Looking back, looking ahead

     We are approaching the end of the technology in education course. Although it has not turned out to be what I expected when I signed up, I have made progress in my own technology skills. I was exposed to quite a few new tools, and I now feel more comfortable using them. I think my students are still much more adept at using technology, but I am able to navigate more tools now. I was not intimidated by my lack of experience in technology because I felt confident that my students would be able to use the technology based tools without me. I also have an excellent support system at school to help me implement projects that use technology.
     There are some tools that I think I will continue to use in the classroom. I will continue to follow various accounts on Twitter. I understand now its value for following the news in French speaking countries and sharing ideas and resources with teachers near and far. I also found Symbaloo to be a convenient way to organize resources for my students. My students have prepared projects with imovie, and now that I am more familiar with it I am sure I will continue to use it for projects.
     My skills for using technology have improved slightly, but I still find technology to be cumbersome and frustrating at times. I love the way it opens the world to us, but find it discouraging when it does not work as expected. This has confirmed for me that I am right to give my students some leeway when their ipads do not work as expected. Learning to use new technology has also reminded me of how difficult and disheartening school can be for some students. This has renewed my focus on my teaching skills and how I can create an encouraging environment for learning in the classroom. As technology evolves I will continue to look for new ways to integrate it into my curriculum, especially as a way for students to communicate in French.

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Media Literacy

     Although the meaning of media has greatly expanded, the basic concept of media literacy has remained fairly constant. Whether the media is print, televised, images, or web based, it remains imperative to remember that whoever the media might be, they control the message. The consumer of media needs to develop the skills and habit to analyze the media and interpret its message. This includes reflecting on the purpose of the media, the audience it is directed at, and the creator of the media. The main difference in the current world is the amount of media that is available to people and the increase in exposure to multiple forms of media.
    It is important for educators to teach and model analytical media skills. The pervasiveness of media in our lives is likely to continue to increase, making media literacy all the more important. I think a recognition of this has entered schools. Recently at my school I have noticed flyers promoting media literacy and awareness. These flyers focused on gender, gender roles, and stereotypes. In order to reach more students social media is used as an avenue for discussion of these topics. I think media literacy should be taught directly as part of the curriculum and indirectly within class instruction. I also think it is a topic that needs to be addressed every year in order to help students improve their skills and incorporate any new media that emerge. Media literacy is a skill that students will need to continue to improve throughout their lives, and it is competency that will serve them well in all aspects of life.
     I think the most striking detail from the media literacy presentation is how little the portrayal of women has changed in the past 50 years or so. In fact, the negative portrayal of women is even more maddening now because it has become embedded in so many games, videos, advertisements and songs. It seems even more difficult in the present-day to teach our children about the media because there are so many more avenues for the media to reach people. The internet has brought the world to our fingertips, but this means that families no longer watch, listen to, or read the same media. Parents have to make even more of an effort just to be aware of what their children are exposed to.

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Web 2.0 Tool: QR Codes

     The final tool I decided to try is the QR Code. This tool was the easiest to learn and use. It was also the simplest in terms of what it does. The sample code that I created provides a link to my animated Jeanne d'Arc that I created using Blabberize. I wanted to try the QR code as a way to share my Jeanne d'Arc to see if it would be a practical way for students to share their work. I think it is a useful tool to enable students to share their creations with others in the school and the school community. It allows them to simply and quickly make an accessible link for people who are not present in the class with them.
     I think I would like to use this with my students. It could be useful on Open House night and parent-teacher conferences as a way for students to show their work to their parents, or other parents who are interested. There may not be time during the evening event at school to showcase much of the students' work, but the QR codes can enable the parents to view the work while waiting for a conference, or even at home. Parents love to see what the students are doing in school, and this is a practical way of showing them some of the finished products.
     I also think I would use this to share my students' work with other students in the school who are not in their class. The QR codes could be displayed in the LLC or in the hall. Students could use their ipads to read and/or take a picture of the QR code to view their peers' work. I would like to try this with the Famous Francophone project. I would also like to use it as a way for students to share their projects about the regions of France. Each region of France is quite unique, and I don't think people realize how much more there is to France than just Paris.
     Give my QR code a try!

Web 2.0 Tools: Thinglink

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     Thinglink is the second Web 2.0 tool I explored. I was attracted to it because it offers a way to combine various media and information in one place. I think my students would enjoy using Thinglink, and that it will give them another viable way to demonstrate their knowledge. I think the multimedia aspect of Thinglink lends itself well to foreign language instruction. 

     The sample I created is for the 2016 Eurocup of soccer. I realized last year that many of my students, and other students, wear the soccer jerseys from soccer teams all over the world. They also follow their favorite teams abroad. Although I like soccer, I don't follow it, so this was a revelation to me. Luckily, someone mentioned that the European soccer championship (the Eurocup) will take place in France in 2016. That's when I knew I had to learn about international soccer. I would like to incorporate the Eurocup in my curriculum this year. One idea I had was to learn about the cities in France where the matches will be played. My sample Thinglink shows a map of France with links to information about each city where the Eurocup will take place. It also gives some information about France in general, relating to the Eurocup, and there is a link to an outline of the final draw on December 12, 2015.

