(Juggling modals and modems: Technical training in ESL classes)

NETEACH Nook
Your typical classroom. It's beginning to feel a bit more lived in, and
someone managed to put up at least one nice decoration: a world map with push
pins showing where NETEACHers have connected from. So far, there are pins in
Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, Greece, UK, Brazil, Israel, Canada, and 
all over the US.
You see Teacher's Desk, Bulletin Board, Beanbags, Kitchen Table, Wading Pool,
 Bearskin by the Fire, and Hot Tub.
You see jazzer [Guest], Ron, Gregor, Frizzy, and Mehitabel standing about.
You see LCD Panel and Anniversary Party Guestbook.
Obvious exits: out
Gregor turns on LCD Panel.
Gregor flashes the mighty disclaimer:
Ron looks around the classroom and sees three students working on their
 portfolios.

Gregor puts a transparency on the screen...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

             Welcome to NETEACH-L's MOO discussion sessions!

             (with much appreciation to schMOOze University 
             and its fine players, programmers, and wizards!)

               Please note! Our sessions are always logged.
      By participating, you give permission to Greg Younger to allow 
    access to the transcripts for research purposes at his discretion.
    Before using any part of our logs for research or publication, please 
      obtain the permission of Greg Younger at youngerg@colorado.edu

                For a transcript, please see our web page:
              http://spot.colorado.edu/~youngerg/netmoo.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gregor puts a transparency on the screen...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      ***      INTRODUCTIONS      ***

     You are of course welcome to remain anonymous, but at this time
     we invite all of you who wish to do so to identify yourselves by
     your name and affiliation.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gregor is Greg Younger of Economics Institute in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Frizzy is Karla Frizler of City College of San Francisco.
Mehitabel is Julie Falsetti of Hunter College.
Ron says, "I am Ron Corio from the English Language Program at Virginia
 Commonwealth Univ. at Richmond, Virginia, USA."
Gregor says, "And we already met jazzer, from Berlin!"

Gregor puts a transparency on the screen...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  *** Juggling modals and modems: Technical training in ESL classes ***

