Selected materials-development mini-project. Individually or in a group of 2-3 classmates, you will select four different mini-projects. Each of these must be related to some aspect of language teaching. The options include

1) capturing a digital photo (through) digital photography or scanning) and manipulating it with a program like Photoshop®,

2) creating a Power Point® presentation,

3) creating a Toolbook®, HyperCard®, or Revolution® stack file

4) Producing a simple Web site (through HTML programming or with software like Dreamweaver®) with links to its various pages and to other sites,

5)creating and editing a digital audio recording,

6) creating and editing a digital video recording, and

7) augmenting your collection of traditional teaching materials (pictures, tapes, transparencies, readings,figures, etc.) in ways agreed to by you and the instructor in conference (and specified in a contract early in the course.

The processes involved in each of these projects will be discussed in class (see calendar for dates). You will demonstrate your three selected projects to the entire class on three different, designated days toward the end of the semester.

Final Examination. In this individual oral interview examination you will be given an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned about the process of designing and developing materials for second language teaching. As final exams go, it is not a very heavy one (only 10% of your final grade), but it will still affect your grade for this course. To succeed on this exam you will need to have a broad knowledge (beyond the specific experience of developing your own particular project) of the materials development issues and processes we have discussed and read about throughout the semester.

Designated Reader Team Presentations The Heinich et al. textbook is large and you will need to devote mostof your time in this course to your materials projects. Nevertheless, the book contains much valuable information on the development and utilization of instructional materials. To get the most out of this book in an efficient manner, we will "divide and conquer." Along with other classmates, you will sign up for or be assigned to a "designated reader" of a particular chapter from the Heinich textbook. You and your teammates will be responsible for studying a designated chapter from the Heinich textbook and then reporting on it to the entire class on an assigned date (see course calendar). These team reports should last ten (minimum) to twenty (maximum) minutes. In them you should summarize the main points of the chapter (which the rest of the class should have already at least skimmed), explain some of the highlights (most important points) for you, and perhaps demonstrate some of them. You are encouraged to use appropriate instructional media (perhaps even one of your mini-projects) in making your presentations.

Journal Article Reports. This assignment requires that you locate and read an article from a periodical (or a chapter from a book) in the HBLL dealing with instructional materials design and development (including factors that affect materials development or ideas for a materials file). You will need to read and understand the article, and then write a brief summary of its major points and your reaction to it. Your summary and reaction, accompanied by complete bibliographic references (in APA style), should fit on a single sheet of paper. You will then duplicate copies of it for all the members of our class (plus two copies for the teacher). Using the specified format is important and part of your grade depends on following the instructions carefully. See the guidelines for more information. At the start of class on the due date for your report, you will also give a short (five minutes, maximum) oral report on the major points of the article you read and lead a brief (five minutes, maximum) follow-up discussion.

Guest Speakers. After each of teh sessions in which a guest speaker comes to our class, you will need to submit a brief written reaction to it (on a 3" x 5" card). These reactions are informal and personal. Although I will read them and may quote from them on occasion when I thank the presenters, no one will see these reports except you and me. In other words, your reactions can be honest and frank.

Reporting on discussions conducted via TESLMW-L or TESLCA-L. (the Materials WRiters and Computer-Assisted Instruction sub-lists of TESL-L. For this optional, extra-credit assignment, you will first need to subscribe to the TESL-L listserv and then to one of TESL-L's sublists dealing with materials development (either TESLMW-L for materials writers or TESLCA-L for computer-assisted instruction). To avoid being overwhelmed by messages, you may set your basic TESL-L subscription to "no mail," but to fulfill this assignment you must read all the nessages sent to your sublist during a period of four consecutive weeks (arranged with the instructor), contribute at least one message/comment of your own to the sublist each week, and then report on your experience to the class.