2015
January 2015-
0.8 (semester 2 onwards) ESOL lecturer for the Department of Language Studies (DoLS), Unitec Institute of Technology, Waitakere campus, NZ.
As the sole lecturer of NZCEL level 4 Social and Community Practice course I have:
- created scaffolding reference word and punctuation cue materials for every unit of English Unlimited B2 as this was analysed as a shortcoming when it related to assessment results in semester 1
- created more listening materials which support assessments as this was also identified as an area needing more scaffolding
- included relevant units from ‘Keeping Culture In Mind’ and ‘Keeping Culture in Mind Too’ to illustrate New Zealand cultural differences from the textbook
- become very comfortable with using google sites, drive, documents etc for e-portfolios – students’ and my own site
- broadened students vocabulary base by using word part exercises from TOEFL and noun phrases from Functional English as well as regularly recycling each unit’s vocabulary
- coordinated with relevant community stakeholders for lecture input on relevant units e.g. future careers, rights and obligations of New Zealanders.
- end of semester party organiser for all levels currently at Waitakere campus.
PD GOALS:
1. Investigate the rewriting of all hard copy or interactive pdfs of my books for i-books.
2. Add to and keep my website up to date www.englishteacher.co.nz, which is modified on a monthly basis.
3. Continue to learn from Twitter and spread knowledge gained through the department, by word of mouth and by using links embedded in tweets. There are minimal social tweets, I follow 39 and I now have 131 followers, almost all of whom are in the teaching profession.
2013-2014
1.0 ESOL lecturer for the Department of Language Studies (DoLS) – taught level 2 3 and relieved on 4. I was also responsible for online self access vocabulary and grammar support activities. I was a regular contributor to ‘one on one’ colleague support for e-learning. I co-ordinated the students from CIE into a social club to encourage the integration of culture, fun and language learning and to prevent students being bored at the weekends.
Member of e-learning steering committee team DoLS, which creates overview of principles behind mobile/blended and online course learning, transition to more integrated e-learning and brainstorms solutions to existing challenges. I was a contributor to vertical and horizontal guidelines for the 2014 curriculum and NZCEL syllabi.
The article below was published with Moira Hobbs:
Hobbs, M., & Hynson, Y. (2013). Development and use of Moodle for online student support. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 4(3), 196-207. http://sisaljournal.org/archives/sep13/hobbs_Hynson
Several units from ‘Keeping Culture In Mind’ are now interactive pdf, which can be downloaded for free temporarily from my website. Unitec contributed about 40% of the funds through grants and PIDIT time to the completion. They are being trialed by Certificate of English lecturers and others outside of the public system. They fit well with the new curriculum 2014.
Currently redrafting ‘Keeping Culture In Mind Too’ (8 units of intercultural communication based on Dr Jonathan Newton’s principles). Also investigating ibookauthor as an alternative way of publishing rather than Unitec e-press, even though it was accepted. The review process delayed work for over a year and was still not done by August this year.
Webmaster of www.englishteacher.co.nz , which is linked to Moodle autonomous learning and which requires monthly updating to keep up with current changes in culture.
Member of Literacy CoP: currently in a passive role this year but hoping to be a more active contributor in the second half of 2013.
2009-2012
1.0 ESOL lecturer for the DoLS Certificate of English Programme – Elementary team leader across 3 campuses responsible for continuity of assessments and moderation, Moodle shell updater and creator, advisor and supporter of new teachers in the course, coordinator of team spirit!
0.5 Elementary teacher and 0.5 Pre-intermediate teacher.
End of semester games organiser for the Certificate of English party.
2011-2012
0.2 e-coordinator for the DoLS: ran ICT workshops, organised a departmental CoP, advised direction for the department, gave one on one help with Moodle shells, researched needs of students, created 2 online language learning centers.
0.8 ESOL lecturer for the DoLS 2011-2012 – Elementary team Moodle activities creator, wrote New Zealand specific materials to supplement the syllabus and textbook.
2009-2010
1.0 tenured ESOL lecturer for the DoLS:
Elementary level Certificate programme for new immigrants and refugees- taught CALL and Language laboratory, all the skills and created a large body of materials for testing and supplementing the syllabus.
