Reconstructing and Customizing the American Language Institute (ALI) Program

through Videoblogging and other Instructional Tools in Blackboard

Jim Valentine, Director, ALITessy Tzoytzoyrakos, Master Lecturer, ALI

Eric Roth, Master Lecturer, ALIJim Cunningham, Program Manager, ALI

Part 1: Director’s Perspective

University Faculty Adoption and Use of Instructional Technologies:

A Department Chair’s (& Educational Anthropologist’s)

Perspective

James (“Jim”) Valentine, Ph.D.Director

American Language Institute (ALI)

Context: ALI & Online Courses

• Foresaw likely expectation for creation of online ESL courses –

HSC students as trial population

• Not funded/ no course releases for faculty with experience

teaching online

• Mandate to create online ESL courses – working with Embanet

• Possible target audiences:

• Matriculated students in summer prior to arrival

• Growing number of off campus master’s programs

• Non-USC students seeking university-level, quality English for

Academic & Professional Purposes courses

5 Adopter Categories (Rogers, 1995)

1) INNOVATORS

2) EARLY ADOPTERS

3) EARLY MAJORITY

4) LATE MAJORITY (alternatively “REFLECTIVE OBSERVERS”)*

5) “LAGGARDS” (alternatively “CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS”)*

*Alternative category titles are taken from Jacobsen (1997).

Innovators (INs)

“Innovators are venturers who identify and explore new

frontiers without map or guide. Their interest in new ideas

leads them out of local peer networks” (Jacobsen, 1997,

p. 6).

Early Adopters (EAs)

“Early adopters are a more integral part of the local social

system than innovators; localites rather than

cosmopolites. … The EA is considered the ‘individual to

check with’ before using a new idea, and are generally

sought by change agents to serve as local evangelists for

speeding the diffusion process” (Jacobsen, 1997, p. 6).

Early Majority (EMs)

“The EM [Early Majority] adopts new ideas just before

50% of the members of a system. … The EMs unique

position between the very early and relatively late to

adopt makes them an important link in the diffusion

process. As one-third the members in a system, they

provide inter-connectedness in the system’s interpersonal

networks. … They may follow with deliberate willingness

in adopting innovations, but seldom do they lead”

(Jacobsen, 1997, p. 7).

Late Majority (LMs) or “Reflective Observers”

The LM [or “Reflective Observer”] is a skeptical one-third

of a social system, and adopts new ideas after the

median (i.e. 50th percentile) member of a system.

Adoption may be both an economic necessity and as a

result of increasing network pressure from peers.

Innovations are approached cautiously… and system

norms must definitely favor an innovation before they are

convinced” (Jacobsen, 1997, p. 7).

“Laggards” (LGs) or “Conscientious Objectors”

“Laggards (LGs) [or “conscientious objectors”] are the

last in a social system to adopt an innovation. The point

of reference for the LG is the past[;] decisions are often

made in terms of what has been done before…. LGs tend

to be suspicious of innovations and change agents. …

Resistance to innovations on the part of LGs may be

entirely rational from the LGs’ viewpoint, as their

resources and confidence are limited and they must be

sure that a new idea will not fail before they adopt”

(Jacobsen, 1997, p. 7).

“Typical” Distribution of Adopter Categories

(Source: Jacobsen, 1997 based on Rogers, 1995)

.

Relevance to ALI Context re: Adoption of Online/

Hybrid Courses

As director faced with mandate to create online courses,

• Turned first to the Early Adopters (Tessy & Eric)

• Experienced, risk takers, comfortable with change,

uncertainty; leaders within department

• Familiarity with “core” courses (oral & written)

targeting largest population of students

• Experience, advice, recommendations re: adoption

of Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Conclusion (part 1: Director’s Perspective)

• Development of initial, prototype online courses has

greatly informed the ongoing development of hybrid

courses currently used by ALI faculty members.

Because of our online development experience as well

as the fact we are using a shared and widely diffused

platform (Blackboard), it could be argued that we have

surpassed the “critical mass” point of adoption among

ALI faculty in this area.

