Higher Colleges of Technology

Faculty of Foundations Professional Development Day

Monday 6 April 2015, Dubai Mens College
Programme
9:00-10:00

Registration and Coffee (Reception Area outside Auditorium)

10:00 10:10
Auditorium

Introduction & Welcome

Tim Smith, Executive Dean, Faculty of Foundations

10:10 10: 25
Auditorium

Opening Address
Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, Vice Chancellor, Higher Colleges of Technology

10:30 12:30

Morning Breakout Sessions

10: 30 12:30
Rm B244
10:30 11:30
Rm B123
Rm B121
Rm B122
Rm B124
Learning Zone 1
Rm B116
Rm B126
Rm B242
10:30 11:00
Rm B125
Rm B250
Rm B117
Rm B247
Rm B235
Rm B236
11: 05 11:35
Rm B125
Rm B117
Rm B247
Rm B234

Breakout Session 1
Decoding People & Dealing With The Difficult Ones
Breakout Session 2a
Weebly for Everything
Nearpod: Creating, Engaging and Assessing with Interactive Presentations
Special Needs 202
Out With the Old?
Using Respondus to Create BlackBoard Quizzes and Activities
Interactive Educational Tool "BookWidgets"
Foundations Chairs: Evaluating Faculty
Toastmasters and ELT: A Vehicle for Personal and Professional Development
Breakout Session 2b
Plickers - and how to pluck good results
Spelling: The unwelcome though obligatory guest lingering on the fringes of the party
Course books Seen Through the Eyes of English as an International Language
Managing Lower Levels Using Class Dojo
Percent Application: An Online Shopping Activity
Interactive Learning Tools at DWC
Breakout Session 2c
Helping Test -Anxious Students Achieve
Professional Learning Communities - Is there potential for them?
Correcting students' writing
A Practical Appreciation of Traditional Ways of Life for LBD

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Rm B235
Rm B236
11:40 12:40
Rm B122
Rm B123
Rm B121
Rm B124
Learning Zone 1
Rm B126
Rm B242
11:40 12:10
Rm B247
Rm B125
Rm B117
Rm B235
Rm B234
Rm B236
12:15 12:45
Rm B116
Rm B250
Rm B117
Rm B234
Rm B236
Rm B246

Charity Bazaar 2015 LBD and Community Service activities

ALEKS Video Resources
Breakout Session 3a
MAD about MOOCs
Raising students' awareness of register in academic texts
Using iPads to Teach Vocabulary
Strategies to promote a relaxed and productive learning environment
Creating video Lessons for in-class or independent study using Knowmia
Zondle for some Zing
Creating Interactive Materials with SoftChalk
Breakout Session 3b
Special Needs in EFL: Dyslexia Support
JigSaw reading using EdModo
'Research tells us...'
Can Integrated Teaching Facilitate Students' Learning through Aleks mathematics program?
Developing Online Games Using Raptivity
Visualizing Mathematical Concepts
Breakout Session 3c
"Explain Everything"-Feedback that doesn't get lost
Practical Steps for Supporting Students who are Academically At Risk
Reflection in ESL Classrooms: Why? & How to Do it with iPads?
Bringing ALEKS to life- Engineering Lab Activity/ Measurements
Virtual Class on BB Collaborate
Creating and Planning Augmented Reality Lessons

12:45 13:30

Lunch Break ( Cafeteria)

13:30 15:30

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

13:30 15:30 Breakout Session 4

Rm B244
The Tapping Experience (Emotional Freedom Technique)
Course Level Team Meetings
Rm B236
Pre- Foundations
Rm B250
Foundations Level 1
Rm B246
Foundations Level 2
Learning Zone 1
Foundations Level 3
Rm B121
Foundations Level 4
Rm L109
Foundations Maths

