MyCLOUD
Learning Chinese in a Seamless Learning Environment
Enhances students’ Chinese proficiency by making connections between Chinese learning and their daily lives
Enhances students’ self-directedness and motivation in the learning of Chinese
Encourages students to actively make meaning of their daily encounters with the Chinese language
Cultivates students’ habit-of-mind by proactively using resources for artefact creation and online interaction using Chinese
The MyCLOUD curriculum helps students make active meaning-making on their daily real-life encounters with the Chinese language.
Tapping on modern technologies, cloud computing and social networks, MyCLOUD explores the creation of a “cross-context” seamless Chinese learning environment.
By extending Chinese Language beyond the constructs of a classroom, students can experience a learning environment that is authentic, autonomous, and contextualised.
MyCLOUD has successfully brought about gradual improvements in teachers’ classroom practices in terms of smoother classroom enactments and more student-centricity. Students were also observed to gradually improve in terms of their motivation as well as the quantity and quality of students’ proficiency and interactions.
MyCLOUD is an online platform consisting of three main components, namely Mictionary, My e-Textbook and MyCLOUDNet (see infographic 1: Three main components of the MyCLOUD online platform).
Guided by the MyCLOUD learning design framework, MyCLOUD teaching and learning activities comprise of two intertwining learning dimensions, the seamless learning dimension and the language learning dimension.
These teaching and learning activities are characterized by four activity types:
Activity type 1: In-class learning engagement
Activity type 2: Personalised contextual learning
Activity type 3: Online peer learning
Activity type 4: In-class consolidation
Infographic 1: Three main components of the MyCLOUD online platform (available for download here)
Students were motivated to learn and create their own artefacts using the Chinese vocabulary.
Students were also able to make more extended and creative meaning making with the vocabulary.
The number of student dialogues increased. New types of student reviews also emerged. These evidences pointed towards enriched student interactions with use of a wider range of Chinese vocabulary.
Classroom resources
Guides for teachers on simulating the MyCLOUD seamless learning environment.
Main components of MyCLOUDSimulate and Create! - Keen to create your own seamless learning environment? Teachers can create a simulation of the MyCLOUD environment with online freeware, existing online learning spaces and ICT educational resources available to your school.
Loosen up! - Put aside the ‘rigid’, composition style of writing. Genuine real-life language application is sometimes ‘informal’. This helps makes the learning process authentic and relatable for students.
Stimulate and Initiate! - Teachers can boost students’ interest by using interesting readings and unique pictures that inspire and trigger exchanges between students.
ReEd Vol 2 2011 pg 9 "Putting Language Learning in Their Hands" [PDF]
Research projects
The following projects are associated with MyCLOUD research:
- MyCLOUD-A Seamless Chinese Language Learning Environment Leveraging on Ubiquitous Technology and the Construction of Mental Lexicon
- Towards a Seamless Language Learning Framework: Enculturating Learners to Practices of Bridging Language Learning Spaces Mediated by an Integrated Technology-transformed Learning Environment
Other related research projects:
Research team
To learn more about MyCLOUD, please contact the Principal Investigator Dr. Wong Lung Hsiang at lunghsiang.wong@nie.edu.sg
Dr Wong Lung Hsiang, Learning Sciences Lab, NIE
Principal Investigator:
A/P Chai Ching Sing, Learning Sciences & Technologies (LST), NIE
A/P Aw Guat Poh, Asian Languages & Cultures, NIE
Dr May Liu, Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL), Singapore
A/P Ivica Boticki, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Co-Principal Investigators:
Research led by
To learn more about MyCLOUD, email: lunghsiang.wong@nie.edu.sg
Collaborators:
Ast/P Jan Mingfong, National Central University, Taiwan (formerly of NIE)
Dr Lim Wei Ying Rebekah, SIM University, Singapore (formerly of NIE)
- Dr Chin Chee Kuen, SCCL
- Dr Hsieh Yu-Fen, SCCL
- A/P Chen Wenli, NIE
This research on MyCLOUD was funded by Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) under the Education Research Funding Programme (OER 17/10 WLH & OER 61/12 WLH) and administered by National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Singapore MOE and NIE.
This knowledge resource was written by Li Sze Yan, Bernadine W. Sengalrayan and Tan Giam Hwee.
What teachers & students say
“I prefer MyCLOUD. In Primary 1 and 2, we just kept doing assessments and listening to the teachers. Now (with MyCLOUD) we can take photos and make sentences at our own time, and share with friends and discuss with them. It’s more interesting and I can learn more.”
- Student“We do not have a 'big environment' (i.e., where local young children see the need of using Chinese Language in their daily life) out there. Yet we can create a 'niche environment'. Your seamless Chinese learning is indeed an effective solution to this.”
- Master TeacherParticipants
600 students from Primary 3 and 4
5 Primary schools
Contents
- 1. Why MyCLOUD?
- 2. What is MyCLOUD?
- 2. How did students respond?
- 3. How can teachers get started?
