How Can We Accurately Assess the Effectiveness of Using Technology in the ESL Classroom? - interim project report, February, 2001

Inquiry Project Proposal

Jenifer Giroux, RI College Outreach Programs


I designed a questionnaire [please see below]to discover students' attitudes towards computers as well as their current level of computer literacy. Each student completed the questionnaire upon entrance into the Computer Assisted English Language Learning course. This has proved to be very useful because it gives me a better understanding of where the students are coming from and some of the fears/obstacles that they may have to overcome in working with computers and other forms of technology to assist them in improving their level of English language proficiency.

In addition to the questionnaire, I am designing a rubric that states the competencies that students are expected to have gained at the completion of the course. This has been a challenge to me. I find it very difficult to list everything I want the students to learn as a result of this course. I am continually changing this rubric as a result of what I see the students learning in the class. Often during a lesson I see the students learning something or going beyond what I had expected at the onset of a lesson. As a result I change the course rubric at least once a week. I am still unsure of whether or not a class rubric is a useful tool for students to have or if it is more beneficial to the instructor. Although I expect the students to meet all of the class objectives, it seems overwhelming to see all of the objectives listed and dissected in a rubric. I also have a hard time narrowing down the skills I want the students to acquire. This has been the most challenging aspect of the Inquiry Project.

The use of rubrics in individual lessons has been very useful for the students as well as myself. It gives both the instructor and the student clear expectations and concrete methods of evaluation. Although I am still struggling with the course rubric and itŐs usefulness, I see the numerous benefits of using rubrics as a means of assessment for individual lessons.

The students are developing a rubric to evaluate different software programs. Once the rubric is finished, students are going to work in groups and individually to evaluate different software programs. They are developing their own criteria to evaluate whether or not the software is appropriate for adults and its educational value. The students are having the same difficulty as myself, they alter the criteria after every evaluation of a software program. While they are evaluating a program they realize that they left out an important component of an effective software program. The most challenging part of this exercise for me is to try to let them make and correct mistakes on their own. I am trying to be a facilitator in this part of the project and not give them my views on what an effective software program should include. Although it is difficult not to interfere in what they are doing, I have seen the benefits of this method of instruction by the level of their involvement and their commitment to the project.

Participating in the Inquiry Project has really made me evaluate the way I teach and challenged me to try different teaching techniques. Throughout the project I have kept a journal which has proved to be a valuable resource for me. It gives me the opportunity to reflect on what is happening in the classroom and on the studentŐs progress in an informal way. I will continue to keep a journal after the project is finished.

The next step in the project is for the students to agree on the criteria for a rubric to evaluate software and for me to finalize a rubric that clearly states what competencies students are expected to gain as a result of taking this course. Once the software evaluations are done, the students are going to begin looking at web sites for adult ESL Learners, and write an evaluation of the web sites for other classes to use. Before the end of the project, I will meet with each student individually to review his/her progress in the class, review their intake questionnaire, and evaluate the studentŐs overall success in the class using the rubric designed at the beginning of the research project.


a note [July, 2009] - these links were current when Jenifer completed her work in 2001. Natually, some of them may have changed or been eliminated.

Software Publishers and Distributors

Adobe Systems, Inc. 1-800-279-2795 Fax 608-221-5217 http://www.adobe.com

AIMS Multimedia1-800-367-2467 Fax 818-341-6700 http://www.aims-multimedia.com

Apple Computer, Inc. 1-800-795-1000 http://www.apple.com

Apple Education 1-408-987-3022 Fax 1-408-987-7105 http://www.apple.com/education

Autodesk, Inc. http://www.autodesk.com

CyberMedia 1-800-721-7824 Fax 1-310-581-4720 http://www.cybermedia.com

DK Family Learning 1-800-352-6651 Fax 212-213-5240 http://www.dk.com

DataViz, Inc. 1-800-733-0030 Fax 1-203-268-4345 http://www.dataviz.com

Forest Technologies 1-800-544-3356 Fax 1-847-516-8210 http://www.forestTech.com

Grolier Interactive 1-800-217-1495 Fax 1-203-797-3835 http://www.gi.grolier.com

Group Logic 1-800-362-2890 Fax 1-703-528-3296

Houghton Mifflin Interactive 1-800-829-7962 Fax 1-800-634-7568

Key Curriculum Press, Inc. 1-800-995-6284 Fax 1-800-541-2446 http://www.keypress.com

