CALL Interest Section Academic Session Constructing Meaning with Computers TESOL 2003, March 26, Baltimore

Outline of the session

See the related site at http://oregonstate.edu/~healeyd/tjcall2002.html

In this course, English language educators from across sub-Saharan Africa built a collegial network while developing computer skills and teaching resources.

A collaborative video project allowed MA TESOL students to discover firsthand how computer technology can aid classroom learning. See related websites at http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/lkamhis/tesl565_sp02/ and http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/lkamhis/tesl565/

Using a network of wireless laptops to facilitate flexible meeting times and locations, applied linguistics students collaborated on academic writing assignments from outside the classroom.

The simulated environment of a MOO provides ESL/EFL students with creative opportunities to develop and practice real-life communication skills in authentic, meaningful ways.

Teachers and learners alike benefit from the highly versatile, accessible, and interactive nature of electronic discussion forums.

Computer-mediated discussion provided autonomous, egalitarian models of learning that motivated and empowered students in this course.

Directed discussions in a chat environment serve as a useful complement to face-to-face encounters by promoting greater interaction and wider participation among language learners.

Contact information for presenters

Mark Freiermuth, mfreierm@u-aizu.ac.jp	University of Aizu Aizuwakamatsu City, Japan
Deborah Healey, http://oregonstate.edu/~healeyd/	ELI, Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon, USA
Sophie Ioannou-Georgiou, yiansoph@cytanet.com.cy	University of Nottingham Nottingham, UK
Lia Kamhi-Stein, lkamhis@calstatela.edu	California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California, USA
Greg Kessler,  kessler@ohio.edu http://www.ohiou.edu/opie/people/Kessler.html	Ohio University Athens, Ohio, USA
Leslie Opp-Beckman,  leslieob@oregon.uoregon.edu http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~leslieob/	University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon, USA
Susana Sotillo, sotillos@mail.montclair.edu http://www.chss.montclair.edu/linguistics/sotillo.html	Montclair State University Montclair, New Jersey, USA
Wendy Sutherland-Smith, wendy.sutherlandsmith@education.monash.edu.au	Monash University Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Selected Resources about Constructivism

• Building and using constructivist learning environments (CLEs) on the Web: A resource site. (n.d.) [Online document] http://rderat.excelencia.uat.mx/TecEduc/Internet/Asignaciones%20Modelos/BuildingAndUsingConstructivis.htm . Last accessed March 22, 2003.
• Chen, I. (n.d.) Constructivism. [Online document] http://www.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/ET-IT/constr.htm . Last accessed March 22, 2003.
• Chen, I. (n.d.) Overview of cognitive constructivism [Online document] http://www.coe.uh.edu/~ichen/ebook/ET-IT/cognitiv.htm . Last accessed March 22, 2003.
• Jonassen, D. (1994, April). Thinking technology: Toward a constructivist design model. Educational Technology, 34 (4), 34-37.
• Piaget, J. (1976). To understand is to invent: The future of education. G-A Roberts (Trans.) Où va l'éducation?, 1948. New York: Penguin Books. Currently available online at http://www.montclair.edu/crc/piaget.html . Last accessed March 22, 2003.
• Schank, R.C. & Cleary, C. (1995). Engines for education. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Strommen, E.F. (n.d.) Constructivism, technology, and the future of classroom learning. [Online document] http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/ilt/papers/construct.html . Last accessed March 22, 2003.
• Vygotsky, L. (1986). Thought and language. A. Kozulin (Trans. and Ed.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Original work published 1934.