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ELT article published by at http://reflective-online-teaching.blogspot.com/Prof. Jonathan Acua

Reflecting Upon LMS Use and Web 2.0 Tools

Professionally speaking, I have been working with the concept of VLE since

2008, and part of my training has been geared towards the use of LMS

platforms and Web 2.0 tools to enhance student learning in the courses

that I teach on a regular basis. Still I have a couple of concerns that

somehow trouble me: my own ability in the use of tools to communicate

with students and the lack of formal training by the IT Department at my

teaching work place.

Working on a self-assessment of my own abilities to use Web 2.0 tools to

communicate with students and to develop course content for my learners,

I decided to use the benchmarks already established by the LoTi 1

, which is an American educational consulting firm thatConnection

specializes in the integration of 21st Century skills into learning curricula. I

1LoTi = Levels of Technology Implementation
http://www.loticonnection.com/index.php/about-lotihttp://www.loticonnection.com/index.php/about-lotihttp://www.loticonnection.com/index.php/about-lotihttp://www.loticonnection.com/index.php/about-lotihttp://www.loticonnection.com/index.php/about-lotihttp://www.loticonnection.com/index.php/about-loti


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started with the LoTi idea long ago when being trained by Prof. Deborah

Healey and Prof. Sandra Jeffs from the American English Institute /

Department of Linguistics, University of Oregon. LoTi has marked my Web

2.0 skills development to fully become an innovative user of technology to

promote course content and assist students to achieve learning goals via

technology. Based on the LoTis Level of Teaching Innovation Framework, I

am now at the level.LoTi 6: Refinement

A LoTi 6: Refinement level is that one in which an instructors believes in

the pervasive use of and access to advanced digital resources [which]

provides a seamless medium for information queries, creative problem-solving, student reflection, and/or product development. [Instructors] have

ready access to and a complete understanding of a vast array of

collaboration tools and related resources to accomplish learning outcomes

beyond conventional strategies ( ). With this in myLoTi Connection 2011

professional and technological background, I feel quite confident in the use

of virtual learning environments (VLES) and the use of Web 2.0 tools toenhance social, teaching, and cognitive presence within these teaching

scenarios.
http://loticonnection.cachefly.net/global_documents/LoTi_Framework_Sniff_Test.pdfhttp://loticonnection.cachefly.net/global_documents/LoTi_Framework_Sniff_Test.pdfhttp://loticonnection.cachefly.net/global_documents/LoTi_Framework_Sniff_Test.pdf


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Barely have I been trained by the IT Department at my teaching site in the

use of the universitys Moodle LMS platform; for this reason I now ask,will

we teachers get relevant and concise learning experiences [training] to

become fully competent in how to really profitfrom our virtual classrooms?

When the new Moodle platform was introduced at our university, we were

given a very brief introduction on how to add content to its various

features such as homework, chats, forums, and the like. However, the 60-

minute training is not enough to become an expert user of the tool. For

that reason I decided to enroll in a Moodle user s free course to get really

acquainted of how the platform can be fully used at its most potential.

Although I feel confident with the things I have tried so far and with the

results I have obtained, how could my learning have been if we teachers

have at least been trained online on how to use all Moodle features?

As a conclusion, I must say that technologically and psychologically

speaking I feel much more prepared to deal with VLEs now that I am

taking my third module of the Online Hybrid and Blended Education

Certificate. I really look forward to continue advancing through the rest of

the modules to complete my formal training and become a much more

competent and complete online instructor.


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To fully develop and comprehend this teaching issue, its advisable to

research and expand these areas:

1 LoTi Framework

2 Self-assessment with LoTi

3 Moodle Training

4 IT Training for teachers5 Moodle features for education

Professor Jonathan Acua-Solano

ELT Instructor & Trainer based in Costa Rica

NCTE Affiliate- Costa Rica

Resource Teacher atCCCN

Senior ELT Professor atUniversidad Latina

Freelance ELT Consultant four in Central AmericaOUP

For further comments or suggestions, reach me at:

@jonacuso Twitter

[email protected]

Other blogs and sites I often write for my students at the university are:

1.Pronunciation 1 2.Readding Skills 1

3.Pronunciation 2 4. Computering Applications in

Education
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NCTE-Costa-Rica-Official-Site/467960803216922http://centrocultural.cr/http://centrocultural.cr/http://ulatina.ac.cr/http://ulatina.ac.cr/mailto:[email protected]://bin-02.blogspot.com/http://bin-02.blogspot.com/http://bin-04.blogspot.com/http://bin-04.blogspot.com/http://bin-06.blogspot.com/http://bin-06.blogspot.com/https://sites.google.com/site/studio54onlineradio/https://sites.google.com/site/studio54onlineradio/https://sites.google.com/site/studio54onlineradio/https://sites.google.com/site/studio54onlineradio/http://bin-06.blogspot.com/http://bin-04.blogspot.com/http://bin-02.blogspot.com/mailto:[email protected]://ulatina.ac.cr/http://centrocultural.cr/http://www.facebook.com/pages/NCTE-Costa-Rica-Official-Site/467960803216922


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Get new ELT material and ideas by visiting my curated topics on

andhttp://paper.li/ http://scoop.it/

TEFL Daily English Language Teaching Journal

ELT Daily Phonemics Daily

The Linguists: Linguistics News

Published on October 1, 2013

LoTi Connection (2011). Level of Teaching Innovation Framework.

Retrieved from

http://loticonnection.cachefly.net/global_documents/LoTi_Framework_Sniff

_Test.pdf
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