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Session description
Decoding People & Dealing With The Difficult Ones by Sally Adel, Bhukhatir Training & Development Centre
Everybody within their social or professional interaction may know someone who is challenging to deal with. This
workshop will be a comprehensive resource for any person to
Recognize why and when people act out the way they do
Understand the different personality types and how to decode people for successful communication results
Understand what motivates and triggers people's fears according to their personality, according to the 4 intents of
behaviour
Identify the 10 different types of difficult people and what makes them challenging
Learn how to cope with difficult behaviour in our social and professional life
Learn how to how to bring out the best of each and every distinctive character in our life
Weebly for Everything by Maria Brewster, FMC
In this session you will learn the essential features of Weebly. The presenters will show you how they are using Weebly to
deliver a Foundation English class and a General Studies course. This is a hands-on workshop so bring your laptop or iPad
and learn by doing. You will leave the workshop with the knowledge of how to build your own website using Weebly.
Nearpod: Creating, Engaging and Assessing with Interactive Presentations by David Bozetarnik, SWC
Nearpod is an educational and entertaining "all-in-one" presentation and polling application for use in iPad classrooms,
regardless of the subject matter. The software lets you upload existing presentations, or create new ones. Interactive
elements include question & answers, polls, videos and drawings--all easy to create, and the entire pacing of the
presentation is controlled from the teacher's laptop/desktop. An added bonus is being able to catch students if they leave
the app. This workshop will deal with the FREE version of the software, though the presenter will touch upon premium
elements as well. Participants are requested to bring both their laptop and iPad, to experience creating a presentation and
see one from a student's perspective.
Special Needs 202 by Joe Manja The aim of this session is to build on the overview given in Special Needs 101, by giving a
more detailed and solutions-based approach regarding each issue covered. The session will also make greater use of
checklists and discussion regarding the topics that are discussed.
Out With the Old? By Martina Dorn, RKMC
The session will demonstrate how the use of iPads can be combined with Cuisenaire rods, highlights how iPads can
enhance the teacher's delivery when adopting the Silent Way language-teaching method and provide the participants with
opportunities to immerse themselves fully in the activities and give feedback on their effectiveness.
Using Respondus to Create BlackBoard Quizzes and Activities by Sean Mcphillips & Maryam Malki, SWC
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This session explains how to create BlackBoard content, quizzes and activities using Respondus. Materials can either be
created directly in Respondus or imported from a Word document.
Interactive Educational Tool "BookWidgets" by Mouza Alayyan, ADWC
1: Introducing Bookwidgets
2: Creating an account in BookWidgets website
3: Features of Bookwidgets website
4: Creating BookWidgets activities
5: Sharing with students and audiences
6: Students view in the iPad devices
Foundations Chairs: Evaluating Faculty by Robert Miles, SWC
What makes a good teacher? What makes a good employee? In this session we will discuss these questions and look at
how we are evaluating faculty in each campus and go through some real life case studies.
Toastmasters and ELT: A Vehicle for Personal and Professional Development by Dr. Christine Coombe; Clayton Young;
John Vogels, DMC
Toastmasters is an international association that helps individuals develop both communicative and leadership skills. In
this demonstration session, run by experienced TESOLers and Toastmasters, you will explore how tried and true
Toastmasters techniques can be used to help teachers and students develop personally and professionally.
Plickers - and how to pluck good results by Adria Arafat, ADWC
This is a unique quiz/test method using a QR code and a reader, but with a twist. Only the teacher needs a smart device;
the students only have a paper.
Spelling: The unwelcome though obligatory guest lingering on the fringes of the party by Alan Hill, AAMC
A review of a recently completed MA study of spelling difficulties and skills among HCT Foundations Level 4 students and
approaches to spelling development. Participants will see data resulting from mixed-methods research into problems with
spelling English words from an orthographic perspective, and have the opportunity to discuss aspects of word-recognition
and developmental spelling teaching.
Course books Seen Through the Eyes of English as an International Language by James Brown, RKWC
Western course books tend to have content suited for integrative learners and Communicative Language Teaching, for
example courses at language schools in Britain. But are they suited for learners in the Gulf?
Teachers often deploy course books such as New Headway Plus with the expectation that they will be as effective in this
region as in the West, and sometimes encounter issues with learner disengagement. Drawing on research into English as
an International Language (EIL), which maintains that that learners are entitled to retain their own identity and culture,
this session explores the question of enculturation in Western course books. It reports on the findings of qualitative
research carried out at Ras Al Khaimah Womens College into learners reactions to depictions of Western culture in a
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specific course book. In particular, it discusses what teachers at this college believe are the effects of Anglo-centricity in
materials, and distinguishes between the views of expatriate native speakers and local non-native speakers.
Managing Lower Levels Using Class Dojo by Sue Munroe, FWC
Low level students need to learn responsibility and organization. Class Dojo is a very easy program to use in class to help
organize the instructor and a fun way to teach students accountibility for their actions in the classroom.
Percent Application: An Online Shopping Activity by Jen Delatorre, FWC
This session is a demo lesson on percent application specifically on finding the Sale Price. This is an LBD activity which may
be used to allow students to experience online shopping, using credit limit, filling in receipts and adding shipping costs. The
activity engages the students to the learning process and helps them develop critical thinking skills. The session will also
provide an example of the Socrative application in Mathematics.
Interactive Learning Tools at DWC by Carrie Mullen; Boulos Chalita; Nuzhat Averill; Eman Abdel Aal; Rita Al Rouady,
DWC
The Math team at DWC will showcase :
Interactive PowerPoints
LBD activities
Nearpod presentations
Helping Test -Anxious Students Achieve by Dr. Tania Al Aghar, ADMC
A little anxiety before a test improves your concentration and alertness. Excessive worry, or test anxiety, can lower your
test score. This session aims to:
1.
identify the types of test-anxious students
2.
identify the factors associated with test anxiety
3.
provide suggestions for helping test- anxious students
Professional Learning Communities - Is there potential for them? by Fiona Hartley, RKWC
For the purposes of my MA I have been investigating the potential of developing Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
within my organization. In this session, I will provide an overview of what a PLC is and how it can potentially benefit
professional development, empower teachers and improve the learning outcomes of our students through the vehicle of
practice based inquiry. By the end of the session participants will have a model to work with for their own development.
Correcting students' writing by John Cahill, DMC
This is a continuation of the session that I did at the last FDNS System Wide PD Day. I will look at the writing checklists that
I use in more detail, and I will also talk about the VoiceThread application which can be used for giving video, audio, text
and annotated feedback on writing.
A Practical Appreciation of Traditional Ways of Life for LBD by Daniel Millie ; Rachel Scott, SMC

