Blended Voices: Cultural Integration Using Technology

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Blended Voices Cultural Integration Using
Technology
Presentation at
Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference November
30, 2010 Manchester, NH
Presenters Professors Audrey Rogers and Lyra
Riabov Southern New Hampshire University
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Presentation Overview

• Project Combined Classes and their goals
• Models and structure of the project
• Technology for achieving the goals
• Students produced podcasts
• Students reflection podcasts
• The website of the project

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Project

• Bring students of diverse backgrounds together
• Discover ways that technology can facilitate
  cultural collaboration between students
• Explore strategies to help English Language
  Learners practice and learn English, as well as
  American culture
• Learn about the impact that cultural integration
  can have on domestic students

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Project Goals

• To make connections between Undergraduate Day
  students and international students through
  discovering similarities and differences
• To learn about the cultures and daily experiences
  of the international students at their home
  countries and here at SNHU
• Help ESL students practice and learn English, as
  well as American culture
• To learn how available technology can facilitate
  exchanges and connections between students.

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Making Connections

• Students discover similarities differences
• Students listen and learn about other cultures
• Technology facilitates exchanges and connections
  between students.

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The Role of Technology

• Combined classes are project based and involve
  students active research, interviews and use of
  technology the Internet, e-mail, MS Word, the
  Blackboard Discussion Forum, creation of podcasts
  in iTunes,PowerPoint, video and audio recording
  using Audacity, and photo camera and Google Earth
• The results and feedback from both groups of
  students are impressive.
• See the website for the American and
  international students project assignments, the
  PowerPoint slides of their presentations, as well
  as their videos, pictures, and podcasts

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Understanding Podcasts

• A Podcast isan audio or video recording that is
  broadcast
• Able to Subscribe and download programs to
  computer, MP3, iPod
• Viewed whenever, wherever
• Program On Demand

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Students are Podcasting

• To discover the content
• To become highly engaged in the learning
• To connect with
• others
• To publish their
• work

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Questions To Ask

• Is it right for my course/content?
• Will it engage and teach my students?
• What are my schools privacy rules?
• Do I have technical support?
• What is the feasibility and long term
  sustainability?

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Structure Success

• Decide on content goals.
• Choose a framework for engaging students.
• Podcasts group goal
• Podcasts reflection tool

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Project Template

• Step 1 Decide on content
• Divide the content into chunks
• Step 2 Pair up students
• Students research and write the script
• Step 3 Practice/rehearse.
• Natural flow with confidence and enthusiasm.

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Template cont

• Step 4 Record the podcast.
• Use software that generates an MP3 audio file
  such as Audacity. Listen and retake as necessary.
• Step 5 Publish the podcast.
• Allow people to subscribe.
• Follow schools privacy guidelines.

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Template cont

• Step 6 Promote the podcast.
• Encourage school personnel, students and their
  families to subscribe.
• Step 7 Reflect!
• Have students express what they learned and
  evaluate the experience making any changes for
  next time.

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Podcasting in the Classroom Our Story

• Education Students and International Students
  combine classes
• Model 1 1 session
• Model 2 2 sessions
• Model 3 3 sessions
• see handout for full description

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Student Podcasts
Podcasts
Reflections
Website of the Project
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Benefits

• The above models offer an opportunity for the
  domestic students to have a first hand experience
  of learning world cultures
• and ESL students to learn about American culture,
  practice English and make friends with American
  students.
• This project also helps domestic and
  international students to broaden their world
  cultural experience by using an abundant resource
  right on campus.
• Students learn how to use current technologies.

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Limitations

• Some students need more time to make an authentic
  connection.
• Technology does not always cooperate.
• There is planning and preparation between
  departments.

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iTunesU

• Publish the podcasts and share with a larger
  community
• iTunesU
• ESL Students' Podcasts in iTunes 2009
• ESL Students' Podcasts in iTunes 2010
• EDU 235 Podcasts in iTunes 2009
• EDU 235 Podcasts in iTunes 2010
• Project Website

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Resources

• http//www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/less
  on_plans/podcast/index.html
• http//audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutoria
  ls.html
• http//www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/17-audacity
  -tutorial.htm
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vvMgemQahuFM
• Lyra RiabovsCombined Classes Website
• http//it.snhu.edu/riabovlyra2/Combined20Class20
  Project.htm
• Lyra Riabovs ESL Culture Studies Website
• http//it.snhu.edu/riabovlyra2/ESL20Culture20St
  udies.htmThis Presentation Handout and PowerPoint
  slideshttp//it.snhu.edu/riabovlyra2/Research.ht
  m