We are finding ourselves in the role of Computer Instructor more and more
as our curricula begin to include more tech-based activities, especially
in programs with an academic preparation focus. This seems to necessitate
a balancing act as we try to squeeze these mechanical skills in with the
language topics we must cover. How do we achieve this balance? What
preparation is necessary to ensure that our students get the best training
in both English and computer use?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
jazzer [Guest] says, "I am David Bowskill of Humboldt Universitxy Berlin
 Germany""
Gregor grins. "oops, I type to fast for me own good! ;o)"
Frizzy welcomes jazzer to schMOOze.
Gregor [to jazzer [Guest]]: Nice to have you with us, David!
jazzer [Guest] is glad to be here
Gregor says, "At my school, we've just started this summer to have separate "Intro
 to Internet" classes..."
Mehitabel says, "We have them too, but as a money making venture."
Gregor says, "I'm teaching two sections of it this term, and another teacher is
 teaching 3 more! there is an obvious demand."
Mehitabel says, "Our terms are too short (8 weeks) to incorporate them with
 the English classes."
Frizzy is currently teaching "Intro to Internet" for an ELP.
Frizzy nods to Mehitabel.  "You'd spend all your time on the tech stuff, no
 doubt."
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: There's a good part of the issue to discuss... I've
 been doing emai lwith students in our 4-week classes, but it's a real crunch
 for time.
Gregor corrects a typo:  email with...
jazzer [Guest] is planning an advanced internet based writing course for
 winter term
Mehitabel [to jazzer [Guest]]: How long is your term?
Ron says, "I just finished an Interent class for a group of grad students."
jazzer [Guest] says, "16 weeks""
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "You'll be able to do a lot in 16 weeks."
Gregor [to jazzer [Guest]]: Ooo, luxury!
Gregor grins.
Frizzy smiles.
Ron [to jazzer [Guest]]: How many meetings a week?
Mehitabel says, "We have shorter terms, again, for financial rather than
 didactic reasons."
jazzer [Guest] says, "It's going to be pretty experimental tho'""
jazzer [Guest] says, "2hrs pw""
Ron wonders about long terms for Internet courses without content.
Frizzy imagines we are *all* in the experimental stage. :)
Gregor nods loudly to Frizzy.
Ron [to jazzer [Guest]]: Do you find meeting only once per week makes it
 difficult to get momentum and continuity?
jazzer [Guest] agrees and thinks he is on a stteeo/p learning curve
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "By "internet-based," do you mean that all writing
 will transpire via the Internet?  Will instruction be delivered
 electronically?"
jazzer [Guest] says, "no - actually the internet content will be about 50%""
Ron says, "In the course I just taught, we linked with the reading/writing
 teachers."
Gregor says, "In my cmc class, the students are at a wide range of language and
 computer experience levels. There's really no way to coordinate it with other
 classes."
Frizzy has the same setup.
jazzer [Guest] sees Ron's question and is not sure
Mehitabel says, "That is another problem -- the different levels of skill."
Frizzy says, "I'm letting my students choose their own research project, based
 on something they really want to learn more about ... They can collect info
 for a Web page, or interview people on a MOO ... whatever.  Individually, in
 groups, in pairs."
Gregor says, "That's why (along with the content aspect) it would be ideal to
 incorporate the net skills into the reading/writing classes themselves."
Ron had the luxury of Ss at similar levels of language and computer skills.
Mehitabel [to Ron]: How did you achieve the latter?
Gregor guesses "luck" :o)
Ron [to Mehitabel]: Luck, mostly.  Our program offered a special course to a
 group fourteen grad students and I was asked to do a computer component.
jazzer [Guest] thinks that the more advanced students can do some peer
 teaching of the beginners
Ron says, "Several of the Ss are MIS majors who had worked in government and
 industry before coming to VCU."
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "Great idea!  I've set up my class so each
 beginning student (i.e. no previous Net experience) has a partner who has
 some Net experience, to go to as a resource.  They come to me with their
 questions as a last resort. :)
Mehitabel [to jazzer [Guest]]: Yes, that is good, but sometimes the advance
 computer people are weak in English skills.
Gregor says, "We have a fairly strong ESP focus since all of our students are biz
 and econ majors. They take a placement test at the beginning of their stay
 here that include English, econ, math, stats, and computers. We're thinking
 of requiring at least one intro to computers class for those who need it. It
 seems crucial as we try to integrate computer work into more of our courses."
Frizzy nods.
jazzer [Guest] says, "My x course is open to advanced learners only""
Mehitabel says, "Ah!"
Ron says, "I guess it is not practical to group Ss by language skills inthe
 Internet classes you all are teaching."
Frizzy says, "My feeling is that this should be a requirement at the
 college/university level too.  All entering students without computer