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Using LBD to generate a practical appreciation of traditional ways of life, attendees will discover how to conduct LBD
activities based upon local maritime and bedu traditions and customs. We will show a step by step guide how to set up
and run hands on learning activities that connect students to the traditional life skills of their community.
Charity Bazaar 2015 LBD and Community Service activities by Jamal Sawan, SWC
Easy ways to integrate Math in our daily activities while serving the community.
ALEKS Video Resources by Gil Briones, RKWC
This session will review ALEKS tutorial videos currently available on the Internet. The presenter has compiled over 150
videos that are mapped to the M020 topics and posted as student resources in ALEKS. The session will also include a
discussion about the efficacy of using videos as a resource for students in ALEKS.
MAD about MOOCs by Felicity Green; Dimitra Kyrkilis, SMC
In the first part of the session we will look at a brief history of distance learning and the origin of MOOCs. We will discuss
how online teaching and learning and, in particular, MOOCs have evolved over time and what current trends predict for
this model of virtual life-long learning.
In the second part, we will compare two leading MOOC providers, Coursera and FutureLearn, from a participant's
perspective. We will discuss what kind of courses are commonly available, how to get started, how the study materials are
delivered and what methods are used to test learning. The session will finish with questions and answers.
Raising students' awareness of register in academic texts by Grant Hartley, RKWC
Student success on the Foundations program as well as on their subsequent academic programs relies heavily on the way
they interact with academic texts. But how can we approach these texts in ways which might help students deal with
future texts they encounter? Using a systemic functional approach to language this session will focus on raising students'
awareness of the three areas of register, i.e. field, tenor and mode. This session will present the underlying features of
register, and focus on practical ideas for raising students' awareness of this aspect of texts. The argument presented is
that by focusing on register, students can become more aware of the features of the texts they need to access in their
academic programs, while at the same time becoming more independent language learners.
Using iPads to Teach Vocabulary by Lark Escobar, SWC
1. Learn about using iPad App Memrise
2. Learn about using a dictionary app in conjunction with notebooks
3. Learn about a system for studying vocabulary in notes to incorporate grammar and synonyms and capitalize on diverse
learning styles.
Strategies to promote a relaxed and productive learning environment by Melissa Hedges, DWC
We will look at nonverbal classroom management techniques that optimize the learning environment, through engaging the
students, fostering appropriate behavior and maximizing time-on-task.