     I found Thinglink to be a little more cumbersome to use than Blabberize, but not too frustrating. It was easier to embed than Blabberize.  I can envision using this tool in the classroom for more activities related to the Eurocup in the Spring. Another idea I had while working on my sample was to ask students to create a Thinglink with their favorite activities that they could then share with their pen pals in France. The students could also use Thinglink to create an interactive map of our community.

Thinglink Map of France

Web 2.0 Tools: Blabberize

Painting of Jeanne d’Arc c. 1485. An artist’s interpretation, since the only known direct portrait has not survived
© Centre Historique des Archives Nationales, Paris, AE II 2490

Check out my talking Jeanne d'Arc, created on Blabberize

     Venturing into the world of Web 2.0 tools, I first had to understand exactly what this term means. I learned that this expression refers to tools that are used to create products, often collaboratively, that can easily be shared. All of this is accomplished using the internet. I chose to try Blabberize because it involves speaking, and I am always on the lookout for a new way to offer my students practice in speaking French. The idea I used to create my animated talking picture though does not involve French this time. I decided to try Blabberize to create an example project to show my students as an option for the "Famous Francophone Project" they complete.
     The "Famous Francophone Project" is a chance for students to research and demonstrate their knowledge of a famous French speaking person. I give the students a list to choose from, but they also have the option of choosing a person who is not on the list as long as I approve him/her. The list I have compiled includes historical figures like Jeanne d'Arc, scientists, artists, sports figures, and many others. I think Blabberize could be an interesting way for them to present their person to the class and others. I plan to use this in my class in the Spring.
     I thought the tool was easy to use. It seems very straightforward and intuitive. I did not need to spend much time learning to navigate the Blabberize website. I like this about the tool because although I want to offer my students the opportunity to be creative and have fun, I want the main focus to be on the material. Another application I would like to try is to have my students choose an animal and to introduce themselves as this animal. I would have them do this in French. It would be good practice for the structure of sentences that are needed to tell one's name, age, nationality, etc. They could then share this with their pen pals in France via a wiki.

Digital Storytelling

     

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Digital storytelling provides an excellent assessment alternative to more traditional pen and paper methods. It is an efficient way to combine speaking and writing assessment in foreign language instruction that has the bonus of offering students the opportunity to create a product. Students who are stronger at presentational speaking than written language have the opportunity to showcase what they know. They also have the opportunity to practice and edit their script, so students who do not perform well under the pressure of a test may be able to present a more accurate picture of their knowledge and skills. Digital storytelling also offers students the possibility of sharing their work with an authentic audience via the internet. The audience could be other students in the school, in the community, in other parts of the country or even in another country.
     I currently use digital storytelling in my classes. In the Spring, my eighth grade students produce an imovie about an imaginary trip to Paris. This is a culminating project that offers the students an opportunity to show what they have learned in French over the past four years. There are set requirements, but students can make their script and movie as complicated or simple as they would like, within the requirements. Those who are more curious about language can look up  more vocabulary words or consult me about sentence structures. Those who have stronger speaking skills have the opportunity to shine. There is quite a bit of differentiation that occurs naturally. The students also learn about French culture when researching potential tourist sites in Paris. Another project that offers similar advantages is one in which the students introduce themselves and their families to their pen pals in France. They use pictures they take to show their families, community, likes and dislikes. They record their script, and the teacher tells me that when she watches the videos with her students it's as if the American students are in the classroom with them. What a way to reach across the ocean!
     I chose to make an imovie about buildings I visited in Chicago one day during Open House Chicago. I will share this video with my counter part in France. I think she and her students will enjoy seeing some iconic buildings in Chicago, and some of the lesser known structures. It will give them a more personal tour of the city and its amazing architecture. I enjoyed making the movie because I liked the topic I chose. I also think it will be fun and educational for the teacher and students in France to view. Chicago is not well known in Europe, but when Europeans come here they usually love it. See what you think of my movie!

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Twitter, where to begin. Like others, I was hesitant to jump on the twitter band wagon because of the time it would take to manage. It seems to take quite a bit of time, but I am becoming more efficient at participating on twitter. Here is a link to my twitter handle @KarenFrenchprof. One pleasant surprise is that I have found that it is an efficient way to keep up with the news in France, especially educational happenings. I think it could serve as an effective reminder for me next year to incorporate la fête de la gastronomie (@_gastronomie_)  and la fête de la science (@fete science).

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I am following COP21 Paris 2015 to keep abreast of the Climate Change conference later this year. (@COP21). If you visit their website you have three language options: French, English or Spanish. I would like to incorporate the Climate Change Conference into my curriculum this year, and the twitter account should make it easier for me to follow the news there. 

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I also participated in a Twitter Chat organized by ICE. It was my first Twitter Chat, and an interesting experience. The most challenging aspect was the speed at which the conversation flowed. I found it a little difficult to follow and to process, but I think these skills would also improve with more experience.  The conversation was interesting, and I understand now how it can help teachers connect with other teachers to build a network. I would like to try a chat that is about teaching languages next. I saw that #langchat is one option.

