PLE Week 5-TPACK

TPACK or Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge helps teachers use certain knowledge to integrate technology in their teaching. There are three different kinds of knowledge: Content (CK), Pedagogy (PK), and Technology (TK).

• Content knowledge deals with facts, concepts, and skills in a certain domain, in my case French.
  
• Pedagogical knowledge is the general knowledge and skills related to teaching, such as classroom management.
  
• Technological knowledge is the knowledge needed in order to be able to use the many different technologies, or tools available.
  

TPK or Technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) is the general knowledge used to incorporate technologies in any teaching context.  TPK is able to support teaching using multimedia technologies, or tools. For example in my French class I could use a website where students can view assignments, lessons using videos, etc. TPK can encourage students to learn about the French language and culture in a more advanced and interesting way.

My Jing Video Extra Credit

PLE Week 5-Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

I like the asynchronous video better because instead of feeling pressured to talk, I could think of what I had to say. It wasn't as awkward as the synchronous video. The synchronous video would be a great tool if I happen to have a home bound student. We could have a conversation, and he could ask all the question needed in real time. The students would be able to keep up with the lessons, and stay on track. As we discuss subject matters, the student will be able to better retain what is taught. With this method there wouldn't be any loss of time as there would be in asynchronous communication such as emailing or messaging in facebook. 

Here is a picture of my synchronous video chat on Skype with Jasmine:

And here is my facebook video chat with Jasmine!!!!!

PLE Week 4

This week was a very interesting and useful week. I have learned a lot about how to create website. Though my younger daughter thought a pre-made website was not the real thing! I started by using pbworks and went on to create a second website on wetpaint. You could choose different layouts on wetpaint, and it seemed easier to do things with. As I was creating my website, called français 3, I learned to  embed using googledocs, maps, calendars, pictures, and videos. I also started a discussion thread, in order for student and teacher to communicate better. In order to edit the pictures I'd upload I used the free web tool called picnik. I loved this tool. It will be very useful in my personal life as well as in my professional life. 

The most useful tool will probably be googledocs. I believe that letting the students take quizzes and assessment online will be very convenient. My other preference will be the videos. I would like them to be able to hear the language and be able to pronounce it correctly. They can make their own videos where I can check their fluency. The biggest difficulty I had was to use googledocs with wetpaint, it took a little research to get it to work and add it to the website. But it all made sense once I figured it out.

Instructional Video

Storyboard for video

Here is the story board for our video on the Versailles Castle:

Instructional Video

Kirsten and I decided to make a video on the different architectural and natural marvels of France. Our video will focus only on the Versailles Castle. The students will get an example of a video describing the different aspects of the castle and the king that built it. At the beginning of the video, there will be a list of other French wonders. The students' assignment will be to make their own video using the example of Versailles.

Utah core curriculum standards for foreign languages:

http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/core/corepdf/ForLan.pdf

What I know about RSS

RSS is a tool bloggers can use to keep them updated on news headlines. A website that can be RSS will have an orange icon with three white curving bars. If you click on it, it will bring you to a window that lets you add the RSS to your blog, so you can be kept updated on the website's new post. I could use this tool as a French instructor by adding to my blog websites such as French newspapers, French authors, French radio stations, and French celebrities which would help the students get a feel for the social life of the French.