarah Deutchman
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM: Room 1 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Quite often universities require students to write academic essays that students might not be prepared for. Having an assignment sheet with grammatical patterns and commonly used words makes it easier for students to write the required essays. The workshop will focus on creating an assignment sheet for an academic writing topic: this includes vocabulary, collocations, colligations, and patterns. The vocabulary list, collocations, colligations, and frames would come from corpora. It is not necessary to have prior knowledge on how to do searches using corpora as they will be explained in the workshop step by step.
Designing Computer-scored Speaking Tasks
Paul Daniels
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM: Room 2 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
This workshop will guide participants through the process of creating and administering online speaking tasks in Moodle using a custom speech assessment quiz-type. The speaking tasks can either be automatically scored by the computer or manually scored by the teacher. Sample speaking tasks can include audio, video or text prompts and can include a mixture of open-ended and closed-ended tasks. Participants will have the opportunity to demo sample computer-scored speaking tasks and to design their own custom speaking tasks. At the end, download and installation of the speech assessment quiz-type will be covered.
Microsoft Teams and Class Notebooks: Online and Face-to-Face
Samantha Kawakami
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM: Room 3 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Microsoft Teams is a fantastic resource for universities with Office 365 subscriptions. Used in conjunction with software available through the subscription, you can create a rich learning environment. This workshop will go through how to set up and get the most out of a Teams course. Topics include creating a Team and Class Notebook, Teams channels, creating and assessing assignments (quizzes through Forms, attached Office files, the Class Notebook), sharing content with Class Notebooks (videos, individual feedback, handouts), and Teams Meetings. This workshop will give you a clear understanding of Team’s capabilities, limitations, and how to use it.
Presentation Design and Delivery for Improved Classroom Lessons
Daniel Beck
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Room 5 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Although educators invest in knowing the content they teach, they may prepare slideshows as visual aids that are ineffective and counterproductive. Text-heavy slides reflect a knowledge-transfer approach instead of a constructivist approach. This workshop will demonstrate slide design from a multimedia learning perspective (Mayer, 2009) that is more effective. Additionally, tips will be given for slideshow delivery. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions and share ideas in this interactive workshop.
A Tutorial to Make Your Online Classes Look Like a YouTube Video
Marshall Higa
3:30 PM - 4:15 PM: Room 4 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
In this workshop, participants will receive a hands-on explanation of how to produce high-quality video lectures as well as livestreams for platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Aimed towards beginners, the contents of this workshop will cover necessary information about equipment and software so that participants will have the basic knowledge needed to begin producing content that can rival professional YouTube filmmakers. Though all of this information is already freely available online, the presenter will use his experience as an English teacher to focus on information that is most relevant to EFL teachers.
The Power of ‘Obsidian’ - Revolutionising The Way We Take Notes
Michael Walker
4:15 PM - 5:00 PM: Room 5 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Note-taking is essential for any academic endeavour. Yet many curriculums fail to teach a systemised and effective approach to this skill. The repercussions are significant, more often than not resulting in substandard work being submitted by students. Inspired by Sönke Ahrens’ breakout book ‘How To Take Smart Notes’, this workshop will cover the principles of taking smart notes and introduce a powerful note-taking app called ‘Obsidian’ that will help teachers and students alike optimise the thinking process.
What is an Effective EdTech PD Program, and How to Develop and Evaluate One
Erin Noxon
4:30 PM - 5:15 PM: Room 4 • Professional Development (PD)
As the GIGA school program spreads and as during #withCOVID and #postCOVID schools start to more frequently use LMSs and other educational technology for course delivery, there were be more and more professional development (PD) programs offered. This means more people will be called on to deliver effective PD programs. This workshop will go over frameworks based on the actual research on what makes a PD program effective and lasting. We will go over what an effective PD looks like, how to develop one, and then how to evaluate it, ensuring it gets better for the next iteration.
Incorporating International Language and Culture Exchanges into your Classes
Eric Hagley
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Room 1 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Since 2015 over 25,000 students from 25 countries have participated in the IVEProject, an international online exchange where students use the English they are studying in class to interact with peers around the world. The workshop will showcase the project: the research showing its benefits to linguistic, intercultural and communicative competence; the ways it can be incorporated into your syllabus; and the joy it can bring to students who participate. If you want your students to use the English they are studying in class to interact with others around the world, come to this workshop. It is easy and free-of-charge.