Knowledge Adventure 1-800 545-7677 Fax 1-310-793-0601 http://www.KnowledgeAdventure.com

The Learning Company 1-800-825-4420 Fax 1-415-382-4419 http://www.broder.com

Magic Mouse Productions 1-415-669-7010 Fax 415-669-7009http://www.magicmouse.com

Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1-800-828-1880 1-800-828-1881 Fax 413-731-5979 http://www.m-w.com

Microsoft Corporation http://www.microsoft.com

National Geographic Interactive 1-800-368-2728 Fax 1-304-243-2497 http://www.nationalgeographic.com

RMC Interactive 1-800-162-6443 Fax 1-941-358-8802 http://www.mindmagic.com

Scholastic, Inc. 1-800-724-6527 Fax 1-573-635-5881 http://www.scholastic.com

Simon & Schuster Interactive 1-888-793-9972 Fax 212-698-7555 http://www.ssinteractive.com

Stagecast Software 1-650-354-0735 Fax 1-650354-0739 http://www.stagecast.com

Texas Instruments 1-800-842-2737 http://www.ti.com

Ventura Educational Systems 1-800-336-1022 http://www.venturaES.com

World Book 1-800-975-3250 Fax 1-312-258-3950 http://www.worldbook.com


Educational Web Sites

Blue Web'N http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/

Busy Teacher's Web Site http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/BusyT/TOC.html

Computers and English for Speakers of Other Languages http://hub1.worlded.org/docs/cesol/cesol.htm

Focus on Basics Technology - December 00 (Issue C)

Dave's ESL Cafe http://www.eslcafe.com

Education World Where Educators Go To Learn http://www.education-world.com

Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide

Scholastic Network http://www.scholasticnetwork.com/

The Educator's Toolkit http://www.eagle.ca/~matink/

The Teacher Resource page http://www.atlantic.net/~klesyk/

Resources for Teachers http://www.csun.edu/~vceed009/

Software Review Web Sites http://www.alri.org/literacylist.html


questionnaire

Name _________________________________

Computer Assisted English Language Learning Entrance Questionnaire

1. Have you used a computer before? If yes, where?

2. How much do/did you use?

3. Are/were you comfortable using it?

4. Do/did you have fun using it?

5. Where have our children used computers?

6. Have you used computers with your children?

7. Do you own a computer?

8. Have you ever used computers at the library?


Please rate your ability to use computers using the following descriptions:

5 No problem; Could help someone else learn it
4 Know it; But I need some practice
3 Think I know it; But need some practice
2 Heard of it; But don't know it
1 Haven't a clue what you're talking about

______ Identify computer parts and hardware
______ Understand how computers work
______ Read a computer ad in the newspaper and understand all of it
______ Take routine care of the computer system
______ Install Hardware
______ Install Programs
______ Use the keyboard
______ Use the mouse
______ Open and close software programs
______ Use the Internet
______ Recognize the desktop
______ Recognize Icons
______ Print from Print screen
______ Create a document in Microsoft Word
______ Edit a document in Microsoft Word
______ Locate and click on links on a web page
______ Use a search index like yahoo to do a simple search for information on the Internet
______ Have a personal e-mail account with log-in, name, and password
______ Write and send a message to a friend, co-worker, key-pal, or teacher
______ Respond to e-mail received
______Maintain e-mail account by saving and deleting messages


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