sociocultural, pedagogical or interactionist?

When Andreas and Francoise presented Activity Theory at the conference in Léon, Spain, I (along with many others) felt quite lost. But, I must admit, after having read Andreas's chapter, it's beginning to make much more sense and seems like a relatively plausible framework within which I can conceptualize telecollaboration 2.0 because in the end, the nice thing about it, is that everything interacts with everything else. But before I get there...

In my experience as a student and then as an academic, there are certain words and terms I have trouble getting my head around. For example, authors speak of a sociocultural approach, or a pedagogical approach, or an interactionist approach to TBLT and NBLT (gotta love these abbreviations!). Although the words themselves seem to inherently communicate what the 'approach' deals with, for those of us trying to put it into practice, it all remains a bit abstract. So let's see if the Internet can help me out...

First you try searching for 'pedagogical approach' and NBLT - niente, then - language - all this engineering stuff, then TBLT and voilà, an article by the same person whose article I've just read, Marita Schocker-v. Ditfurth entitled What do we know about how foreign languages are learned? – A pedagogical perspective on tasks. Guarda che caso ;-)

Then I did a search for 'socio cultural approach' and to no surprise came up with Rod Ellis who compares this approach to the psycholinguistic approach (another one to take into consideration). But for now I can't get access to the journal :-(

Finally looked for 'interactionist' and found this interesting blog by Fred Shannon that explains a few things. So now I'm off to read these resources and to try and get my head around these concepts before I go pick up the kids and go to the pool!

Thoughts as of today

Indeed a week has passed since I last posted. In the meantime, I've been busy with various commitments in Padova (work & family) but have had time to read the Introduction by Andreas and Marita Schocker-v. Ditfurth, who works at the University of Freiburg, to the book (let's see if I can get this in German!) Aufgabenorientiertes Lernen und Lehren mit Medien: Ansätze, Erfahrungen, Perspektiven in der Fremdsprachendidatik. (So I've been trying to figure this out...The first part means "Task-oriented learning and teaching with media: approaches, experiences, perspectives in" and I think that last long word means telecollaboration in German because it has something to do with teaching languages with other people, right?)

Anyway, Andreas kindly sent me this text and I was utterly surprised to see how much it fit into what I'm already researching - now whether or not this has anything to do with my PhD remains to be seen! The chapter is entitled Research on the Use of Technology in Task-based Language Teaching. What struck me most was the emphasis given to multiliteracies. Thanks to my good friend and research colleague, Francesca Helm, I've been inspired by the multiliteracies movement, starting with the New London Group (A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies in 1996!) and Lankshear and Knobel (new literacies) as well as the work on multimodality by Mirjam Hauck in the context of FL and Kress in a more general context, but have been having difficulty finding this 'research gap' that could be the focus of my PhD. Anyway, the point is, I have (sadly) realized that Fran (the Francesca mentioned above) and I in our daily practice have simply 'landed on' something that other researchers, such as those mentioned above and Warschauer (in the context of NBLT - OMG he has a page on Wikipedia!), have already considered. Nonetheless, before becoming totally depressed, I think the framework that Fran came up with is worth investigating.

So, I'm going to make a few posts here about what the article has made me think about and the other parts of the literature it has inspired me to read. BTW, it's so nice to be a student again :-)

Embarassing!!!

You can go hear my terrible American-Italian attempt to speak German by clicking here. Aiutooooooo!

The alphabet

hard sounds:

c tse
g ghe
h ha
v fao
s es
w v
z tzet

question words

Wie heißen Sie?
Ich heiße Sarah.

Woher kommen Sie?
Ich komme aus den USA.

Wo lieght die Stadt?
Im Norden von Italie.

Welche Sprachen sprechen Sie?
Ich spreche Englisch, Italienisch, Franzosich und ein bissen Deutsch.

starting from scratch again

heißen
ich heiße
Sie heißen
er heißt
sie heißt

wohnen
ich wohne in
Sie wohnen in
er wohnst in
sie wohnst in

lernen
ich lerne
Sie lernen
er lernt
sie lernt

gehen
ich gehe
Sie gehen
er geht
sie geht

kommen
ich komme aus den USA
Sie kommen aus Italie
er kommt
sie kommt

Hallo! Ich heiße Sarah. Ich wohne in Padua. Padua liegt im Norden von Italie. Meine beste Freundin kommt aus den USA. Sie heißt Laura.