Feedback, Peer-Evaluation, and Reflective Learning Procedures: An MFL Trinity
George MacLean
5:00 PM - 5:45 PM: Room 2 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
In this workshop I will discuss my recent experiences fostering a reflective learning environment via (a) the delivery of accelerated teacher and peer feedback and (b) subsequently requiring students to submit reflections about their learning experiences using cloud computing (Google Workspace for Education). Outcomes of the workshop should include (1) Awareness of learner-centered pedagogical practices and how to implement them using cloud computing (2) Immediate knowledge of how to apply the Google Workspace for Education in varied educational settings, and (3) How to better communicate with students.
Designing Your Presentation Media
Malcolm Swanson
5:15 PM - 6:00 PM: Room 5 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Whether for presentations or classroom use, most of us just “make” our media, often with little regard to functionality or aesthetics. This workshop will focus on ways to add useful design elements to your Keynote or PowerPoint slides. Putting more thought into how your media looks and behaves will make your presentations more appealing to audiences, easier to understand, efficient to create, and simpler to control. During the workshop, I will demonstrate some techniques I’ve found useful, and then set a couple of design tasks to complete. Please bring a device with either Keynote or PowerPoint installed.
Moving Through and Moving On: Pivot, Reflect, Develop, and Grow
Chhayankdhar Singh Rathore and Eucharia Donnery
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Room 3 • Professional Development (PD)
The turbulence of the 2020 academic year onwards has taught us how to react, reflect, and respond. Reacting to the abrupt pivot from face-to-face classes to online. And back again. Yet simultaneously serving as lighthouses for students by providing stability in a world of uncertainty by developing coping mechanisms and renewing our professional skill set. This workshop provides a platform in which teachers can reflect upon their experiences with teaching during the pandemic and how they overcame these herculean challenges through discussions and reflective dialogues. These discussions and dialogues will be divided into four sections – pivot, reflect, develop, and grow.
Equity in JALT: Sharing Our Vision
Gerry Yokota, Jackson Koon Yat Lee and Gregory Paul Glasgow
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM: Room 4 • Professional Development (PD)
The ability to demonstrate one’s familiarity with diversity and equity practices (DEP) is a great asset on the job market. In this workshop, three members of the JALT DEP Committee will share their expertise in three areas of common concern among JALT members: hiring practices, harassment prevention, and accountability, both personal and organizational. After short presentations on these three areas to establish common ground, participants will be invited to join the group of their choice to discuss related issues. We will then regroup at the end, and each group will share the fruits of their discussion.
Bringing out Student Creativity Through Speaking Activities with Flipgrid
Rich Bailey and David Hammett
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Room 2 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
This presentation will focus on the use of Flipgrid, a mobile application that allows students to record “selfie” video responses to a teacher’s prompt as an option for asynchronous speaking activities. The presenters will discuss their experiences using Flipgrid as graded speaking activities in their English classes at two universities, focusing on the successes and failures. The presenters will lead a discussion that will focus on how Flipgrid could be used in other ways, including in hybrid and f2f classes. Participants will leave with an understanding of Flipgrid and how it could be implemented into their teaching context.
Machine Translation-Supported Writing
Susan Jones
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM: Room 5 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Student use of machine translation apps to complete writing assignments is prevalent and persistent. Instead of discouraging its use, I believe we can help students use it effectively as part of the writing process. Specifically, machine translation can be used to increase L1 and L2 text analysis and rewriting, and improve L2 writing output. In this workshop, participants will experience a machine translation workflow in which they analyze, pre-edit, and post-edit a passage.
Facilitating Engagement and Interactivity with a Virtual Lesson Platform
Benjamin Rentler
6:45 PM - 7:30 PM: Room 1 • Technology in Teaching (TnT)
Research has shown that Nearpod promotes active learning through its ability to facilitate collaborative participation between students, teachers, and lesson content (Amasha et al., 2018, Hakami, 2020). My workshop will showcase how Nearpod can be used for effective discussions, reading activities, vocabulary activities, student-paced assignments, informing future instruction through its post-class reports feature, and more. Teachers will receive opportunities to test the functions as well. Finally, I will share the results of a quantitative survey of student self-reported perceptions of Nearpod, which indicated that students felt an overall positive effect on their motivation and interaction in their English classes.
Reflective Practice to Understand Your Teaching and Yourself
Adrianne Verla Uchida and Jennie Roloff Rothman
6:45 PM - 8:15 PM: Room 3 • Professional Development (PD)
This workshop will provide participants with opportunities to engage in reflective practice (RP) to better understand their teaching and themselves. The presenters will explain definitions of RP, highlight Farrell’s six principles of RP (2019), and introduce tools for engaging in RP. Participants will be encouraged to try some tools and share about their respective situations. It is hoped that participants will be motivated to engage in such practices when they return to their own contexts.
