How to Teach Writing Effectively in a Virtual Environment

2021 ◽  
pp. 60-79
Author(s):  
Lindsey Hays
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Classroom Culture ◽  
General Educators ◽  
Writer's Workshop ◽  
Writing Teachers ◽  
Struggling Writers ◽  
Student Writers

This chapter focuses on the challenge that many general educators face when they transition into the virtual learning environment. Even talented writing teachers struggle to shift their regular teaching practices to fit the format of online instruction. The author will address some of the pitfalls of stepping into the virtual world and then focus on the best practices for virtual writing instruction, including this author's recommended program, The Writer's Workshop by Lucy Calkins. The chapter will offer some tangible strategies for any virtual educator to teach writing in their subject area. It will also address essential contributors to student learning, like fostering a classroom culture online, assessing students, and working with struggling writers. While the virtual education field is forever evolving, teachers can benefit from practicing these strategies, as well as continuing to focus on professional development and growth in order to grow themselves and their student writers effectively.

An Effective Pedagogy Toolkit for Learning in an Intelligent Virtual Environment

2021 ◽  
pp. 825-836
Author(s):  
R. S. Kamath ◽  
R. K. Kamat
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Effective Pedagogy ◽  
Pedagogic Tool ◽  
Virtual Setting ◽  
Quality Learning

Throughout the progression of the pedagogy, educators are striving hard to bring up the systems centering on effective learning. This omnipresent trend has led to the ontogeny of innovative and culmination of many congregation technologies such as virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and natural language processing (NLP) ensuing as intelligent virtual learning environment (IVLE). Technology-enhanced encyclopedism can facilitate pupils with influential and high-quality learning experiences as compared to the traditional learning approach. This chapter portrays learning in intelligent virtual environment as an effective pedagogy approach. The pedagogic tool developed by the authors captures text written in English as an input and creates the envisioned virtual setting. The ability of natural language interface (NLI) for VR-based learning systems is the most significant attainment of the present work, which brings a novel perspective in the field pedagogy.

Pre-university Students’ Voice Construction in Argumentative Essays

RELC Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Ling Cheung ◽  
Tze Hui Low
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Systemic Functional Linguistics ◽  
Appraisal Theory ◽  
Argumentative Writing ◽  
Appraisal System ◽  
Writing Teachers ◽  
Student Writers ◽  
University Level ◽  
Argumentative Essays ◽  
Writer's Voice

This article examines how writer’s voice is constructed in argumentative essays written at the pre-university level. The study focusses on the student writers’ control over evaluative resources that influence the realization of voice in the high-scoring and low-scoring scripts. Using the APPRAISAL system in Systemic Functional Linguistics, the study shows how voice is construed through APPRAISAL theory in the high-scoring and low-scoring general paper essays, respectively. The differences between the two categories of essays can be seen in the application of ENGAGEMENT, ATTITUDE, and GRADUATION resources. Findings indicated that the high scoring essays used richer ENGAGEMENT and ATTITUDE resources to accomplish more mature and sophisticated argumentative voices. These opportunities to make full use of the APPRAISAL resources were missed by the low-scoring students in their argumentative writing. The findings are pedagogically useful for writing teachers who find the notion of voice too abstract to teach but accept its significance in producing a good essay.

scholarly journals Performance indicators in higher education with learning analytics

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Carlos Morais ◽  
Paulo Alexandre Alves ◽  
Luisa Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Access Frequency ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Academic Information

The regular use of virtual learning environments by educational institutions and the availability of large quantities of data regarding the teaching and learning process both challenge teachers, institutions and researchers to explore such data within the perspective of learning analytics in order to obtain indicators which might contribute to the improvement of the teaching and learning process. Consequently, such improvement may lead to students’ better learning outcomes as well as a better relationship with the institution they attend. Taking into account that student retention and dropout from degree courses before their completion have highly negative consequences for a high number of students, the aim of this research is to look into indicators associated with such problems through a mixed methodology, both qualitative and quantitative, and through procedures of analysis and research of data from databases containing academic information provided by a sample of 1,588 undergraduates. The focus of the study lies upon the relation and analysis of the following variables: students’ frequency of access per course unit to the virtual environment of the institution they attend; quantity of course units passed; and mean of the marks obtained in the course units passed. Among the results obtained, we highlight the existence of a positive degree of association with moderate correlation between the variables frequency of access per course unit to the virtual environment and the mean of the number of course units passed. Following the division of the sample into four different groups, each group corresponding to one quartile, resulting from the data regarding the frequency of accesses per course unit to the institution’s virtual environment, significant differences were found concerning the mean of the course units passed between the groups showing a higher frequency of access to the virtual learning environment and those with a lower access frequency, to the advantage of the groups showing a higher frequency of access to the virtual environment. Therefore, considering the way the groups were constituted, there is proof that the higher the frequency of access to the virtual environment is, the higher the probability of students succeeding in the course units they attend will be.

scholarly journals Entorno virtual de aprendizaje compartido en Educación Superior

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita R. Rodríguez Gallego ◽  
Antonia López Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Learning Networks ◽  
The Creation