Coordinated the collection and sharing of existing materials in both schools – Intensive and Certificate- for teachers to access.
IELTS examiner for Unitec, NZ 2009-20102008- Feb 2009
6 months Full time English teaching at English Language Academy (Auckland University private school). This involved preparation of students for entry into Auckland University degree programmes or Foundation Studies.
Job history for the last 30 years can be seen on:
LinkedIN 2007-2008
Full time Limited tenured ESOL lecturer at Unitec, Auckland NZ:
Pre-Intermediate English teacher on the Intensive English programme for international students. Taught CALL and Language laboratory, all the skills and created supplementary materials for Blackboard.
PD GOALS:
1. Publication of ‘Keeping Culture In Mind’ by Unitec e-press. Adaptation of some or all of the units for Moodle or ibookauthor publication. It is a new textbook on deeper discussion of the connection with culture and language learning. Transferring (long term goal) it to a more interactive CALL approach (Moodle)and research into the change in awareness after using units next semester 2012-2013. (long term goal)
2. Start drafting the second in the series ‘Throw Away Your Dictionary (2/too!) This was a previously desk top published workbook on reading strategies for unknown words in context. This is more likely to occur in 2014.
3. Rewrite of ‘Weather…Or Not’ edition 2 (2003) (desk top publication) and adaptation for Moodle or a more interactive on-line approach ??ibook. This is more likely to occur in 2014.
4. Continue to update monthly www.englishteacher.co.nz
Improve my website and upgrade photographs, which were for ‘dial up’ and not the current faster Broadband connection. Some have been replaced and more links for language learning are currently being added.
5. Keep tweeting and collecting useful links from Twitter (YVNZCBLISS) for my website and for Moodle student language learning zones.
6. To incorporate more CALL into language learning and flipping the classroom more.
7. To continue blogging and making podcasts.
8. To encourage the use of screen casts for writing feedback and content creation through workshops at national conferences this year.
9. To continue to use Petcha kucha approach to all Powerpoints or Prezi presentations. These can then become videos or screen casts for my website.
10. To learn to use the latest ibook apps for making interactive textbooks. This is ongoing in 2013.
Conferences/workshops attended or presented at:
2012 NZ: Oct 13 – ran 2 workshops for Crown Teacher Training Day on the use of screen casts for recycling existing vocabulary materials and for autonomous pronunciation learning, and about vocabulary websites for learning.
Sep-Oct CLESOLNZ – presented on the use of Moodle indices to connect and support students across campuses and courses.
Aug- Sep ILA Wellington – 2 minute summary and 2 hours interactive workshop on use of screencasts for writing feedback, language/IT support and integration into Moodle Student zones.
Feb Kickstart Unitec Auckland
Presented to all in house PD sessions: Moodle 2.0, vocabulary testing and engagement in autonomous learning, feedback on conferences.
2011 Co-presented with Zane Egginton from Landscape Architecture Unitec on use of screencasts and video for presentation and feedback at:
NZ Moodlemoot -Auckland
Teaching and Learning -Auckland
E-futures -Auckland
Attended: Kickstart Unitec Auckland
2010 Attended: NZ Moodlemoot-Christchurch
Teaching and Learning Auckland, NZ
Wrote a journal article on reading strategies for guessing unknown words in context based on ‘Throw Away Your Dictionary!’ for TESOLNZ.
2009 Attended and presented at:
CLESOL Christchurch NZ
The 10 reading strategies for guessing unknown words in context as outlined in ‘Throw Away Your Dictionary!’ – a desk top publication in 2010.
Other useful experience:
More than 10 years assisting in protection and translocation of native bird species to ‘Ark in the Park’ bird sanctuary.
More than 30 years organic gardening, landscaping, restoring and extending native plantings on a 10 acre lifestyle block.
10 years as a laboratory technologist for Auckland hospitals 1970-1980.
Specialties:
textbook writing, ecology, evaluating, CALL, IELTS examining and ESOL teaching, creating teacher resources and giving teacher workshops, haematology, histology and nuclear medicine testing.
CV 
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