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CORE TRAINING COURSE
The eTEACHERS CORE Training Course will give you hands-on training with the apps and e-resources that support essential English teaching skills. The 11 e-resources in the course include both new apps that can transform your teaching and more familiar apps that you can learn to use in innovative ways. Get started by reading the course information and requirements here or just dive into the course below.
UNIT 1 – PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION
Teachers have to make presentations. You may be giving a long, detailed, traditional lecture or just briefly recapping some main points. You may even be introducing a student-centered lesson, with innovative and interactive activities. Either way, as a teacher, you still have to present engaging content to your students in almost every lesson. Watch the video for a brief introduction to Unit 1 – Presentation.
(Download the course manual for this unit here)
SECTION 1.1 GOOGLE SLIDES
Google Slides is recommended for presentations because it is a user-friendly, cloud-based application. It also integrates extremely well with other e-resources, such as Pear Deck (Section 1.2), Google Forms (Section 3.2), Google Quizzes (Section 3.3), Google Blogger (Section 4.1), and Google Classroom (Section 4.2).
SECTION 1.2 PEAR DECK
Pear Deck is an interactive presentation tool that can be used as an add-on to Google Slides (Section 1.1). Students can follow along with the teacher’s slideshow and answer interactive questions in real time. Pear Deck has been used by many teachers to help hold students’ attention and get them to participate throughout presentations.
UNIT 2 – INTERACTION
INTRODUCTION
Students learn by thinking and doing. When it comes to language learning, that often means interacting with others. In this unit, we introduce you to apps that are guaranteed to engage students more actively and encourage them to interact. Watch the video for a brief introduction to Unit 2 – Interaction.
(Download the course manual for this unit here)
SECTION 2.1 PADLET
Padlet is a powerful application that encourages students to communicate and actively interact in pairs, groups, or with the whole class. If you don’t use Padlet already, it’s a must-try app. If you do use it, this section will still teach you something new about its many rich features.
SECTION 2.2 FLIP
*Note that the Flip app (formerly Flipgrid) was discontinued by Microsoft in October 2024.
UNIT 3 – EVALUATION
INTRODUCTION
There are many different kinds of evaluation and assessment that are important to classroom teachers. In this unit, we will dive into tools that will allow you to conduct authentic and timely assessment of students’ learning in ways that both support and go beyond traditional classroom assessment. Watch the video for a brief introduction to Unit 3 – Evaluation.
(Download the course manual for this unit here)
SECTION 3.1 EDPUZZLE
Edpuzzle is an easy-to-use platform that allows teachers to engage every student in video-based assignments. With Edpuzzle, teachers can enhance videos with cuts, voiceovers, multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and notes. Teachers can monitor students participation and even prevent them from skipping ahead. Students always like videos, and Edpuzzle helps transform any video into a powerful lesson.
SECTION 3.2 GOOGLE FORMS
Google Forms is a cloud-based application for collecting a wide variety of information and content from students. Teachers can create a simple survey form of any length, on any topic, with many flexible features. For example, there is a wide range of questions types, allowing text-only or the integration of images and videos.
SECTION 3.3 GOOGLE QUIZZES
Google Quizzes is what eTEACHERS calls the quiz features of Google Forms. Teachers can enable the additional Quiz feature with one click. They can then create questions, assign point values, and provide individual feedback for any or every question on Google Forms assignments. Google Quizzes will even allow teachers to grade and give feedback to students automatically.
UNIT 4 – ORGANIZATION
INTRODUCTION
In this unit, we will explore tools that provide teachers with great platforms for the effective organization of blended teaching and learning. Teachers can use them for occasional technology-enhanced activities or tasks, or easily integrate them into daily routines. Either way, having a go-to platform for organizing e-resources is essential for blended teaching. Watch the video for a brief introduction to Unit 4 – Organization.
(Download the course manual for this unit here)
SECTION 4.1 GOOGLE BLOGGER
Google Blogger is a platform that can be used to create a kind of virtual classroom for any teacher. With a teaching blog, teachers can easily manage information and resources, and students can always find exactly what they need, when they need it.
SECTION 4.2 GOOGLE CLASSROOM
Google Classroom is a powerful learning management system that can help teachers create and organize assignments quickly, provide feedback efficiently, and communicate easily with their students. Google Classroom is especially useful when used in conjunction with other Google Apps for Education, such as Google Slides (Section 1.1) and Google Forms (Section 3.2).
UNIT 5 – EXTENSION
INTRODUCTION
The Extension unit of the eTEACHERS Core Course is the place where we recommend tools which can do “one great thing”. Because multi-media and online resources are so essential to blended teaching, these tools focus on linking students to e-resources, audio, and video content. These tools can help to harness the power of technology to enhance English teaching. Watch the video for a brief introduction to Unit 5 – Extension.
(Download the course manual for this unit here)
SECTION 5.1 QR CODE GENERATOR
QR Code Generator allows teachers to link and share all the e-resources students need via a single QR code. This simple tool allows teachers to easily direct students to any video, audio, document, site or assignment from almost anywhere, including traditional handouts or worksheets.
SECTION 5.2 ONLINE VOICE RECORDER
Online Voice Recorder provides a quick, easy, safe and free tool for teachers and students to record audio. Audio recording is perfect for students to have audio-related activities in and out of the classroom, allowing them more authentic speaking and listening practice. For example, students can practice a picture description or a reader’s theater activity (as demonstrated in the training video).
SECTION 5.3 WEBCAMERA
Webcamera is a free, easy, user-friendly app like Online Voice Recorder. Videos play an indispensable role in all blended and flipped class teaching – they are the multimedia textbooks and worksheets of the digital age. Students can use Webcamera easily and safely for activities, such as recording a self-introduction, reflection, or role play. Teachers can use it for giving instructions, modeling answers, or providing feedback. The possibilities are endless!