<p>Cada vez son más demandadas las plataformas virtuales apoyadas en el concepto web 2.0 y en las Redes Personales de Aprendizaje (PLN) al garantizar la conversación entre agentes educativos y la colaboración orientada a la producción conjunta de conocimiento.</p><p>Desde este punto de vista, surgieron los Entornos Virtuales de Aprendizaje (VLE) dónde se configuran, integran y combinan nuevas aplicaciones adaptadas a las necesidades de los usuarios.</p><p>El propósito final de esta experiencia es la creación de un entorno virtual compartido para lograr que el aprendizaje no se vincule exclusivamente a una actividad memorística y que a través del uso combinado de la plataforma virtual, herramientas de la web 2.0 y la red social los estudiantes puedan crear su propio espacio de trabajo en el que quede reflejado la búsqueda y transformación de la información, creación de recursos para el aprendizaje y tareas de colaboración.</p><p>Nuestro entorno virtual de aprendizaje compartido ha sido puesto a prueba, implementado y evaluado durante el segundo cuatrimestre, en el marco de la asignatura Didáctica General en la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Sevilla (España) durante el curso académico 2009-2010.</p><p>Una encuesta efectuada revela hechos interesantes sobre el éxito de este entorno virtual compartido en relación con la motivación y los resultados de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. </p><p> </p><p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p class="REDUTITULOINGLES"><em><strong><span lang="GL">Shared virtual learning environments in higher education.</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span></strong></em></p><p>There is an increasing demand for virtual platforms based on the concept of Web 2.0 and on Personal Learning Networks (PLN) as these guarantee conversations between educational agents and cooperation aimed at the joint knowledge production.</p><p>From this point of view, Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) have emerged in which new applications adapted to users’ needs are configured, integrated and combined.</p><p>The ultimate purpose of this experience is the creation of a shared virtual environment to ensure that learning is not linked exclusively to rote activity. Through the combined use of the virtual platform, Web 2.0 tools and social networking, students can create their own workspace in which the search and processing of information, as well as the creation of learning resources and collaboration tasks are reflected.</p><p>Our shared virtual learning environment has been tested, implemented and evaluated in the second semester, as part of the General Teaching Methodology course in the Faculty of Education at the University of Seville (Spain) during the 2009 – 2010 academic year.</p><p>A survey reveals interesting facts about the success of the shared virtual environment in relation to the motivation and learning outcomes of students.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Distance Education During the Covid-10 Epidemic as a Challenge and Opportunity for the Personal and Professional Development of a School Librarian

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Metka Kostanjevec
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
School Library ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
School Librarian ◽  
Difficult Situation

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, all schools had to close their doors last year. Classes moved to a virtual environment, and students and teachers were left without the opportunity to visit school libraries overnight. Therefore, the school library of the Prva gimnazija Maribor has operated smoothly throughout the time of the epidemic and strives to facilitate the work of students, teachers, and other employees as much as possible, continue to promote reading, develop reading and information literacy, and at the same time enrich the educational process. The article presents how we found our way to our readers despite the difficult situation.

scholarly journals Experiences of Timorese language teachers in a blended Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Open Praxis ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monty King ◽  
Bernadete Luan ◽  
Esperança Lopes
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Course Content ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Institute

This paper details the experiences of a group of Timorese English language teachers from Lorosa’e English Language Institute (LELI) in Dili, Timor-Leste, who participated in a professional development MOOC entitled Teaching for Success: Lessons and Teaching between March and April 2017. Drawing on the pedagogical principles of blended learning; participants engaged with online course content, and once a week met as a study group to view some video content together and discuss issues arising from it. The authors draw on participant observation, individual and focus group interviews and post-course author reflections to outline the benefits and challenges of doing blended MOOCs in Dili, and propose that they can provide local English language teachers opportunities for subject area knowledge building, language literacy development and more general lifelong learning.

scholarly journals Virtual Situated Learning of Spoken English Based on Computer Simulation Technology

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (04) ◽  
pp. 206
Author(s):  
Min Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Situated Learning ◽  
Learning Effect ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Allowable Range ◽  
Research Findings

This paper aims to effectively improve the learning effect of spoken English, which is difficult to learn or practice. For this purpose, the 3D space was constructed by computer simulation and virtual reality (VR) technology. Then, the author designed a computer simulation software to create a 3D virtual learning environment, which is almost indistinguishable from the real world, for immersive learning of spoken English. A total of 100 students were selected to learn spoken English for 12 weeks in the virtual environment. The learning outcomes were collected and analysed by statistical and induction methods. The analysis results show that the virtual environment greatly stimulated the students’ enthusiasm for spoken English learning, and improved the learning effect by 26~32%; the delay of the proposed software falls in the allowable range, but needs to be further improved. The research findings shed new light on the methods and theories of virtual situated learning of spoken English.

scholarly journals Design, Development, and Usability of a Virtual Environment on Moral, Social, and Emotional Leaning

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-65
Author(s):  
Samiullah Paracha ◽  
Lynne Hall ◽  
Kathy Clawson ◽  
Nicole Mitsche
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environment ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Ethical Reasoning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Sensitive Issues

Virtual environments have the potential to be an important teaching tool for emotionally sensitive issues capable of producing a sense of presence, perspective-taking and introspection in users in a risk-free, rapid feedback experience. In designing such experiences, it is essential that users are regularly engaged in a collaborative design process. However, engaging in design, development, and evaluation can in itself provide a learning experience. Here, the authors present an approach to engaging children in the design, development and evaluation of a virtual learning environment, specifically a serious game, focused on inculcating empathy, ethical reasoning, and reflection for coping with bullying. It was demonstrated that children's involvement not only contributed to an improved virtual environment, but significantly engaging in the design process provided children with a novel and effective learning opportunity.

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