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This workshop will introduce teachers to the art of managing students through unspoken communication and demonstrate
how to use influence rather than power to manage the classroom. Teachers will learn ways to create a productive
learning environment, through systematic tactics, such as, gesturing, modeling, positioning and timing.
Teachers will leave the session with tangible management strategies they can trial in their classroom.
Creating video Lessons for in-class or independent study using Knowmia by Nalini Malhotra, AAMC
Session objectives and how these will be achieved:
1. Learn how to create videos on an iPad to upload to Knowmia's website on a PC in order to make video lessons with
embedded questions. hyperlinks, etc.
2. Demonstrate how students' engagement with this content can be tracked on a PC or iPad using the built-in
assignment tool on Knowmia's site as well as how teachers can provide feedback to individual students.
3. Briefly describe the benefits of the paid version of this app (Knowmia Pro).
To achieve these aims, attendees need to download the app Knomia from the AppStore (the free version) and bring their
iPad.
The first part of this session requires the attendees to adopt a hands-on approach such that by the end of the first
objective they will have created or be equipped with the tools to create a video lesson on their iPads.
Zondle for some Zing by Paul Rebeiz, SWC
Add some zing to your lessons with Zondle, the game-based app and website that spices up quiz format activities with a
fairly painless interface that is trackable but does not require a lot of admin work to manage. Make sure to at least bring
your iPad, but to get the most from the workshop, also bring your laptop. The first part will introduce the various activities
available and the class management capabilities of the website, followed by some play time to create your own activities.
Creating Interactive Materials with SoftChalk by Samantha McDonald Amara, RKWC
Designed for those unfamiliar with SoftChalk, this session will go through the steps of creating and sharing interactive and
engaging classroom activities, review materials and ebooks for learners using the software.
Special Needs in EFL: Dyslexia Support by Abiodun Abdul, FWC
The presenter begins by explaining what dyslexia is before highlighting the symptoms of this learning disability. She then
offers some teaching strategies to employ in an EFL classroom with dyslexic students as well as other mixed-ability
learners. In addition to theories, she will share practical teaching experience on this subject.
JigSaw reading using EdModo by Jose Tena Villada, SWC
Presenter will explain why EdModo was chosen for doing JigSaw type readings at the lower levels of instruction.
'Research tells us...' by Mark Harrower, AAMC
A selection of research findings presented as part of the 'Curriculum Design and Assessment' in-conference PD course at
TESOL Arabia 2015. Participants will discuss possible implications for HCT FNDS curricula and assessment in light of recent
findings in the field. The presenter will select the findings on the basis of their relevance and practicality to the teaching
and learning of English on FNDS programmes within the HCT.
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Can Integrated Teaching Facilitate Students' Learning through Aleks mathematics program? By Hasan Toubat, AAMC
This 30 minutes session is about using Integrated Teaching to enhance students' cognitive levels of achievement. The
presenter will go through different examples from Aleks Math M020 content to show how teachers can facilitate students'
learning and enhance their levels of conceptual and procedural knowledge. The focus of the presentation will be
percentages, solving linear equations, and word problems including operations on fractions. The presenter will also show
how students could be engaged in this model of teaching through learning by doing activities.
Developing Online Games Using Raptivity by Nap Abdon, FWC
A number of studies have proven that the use of games and other similar online resources have positive impacts on student's math
learning. Many of these are available online, but most of them either don't work on the iPad or don't perfectly meet our specific
needs. As a teacher, we want to have something that seamlessly suits our needs and purpose, thus the only way is to develop our
own.
In this session, I will show how Raptivity can be used to develop online games and other online activities that runs perfectly on the
iPad. Users like myself would be pleased that programming knowledge is not required. I will also show few samples of games that I
have made where I specifically used the Aleks course materials.

Visualizing Mathematical Concepts by Hiba Hazzouri, SWC

In this presentation, we will discuss the importance of visualization in understanding mathematical concepts. You will see examples
of visuals created by the presenter and will learn the how to create similar visuals using your iPad.

