eWriting:ESL Writing Success

Instructions for Piloting the Learning Objects (LOs) in the Classroom

 

 

Dear Professors,

Welcome to the FIPSE  eWriting piloting sessions!

 

Thank you for your time and willingness to contribute to the project. You will be part of the initial stage of piloting the eWriting lab LOs which targets the following:

  1. To test the content in terms of:

ü      Appropriateness of level of the material in the LO

ü      Length of the LO (approximately an hour without the pre and post-tests)

ü      Students’ understanding of material, clarity of instructions and usefulness of activities

ü      Interest and positive response of students.

  1. To present the material (teacher talk and lectures), analyze and provide feedback to students to ALL activities.
  2. To collect evaluation data from the students’ pre and post-test performance.
  3. To revise and edit the content of the LOs based on piloting results.

 

Prior to the piloting session you will receive a package of hand-outs for your class. Please let me know a week in advance of the level, day, time and particular topic you would like to pilot in the classroom. The package contains copies of the LO for each student. The LO consists of the following components:

1.      Pre-test of approximately ten questions introducing the topic and determining the awareness and knowledge students already have of the particular concept. You should have your students do the pre-test in the previous class before piloting the content so that they will have ample time to complete all activities.

2.      Short introduction to the topic.

3.      Lectures (teacher talk) and activities. Depending on the length and teaching focus of the LO, students will need approximately an hour to read the lectures and complete the activities.

4.      Post-test with the same number of questions as the pre test, measuring learning within the time spent on the LO. You should administer the post-test in their next class.  The post-test should take about the same length of time as the pre-test.

5.      Student’s survey.

 

Please return items 1, 4 & 5 after the piloting session is fully completed since they have to be sent for evaluation.

 

You will need more than an hour to pilot an LO in the classroom. The content of the lessons, without the pre and post-test, is initially designed for the duration of an hour of online delivery. We recommend that students cover all the material in order to render useful results for evaluation and revision purposes.

 

 

 

Please proceed in the following manner:

  1. Distribute copies of the LO to students and inform them that they are helping us pilot materials for the future online eWriting lab at MDC.
  2. Ask students to write their names on the pre and post-test sheets as well as on the first page of the LO. The surveys are on a separate page and are anonymous.
  3. Make a short introduction to the topic and objectives of the LO (you may read from the hand-out).
  4. Tell students to do the pre test and collect the papers after they are completed. Make sure they have written their names. Keep in mind that you can submit the pre-test in advance so that you will have enough time to pilot the content of the LO.
  5. Read the teacher talk, lecture and examples to students and check understanding. If additional explanations are required, please provide them and add notes to your copy of the LO. Ask students to do the activities that follow, individually or in pairs. Go over each exercise, provide feedback and analyze mistakes. Please use the feedback to incorrect answers provided in the computer version of the LO. Add more, if necessary, and make notes in your copy. Please tell us about anything that needed additional explanations and clarifications.
  6. Each LO consists of 2-3 teaching focuses.  While students are reading the lectures and doing the activities, please read the LO carefully and mark any typos, inconsistencies or clarifications that need to be added in the teacher talk or activities.  Students’ questions (if they have any) are good indicators of the latter.
  7. Next, ask students to complete the post-test. Remind them to write their names on the post-test. Collect the post-tests and attach them to the pre-test of each individual student.
  8. Tell students to complete the survey. You will notice that the survey has 2, 3 sections with identical questions. They relate to the separate teaching focuses within the LO. Collect the surveys.

Following the full completion of the piloting session, please return the following papers to me or to the grant assistants:

Note: It is crucial for evaluation and revision purposes that students complete and hand in the above mentioned papers and that all material in the LO is covered. If time does not permit finishing the LO, please continue the session in your next class or assign it for homework.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions regarding the piloting session.

 

For more detailed information on the eWriting project, please go to: 

http://webftp.mdcc.edu/kendall/ewriting/project.htm

 

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Thank you and good luck:

 

Michaela Tomova

(305) 237 2617

FIPSE Grant Manager

ESL/Foreign Languages

MDC