The Project

                                            

This project is about the possible impacts of the flipping classroom on English language learning, academic performance, learning attitudes, and participation levels of UMC English V, Maritime Engineering students. Specialty: Operations. Adopting the design of the flipping Classroom as a tool for teaching and learning and for the students to gain control of their learning process through studying course materials outside of class using readings, videos and research assignments.

Information and Communication Technology stands for new multimedia technologies, including computer Software, CD-ROM, the internet, mobile phones, television, films as well as internet-based Project work, e-mail, chat, Blogs. Wikis, podcasts and so forth (Andrews, 2000b). A large amount of research has been conducted to better comprehend the effect of ICT on students’ language learning and demonstrates that the use of ICT in   language classes increase the students enthusiasm and achievements and also makes them stay longer on the task (See Tunsalt & Gripps, 1996; David et al., 1999; Moseley et al. , 1999; Pacher, 1999). Moreover, Cox (1999) reports research findings that if students believed that ICT could help them in their long-term future, they would spend more time on using ICT. Lankshear et al. (2000) state ICT can help students with intellectual disabilities to promote their communication skills and self- confidence, in brief, language learning.

     Furthermore, Chapelle (2001) points out that ICT students’ computer literacy, strengthens their cultural awareness, and develops their social identity in the target culture.

     On the other hand, some problems emerging with the use of ICT in the language classroom have been explored by many researchers (Standholdz et al. 1996; Johnston, 1998; Cox, 1999; Selinger, 1999; Lankshear 2000; Torgerson et al, 2002). The negative issue they pointed out in their findings are, mainly, the expense which prevents ICT from being used as widely as desired, parents’ doubts even fears about the vast amount of ICT use, insufficient time allocation due to pre-arranged syllabus, also lack of technical support dedicated to the use of ICT and lastly teachers’ in confidence for their few skills on the new technologies. In this sequence, concerning the availability of the necessary technology, recent studies conducted by Directorate General of Education and Culture (2002) indicate that all Members States of the European Union as well as pre-accessions countries are making remarkable effort to catch up and to bridge the new ICT. As to the technical support and time allocation the same. Survey reveals that ministries of education began to show awareness of the need to address the question of providing specific support for ICT in ELT and also special teaching/ learning programs are being developed, therefore most frequently taught and used in Europe. Regarding the families suspicious, as Vogel (2011) suggest, it is the teacher’s or instructor’s task to endure that learners do not, for example, just surf the Web at random, but by directed within a specifically structure task, obtain the maximum benefits possible from time spent online. At this juncture, a shift of paradigm is necessary in teacher roles more like a facilitator, mentor, integrator (of new media), researcher, designer (of complex learning scenarios), collaborator, orchestrator (of technology, learner and curriculum), learner and evaluator rather than a dominant and authority figure in the classroom.

    

      However, the use and deployment of ITC in English  Language teaching is far from satisfactory as ICT tools are reserved traditionally out of the planned syllabus, which is in fact, directed by the course book use for teaching the language. Off-the shelf commercially produced software packages are provided for limited language skills or components like only for listening or pronunciation, yet a detailed conclusion of various skills and components dedicated by ICT tools is infrequently used in the language classroom. Generally they are considered to be available for solely self-study but not for in-class use. This illogical inconsistency about what to use individually or in-class seems to be based on insufficient integration of ICT in ELT course books and its inadequate reflection to the course.

     Technology has become an integral part of educational settings. Well de Lange, and Fieger (2008) have suggested that technological advancements have significantly altered the ways educators teach and learners learn. Moreover, teachers all over the world have felt a hidden pressure to integrate technology in their lessons.

  

   This pressure force teachers to re-evaluate their teaching style. Rather than avoiding the call, educators should incorporate technology into their teaching, applying its advantages towards achieving learning objectives. The opportunities presented by technologies in education borderless. Therefore, teachers are in search for ways to incorporate technology into their classrooms to create better learning opportunities for their students. (Koehler. Mishra, Hershey, & Peruski, 2014).  With the use of technologies the aim of teachers are to present reach learning experiences, to the students and to create more engaging and motivating classroom atmosphere.

   Among the technological mediums, videos is an effective teaching tool when used properly (Hartsell & Yuen, 2006, Shepard, 2003), and teachers all over the world have been using it to support their instructions.

