OER MATRIX EVALUATION: 1. Diagramming Sentences 2. Reading Short Stories
This project entailed creating a matrix for evaluating digital tools. It was developed from OERs and synthesised into something that is up to date, and probably still in its beta version OER format. Of concern are people with disabilities such as blindness and hearing disorders. The related WCAG matrix is helpful in requesting more research and innovation for this. Brail keyboards are helpful when a user can request information via input, but systems will probably need a parallel algorithm to work in tandem with OERs. More on that later.
The OER matrix is quite broad and has 20 criteria with their own rating descriptions. Evaluation can be selective as the matrix has been designed for OER courses/units or shorter stand-alone lessons integrated as part of the learning. Different evaluators may choose to use only some of the matrix criteria suitable for the learning materials/objects of concern or a comparison with short and long evaluations could be undertaken. For the purpose of this project I have used them all in order to test the matrix. It is advisable to use coloured highlighting markers when evaluating with the scoring cards and matrix as you will be able to keep things separated.
This project adheres to specified OER copyrights. To be clear, digital tools come in a variety of formats, which can be read in other blogs on this site. ‘Diagramming Sentences’, is a learning object, which is a smaller segment of learning that can be integrated with a lesson plan. It helps learners to understand here, the English language more through syntax, how sentences are formed. Students' always ask me: "But how do I know if I'm saying it right?" It's kind of like wanting to know how to use the third condition 'if' and why we talk about things in the past that never happen. However, another student asked me the same question in a different context of learning with groups and one on one interactions with the 'third conditional' where I drew a timeline to explain where and how the language occurs. I also mentioned that with the past, present and future, we are always in the 'now' (present). Language is just used to portray meaning that way. Being a visual learner the confusing scenario finally sunk in when she said 'Ohhhhh, now I get it.' The problem is the English language has so many tenses to contend with. So it's easy to see why students can come across a few obstacles right? Imagine how an autistic learner feels with so many things going on at the same time, thought is distracted trying to catch up with the other processes, so we need to insert some learning strategies in order to counterbalance the flow of electrical impulses like a switchboard or motherboard would; e.g. seen when reading different flowchart diagrams for mixing consoles. This is done through facilitation with knowledge and application alongside the learning styles of particular individuals. Hence, we like to ascertain those variable differences early on.
This Matrix can also cater for larger coursework
For the purpose of this project, it is limited to 2 smaller evaluations. The second evaluation 'Reading Short Stories' has more content. The first matrix testing evaluation came in with 304 points in total: 304/384 or B+ = 79.16% (Acceptable) after teaching a group of Chinese, Korean and Filipino students in a community free setting twice per week with other activities and supplemented materials. Reading short stories came in a bit higher from this matrix and teaching.
Although simple in design it works well and achieved a good rating out of the 384 points: 332/384 or 86.45% = A (Superior). I chose them specifically knowing that one would be more superior than the other. However, they are both useful in achieving the objects for accuracy and fluency with the English language. I decided to use the usual ratings of 3 points for a 'superior' point result, 2 points for an acceptable one and 1 point for a limited/weak result.
Summary After some collaborative feedback with others in the course via our Virtual Language Environment (VLE), it turned out that I used the point system in collaboration with A, B, C grading and percentage based measurements in order to give readers something to compare with. Quantitative and qualitative data was not documented as part of this small project, although it is a good research topic to take on. Below are links to the Project 2 files, I hope they are useful in the real world.
Free images: https://pixabay.com
Metaphorical Understanding
The image above is surreal in nature, here acting like a cell and amoeba that provides the energy (mitochondria) at the centre of the nucleus, as in functionalism, in order for the physiological state to operate in its own dynamic world. Language is like that, a living and thriving intangible being brought to life through communication and interaction in a collective world.
A sentence is composed of a subject and a predicate.
English is a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) language. A sentence (an independent clause) is composed of two main constituents-a noun phrase that functions as a subject and a verb phrase that functions as a predicate. A SUBJECT generally defines a topic, and a PREDICATE generally makes a comment about the topic. A subject occurs before a predicate.
To analyse sentences, you identify sentence components both by the class they fall into (THEIR STRUCTURE) and by how they relate to one another (THEIR FUNCTION). It is important to differentiate structures from functions. It should be remembered though that diagrams are tools not goals. They help to visualise constituents and their relationships. When sentences become too long diagrams become much more involved don't get too caught up in them as they are useful to a point. After that they will start to have so many lines coming off them every which way that their usefulness becomes obsolete, complicated and intimidating that they wouldn't help anyone understand the structure of a very long sentence; e.g. Proust '"sentence."
Here are examples of the six core sentence types, with slashes separating subjects from predicates (see Doing Grammar by Max Morenberg, 2002, pp.39-52). To extend the learning and teaching it is then necessary to go into compound sentences where phrase structure trees may also be useful for advanced or bright inquisitive students. So, because they can confuse students like an autistic learner's mind over matter, I find they are usually used for academic purposes; e.g. where a teacher can read or write them in order to explain structures during syntax Q&A's.
1. Small businesses / thrive in French towns. NP: Subj VP: Pred
2. The Internet / became a porno district
NP: Subj VP: Pred
3. Native Americans / used echinacea for medicinal purposes
NP: Subj VP: Pred
4. The students / handed the teacher their quizzes
NP: Subj VP: Pred
5. Early colonists / considered tomatoes toxic
NP: Subj VP: Pred
6. The Hawaiian Islands / are coral atolls
NP: Subj VP: Pred
There are several ways to diagram sentences. I like to name constituents and drawing lines beneath them in order to save space:
2. The Internet became a porno district
Art N V Art Adj N
--NP-- ---NP-------------
---NP: PredN-----------
--VP---------------------------------
