Are you interested in digital literacies in EAL settings? Join us for the third SIG event. The event will include a reintroduction of the SIG, followed by a seminar.
Digital Literacies in EAL SIG is an initiative supported by VicTESOL. It is a group for members of TESOL associations in Australia who are interested in digital literacies and their inclusion in EAL learning.
Research presentation – Enhancing collaboration in online learning environments in EAL classrooms
This seminar presents strategies for fostering effective collaboration among EAL students in digital online learning environments. It offers insights into the dynamics of student interaction in online classrooms and proposes ways to enhance engagement, cooperation, wellbeing, and mutual understanding. Based on research conducted by Monash University, the seminar highlights the significance of carefully designed collaborative tasks, structured use of online platforms, and the cultivation of an inclusive, respectful online culture. Innovative digital tools are examined for their creative role in fostering group collaboration. The seminar also identifies the role of teachers in modelling effective communication and ensuring fair contribution from all participants to enhance students’ learning outcomes in EAL, developing their critical thinking, and improving their interpersonal skills. This seminar provides valuable insights for educators striving to adapt traditional collaborative learning strategies to digital platforms, ultimately aiming to foster a more interactive, engaging online learning experience.
Speakers:
Dr Edwin Creely is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. He has extensive research experience in digital literacies and pedagogies, technologies and education, literacy and second language learning, creativity and creative practices, initial teacher education, and artificial intelligence. Edwin has many years of teaching and leadership experience across all sectors in education, including adult education. With Katrina Tour and Peter Waterhouse, he co-authored the AMEP Digital Literacies Framework & Guide (Commonwealth of Australia, 2021) and Enhancing Digital Literacies with Adult English Language Learners (Routledge 2022).
Dr Peter Waterhouse is a Lecturer in the School of Education, Culture and Society in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. He has been an adult educator, teacher educator and researcher most of his professional life; teaching, consulting, and collaborating across a range of contexts, from community and workplace settings to Higher Education. His research interests include adult, lifelong and experiential learning, adult literacy/ies, digital literacy/ies and learning beyond the boundaries of schools. With Katrina Tour and Edwin Creely, he has co-authored the AMEP Digital Literacies Framework & Guide (Commonwealth of Australia, 2021) and Enhancing Digital Literacies with Adult English Language Learners (Routledge 2022).
Practice presentation – Using Padlet for collaborative learning with low-literacy and digital literacy adult EAL learners
‘Padlet is a software people use to make and share content with others. Padlet empowers everyone to make the content they want, whether it’s a quick bulletin board, a blog, or a portfolio.’ Shared content can include texts, links, photos and videos. In an educational setting Padlet can be used to brainstorm; to gather students’ answers or feedback; to share findings for collaborative research projects; for online student portfolios or to gather student work. Padlet is easy-to-use and private, which makes it an ideal digital tool for low-literacy and digital literacy EAL learners. The presenter will share how to use Padlet to learn writing in a collaborative way. She will describe the process of eliciting and constructing a text that precedes writing. She will then describe her experience using Padlet in an adult EAL class – students share their texts on Padlet and collaborate to edit them.
Speaker:
Tanja Rykovska is an experienced English as Additional Language teacher with keen interest in educational technology. She has had opportunities to design, build and deliver blended and online English language courses. In her leadership capacity as a senior teacher at a large educational institution Tanja has supported teachers learning to use digital technology and finding their ways to teach using digital technology. She considers professional development for educators in this area to be imperative as technology changes and new contexts to use digital technology appear. At the same time, Tanja understands that digital literacies exist in complex systems, educational, social and personal. As a fellow at the International Specialised Skills Institute, she researched digitalisation in adult education in the USA and Europe. Tanja embraces lifelong learning in her professional and personal life. She believes that change is the only constant in life and to be comfortable with it she needs to learn and experience new things regularly.
Event facilitators
Dr Katrina Tour (Monash University) and Associate Professor Melissa Barnes (LaTrobe University).
Cost
$10 – VicTESOL members (including members of other state TESOL associations affiliated with ACTA)
$30 – Non-members