Berlin ist die Hauptstadt von Deutschland.
Rom ist die Haupstadt von Italie.
Washington is dei Hapstadt von den USA.

Notes:
kommen - where you come from
wohnen - where you live
liegen - where a place is located
location - im Norden Suden Osten Westen VON name of country
my best friend - m. mein beste Freunde f. meinen beste Freundin

Private or Public?

Though I'm the first one to profess 'keeping everything open', for now this blog is only open to the few people who might be interested in some way in what I'm writing. If I manage to get this up and running, I suppose I'll make it public. We'll see!

Workshops

Forum on Education Abroad 2010 - Developing International Online Course Collaborations that Build Bridges to Study Abroad. Charlotte, NC, USA, 24 March 2010. Invited workshop participation in collaboration with Jon Rubin, Craig Little and Wayne te Brake.

Giornata di Studio sull’elaborazione di items informatizzati – Università degli studi di Verona 29 September 2009. Invited workshop entitled: Text Mapping per sviluppare test linguistici.

COIL Conference: Collaborations in International Online Learning Environments - How to Make them Work! Purchase, NY, USA 14 November 2008. Invited workshop in collaboration with Clark Shah-Nelson, SUNY Delhi: Cross-Cultural 2.0.

Seminario di studi - Modelli di apprendimento e strategie di insegnamento linguistico – Università degli studi Roma Tre – Rome, Italy 3 October 2008. Invited workshop in collaboration with Lisa Griggio, University of Padova: Apprendere le lingue con Web 2.0.

Computer Mediated Communication and Language Learning: Research and Practice – CMC SIG Regional Eurocall Event – Padova, Italy 17-19 April 2008. In collaboration with Lisa Griggio, University of Padova, workshop entitled: Using Web 2.0 Tools for CMC.

Online Educa Berlin 2007: 13th International Conference on Technology Supported Learning & Training – Berlin, 28-30 November 2007. In collaboration with Susanna Sancassani, Politecnico di Milano – Centro METID workshop entitled: Learning with Social Software and Web 2.0.

Eurocall 2007: Mastering Multimedia: Teaching Languages Through Technology, - Coleraine, Northern Ireland, 5-8 September 2007. Workshop entitled: Using Social Software for Language Learning.

Presentations

Second Cultura Conference on Web-based Intercultural Exchanges, National Foreign Language Resource Center, The University of Hawai’i at Manoa October 10 and 11, 2009. Virtual Presentation via Skype: Panel 4: The tools: which seem most appropriate for intercultural exchanges? Do different tools lead to different types of interactions?

CercleS seminar: The role of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the European Language Portfolio (ELP) in higher education, Padova, Italy 17-19 September 2009. Presentation in a parallel session: Promoting Multiliteracies in the foreign language curriculum through Telecollaboration, with Francesca Helm.

EUROCALL 2009 Conference - New Trends in CALL: working together, Gandìa, Spain 9-12 September 2009. Presentation in the Symposium New Trends in Telecollaboration -Multiple competences, literacies, policies and practices: A framework for integrating multiliteracies objectives and pedagogy into telecollaboration, with Francesca Helm.

EUROCALL CMC SIG Event: Researching Computer Mediated Communication in Foreign Language Education: Issues and Methods, Leon, Spain 23-25 April 2009. Presentation in a parallel session: Skype and the Web: How learners develop new online literacies to promote learning in telecollaboration with Francesca Helm and Nicoletta Marini-Maio.

NAFSA 2009 Annual Conference, Los Angeles, 24-29 May 2009. Virtual Presentation: Internationalize Your University and Engage Faculty Through Virtual Mobility: Telecollaboration at UniPD.

COIL Conference: Collaborations in International Online Learning Environments - How to Make them Work! Purchase, NY, USA 14 November 2008. Invited keynote speaker: The Multi-Faceted Focus of International Collaborations.

10th International CercleS Conference – Sevilla, Spain 18-20 September 2008. Presentation in a parallel session with Cloke, S.: Interculture Wiki: Promoting Language Learning and Intercultural Communication Using Web 2.0; with Castello, E.: Effective Test Development: the Process Used to Develop Computer-Based Language Tests at the University of Padova

EUROCALL 2008 Conference – CALL: New Competencies and Social Spaces - Székesfehérvár, Hungary 3-6 September 2008. Presentation in a parallel session: Developing a Personal Learning Environment for Language Learning Using Web 2.0 Tools.

