This week offered us a great opportunity to dwell upon the essence of the term “learner autonomy”, to analyze different approaches to studies of learner autonomy; think about the changes in teaching practices necessary to be made to develop independent learners. Shifting from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning, giving students freedom of choice, making them active co-participants of the learning process these are the initial steps to be made to foster learner autonomy. As the Chinese proverb goes: “Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for life.”
One of the tasks for this week was to think of an activity for one-computer classroom. I came with a suggestion of using a computer to watch videos on Effective Meetings in order to expose students to best practices and tried techniques of effective and productive meetings organization. The learning objective for this lesson is:
Having watched the videos “6 Secrets of effective meeting”, “How to conduct effective meetings”, “Top five tips for running productive and effective meetings” and read the information about effective meetings second year students of International Economics will be able to identify, describe and analyze strategies for effective meetings with 95% accuracy.
We all are working hard on our projects, implementing technology-related changes, preparing our rough drafts for peer-review. The majority of us have already decided who they’ll work with. We have formed a group of three, too: Helen – Imas – Sagun. The next step is to be ready with the first version of the project by Wednesday.
Hi Helen,
ReplyDeleteThank you for summing up the week so beautifully. It is getting harder to juggle the projects, the first drafts and our regular workload at the course. I don't want to miss a thing, so I am sometimes really tired.
Natasa
Everyone is tired, Helen and Natasa, but I'm sure we will do our best. I am amazed at what my students have done over such a short span of time. It will take us weeks to analyze all the material.
ReplyDeleteWhat counts is the spirit: neither of us wants to miss a thing!
Dear Helen
ReplyDeleteAutonomy is a very important aspect of learner empowerment and its up to us- how as role models we can motivate our students to develop a thirst for life long learning. I agree with Natasa that you have summed up the week so well. Natasa and Luisa...we are all dead tired but as both of you have remarked we don't want 'to miss a thing'.
Shaila
Hello Helen
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and so succint summary of what you have done! Really as some friends have said about their exhaustion, I can not remain untouched. I found myself squeezed with a great work load. Not only the load of webcourse but also the workload of our organization i.e., NELTA.
I like your idea of mentioning chinese proverb which can clarify learner autonomy. So let me mention again here:
“Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for life.”