the best gift to end the year (:

it’s <4 days to the new year, and we just received news that our article was published on AJET (:

yes, it’s the best year-end gift, and my heartfelt gratitude goes to my teacher, Dr. Tan Seng Chee, for helping to realise this (:

Wishing us “All The Best in 2011!”

Tan, Y. H. & Tan, S.-C. (2010). A metacognitive approach to enhancing Chinese language speaking skills with audioblogs. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(7), 1075-1089. http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet26/tan-yh.html

Abstract: Situated in the field of computer assisted language learning (CALL), this article reports an instrumental case study on the use of audioblogs for developing students’ Chinese speaking skills. The intervention focused on scaffolding students in metacognitive reflection of their oral performances. The case focused on seven students who completed substantial part of the activities, and the main sources of data came from the oral recordings and interactions in their audioblogs. A significant improvement in the mean scores of pre- to post-test oral performance was found, which indicated the benefits of this approach. The students were found to adopt a systematic approach in their reflection: evaluating –> monitoring –> planning, with greater amount of attention devoted to the monitoring strategy. However, a disproportionate distribution of metacognitive knowledge usage was found in students’ self-assessment. Task knowledge was the predominant metacognitive knowledge used by students, whereas person knowledge and strategy knowledge were neglected by the students. Teachers who are keen to implement a similar instructional approach could develop strategies to focus the students’ attention on the latter two types of metacognitive knowledge.

PDF version can be found here on AJET or the local mirror.

TLCSL 2009 Conference 华文作为第二语言之教与学

This morning I have presented our paper at the 1st Teaching and Learning of Chinese as a Second Language 2009 Conference, 第一届华文作为第二语言之教与学国际研讨会, 以下是今早会上分享的相关文件:

1. PPT简报

2. 《世界汉语教学》上的拙文 [直接下载点击此]

感谢各位专家与老师们到场的支持,也感谢卢家海老师帮我拍下两张照片。如果您有其他分享时的照片,欢迎您电邮给我,谢谢!


ShiJie HanYu JiaoXue, the long awaited

today i received in my SNAIL mailbox FOUR copies of 《世界汉语教学》 (Chinese Teaching in the World). the journey of getting our article 《以元认知为主导信息科技为辅的口语教学模式探索》 (A Metacognitive and Information Technology Integrated Approach to Teaching Speaking in Chinese Language) has been a long one. it was first submitted in march 2008, after 2 reviews, it’s finally published! my first attempt at getting an article published in an international recognised blind-refereed journal (:

the article is an abridged version of my MA research, so if you would like to find out more, i would suggest you go here 🙂

Citation:
Tan, Y.H., Tan S.C., & Teo, E.H. (2009). A metacognitive and information technology integrated approach to teaching speaking in Chinese language. Chinese Teaching in the World, 23(4), 519-534.

陈育焕、陈成志、张永慧. 以元认知为主导信息科技为辅的口语教学模式探索 [J]. 世界汉语教学, 2009, 23(4), 519-534.

TPCK – Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge

this is one thing that’s related to my work since my return to work on 20090401.
TPCK (read “TPACK”), stands for “Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge”, just to quote “(it is a) complex, multifaceted and situated form of knowledge” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006, 1017)”.


(source: tpck.org)

very briefly, when we reflect upon the time when we use ICT in our classroom, teachers are applying techonological knowledge of the watever tools u might choose to see how best the affordances can be used to as part of your carrying out of lesson (the pedagogical knowledge) on your intended lesson and its outcomes/objectvies (the content knowledge). and these three types of knowledge are not standalone but overlaps with each other. so for e.g. your pedagogical knowledge will not be wat it used to be as it has now evolved to include ICT; likewise the use of an ICT may not be wat it is originally designed to (“repurposing”). Yes, TPCK is not a new idea, and if you’re interested to get a better understanding of this, here’s some resources:
1. a MUST WATCH webinar by Mishra & Koehler (i found this very useful link from tucksoon’s blog, thank you 🙂
2. notes taken by Wesley Fryer during the keynote presentation at CITE2007 by Mishra & Koehler
3. TPCK.org maintained by Mishra & Koehler
4. related reading list on TPCK.org

Footprints …

The title of Will Richardson’s latest article on ASCD reads “Footprints in the Digital Age” (first saw this article mentioned in Anne Davis’s post. Thanks Anne for highlighting the article). As I read through the online article, the following sentences resonated:

  • (As) a consequence of the new Web 2.0, … (we) are becoming increasingly woven into the fabric of almost every aspect of our lives.
  • … like it or not, social Web technologies are having a huge influence on students …, even the youngest ones.
  • … like it or not, social Web technologies are having a huge influence on students …, even the youngest ones.
  • One of the biggest challenges educators face right now is figuring out how to help students create, navigate … the Web and helping them do this effectively, ethically, and safely.
  • The things we create are searchable to an extent never before imagined and will be viewed by all sorts of audiences, both intended and unintended.

And the recurring theme on the importance of teachers’ leading/scaffolding appears in the following sentences:

  • … we may find opportunities to empower students to learn deeply and continually in ways that we could scarcely have imagined just a decade ago
  • … they’re doing all sorts of things with online tools that, for the most part, we’re not teaching them anything about.
  • Our teachers have to be colearners in this process, modeling their own use … and understanding the practical pedagogical implications … technologies and online social learning spaces.
  • (educators should learn that) transparency fosters connections and … (willing) to share our work and, to some extent, our personal lives.
  • … still needs the guidance of teachers and adults who know them in their own practice.
  • … students have the potential to own their own learning—and we have to help them seize that potential.
  • Younger students need to see their teachers engaging …
  • Middle school students should be engaged in the process of cooperating and collaborating with others …, just as they have seen their teachers do.

And the ending paragraph reminds us to be a lifelong learner in ICT if we were to teach and prepare our students for their future lives:
“But to do all that, we educators must first own these technologies and be able to take advantage of these networked learning spaces.”