 experience should take an intro course which includes wp, Internet, etc."
Gregor [to Ron]: Nope, unless this idea with the placement test and required
 intro comes into play.
Ron nods Frizzy.
Gregor nods to Frizzy.
Frizzy says, "I'd like to bring something up that's been happening in my
 classes and see if you've had similar experiences ..."
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: Do you require your writing students to word process?
Gregor yields to Friz.
Mehitabel says, "I do, but none of the other teachers do."
Frizzy says, "During my classes, which meets twice a week for 2 hours each
 session, I've had several technical snafus (we're in a computer
 lab--MAC--which is not designed for instruction) ..."
Ron says, "At VCU our ESOL students are grouped across skill areas.  Thus a S
 may be in intereiate reading/vocab and advanced writing."
Ron says, "It seems like a good idea to link the Internet training to writing
 classes."
Mehitabel [to Frizzy]: At Hunter we do have good tech support and all the
 computers work.
Frizzy says, "Though I've tried to talk with the tech dude about working out
 the problems outside of class, he continues to interrupt our class (which is
 already in turmoil since I didn't get my OHP/LCD, or the computers are
 crashing left and right) ..."
Ron says, "Thus Internet trainign could be given to Ss with sort of the same
 language skills."
Gregor listens to Frizzy while agreeing with Ron.
Ron [to Frizzy]: At VCU the tech support is good.
Mehitabel [to Frizzy]: You have to make nice with the tech people.
Mehitabel is serious.
Frizzy [to Mehitabel]: "I've made very nice with the tech people at City
 College (they even put TF on the server!), but at UC Berkeley, where I'm
 teaching now, I don't know anyone."
Mehitabel says, "Ah, that is the problem."
Now that she thinks about it, Frizzy *IS* one of the tech people at City
 Collge.
Ron [to Mehitabel]: Yes, cultivating a good relationship with tech support
 people is *im[pprtant*.
Mehitabel says, "And I don't know the answer."
Gregor says, "We're kind of lone rangers here... we're not connected to the U
 whose net access we use. Our MIS-ers are in charge of our PCs and the LAN,
 but if connections problems come up, there';s not much we can do about it."
Frizzy [to Gregor]: "Do you just go to plan B, then?"
Gregor [to Frizzy]: Yup. Which is easy in an English class but pretty tough in
 a computer class! ;o)
Mehitabel agrees that a plan B is essential.
Ron [to Frizzy]: It takes time to cultivate a relationship with the tech
 peopele. Part of that time is finding out whwo they are.
Frizzy nods to both Mehi & Gregor.  "It's kind of lame when you're teaching
 Intro to the Internet and the students can't log on. :P"
Ron [to Frizzy]: The Ss *don't* have accounts!
jazzer [Guest] says, "In Europe we have to hold our courses in the morning -
 esp. fopr www""
Gregor says, "Hee hee! I've been carrying around an article from The Economist
 called "how the internet works without really trying" just in case everything
 comes to a crashing halt!"
Frizzy [to Ron]: "They do, but their computers keep crashing, and they think
 they're doing something wrong.  We're moving to a classroom next week.  Who
 knows?"
Mehitabel [to jazzer [Guest]]: Because of all the U.S. traffic?
jazzer [Guest] says, "Yes""
Frizzy says, "On a side note, my students bring in articles (or summaries of
 TV/radio bits) on the Internet everyday."
Mehitabel says, "I rarely use WWW except late at night."
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "You use WWW when we in the US are all asleep!"
Gregor says, "MIne will get their SLIP accounts over the weekend so we can start
 surfing on Monday. Problem is, the class is right in the middle of the day!
 We may have some very slow loads ahead of us."
Ron was distracted by Ss irl.
jazzer [Guest] says, "That's the best time!""
Frizzy [to Gregor]: "Just take them to some really lame sites, where no one
 else goes."
Gregor [to Frizzy]: Good plan! ;o)
Frizzy thinks you could develop a lesson on analyzing quality of Web pages. :)
Mehitabel [to Frizzy]: I think the general traffic is the problem.
Gregor [to Frizzy]: Check Deborah Healey's page about evaluating web sites!
 It's a really good guide, I think.
Ron [to jazzer [Guest]]: You can build class pages and take your Ss there.
Frizzy [to Gregor]: "*hee hee* I lifted it from your Web page, and now it's a
 link from our class Web page.
Gregor high-fives Frizzy.
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "What will you have your students do with WWW?"
Ron is down to one student in the classroom at the moment.
Mehitabel [to Ron]: Kill him/her off too.
Frizzy laughs out loud!
Ron [to Mehitabel]: Hee-hee
Frizzy imagines Ron "accidentally" pulling out the power cord.
jazzer [Guest] just lost you all for five minutes (too much traffic!)
Ron says, "In the Internet class I just taught, we covered email, the Web,
 WordPerfect (nnot Internet), MOOs, Unix talk, and a local file exchange
 program."
Frizzy says, "sound great, Ron."
jazzer [Guest] says, "I've gort something similar planned""
Mehitabel [to all]: Do all your students have basic typing skills?
Frizzy wishes she could use Unix, but the school won't let her (they get
