Since 2007 a blended course (face-to-face and online) at the University of Connecticut offers beginning language educators the opportunity to explore, apply and evaluate online social networks for language, culture and civilization courses within a framework that capitalizes on collaborative, supportive engagement with peers within, across and beyond institutional boundaries. This presentation highlight the creative-commons licensed course components and open educational resources and explores how others can adapt them for use in their own teaching and learning communities.

1. Empowering Beginning Language Teachers
Through Global Communities of Practice
Barbara Lindsey, Melina Masterson, Claudio Pinna, Carsten Witt
University of Connecticut
ACTFL 2011 Denver, CO

2. I am interested in this session
because I am:
a) a faculty member teaching pre-service teachers
b) a pre-service teacher (in training to become a teacher
c) an in-service teacher (currently teaching)
d) other

3. Overview
• Introductions
• Guiding framework
• Learning challenges/Learning opportunities
• Practical examples
• Resources
• Q &A

4. Guiding Framework
Photo credit: Gee's Bend quilting bee by acnatta http://goo.gl/KV4gu
"Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for
something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly."
Etienne Wenger
http://www.ewenger.com/theory/

5. Learning Opportunities

6. Collaborative Learning

7. Our Community of Practice

8. Local

9. Connecting Across Campuses

20. How can
a) blogs
b) back channels
c) wikis
d) social bookmarking
expand your communities of practice?

21. Making Global Connections

31. 21st Century Skills for World
Languages In Practice
Activity 2

32. Making It Personal

33. Action Research

34. Action Research

35. Action Research

37. Assessment

38. Photo credit: Understanding the concept by dkuropatwa http://goo.gl/VAuPc

42. How Do These Empower?
• Action Research
• Open Feedback
• Open Questions

43. Creative Commons Licensed
Resources
Diigo List of Resources:
http://www.diigo.com/list/lindseybp/actfl11empowering
Presenters:
Barbara Lindsey: http://goo.gl/0E6Yo
Melina Masterson: http://goo.gl/TfvB8
Claudio Pinna: http://goo.gl/8wA4A
Carsten Witt: http://goo.gl/tLRxv

44. Q &A

45. Our Question For You
Photo credit: Gee's Bend quilting bee by acnatta http://goo.gl/KV4gu
What one idea presented here could you use
to help build and/or strengthen your
communities of practice?