Teacher Training and Student Learning |
| Web Conference Events [Top] |
Randall provides opportunities to participate in a Web conference with ESL/EFL classes and teachers from around the world for the purpose of providing training to teachers and students. In his listening presentation, he shares his thoughts on language learning in a presentation called, "Seven Keys to Boosting Your Listening Skills." Teachers and students can listen and interact with Randall in his Web Conference Center during this one-hour session.
| Web Conference Room [Top] |
During these sessions, Randall speaks to students and teachers and presents key ideas on the keys to developing listening skills using PowerPoint. Students and teachers can text chat in questions during the presentation, and Randall will answer questions with a live moderator and/or attendees. Using a Webcam is also possible.
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| A listing of participants and audio settings are displayed | Main presentation screen where PowerPoint, an interactive Whiteboard, and Web site tours can be shown. | Text chat window where participants can share ideas and comments. |
| Presentation Schedule [Top] |
This meeting lasts about one hour, and the meeting date and time are arranged in advance, usually Monday-Friday, US Mountain Standard Time. (Randall generally does one event a month.) These sessions are broadcasted from Utah in the United States (Mountain Standard Time). Click HERE to see a chart of some places around the world so you can see what time it is in different time zones (created from http://www.worldtimeserver.com).
| Frequently Asked Questions [Top] |
Why are you doing these Web Conference events?
I just want to provide another way for students and teachers to receive language training beyond their classrooms, particularly in cases where such training isn't available or other constraints prevent people from attending conferences.
Is there a benefit to participating in your online presentation verses just looking over the PowerPoint presentation and watching the video that you have available here?
The main benefit of participating in a Web conference session is that teachers and students can interact with me through a microphone and/or text chat and ask me questions as part of the session. I often share additional comments and insights about the listening that are not found in the PowerPoint presentation and the video. However, because of scheduling, it is impossible for me to meet every interested teacher and student online. Therefore, I provide the PowerPoint slides, Student Assignment Sheet, and the video here so you can watch the presentation on your own.
In such cases, I've created two versions of the video presentation, one directed to teachers and the other for students. In other words, if the audience is made of of teachers who want training on teaching their students, then I would select the Teacher version. If the audience is made up of ESL/EFL students, then watch the Student version. The PowerPoint presentation is basically the same.
- View the Full PowerPoint Presentation in PDF: HERE (1.7 MB).
- Watch the Presentation: HERE (26 minutes, 12 MB, Teacher Version)
- Watch the Presentation: HERE (30 minutes, 13 MB, Student Version)
- Download the Teacher Discussion Sheet HERE (32 KB, Word format. You have permission to freely edit, copy, and distribute for training purposes.)
- Download the Student Assignment Sheet HERE (55 KB, Word format. You have permission to freely edit, copy, and distribute for classroom use.)
You are permitted to print off copies of the PowerPoint for other teachers and students; I encourage you to share the ideas this way. You can also show the slides to students and teachers in a presentation at your school as long as you indicate the source. No problem. You are also welcome to show the video as part of training or classroom instruction. However, uploading my PowerPoint presentation or the video to a Web server as part of a Web page or on a local Intranet is not allowed.
Can I use the videos, PowerPoint, and Student Assignment Sheet on my own without participating in any Web conference?
Absolutely. As I just mentioned, teachers and students might find that using the materials on their own suits their needs better without having to arrange and schedule a Web conference. There is no need to contact me in this case.
How often will you be giving these sessions?
I normally have time to do one event a month which includes preparation, pre-conference practice, and the actual event. Unfortunately, I can only provide a limited number of sessions throughout the year due to my own work, vacation, and family schedule. Therefore, I make arrangements based on my available time, so contact me to arrange an event.
How can I join an event?
Currently, all the sessions are designed for teachers and schools who arrange a presentation with me for their staff and students. A typical example would be for me to meet with a teacher and his/her students through a single Internet connection (students and the teacher are in a classroom or computer lab projecting the presentation on a screen) rather than 20 different individual people from different parts of the world at the same time. Arranging a meeting for a single group is much easier to coordinate and carry out because I don't have to worry about 20 different internet connections trying to access my Web Conference Room at the same time.
Do I need any special software or hardware to participate in a live Web conference?
Not really. You just need the following, which are probably already installed on your computer:
- Windows XP/Vista, Mac, Linux
- Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari (Google Crome is not supported at this time.)
- Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or higher)
- Microphone headset (completely optional because attendees can simply text their questions)
Can you provide more extensive online training for teachers and students?
Yes, I can arrange such training depending on the nature of the event.
Are you available to give an online presentation at a language conference or even present in person?
Yes. There are advantages of speaking in person because you can really interact face-to-face with an audience. However, flying 6,000 miles isn't always possible due to time and other considerations. So, contact me if you are interested in having me present at your event. You can read about some of my presentations HERE.
How can I contact you about arranging a Web conference for my class or organization?
If you feel a Web conference might be right for your group, feel free to contact me HERE with specific details. Otherwise, you can use the video, PowerPoint, and Student Assignment Sheet to study the content on your own.
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