 charged by the CPU minute).  "Instead, I have to teach them a million
 different kinds of software, like Eudora, etc.
Gregor's class covers email, unix talk, MOO, web (both text and graphical
 access), gopher, and the online library system at the U.
jazzer [Guest] says, "We have MSWord and WP6""
Ron [to Frizzy]: Speaking of the power cord.  We were able to use one of the
 "open" labs that has about 15 terminals that are hard wired to the mainframe.
  NO connection problems here.
Frizzy grins.
Mehitabel says, "All our labs are like that."
Gregor [to Ron]: Wow, great. I hope we'll have that in the fall. Now we've
 only got 8 modems.
jazzer [Guest] sighs
Ron says, "We could use this lab because it is not open inthe summer."
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "Does what we consider minimal sound like heaven
 to you?"
Gregor pats jazzer onna head. "Lagging?"
Ron says, "You have to  be subservise (in a good sense) to find lab
 facilities."
jazzer [Guest] says, "It sounds pretty good maybe not Heaven tho'""
Mehitabel [to jazzer [Guest]]: BTW, you don't need a quote at the end.
Frizzy flattens out into a largish 32 cent postage stamp and floats away.
Gregor says, "BTW, Frizzy had a suggestion for me that worked out very well
 yesterday. I had my students grouped three to a computer to go into schMOOze
 for the first time. It was MUCH less chaotic than it would have been
 otherwise!"
jazzer [Guest] says, "thanx"
A largish 32 cent postage stamp floats into the room and fattens up into
 Frizzy.
Gregor . o O ( the nerve! MOOMailing while I'm complimenting her! )
Ron says, "My ideal setup for an Internet class would be to provide it for all
 Ss when they reach the Intermediate level and link it to a writing class."
Gregor grins at Frizzy.
Frizzy . o O ( OOps, caught! )
Mehitabel [to Gregor]: Did your Ss enjoy themselves?
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: They really did... we were all cracking up, making a
 ruckus. The teacher in the classroom next door had to close her door! ;o)
Frizzy [to Gregor]: "Oh, did the MOO groups work?"
Mehitabel says, "That like the cops coming to a party you are having."
Mehitabel corrects a typo:  that's.
Frizzy giggles.
Lili [Guest] has arrived.
Gregor says, "Hello, Lili."
Ron says, "hi lili"
Frizzy grins and apologizes for her rude departure.  "I'm glad the suggestion
 worked.  It's been a good one in my experience."
jazzer [Guest] says, "Hi Lili""
Mehitabel waves to Lili.
Frizzy [to Lili [Guest]]: "Hi there"
Lili [Guest] jumps around in amazement
Ron says, "I have found handouts with step-by-step instructions to be helpful
 at the beginning."
Frizzy [to Lili [Guest]]: "Is this your first time at schMOOze?"
Gregor says, "I'll probably bring them all once more to the MOO and then tell them
 to play on their own as homework."
Frizzy says, "Good idea.""
jazzer [Guest] would like to know how to speak to individuals (fot future
 reference)
Lili [Guest] says, "yes, this is Linda from Volterre"
Ron [to Gregor]: I need to learn who to make good MOO assignments.
Gregor grins widely at Linda. "Welcome!"
Frizzy faints in amazement herself.  "Linda!"
Ron hugs Lili [Guest] with a warm and loving embrace.
Ron [to linda]: Bonjour!
Gregor [to jazzer [Guest]]: type:    - gregor Hi!    
Lili [Guest] says, ":This is bizarre:Bonjour to all my email friends and new
 Moo friends."
Ron [to Gregor]: hi!
Frizzy [to Ron]: "In a writing class, you could have a student's character &
 room descriptions be their assignments."
Lili [Guest] waving madly to all from France
Gregor [to Ron]: I need to learn some good assignements too. We'll have to get
 Colega in here one of these days. She's done lots of MOO work with students.
Mehitabel says, "We could do a Web page."
Gregor [to Mehitabel]: Good plan.
Ron [to Frizzy]: Good idea!  I did have one assignment in which they had to
 write to Mehi and request a character.
Frizzy [to Mehitabel]: "Great idea!  Or link from the schMOOze page."
Mehitabel [to Ron]: We will have to talk about that later.
Mehitabel says, "I have space on my machine to store it."
Ron [to Gregor]: Maybe MOO assignments could be a Neteach MOO topic.
Gregor [to Ron]: I think it could. I've been putting it off, though, til we
 all get a bit more mooing experience.
Ron [to Gregor]: Yea, it is probably too soon.
Ron corrects a typo:  Yeah
Frizzy [to Lili [Guest]]: "We've been talking about how to keep content in our
 courses and not just teach the tech."
Gregor [to Lili [Guest]]: I'm sorry I can't stay and talk more to you. I need
 to go teach in about 5 minutes. :o(
Frizzy needs to go to work, too. :(
Ron [to Gregor]: So, you let teaching come before MOOing!
Mehitabel says, "Me too, but not till 11."
Ron would like to end at 11:00.
Gregor [to Ron]: As I said before, Mehi has pointed out that there are 12 step
 programs to help people whose RL gets in the way of their MOO time. ;o)
Frizzy [to Lili [Guest]]: "Can you come back to next week's session?"
jazzer [Guest] [to Gregor]: "I'm off home soon
Gregor giggles and winks at Mehi.
Mehitabel smiles.
Ron [to Gregor]: I appreciate these Neteach MOO sessions, especially the small
 groups.
Gregor says, "Shall we just wrap this one up now, then?"
Frizzy thinks so.
Mehitabel says, "That is a motto of mine: Small is good."
Ron says, "Okay."

