Designing Synchronous Online Interactions and Discussions

May 17, 2016

IDEAS 2016: Designing for InnovationA few weeks ago I co-presented a session at the University of Calgary’s IDEAS 2016 conference. This year the theme was “Designing for Innovation”. My colleagues, Barb Brown and Meadow Schroeder and I presented on how to effectively design synchronous sessions for e-learning.

The three of us are all award-winning educators, and each has her own approach to how we design and deliver real-time sessions via Adobe Connect in our classes. We offered ideas and tips on what we do and how we do it. Our paper has been included in the conference proceedings, which have just been released. Here’s a link to our paper:

Brown, B., Schroeder, M., & Eaton, S.E. (2016, May). Designing Synchronous Online Interactions and Discussions. In M. Takeuchi, A.P. Preciado Babb, & J. Lock. IDEAS 2016: Designing for Innovation Selected Proceedings. Paper presented at IDEAS 2016: Designing for Innovation, Calgary, Canada (pg 51-60). Calgary, Canada: Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1880/51209

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Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.


APA Checklist for Term Papers

December 1, 2015

My students often struggle with the finer points of APA formatting and style. While I always encourage them to read the APA manual in detail themselves, with the end of the semester looming, that doesn’t always happen. So, I put together this handy checklist for my students to help them format their paper like a pro.

Feel free to use it yourself or share it with your own students. Here’s the checklist as a free, downloadable .pdf file: APA Checklist for Final Papers.

You can also view it on Scribd:

 

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This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.


So, yesterday was a pretty stellar day at work…

September 11, 2015

Werklund School of Education Teaching Excellence Award 2014-2015There are moments that mark our careers, our lives and our memories. Yesterday I had a very special moment, surrounded by friends, colleagues and mentors. In the company of about 20 or so other winners of awards presented by the Werklund School of Education, I was honoured and humbled to receive the 2014-2015 Teaching Excellence Award.

I know there were some pretty special people working behind the scenes who made this happen and some pretty phenomenal former students wrote letters of support to the selection committee.

Moments like these don’t happen very often. We enjoy them, savouring the opportunity to share with those around us who make the work worthwhile and bring joy to our professional practice.

That happened yesterday. Today it is back to work, connecting with students at the beginning of another busy fall semester. I’m thrilled to be teaching two groups of Master’s of Education students this semester. They really do keep me inspired on a daily basis.

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This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.


Language Learning and Technology (EDER 669.79)

January 24, 2015

U of C logo - 2015This winter I am so excited to be teaching Language Learning and Technology for the Master’s of Education program at the University of Calgary.

Here’s the course description:

This course has been designed for students who want to learn how to combine a face-to-face language teaching approach with the use of technology in their present and future careers as language teachers. The course will cover both theoretical and practical issues in teaching second language and the use of new technology to support and enhance the learning process.

A special emphasis will be on combining both face-to-face and the use of technologies in and beyond the classroom walls to enhance the second language learning process. Although the course will address the different technologies (Web 2.0 technologies (e.g., blog and wiki; audio and video podcasting; online video; mobile tools), mobile technology (e.g., mobile phones; MP3 players; digital cameras; camcorders), and other type of interactive technologies), the focus of the course is on the pedagogical and practical aspects of integrating new technology to face-to-face language teaching. The course is open to present and future second language teachers at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary level. The course also invites language teachers with limited knowledge of the target language to learn how to enhance their language teaching by integrating blended teaching into their practice.

We are two weeks into the new semester and I’ve been working with an excellent group of students who are actively sharing their ideas and experiences about teaching languages with technology. I am so excited to see what the rest of the semester brings!

Here’s a copy of the course outline.

Here’s the reading list for the course.

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This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.


Let’s fix our broken education system

June 27, 2014

I’ve got some fun news to share. I’ve been invited to write a regular column for Troy Media. My job is to write provocative, edgy, thought pieces on education in Canada. They’ve just published my first column:

“Let’s fix our broken education system: How to go from B-roken to A-wesome while there’s still time”

Canada was recently ranked against 15 other countries around the world for the quality of its education. How did we do? Read more…

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Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.