AILA 2008 – Multilingualism: Challenges and Opportunities – Essen, Germany 24-29 August 2008. Presentation in a parallel session: The Interculture Wiki Project.
EDEN Annual Conference, 2008 - New Learning Cultures: How do we learn? Where do we learn? – Lisbon, Portugal 11-14 June 2008. Presentation in a parallel session: Developing the Intercultural Communicator Using Web 2.0 Tools.

XII Seminario AICLU – IL TESTING LINGUISTICO: METODI, PROCEDURE E SPERIMENTAZIONI - UDINE, 8-10 May 2008. Presentation with Castello, E. Sviluppi del progetto TAL (Test di Abilità Linguistica): creazione, gestione e monitoraggio di test a vari livelli di competenza per l’Ateneo patavino.

Online Educa Berlin 2007: 13th International Conference on Technology Supported Learning & Training – Berlin, 28-30 November 2007. Presentation in a parallel session: Wikis in Education: Public, Semi-Public or Private, Which is Best?

WikiSym 2007 International Symposium on Wikis: Wikis at Work in the World: Open, Organic, Participatory Media for the 21st Century – Montreal, Canada, October 21-23, 2007. Presentation in a parallel session: Wikis in Education: Is Public Better?

Eurocall 2007: Mastering Multimedia: Teaching Languages Through Technology, - Coleraine, Ireland, 5-8 September 2007. Poster entitled: Learning English Using Social Software.

Publishing and Presenting Research Internationally: Issues for speakers of English as an Additional Language - Tenerife, 11-13 January 2007. Presentation in a parallel session: Collaborative Learning in an Asynchronous Online Scientific Writing Course.

Online Educa Berlin 2006: 12th International Conference on Technology Supported Learning & Training – Berlin, 28 November -1 December 2006. Presentation in a parallel session: Wikis and blogs: Teaching English to the ‘Net Generation’

Publications

Guth, S. and Helm, F. (eds.) (2010) Telecollaboration 2.0: Language, Literacy and Intercultural Learning in the 21st Century. Bern: Peter Lang.

Guth, S. and Helm, F. (2010) Introduction. In S. Guth and F. Helm (eds.) Telecollaboration 2.0: Language, Literacy and Intercultural Learning in the 21st Century. Bern: Peter Lang.

Guth, S. and Helm, F. (2010) The Multifarious Goals of Telecollaboration 2.0: Theoretical and Practical Implications. In S. Guth and F. Helm (eds.) Telecollaboration 2.0: Language, Literacy and Intercultural Learning in the 21st Century. Bern: Peter Lang.

Guth, S. and Thomas, M. (2010) Telecollaboration with Web 2.0 tools. In S. Guth and F. Helm (eds.) in Telecollaboration 2.0: Language, Literacy and Intercultural Learning in the 21st Century. Bern: Peter Lang.

Guth, S. (2009). “Personal Learning Environments for Language Learning”. In Thomas M. (ed.), Handbook of Research on Web 2.0 and Second Language Learning. UK, Idea Group Inc.

Guth S. and Petrucco C. (2008). “Social Software and Language Acquisition”. In Marriott R. (ed.), Handbook of Research on E-Learning Methodologies for Language Acquisition. UK, Idea Group Inc.

Guth, S. (2008). Developing the Intercultural Communicator Using Web 2.0 Tools. Peer-reviewed conference proceedings from the EDEN Annual Conference, 2008 - New Learning Cultures: How do we learn? Where do we learn? – Lisbon, Portugal 11-14 June 2008.

Guth, S and Griggio, L (2008). Teaching English (and more) with blogs and wikis. In T. Vogel, R. Satchell, A. Marazikova (Eds.) Language Centres at Universities: Crossing Bridges, Integrating Cultures, peer-reviewed conference proceedings from the 9th International Cercles Conference - Language Centres at Universities: Crossing Bridges, Integrating Cultures – Frankfurt (Oder), Germany 28 – 30 September 2006.

Guth, S (2007). Wikis in Education: Is Public Better? Peer-reviewed conference proceedings from WikiSym 2007 International Symposium on Wikis: Wikis at Work in the World: Open, Organic, Participatory Media for the 21st Century – Montreal, Canada, October 21-23, 2007. Available at http://www.wikisym.org/ws2007/_publish/Guth_WikiSym2007_IsPublicBetter.pdf
Guth, S. And Castello, E. (2007). Developing an Interfaculty B1 English Language Test. Peer-reviewed conference proceedings from the V Convegno AICLU – 1997-2007: L’AICLU e la politica linguistic nelle università italiane – Parma, Italy 24-26 May 2007.

