Spanish Modules Chinese Module
How to use our models
Every module presents a series of learning activities that were piloted in heritage and mixed heritage/L2 classes at CUNY colleges and partner institutions. The CUNY pilot classes were four hour–four credit courses that met twice a week, and they generally included approximately 30 students.
- The modules can be used as they are or can be adapted according to the needs of your classroom in terms of level of proficiency, target content areas, unit duration, timeline of the activities, and geographical location of the classes involved in the project.
- Considering the timelines of our pilot courses, each module was designed to be completed in a month. However, the sequence of activities can be adapted to fit shorter or longer timelines.
- Every module was designed and implemented as a sequence of tasks, with each task composed of a sequence of activities; however, single tasks and activities can also be modified to be used as stand-alone telecollaborative projects.
- The activities were designed to be used within a telecollaboration project run with a partner class. Activities, materials, and resources were aligned and used in parallel by the two courses. However, the sequence of activities, as well as individual activities, can be adapted to enhance collaboration among students within a single course that does not run a telecollaboration project with a partner course.
- Prior to implementing the activities, it is important to allocate adequate time to prepare for the telecollaboration with your partner instructor, as well as set up the learning environment and prepare the students.
- If you would like to use our materials but need assistance in creating variations/adaptations for your own classes, we would be happy to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
MadMagz is a web application that allows students to collaboratively create a digital magazine.
Images can be uploaded or inserted by URL. Text can be arranged according to different templates. Collaborators work on pages from a template and send them to the student designated as “editor”, for final editing and creation of the issue.
The free template and web magazine enable students to create and collaborate on multiple magazines and issues.
NowComment is a free online tool for collaboratively discussing and annotating online documents and media.
Students can leave comments on selected content, add information, hyperlinks and multimedia, create collections of discussions and annotations, and start word or sentence-level conversations.
NowComment can be integrated with popular learning management systems.
WeVideo is an online collaborative video editor. Students can upload and share photos and videos, or use the built-in recorder to record videos and screen-casts.
The video editor supports the addition of text over scenes, and images from the Creative Commons, and it provides predefined themes and backgrounds. Collaborators enroll by email or through a registration code, but editing is limited to one person at a time.
The trial version grants access to the software for 90 days, and allows students to create a video up to 5 minutes of length.
YouTube Live is a free platform where students can collaboratively record and broadcast videos.
The platform allows multiple participants to schedule a session ahead of time, and to interact with an audience through a chat feature. The video is automatically saved on YouTube and can be archived as public or private and shared by URL. YouTube Live also allows students to screencast and to create highlight clips of the recording.
Zoom is a free cloud-based video conferencing system.
In addition to videoconferencing, students can screen-share from desktop and mobile devices, exchange images, video clips, and documents using the central whiteboard, schedule sessions ahead of time, create group chats, and facilitate live interactions with voice recognition and a “raise-hand” feature. Students are invited by email, or they may enroll using a registration link.