Using Wireless Notebooks in Project-based Classes

1. Using Wireless Notebooks in Project-based Classes Blended Language Learning William Kay, Paul Gemmell, Andrew Johnson, Don Hinkelman, 33rd JALT International Conference November 24, 2007 Olympic Conference Center, Tokyo, Japan

5. Content • Problem • Research questions • Our Study • Our Activities • What we learned • The Future

6. Problem: Computers needed for Powerpoint/Internet projects

7. Why Go Wireless? No computer rooms available 2. Students already had notebook computers Low cost for school

8. 1. Demand for Computer Rooms • One computer room available on Wednesday mornings: A-201 • Four teachers need computer rooms at the same time

9. 2. Needs & Opportunities • The teachers • 4 teachers – 4 styles • All preferred to use powerpoint and internet for project-based language learning • The students • Social Information Majors - 192(computer science) • All Ss owned same type notebook computers, required by department

10. 3. History of Computer Room Costs

11. Research Questions

12. Year 1 Research Questions April 2006 -- March 2007 • Can wireless notebooks and internet activities be incorporated into classic desk-and-chair classrooms, incorporating CALL in a non-computer laboratory? • How do students respond to using wireless notebooks in a language learning class?

13. Our Study

14. The classes • Two morning periods • 2nd year Social Info majors (3 classes) • 1st year Social Info majors (3 classes) • 3 wireless classrooms • 14 - 90 minute classes/semester • 25-35 students/class

15. Objectives/Approach • Oral communication • Project-based • Blended learning

16. Curriculum/Course Features • Authenticity Utilizing authentic online resources in an effective and meaningful capacity.

17. 1st Year Students Self and Japan Sapporo Personal interests Japanese celebrities Japanese culture Summer holidays Ghost stories 2nd Year Students International Planning a trip abroad Int’l celebrities Int’l culture Foreign movies Course Syllabus

18. Course Preparation • Set up Moodle courses • One Course for each class • Pre-enrolled students • One Teacher’s area • Space for sharing documents/ ideas

19. Class demo: Project X Introduce a project that has a variety of activities - f2f and computer

20. Class Demo: cont

21. Class Demo: cont.

22. What we learned

23. Benefits of teaching in a Wireless Classroom • Can easily work with or without computers • Easy visual contact • Computer is student’s own • Students can roam within the classroom, and beyond • Cost to university

24. Drawbacks of teaching in a Wireless Classroom • Connections may be lost • Lack of network between student and teacher’s computer • Batteries may die • Computers may be forgotten • Printing connections

25. Technical Problems with Wireless Example: Conflicts from two competing wireless LAN systems

26. Differences between Wired and Wireless

27. Student Responses • 17-question survey

28. Did you find xxx helpful?

29. The Future

30. New Research Questions • Year Two: April 2007 • How provide language learning exercises that support the projects? • How provide printed materials for classroom activities & absentees’ reference? • Year Three: April 2008 • How redesign our teaching spaces to give wired stability and teaching flexibility? • Other new questions?

31. Project Booklets (add images)

32. Blended Learning SpacesPlan for April 2008

33. Questions ? ? ? • Our questions… • How to reduce tech time, increase speaking time? • How to share our activities more quickly? (repository?) • How to gear projects to direct student needs? • How to add language support activities? (online quizzes?) • How redesign the classroom spaces? • Your questions… ? ? ? ? ? ?

34. Thank you!

36. Remaining slides omit from JALT 2007 presentation, save as reference

37. Wireless class goalsuccess rate by week Students who had success logging on the first try

38. Wireless class goalsuccess rate by week • Possible Reasons • Switched Rooms to reduce cross-reception • New wireless system

39. Survey Results

40. Profile

41. Internet Introduction http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/welcome/internet/page1.htm

42. Web Search

43. Student Courses

44. Teacher Area

45. Wired photos

46. Wireless photos

47. Permeation ofMobile Technology Based on reports by 20 year-old English Department students at Sapporo Gakuin University during the 2003 term *projection

48. Actual Internet Device Permeation Sapporo Gakuin University Student Population n=5000 Estimated Input Devices to Web e-Learning *previous projection **current projection

49. 1st Year Students Self and Japan Sapporo Personal interests Japanese celebrities Japanese culture Summer holidays Ghost stories 2nd Year Students International Planning a trip abroad Int’l celebrities Int’l culture Foreign movies Course Syllabus

50. Mobile Technology Baseline of Student Population Based on personal estimates of 20 year-old English Department students in a mid-level Japanese University during the 2003 term *projection