Introduction
Once you decided that you want to integrate mobile learning and BYOD in your class you have to start with something...Let me give you an overview of BYOD and the example of the BYOD syllabus/ BYOD lesson plans you can take away and reuse.
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BYOD enhanced syllabus
In recent years we are facing the ongoing change in the field of education. The change is connected with the technological enhancements and it is driven by new trends in the field of Information Technology. It is needless to say that our reality is shaped by the world around us, the world which is changing rapidly and irreversibly.
One of the most obvious and visible changes that has influenced our lives is connected with using mobile devices in everyday life. More and more institutions use personal devices for work related tasks. This trend is called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and has as many advantages as disadvantages, as many supporters as opponents, especially in education. BYOD was mentioned by the Gartner Group (2012) with the reference to businesses, but it quickly moved to education, where it found its place backed up by the Horizon Report (Johnson et al., 2012).
One of BYOD's biggest advantage is the cost effectiveness, as the maintenance of all devices is shifted to students or employees, not organisations. Furthermore, users do not need specific training, they feel confident in using their own phones/tablets and can access any information at any time or place (Nielsen, 2011). It can foster collaboration (with building Personal Learning Spaces, ePortfolios etc.), creativity and production. What needs to be mentioned is that the introduction of BYOD must be supported by a good and stable Wi-Fi connection with all the possible firewalls, right policies for the users and it needs good planning, especially when introducing it in education (Hockly, 2012). The advantages outweigh the disadvantages and with proper preparation BYOD ( sometimes referred to as BYOT, BYO) can serve as a good educational tool.
In the field of teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language ( ESL/EFL) the main method of teaching is the communicative one based on social interactions and functional language. It puts the emphasis on the production of the language and allows the students to produce utterances freely. Each student, whenever learning any modern language, can refer to the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFRL) and can check their level of fluency. The document published by the European Commission provides not only the reference to the levels but also mentions methods of teaching and assessment (Council of Europe, 2011). CEFRL can be interpreted in various ways and the methods of teaching can involve both the traditional ones and the more sophisticated ones i.e. using technology in the classroom. Thus, there has been the trend to move away from the traditional pen and paper classes and to introduce students of English to ICT and teach them through technology (Hockly, 2010). Many teachers of English started to introduce more and more of ICT in their classes, but with an impact on CALL, ( Computer Assisted Language Learning ) allowing teachers to use DVDs, sharing files etc. in the classroom. But soon CALL was substituted with TELL i.e. Technology Enhanced Language Learning, which brought teaching English to a higher level. Teachers started using projectors, Interactive Whiteboards, camcorders, VLM/VLE and the Internet. With the advent of Web 2.0 tools and mobile devices there has been a natural shift to Bring Your Own Device trend and mobile technologies. Since the trend has just emerged recently and the mobile devices with the access to Wi-Fi have just started to be affordable for masses, the research in the field is limited.
References
Council of Europe. (2011) The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Johnson, L., Adams, S. and Cummins, M. (2014) NMC Horizon Report 2014 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved March 1, 2014 from http://www.nmc.org/publications.
Hockly, N. (2012 October). Tech- Savvy Teaching: BYOD. Technology Matters 21(4), 44-45. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from: http://www.academia.edu/2065524/Tech-savvy_teaching_BYOD
Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates (2012). Gartner's Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2124315
Hockly, N. & Clandfield, L. (2010). Teaching Online. Delta Publishing. UK
Nielsen, L. (2011). 7 Myths About BYOD Debunked. The Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/11/09/7-byod-myths.aspx.
One of the most obvious and visible changes that has influenced our lives is connected with using mobile devices in everyday life. More and more institutions use personal devices for work related tasks. This trend is called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and has as many advantages as disadvantages, as many supporters as opponents, especially in education. BYOD was mentioned by the Gartner Group (2012) with the reference to businesses, but it quickly moved to education, where it found its place backed up by the Horizon Report (Johnson et al., 2012).
One of BYOD's biggest advantage is the cost effectiveness, as the maintenance of all devices is shifted to students or employees, not organisations. Furthermore, users do not need specific training, they feel confident in using their own phones/tablets and can access any information at any time or place (Nielsen, 2011). It can foster collaboration (with building Personal Learning Spaces, ePortfolios etc.), creativity and production. What needs to be mentioned is that the introduction of BYOD must be supported by a good and stable Wi-Fi connection with all the possible firewalls, right policies for the users and it needs good planning, especially when introducing it in education (Hockly, 2012). The advantages outweigh the disadvantages and with proper preparation BYOD ( sometimes referred to as BYOT, BYO) can serve as a good educational tool.