"Explain Everything"-Feedback that doesn't get lost by Gerry Gibson, RKWC

Explain Everything is an app that most Foundations instructors are quite familiar with. I've discovered that it can be used to provide
feedback on writing that students can take with them and use for the entire semester. With respect to speaking, L2 Foundations at
RKW include a speaking reflection element to their speaking assessments. In the session I will demonstrate how we do this.

Practical Steps for Supporting Students who are Academically At Risk by Mokhtar Bourchak & Rachel Scott, SMC
At Sharjah Men's College we are taking a systematic approach to identifying and supporting students who are at risk
academically. This strategic At Risk process boosts students' motivation and grades. It is also a major contributing factor to student
retention. In this session the SMC Foundations English Chair and Academic Coordinator will show the practical steps that can be
taken to identify, advise and support students who are struggling academically at different stages of a semester.

Reflection in ESL Classrooms: Why? & How to Do it with iPads? By Sebah Al-Ali, SWC
The presentation highlights the importance of reflection as a learning tool and shares some techniques and ideas to sharpen our
students reflective skills. The presenter will share examples of reflection projects using iPads with various Foundations levels at
Sharjah Womens College.

Bringing ALEKS to Life- Engineering Lab Activity/ Measurements by Sally Ibrahim, DMC
Teaching ALEKS Math2 to a group of engineering students last semester has inspired me to create a new LBD activity. "Bringing ALEKS
to Life" by learning topics with hands on lessons in engineering labs to emphasize learning by doing philosophy. The activity was done
by liaising with a colleague from the engineering department to organize a measurements hands on session.
The main objective of the activity was contributing to ensure ALEKS- Foundations Math is applied in design and aligned with the
philosophy of learning by doing.
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Virtual Class on BB Collaborate by Adnan Akel, DMC

Now that we have generated many teaching resources for M020, the challenge comes in learning how to collate and direct students
to use them to maximize learning. BBLearn Collaborate is an excellent tool to engage students by distance learning and the flipped
classroom model. In this session, the presenter will demonstrate the use of BB Collaborate to create a mini Math020 lesson. It will
cater for students who have missed lessons or require greater repetition of certain concepts

Creating and Planning Augmented Reality Lessons by Mausmi Khan, ADWC

Teachers make use of physical objects and virtual information as teaching aids in mathematics classrooms. Augmented reality offers
the combination of physical and virtual, drawing on the strengths of each. This session will help you transform your class and explore
the role of AR apps in the maths classroom. By the end of the session, you will get a fair idea of creating AR from scratch and explore
the AR phenomena in a classroom setting.
Note: Please bring a laptop with Wi-Fi connectivity to the session. Detailed handouts for this session will be provided.

Course Level Team Meetings led by Foundations Chairs

Pre- Foundations led by Mark Barnes, FWC & Yvonne Johnson, DWC
Foundations Level 1 led by Dr. Peter Stanfield, WRC & Shamma Al Naqbi, RKWC
Foundations Level 2 led by Philip Lodge, DMC & Paul Barney, ACS
Foundations Level 3 led by Mokhtar Burchak, SMC & Philip Treece, RKMC
Foundations Level 4 led by Lorraine Doherty, FWC & Robert Miles, SWC
Foundations Maths led by Dimitri Chami & Johnson Thomas
The Tapping Experience (Emotional Freedom Technique) by Sally Adel, Bhukahtir Training & Development Centre
Tapping, also known as EFT, is a powerful tool for improving your life on multiple levels: mental, emotional, and physical. It
has been proven to effectively address a range of issuesfrom anxiety, chronic pain, addiction, and fear, to weight
control, financial abundance, stress relief, and so much more. Its also one of the easiest and fastest practices to learn. You
can learn it in minutes, do it anywhere and on virtually any issue, and oftentimes experience immediate results. This
workshop explains how it works. Based on the principles of both ancient acupressure and modern psychology, tapping
concentrates on specific meridian endpoints while focusing on negative emotions or physical sensations. Combined with
the spoken word, tapping helps calm the nervous system to restore the balance of energy in the body and rewire the brain
to respond in healthy ways.

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