• However, there is much more to be learned.

• Now on to demonstrations by Tessy & Eric

References

Jacobsen, M. (1997). Bridging the Gap between

Early Adopters’ and Mainstream Faculty’s

Use of Instructional Technology.

http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED423785

Rogers, E.M. (1995). Diffusion of Innovations

(4th ed.) New York: Free Press.

Part 2: Video Blogging and Other ToolsTessy Tzoytzoyrakos

The Flipped Classroom

• Class time is structured for meaningful and

engaging learning experiences.

• Students interact with content and with each other.

• Video lectures are typically the key ingredient in

this pedagogical model.

Q. Students interact with content but what about

student collaboration?

What if you have large classes?

Videoblogging on Bb

Enhancing Interaction and Student Participation

What you will need:

• webcam and internal mic

• Youtube account

• Let’s try this! Video Blogging Instructions

Why Videoblogging?

• It eliminates the hassle of using external cameras,

tripods, memory cards to record student

presentations.

• It saves time! No need to upload large video files

• It saves even more time! Videos are readily

available. No downloading!

• Bb allows for comments just like a regular blog.

• It saves us storage space.

• It enhances collaboration and communication,

• Students and teachers love this tool!

So what’s the catch?

• You need to try before you buy!

• It’s simple to use but it’s also a new tool, so expect

some degree of trial and error.

• Make sure you have good internet connection.

Ask for assistance

• Ask your students to assist you. Give them an easy

assignment and have them try it out.

• Email tzoytzoy@usc.edu with questions.

Streamlining Teacher and Peer feedback

Rubrics Tool on Bb

Ready for one more tool?

1. Go to Course Tools FIRST

2. Rubrics

3. Create Rubric

4. Create an Assignment and select your rubric

Part 3: Sharing Resources and Creating

Possibilities Eric Roth

Case Study: ALI 245

• Multiple versions in two years

• 3 unit course for high intermediate students

• 1 unit version on campus (ALI 145)

• 2 units online

• 2 unit version (hybrid) on campus

On

Deconstructing

• What are essential writing tasks for international

students?

• Which skills cross disciplines?

• How can writing assignments build in flexibility for

a wide range of English language learners?

• How can information be effectively delivered?

• Which online tools seem most intuitive?

• Can we better engage the English language

learners?

Reconstructing

ALI 245 includes three core writing projects:

1. The Professional Portfolio : biostatement

job/internship ad

creating a resume

cover letter

2. The Annotated Bibliography: students read, summarize, and

critique several (4-6 articles) on a topic for their final

research paper.

3. The Term Research paper (4-7 pages) including abstract,

annotated bibliography, citation page, and biostatement.

Lessons from our Online Program

• Instructions and assignments must be accessible in multiple

places

• Everything needs to be concise and easy to understand

• Checklists can be helpful for online and hybrid courses

• Include Blogs to enhance interaction and communication

• Authentic materials and worksheets can reduce dependency

on textbook

• Rapport can be built and maintained with no physical

contact

Rebuilding Hybrid Version

• Organize LMS for easy access to class materials and

assignments

• Include blogs, checklists, rubrics, reduce dependency on

textbook

• Add Toolbox (shared resources) and more articles

• Create and share more online resources across sections

On

Navigating our LMS Template

Creating Stronger Foundation

• Weekly Lessons

• Weekly Assignments

• Projects

• Shared Resources

• American Culture

• Global Perspectives

• Listening and Speaking

• Writing Resources

• Living in Los Angeles

• Choices, not obligations

• Flexible format

Part 4: Administrative IssuesJim CunninghamALI Program Manager

Blackboard vs. 3rd Party Moodle

Benefits of Blackboard

• SIS Integration

• Courses automatically set up when instructor is

assigned on SIS.

• Students automatically enrolled in Blackboard when

they register on Web Registration.

• Curriculum housed on USC servers.

• Easy transition to use Blackboard for our on-ground

courses.

• On campus support and training.

Blackboard System Admin

• Easily copy course templates

• Customize templates

• Manage instructor assignments more effectively