In the field of teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language ( ESL/EFL) the main method of teaching is the communicative one based on social interactions and functional language. It puts the emphasis on the production of the language and allows the students to produce utterances freely. Each student, whenever learning any modern language, can refer to the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFRL) and can check their level of fluency. The document published by the European Commission provides not only the reference to the levels but also mentions methods of teaching and assessment (Council of Europe, 2011). CEFRL can be interpreted in various ways and the methods of teaching can involve both the traditional ones and the more sophisticated ones i.e. using technology in the classroom. Thus, there has been the trend to move away from the traditional pen and paper classes and to introduce students of English to ICT and teach them through technology (Hockly, 2010). Many teachers of English started to introduce more and more of ICT in their classes, but with an impact on CALL, ( Computer Assisted Language Learning ) allowing teachers to use DVDs, sharing files etc. in the classroom. But soon CALL was substituted with TELL i.e. Technology Enhanced Language Learning, which brought teaching English to a higher level. Teachers started using projectors, Interactive Whiteboards, camcorders, VLM/VLE and the Internet. With the advent of Web 2.0 tools and mobile devices there has been a natural shift to Bring Your Own Device trend and mobile technologies. Since the trend has just emerged recently and the mobile devices with the access to Wi-Fi have just started to be affordable for masses, the research in the field is limited.
References
Council of Europe. (2011) The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
Johnson, L., Adams, S. and Cummins, M. (2014) NMC Horizon Report 2014 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved March 1, 2014 from http://www.nmc.org/publications.
Hockly, N. (2012 October). Tech- Savvy Teaching: BYOD. Technology Matters 21(4), 44-45. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from: http://www.academia.edu/2065524/Tech-savvy_teaching_BYOD
Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates (2012). Gartner's Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2124315
Hockly, N. & Clandfield, L. (2010). Teaching Online. Delta Publishing. UK
Nielsen, L. (2011). 7 Myths About BYOD Debunked. The Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2014 from http://thejournal.com/articles/2011/11/09/7-byod-myths.aspx.
Intermediate syllabus with byod enhancement
At this moment in my institution we do follow a syllabus, mapped to CEFRL, but based only on a traditional communicative approach with the use of course books.
We do have mainly international students in the classes and their attendance is poor at times, not to mention their attitudes and motivation. Thus there is a need for a change in the approach/methods of teaching to accommodate the multicultural students who come with higher and higher expectations.
The syllabus designed for Intermediate students serves as a pilot for BYOD approach in my institution and it has been designed for NEW CUTTING EDGE 3RD EDITION. Even though it is limited to one book, it shows how easy it is to start making the change.
Below you will find the enhanced syllabus with the lesson plans to accompany it. The syllabus is designed for 12 weeks of study/ 15 hrs a week + self study at home. It can be adapted to different purposes and used for longer/shorter courses as well.
Every lesson plan is mapped to the syllabus, with the clear description of activities, which are timed and the reference to learning outcomes.
We do have mainly international students in the classes and their attendance is poor at times, not to mention their attitudes and motivation. Thus there is a need for a change in the approach/methods of teaching to accommodate the multicultural students who come with higher and higher expectations.
The syllabus designed for Intermediate students serves as a pilot for BYOD approach in my institution and it has been designed for NEW CUTTING EDGE 3RD EDITION. Even though it is limited to one book, it shows how easy it is to start making the change.
Below you will find the enhanced syllabus with the lesson plans to accompany it. The syllabus is designed for 12 weeks of study/ 15 hrs a week + self study at home. It can be adapted to different purposes and used for longer/shorter courses as well.
Every lesson plan is mapped to the syllabus, with the clear description of activities, which are timed and the reference to learning outcomes.
Lesson plans week by week
weeK 1
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week 2
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week 3
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week 4
week 5
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week 6
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week 7
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Week 8
The lesson plan for this week is based on the idea of a lesson by Nicky Hockly - many thanks for that
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week 9
week 10
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Week 11
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week 12
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