One resource that I found on Twitter is TUICnumérique which is on scoop.it. This resource was retweeted by @EnseignerTV5. Scoop.it is a way to curate content and share the content. It is also a way to find content efficiently. Organizations and people can use scoop.it to help them find content and publish the resources they find. If you find a scoop.it account that fits your needs, you can visit the scoop.it to see the resources the organization or person has discovered. From those resources you can see what works for you! The particular scoop.it I found useful brings together digital resources for education in French. It gives me some insight into the French education system and shows me resources that I would probably not find on my own. For example, here is a link to the brochure for a competition (for native speakers and non-native speakers)  Dis-moi Dix mots (Tell me 10 words). The French really love their language: there are 72 pages in this brochure!

Here is the screen shot of the ICE chat I participated in, but I couldn't see my posts, only others. Here's evidence for Sonny though!

Stages of Technology Integration

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The stages of technology integration ring very true for me professionally. Macintosh computers were just reaching colleges when I was a student, and as a secretary for the math department I had easy access to a computer. I am grateful for this because I think I was introduced to computers at a young enough age to not be intimidated by them. Although I may resist technology in certain aspects of my life, I recognized from the beginning of my teaching career that technology has value, especially in teaching world languages.

Reflecting on my attempts to integrate technology into my teaching practices, I think I found the adaptation stage the easiest. In this stage I let students use technology for word processing and to drill vocabulary. I was substituting work on the computer for work done by hand. It did not involve any creativity, and the uses of technology were obvious. The stage I found the most difficult is the stage where I am currently, the innovation stage. This is also the most interesting stage, but challenging. I want to integrate more technology into my teaching practice, but in a meaningful way that enables students to create authentic materials to share with a real audience. Students generally think it is fun to use technology, but I do not want to use technology just for the sake of using it. If it does not enhance a unit or the students' learning then it is probably not worth the time or effort.

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The internet and world language acquisition are a natural fit. The internet gives teachers and students incredible access to authentic language. We can explore the language and culture of countries where our language of focus is spoken. We can also use the internet to connect with other educators and students to practice the target language and learn about the culture. However, I think it is important to not abandon all former methods. At the basic level of language acquisition where memorization is required, many people benefit from writing by hand. This forces them to work more slowly and allows time to process the work as they write it. I think the physical movement also helps many people to remember vocabulary and language patterns. In addition, one of the main reasons to learn a second language is to be able to communicate in that language in a conversation with native speakers. The skill of face to face conversation remains relevant to learning and using a second language.

I agree with the five stages that are listed from the ACOT study, but I would add one more. I think there is a stage between Appropriation and Innovation. I would call this stage Embracing. For me, there was, and often I think I am still at this stage, a point where I embraced technology, but not to the  point of excess. I integrated technology where I could, but was not quite at the stage of Innovation. I used technology in some creative ways, but had not worked my way up the SAMR ladder for most of my technology influenced lessons. Of course, teaching is a practice that continually evolves, and working toward the Innovation stage is part of what keeps me engaged in education.

Introduction

Bonjour and bienvenue. I am a French teacher in a middle school. I teach grades 5-8. I have taught middle school French for seven years. Before teaching at my current school I taught French and German in a selective enrollment elementary school in Chicago.

I really like my job because I have great students. I enjoy seeing their growth from fifth grade to eighth grade. I am continually impressed by their curiosity and how much they learn. I hope my students will learn not just French language and the culture of some francophone countries, but also a tolerance for differences. These differences might be cultural between countries or differences within the United States and our community. As my students grow into adulthood the world will continue to become more interconnected. I hope my students will become life long learners who appreciate other cultures and are able to adapt to a changing world.

I love to travel. A year ago I was fortunate to travel to Bordeaux, France for a ten day teacher institute. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to immerse myself in French again, connect with other teachers, and learn about the most recent European approach to teaching languages.
If you've never been to Bordeaux, it is a beautiful city. Here are a few pictures I took to entice you!

 An ancient gate from when Bordeaux was a walled city.

 A typical house in Bordeaux.

You can even find a little bit of home - one of a number of models for the Statue of Liberty that can be found in various cities in France.

I finally traveled to New Orleans last year, and now I understand why it was important to rebuild it after Katrina. Although not much French is spoken there, the cultural influence is apparent everywhere. When I was younger I spent a year studying in Austria and a year teaching English in Japan.

Family is important to me, but as my children become more independent and grow into adults I spend less time with them. I enjoy reading. I especially enjoy historical fiction. During the growing season I like to work in my yard and small vegetable garden. I am still amazed by the vegetables that grow each year from seed.  When it is too cold to garden I like to knit. Regardless of the weather I walk just about everywhere. I try to take advantage of the many cultural events and learning opportunities that Chicago and the surrounding suburbs offer. I am looking forward to Open House Chicago and the Chicago Humanities Festival this fall. If you are interested in Open House Chicago, October 17-18, 2015, here is a link to the site.

http://www.openhousechicago.org

If you are interested in the Chicago Humanities Festival, October 24-November 8, 2015,  here is a link to their site. Teachers can register for free and reduced tickets!

http://tickets.chicagohumanities.org/default.aspx

A bientôt!