Gregor puts a transparency on the screen...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                              A REMINDER...

               Please note! Our sessions are always logged.
      By participating, you give permission to Greg Younger to allow 
    access to the transcripts for research purposes at his discretion.
    Before using any part of our logs for research or publication, please 
      obtain the permission of Greg Younger at youngerg@colorado.edu

                For a transcript, please see our web page:
              http://spot.colorado.edu/~youngerg/netmoo.html

             ******     Thanks for participating!     ******

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frizzy [to Lili [Guest]]: "If you can't make the next session, let's make a
 "date" to schMOOze.  We can form a separate small group if you're interested."
jazzer [Guest] says, "When's the next session - it was fun""
Mehitabel [to jazzer [Guest]]: Please visit again.
Ron says, "It's been nice meeting and talking about Internet courses."
Gregor says, "Next meeting is a week from today at um.... 21 EDT?"
Frizzy [to jazzer [Guest]]: "You can also come to schMOOze without an official
 session.  One of us is always around. :)"
Gregor admits he'll have to check his notes elsewhere. "I'll post it to
 NETEACH."
Mehitabel has the night shift. :)
jazzer [Guest] [to Ron]: "I'll have more to talk abot in 8 months' time
Frizzy winks.
Mehitabel [to Gregor]: Yes, 9 p.m. EDT.
Ron [to jazzer [Guest]]: Nice to meet you.
Gregor says, "I also want to talk about putting together another couple of
 orientationsessions. I've gotten several requests."
Ron [to Lili [Guest]]: Nice to see *you* here.
Frizzy [to Gregor]: "Yeah, I'll forward another one to you."
Gregor says, "Bye, kids. Must fly."
Gregor waves.
Frizzy waves and thanks Gregor as always.
Mehitabel says, "Bye, Greg."
Gregor jumps down a chute and disappears.