Guth, S (2007). ESP Courses at the Faculty of Engineering: Challenges and Successes. Peer-reviewed conference proceedings from the X Seminario AICLU – Qual è il ruolo dei CLA nella didattica dei linguaggi specialistici? – Bolzano, 16-17 February 2006.

Guth, S (2007). Writing for PhD Students: Lessons from two online academic writing courses. Peer-reviewed conference proceedings from the IV Convegno AICLU – Sperimentazione, ricerca e didattica nei Centri Linguistici Universitari Italiani – Napoli May 2005.

Guth, S. (2006). Discovering collaborative e-learning through an online writing course. Innovate 3 (2). http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=277 (accessed April 18, 2007).

Guth, S (2005). Writing for PhD Students: A Distance E-Learning Course in Academic Writing. In C. Taylor Torsello, F. Dalziel, M.G. Lo Duca & D. Griggio (eds). Il C.L.A. verso l’Europa: e-learning, testing, portfolio delle lingue. Padova: CLEUP.

Guth, S (2002). Creazione di materiali didattici con interfaccia web per la Facoltà di Ingegneria. In C. Taylor Torsello & R. Guerini (eds). Innovazioni nell'apprendimento linguistico con il supporto tecnologico.

Training

• Linguapolis Summer School: A Toolbox for Design-Based Research. Summer School held by Sven De Maeyer, PhD and Vincent Donche, PhD, University of Antwerp, Institute of Education and Information Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium 16-20 August 2009.
• Web 2.0. Gestione delle fonti (Web 2.0:Management of Sources). Workshop held by the Politecnico di Milano – Centro METID, Milano, 19 June 2007.
• Web 2.0. Media in condivisione (Web 2.0: Sharing Media). Workshop held by the Politecnico di Milano – Centro METID, Milano, 20 March 2007.
• Wiki, Blog, Skype, Podcast e le “prossime cose”: quali integrazioni con l-elearning universitario? (Wiki, Blog, Skype, Podcast and “the next tools”: how can they be integrated into university e-learning?). Workshop held by the Politecnico di Milano – Centro METID, Milano, 14 March 2006.
• Basic course on computer aided translation (CAT) with Wordfast. Held by AMTrad Services, Roma, November 2006.
• Course on e-learning and learning objects. Held by the University Computer Center, University of Padova, October 2005.
• Item writing workshop. Held by Prof. Charles Alderson at the University Language Center of the IUSM of the Università di Roma by Prof. Charles Alderson, November 2004.
• Workshop for CERCLU test writers held by the University Language Center of the University of Padova, January 2004.
• Seminary on the European Language Portfolio held by the University Language Center of the University of Padova, September 2003.
• Advanced course in Macromedia Dreamweaver, held at the University Language Center of the University of Padova by Inside srl, February 2002.
• Basic and Intermediate courses in Macromedia Flash e Fireworks, held at the University Language Center of the University of Padova by Inside srl, 2001, 2003.

Education

03/2009-present
PhD candidate Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum
Supervisors: Prof. Markus Ritter Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Englisches Seminar and Prof. Andreas Mueller-Hartmann Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg
Provisional Title: Developing critical online literacies in a digital culture: Theoretical frameworks and empirical investigations in the teritiary language classroom

01/2006 – 12/2006
Master’s degree in Tutoring for Distance Learning
University of Padova, Faculty of Education
Via Beato Pellegrino, 28 - 35100 Padova

31/08/1998 – 25/09/1998
CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
The Cambridge School, Verona
Via Rosmini 6 - 37123 Verona

09/1990 – 05/1994
BA in Italian Literature and Culture, cum laude
Vassar College
124 Raymond Ave - Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 (USA)

Work Experience

15/01/1996 – present
University of Padova
via 8 Febbraio, 2 - 35122 Padova
English language teacher for the University Language Center, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Arts and Philosophy

Courses: Faculty of Arts and Philosophy – “Intercultural Exchanges” (http://interculturewiki.pbwiki.com/) and “BloggingEnglish” (http://bloggingenglish1.blogspot.com/) blended English learning courses based on Web 2.0 for second-year graduate students in International Communications; Faculty of Engineering – Intermediate and Upper-Intermediate classroom courses; “Writing for PhDs” a fully online course for PhD students in Engineering.

