How to lecture a large class interactively

Handling Large Class is something complicated. The long lecturing on a ‘very boring’ topic will make students sleepy. It will also influence the credibility of the instructor. Using PowerPoint contain not only explanation but also cases, problems and discussion topic will be interesting. It will keep the students focus on the materials delivered. The classroom with computers and LAN will be more interactive since the instructor can send the quizzes and task to the students’ computer so they can answer and do the task and send them back to the server. It can directly be discussed without erasing the board and writing back the other answers from the other students. It means that by using technology the instructor can save the time for any other important things like explaining some parts that the students still do not understand.

Those are what I can reflect from the articles that I read in week 6.

Week 5: Project-based Learning, WebQuests, and rubrics

At week 5 the more things I get. More and more varieties of good media and websites I get from Robert and from classmates. Starting from the writings of Susan Gaer, it made ​​me more comfortable to use Project based learning and other alternatives in the assessment because I believe that the problems to be faced by students in the life to come is not how to choose the option in multiple choice. They should be able to produce communication. Rubricstar introduced by Robert is also very useful for me in making the assessment rubric.
I am very interested in the WebQuest. actually I've long been aware of any WebQuest but the web has  made me excited to try it to improve my English Language Teaching and Learning process.

Week 4: Skill-Building Websites and Technology Enhanced Lesson Plan

This is my reflection in this week.

1.       I try to make a lesson plan for my Teaching Learning Process. The overall lesson plan is almost similar to the lesson plan I usually use, but there is something I have to add. That is the use of online materials for enrichment and that I have to relate it to National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS•S). The teaching learning itself is conducted in classroom mediated with some computers. I also try to revise the way I set the objectives to ABCD model suggested by Robert.

2.        I read Krajka’s article on using the Internet in ESL Writing Instruction.

I find that there are many activities we can make using Internet:

a.       Making a Letter to a Friend using www.marlo.com/card.htm

b.      Making a Formal Letter

c.       Making Biography with some samples form http://www.imdb.com/, http://www.bham.wednet.edu/bio/biomaker.htm or http://www.gms.ocps.k12.fl.us/biopage/bio.html

d.      Making a description of a Person using “Wanted” game.

e.      Making an argumentative Essay on some topics from http://www.ohiou.edu/esl/project/index.html

f.        Making Notices and Advertisement by using some online newspapers.

g.       Making description on a Festival of ceremony

h.      Making description of a book, film or play.

i.         Making a Newspaper report

j.        Making a personal opinion essay

k.       Describing Places

3.       Liang’s article is also very useful for employing internet in classroom activities. The activities that can be conducted are:

a.       Choosing Books

b.      Reading and Sharing Books

c.       Evaluating Books

There are also procedures that  can guide us in conducting those activities..

Week 3: Skill-building Websitesand Delicious

I need more energy to post something this week. I have to do it because I think there are some new things I can get this week. After reading some friends posts and using some search engines I found some new sites that I haven't seen before. Those websites are really needed for enriching the materials. To keep it in mind, by keeping it in a bookmark, I create delicious bookmark. I hope it can help my mind reminds the address. This is My delicious bookmark.
Delicious itself is very useful for me since sometimes I have to use different computers in doing my jobs. When I change the computer but then I have my link bookmarked in another one, so it makes me sweaty and nervous. Therefore, I want to say thank you very much for Robert that has introduced me with this tool so it solves my problems in bookmarking. I also want to thank to other participants that give me information on many websites used for building skills in the discussion room of Nicenet.

Student Criticism

I use blog as one of media for our teaching learning process. Since most of my students do not have blog, I asked them to give comment, question, answer, and send assignment by using comment menu. I think it is the easiest way for them to do. But then, some of my students criticize me because they think, if the comment is appeared publicly, it is easier for a student to copy and paste some other students’ project. Therefore, it will be unfair for them.

In the one hand I agree with that opinion. But, in another hand, I tell my students that this is the way to propose them to be fair. I asked them to state the source of every citation, even from the comment of other friends, because it is the way to respect others. And respecting others can cause them respect us too. Fortunately, my students agree with my opinion and I hope that the result will be positive.

The Last Week in Lund

This is the last week I am in Lund. A small beautiful city in the south part of Sweden. I think I will miss this city with the beautiful scenery and silent environment. 

After being very busy with many programs in Lund, and still organizing and coordinating with staffs in my home country in conducting training for around 3000 teachers (by using skype and gmail), and teaching students by using blog and email, I have to prepare to go home since I (with my team members) have to run a project in my country. My project will be conducted in one of Muhammadiyah school in Surakarta. Since I and my friends' basic is English, we are going to make a project on improving students protection and participation by using Child friendly classroom management, and the subject we are going to use as pilot project is English Subject.

By conducting this project I really hope that this can be a model for my students in their preparation on becoming a good or even a great teacher. I also hope that by doing so I can be a great teacher or at least a good teacher. Since, A good teacher is teaching while a great teacher inspiring. I really hope that my project can inspire my students to become a good or even great teacher.

Introduction

My name is Nur Hidayat. I am a teacher trainer in Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta. I have 100 students every semester. They are the candidates of teacher in Indonesia. I join this training because I want to introduce my students who are teacher candidates with technology, and show them how technology can help them in accomplishing their task. I really hope that this training can benefit me and my students