- 4. Classroom resources
- 5. Useful links & references
- 6. Research projects
- 7. Research team
Research led by
To learn more about MyCLOUD, email: lunghsiang.wong@nie.edu.sg
MyCLOUD
Learning Chinese in a Seamless Learning Environment
How MyCLOUD can help your students
- Enhances students’ Chinese proficiency by making connections between Chinese learning and their daily lives
- Enhances students’ self-directedness and motivation in the learning of Chinese
- Encourages students to actively make meaning of their daily encounters with the Chinese language
- Cultivates students’ habit-of-mind by proactively using resources for artefact creation and online interaction using Chinese
Why MyCLOUD?
The MyCLOUD curriculum helps students make active meaning-making on their daily real-life encounters with the Chinese language.
Tapping on modern technologies, cloud computing and social networks, MyCLOUD explores the creation of a “cross-context” seamless Chinese learning environment.
By extending Chinese Language beyond the constructs of a classroom, students can experience a learning environment that is authentic, autonomous, and contextualised.
MyCLOUD has successfully brought about gradual improvements in teachers’ classroom practices in terms of smoother classroom enactments and more student-centricity. Students were also observed to gradually improve in terms of their motivation as well as the quantity and quality of students’ proficiency and interactions.
What is MyCLOUD?
MyCLOUD is an online platform consisting of three main components, namely Mictionary, My e-Textbook and MyCLOUDNet (see infographic 1: Three main components of the MyCLOUD online platform).
Guided by the MyCLOUD learning design framework, MyCLOUD teaching and learning activities comprise of two intertwining learning dimensions, the seamless learning dimension and the language learning dimension.
These teaching and learning activities are characterized by four activity types:
- Activity type 1: In-class learning engagement
- Activity type 2: Personalised contextual learning
- Activity type 3: Online peer learning
- Activity type 4: In-class consolidation
Infographic 1: Three main components of the MyCLOUD online platform (available for download here)
How did students respond?
- Students were motivated to learn and create their own artefacts using the Chinese vocabulary.
- Students were also able to make more extended and creative meaning making with the vocabulary.
- The number of student dialogues increased. New types of student reviews also emerged. These evidences pointed towards enriched student interactions with use of a wider range of Chinese vocabulary.
How can teachers get started?
- Simulate and Create! - Keen to create your own seamless learning environment? Teachers can create a simulation of the MyCLOUD environment with online freeware, existing online learning spaces and ICT educational resources available to your school.
- Loosen up! - Put aside the ‘rigid’, composition style of writing. Genuine real-life language application is sometimes ‘informal’. This helps makes the learning process authentic and relatable for students.
- Stimulate and Initiate! - Teachers can boost students’ interest by using interesting readings and unique pictures that inspire and trigger exchanges between students.
Related links
- Seamless Learning Taskforce website
- ReEd Vol 2 2011 pg 9 "Putting Language Learning in Their Hands" [PDF]
- SingTeach Issue 55 Dec 2015 “Learning Chinese Seamlessly"
Research projects
The following projects are associated with MyCLOUD research:
- MyCLOUD-A Seamless Chinese Language Learning Environment Leveraging on Ubiquitous Technology and the Construction of Mental Lexicon
- Towards a Seamless Language Learning Framework: Enculturating Learners to Practices of Bridging Language Learning Spaces Mediated by an Integrated Technology-transformed Learning Environment
Other related research projects:
Research team
To learn more about MyCLOUD, please contact the Principal Investigator Dr. Wong Lung Hsiang at lunghsiang.wong@nie.edu.sg
- Dr Wong Lung Hsiang, Learning Sciences Lab, NIE
Principal Investigator:
- A/P Chai Ching Sing, Learning Sciences & Technologies (LST), NIE
- A/P Aw Guat Poh, Asian Languages & Cultures, NIE
- Dr May Liu, Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL), Singapore
- A/P Ivica Boticki, University of Zagreb, Croatia
Co-Principal Investigators:
Collaborators:
- Ast/P Jan Mingfong, National Central University, Taiwan (formerly of NIE)
- Dr Lim Wei Ying Rebekah, SIM University, Singapore (formerly of NIE)
- Dr Chin Chee Kuen, SCCL
- Dr Hsieh Yu-Fen, SCCL
- A/P Chen Wenli, LST, NIE
This research on MyCLOUD was funded by Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) under the Education Research Funding Programme (OER 17/10 WLH & OER 61/12 WLH) and administered by National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Singapore MOE and NIE.
This knowledge resource was written by Li Sze Yan, Bernadine W. Sengalrayan and Tan Giam Hwee.
Classroom resources
Guides for teachers on simulating the MyCLOUD seamless learning environment.
What teachers & students say
“I prefer MyCLOUD. In Primary 1 and 2, we just kept doing assessments and listening to the teachers. Now (with MyCLOUD) we can take photos and make sentences at our own time, and share with friends and discuss with them. It’s more interesting and I can learn more.”
- Student“We do not have a 'big environment' (i.e., where local young children see the need of using Chinese Language in their daily life) out there. Yet we can create a 'niche environment'. Your seamless Chinese learning is indeed an effective solution to this.”
- Master TeacherParticipants
600 students from Primary 3 and 4
5 Primary schools