     Video Lectures, which are different than simply showing videos in the classroom, are not a new concept; however, the technology used to produce, edit, and distribute such videos has become more accessible to teachers (Whitley- Grassi & Baizer, 2010). In this context, the flipped classroom can “improve learning experiences and capture the attention of Millennial Students” (Roehl, Reddy, & Shannon, 20013, p. 49).  One Method for incorporating technology like videos is the flipped or inverted classroom, which brings and innovative perspective to traditional lectures.

        Objectives:

• To prove that flip lessons are more effective than non-flipped lessons. 
• To compare the academic performance of students in a flipped lesson class and a non-flipped lesson class. 
• To observe the students learning attitude while the are in a flipped lesson class.
• To observe the participation level of the students in a flipped lesson class. 

     According to Walvoord, Anderson, Lage, Platt and Treglia (2001).   There is a belief that having students engage in active learning and peer learning in class leads to deeper understanding and greater retention of concepts than traditional lectures information transfer in class thus flipping or inverting give the opportunity to cultivate deeper, richer learning experiences for students when the instructor is present to coach and guide them. 

    Audience:

• UMC Maritime Engineering Students'  Specialty: Operations.English V

• All English Teachers and All People who will be interested in the e-Project. 

     Steps:

• The teacher will explain to the students step-by-step the activity which consist in assigning a task for home like watching a video about a specific topic to be developed in class. Their average age is 18 years old 
• The students will come to the next class with the information resulting from the research on the topic in question, the same must be prepare as a  mini presentation of no more than 7 mins explaining Unit 1 “ Ship design and constructions” to his or her peers.
• His or Her peers can intervene and ask questions and their interventions will be assigned a percentage.
• The role of the teacher will be as a facilitator and guide to finally clarify and bring the issue to a conclusion.
• The Students will finish with their own reflections on the work done
• The students will post their own conclusions on the teacher's blog.
• The teacher will assess them. 

     Schedule:

•  Content and Activities per Week

            Unit 1.  Ship Design and Construction 

Equipment general arrangement plan. Directions and positions on board (abeam, forward, astern).

Ship's dimensions (length. over all , breadth, draught, air draught, feeboard, water line).

Measurement and tonnages.

Grammar: Verb "to be" 

Vocabulary: hull. deck, superstructure, bulbous bow, bridge, 

NATO Alphabet.

Activity:

 Podcast with Podbean, Podomatic, Vocaroo or MP3 Recorder

• Find a classmate .
• Outline a script  for a 3-5 minutes
• Identify yourself and Welcome to the Audience.
• Mention the day. date and place.
• Introduce your interviewee and Thank for accepting your invitation.
• Start the Interview.
• End the Interview with a very short summary of the main points discussed.
• Thanks again the Interviewee for his or her valued contribution. 
• End by saying good bye to your audience.
• Bring the interview to class for your classmates to listen it. 
• Send it to your teacher's blog.

        Unit 2. The merchant ship and its organization.

 Organization on board.

 Deck department (master, officer, and ratings on deck)

 Engine department (chief engineer, and other personal in charge) Type of merchant ships.

 Grammar: There is / There are ... responsible for / in charge of

 Use of "Ing" after a preposition.

 Vocabulary: cargo, dry, liquid, LNP, LPG

 Activity: Face to Face 

 Video: Merchant Ships and Classifications. 

•  The teacher will send a video according to the unit which is planned. The suggested activity consisted only of viewing the videos, no other activities, were given 
•    The Face to Face Class would start with the mini presentation that was assigned to the Ss previously about  the video: Merchant Ships and Classifications.
• The students will explain the content of the video to his or her peers given them all the explanation necessary related to the content of the video.
• The Ss will bring some activities to the classroom for his or her peers and the teacher.
• His or Her peers and the teacher will make some questions related to the topic.
• The Students will answer them.
• The students will finish with his or her own conclusions.

 

     Week 3: Navigation

General introduction: Types of navigation (coastal, celestial, electronic navigation) A ship's position and course.

The navigating bridge and its equipment.

Grammar: Verbal tenses (simple past, simple present, present perfect, future) Use of ago (past) and since and for (present perfect) 

Vocabulary: sextant, chronometer, GPS, heading, bearing, relative bearing, true north, Cardinal points (north, south, east, and west) 

Activity: Discussion.

Videos:  How to read latitude and longitude and True Bearing and Relative Bearing 

Definition & Conversion.

• The teacher will send the videos to the students.
• The teacher  and the Ss will prepare some questions related to the Videos
• The teacher and the Ss will make a circle.
• The Ss and the teacher will start making random questions relate to the topics. 
• The teacher will clarify the doubts if there are any.

The Teacher and The Ss will finish the discussion with their own conclusions.