Implementing Teleconferencing for Pre-Service English Teacher Training and Collaborative Learning
Implementing Teleconferencing for Pre-Service English Teacher
Training and Collaborative Learning
Keywords: English teacher education, Micro-teaching, Teleconference, Collaborative
learning.
Authors
Minako Yogi
University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
Bio Data
Minako Yogi is presently an associate professor at the University of the Ryukyus,
Faculty of Education in Okinawa, Japan. She has been involved in pre-service and inservice
teacher training and in course development for many years. Her recent
research has focused on teacher training and ICT.
Abstract
This paper examines a project that investigated whether teleconferencing could be
effectively implemented in a teaching methodology class to strengthen pre-service
teachers language and teaching skills. The aim of the course was to expose teachertraining
students (TTS) to a variety of teaching methods and materials and for them to
actually produce and present creative teaching materials. Along this line,
teleconferences were incorporated into this teacher-training class as an extension of
micro-teaching. A total of twelve teleconferences were realized with four
collaborating institutions: the Vienna and Budapest Japanese Schools, a Budapest
public high school, and the University of Hawaii. Student teachers gathered
information on topics related to Okinawa, created PowerPoint slides, and prepared for
live show & tell and Q&A sessions. The results from a follow-up questionnaire
indicate that the TTS considered this interactive experience extremely stimulating and
motivating since they had the precious opportunity to present in front of a live
overseas audience and obtain instant feedback from them. They viewed this
synchronous interaction as being valuable for improving their language,
communication skills, teaching and presentation techniques, teaching materials, and
cultural awareness. Consequently, implementation of an innovative approach in
teacher-training programs may have the potential to facilitate unique learning
opportunities and heighten professional growth, which may lead to producing more
competent language teachers.
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Category: Monthly Editions, Volume 62