Projects: creation of computer-based language tests CERCLU (national project) and TAL (University of Padova)

1997 – present
Translator: translation from Italian to English and correction of scientific articles and papers

10/1996 – 12/2001
Connect pScarl
P.zza del Sole e della Pace, 14, int B16 - 35031 Abano Terme (PD)
English language teacher in firms in the Italian North-East
9/1995 – 5/1997
Euroscuola, Scuola Media
Riviera Paleocapa, 46 - 35141 Padova
English language teacher in an Italian Middle School
3/1995 – 9/1996
Inlingua School of Languages
Via Tommaseo Niccolo', 67 - 35131 Padova
English language teacher for adults
9/1994 – 3/1995
Wall Street Institute
Via Trieste, 23 - 35121 Padova
English language teacher for adults

CV

For my first post something pretty basic: I’m trying to fix up my CV for this blog and am realizing that my ‘experience’ as it were is really international. So, when thinking of format, who’s ‘requirements’ do you respect? Those of the EU (the famous EU CV), those of the US (but which style???), those used in Germany (where I’m doing the PhD), or those in Italy (where I live and work)? All of this just to say that what we’re still missing is some kind of international format for presenting oneself to the outside world, in whatever language it may be. Guess my conclusion in the end is a sort of, as my colleague Fran and other Green Day fans will understand ‘f… em all’ and I’ll do it the way I feel most appropriate in this hybrid status I’ve found myself in as an American working and living in Italy doing her PhD in Germany. There’s got to be some benefit in the end in not ‘belonging’ to any specific university, country or culture, right?

Now I’ll go see if I can actually get this CV online. Then off to ‘real’ things.

PhD Title

Still very confused after long talks with my supervisor, but after having listend to me blab on for hours, he came up with a title for my PhD:

Developing critical online literacies in a digital culture: Theoretical frameworks and empirical investigations in the teritiary language classroom.

Markus tells me these are the key words that can be changed, altered, modified during the process:

• ‘critical online literacies’ as I may choose to focus on another aspect of the framework, i.e. cultural or operational, or not just online literacies but also ICC and language skills
• ‘digital culture’ as opposed to ‘global’ or other buzz words
• ‘frameworks’ in the plural as opposed to the singular we’ve already come up with

Mah! Who knows where this all will take me. In the meantime I’m happy to have a starting point and people to bounce ideas off of.

What's this

For over a year now I’ve been thinking about doing a PhD to be able to carry out research on the many ideas I’ve been playing around with in my research over the past few years. Some answers to some questions:

Why do a PhD? Because I need to stop and think about what I’ve been doing and because, though it sucks being a ‘technician’-but-really-a-language-teacher here in Italy, I can get 3 years off to do a PhD?

Why now? Midlife crisis? And since I’m already doing research with Fran…

Why in Germany? In the end it’s Rob’s fault Couldn’t find anyone here interested in telecollaboration, new technologies and new literacies. Didn’t want to do a PhD in this messed up system in Italy. Wanted to learn a new language and be part of a new culture. Rob put me in touch with Markus, who is interested in the affordances of these new technolgies…

What about the title? Well. I grew up in a country that though ‘grand’ was completely isolated from the rest of the world and VERY monolingual. My first years in Italy were tough with no easy way to communicate with family and friends and then technology made all this easier. Then I began to integrate technology into my teaching, the computer-as-tutor type thing. Then I attended a workshop by Rob which opened my eyes to the possibility of having students communicate with one another across all sorts of boundaries, be they physical or idological, in order to allow them to move beyond the limited sphere of their limited world into the global world. Then I started working with Fran, who helped me focus on the importance of critically understanding these technologies beyond their face value in order to help our students become thinkers and, hopefully consequently, do-ers.

Why a blog? I’ve always thought about keeping a blog but it’s not a part of my personality. When I started doing research, I came across several blogs held by PhD students and found them useful and intersting. Then, when I was attending the Summer School in Antwerp, the teachers pointed out the importance of keeping track of what we are thinking and doing in our research. So here will be my, hopefully, whole-hearted attempt to do this. Finally, if you’re investigating new technologies and online literacies you’ve got to be a part of it. And after using Blogger for years, Markus suggested I use WordPress, so here we go!