Schedule: 2009-09-12 (12:00 - 12:45)
Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)

Title: Multi-media task leading to sustainable activities in the tertiary efl classroom
Authors: Shaunna Joannidou
Abstract: CALL or the integration of technology in the language classroom is a much sought after area of interest for researchers and instructors alike. How this is employed, the way in which students interact with technology as well as between themselves and the assessment of such activities are questions which need to be answered in order to attain sustainable activities encouraging life-long learning in education today. A questionnaire was answered by approximately 471 language students in 2007 at this tertiary institution indicating their greatest request to be including multi-media activities in the classroom in order to create interest in the foreign language learning lesson. This presentation will discuss how a multi-media activity was included in the curriculum of an advanced English language course at tertiary level supporting constructivist pedagogy (Vygotzky,1978), focusing on creating a collaborative learning environment (Tue & Corry, 2001; Harrison, 1999; Hiltz, 1998) in that
“ meaning making can be treated as an essentially social activity” (Stahl,2003) and allowing the students to reflect on the process they went through to achieve the final task (Boud, 1989; Boud; Boud, 1995; Cohen & Sampson, 1999; Biggs, 1999; Sullivan & Hall, 1997 Rodgers, 2002). Through the use of Grounded Theory the final projects, reflective essay writing and interviews of the students will be analysed in order to follow the development of learning that took place during the completion of the multi-media task of students developing their own commercial advertisement after learning motivational appeals and propaganda techniques in persuasive communication in the classroom. Findings support that students were highly motivated to undertake the project, enjoyed learning in groups and learning from another, as well as illustrating their own ability to assess their learning achievement from such a task supporting life-long learning s kills, constructivist pedagogy and sustainable assessment which in turn supports what this researcher refers to as sustainable activities in the EFL classroom.
Keywords: constructivist pedagogy, reflective writing, assessment

Main topic: Curriculum development for CALL.

Biodata: Shaunna Joannidou currently teaches English Language at the University of Cyprus Language Centre and is a PhD candidate in the department of Educational Research at the University of Lancaster, England.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research

Target educational sector Higher education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project No

Schedule:	2009-09-12 (12:00 - 12:45) Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)
Title:	Multi-media task leading to sustainable activities in the tertiary efl classroom
Authors:	Shaunna Joannidou
Abstract:	CALL or the integration of technology in the language classroom is a much sought after area of interest for researchers and instructors alike. How this is employed, the way in which students interact with technology as well as between themselves and the assessment of such activities are questions which need to be answered in order to attain sustainable activities encouraging life-long learning in education today. A questionnaire was answered by approximately 471 language students in 2007 at this tertiary institution indicating their greatest request to be including multi-media activities in the classroom in order to create interest in the foreign language learning lesson. This presentation will discuss how a multi-media activity was included in the curriculum of an advanced English language course at tertiary level supporting constructivist pedagogy (Vygotzky,1978), focusing on creating a collaborative learning environment (Tue & Corry, 2001; Harrison, 1999; Hiltz, 1998) in that “ meaning making can be treated as an essentially social activity” (Stahl,2003) and allowing the students to reflect on the process they went through to achieve the final task (Boud, 1989; Boud; Boud, 1995; Cohen & Sampson, 1999; Biggs, 1999; Sullivan & Hall, 1997 Rodgers, 2002). Through the use of Grounded Theory the final projects, reflective essay writing and interviews of the students will be analysed in order to follow the development of learning that took place during the completion of the multi-media task of students developing their own commercial advertisement after learning motivational appeals and propaganda techniques in persuasive communication in the classroom. Findings support that students were highly motivated to undertake the project, enjoyed learning in groups and learning from another, as well as illustrating their own ability to assess their learning achievement from such a task supporting life-long learning s kills, constructivist pedagogy and sustainable assessment which in turn supports what this researcher refers to as sustainable activities in the EFL classroom.
Keywords:	constructivist pedagogy, reflective writing, assessment
Main topic:	Curriculum development for CALL.
Biodata:	Shaunna Joannidou currently teaches English Language at the University of Cyprus Language Centre and is a PhD candidate in the department of Educational Research at the University of Lancaster, England.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research
Target educational sector	Higher education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	No