John Blake
Teaching
My current post is associate professor within the Center for Language Research at the University of Aizu, the first university in Japan to specialize in computer science and education. All my teaching is blended which means that face-to-face interaction in lectures or tutorials is supported by online materials. In each course, students can find digital copies of classroom materials in addition to additional readings, supplementary videos, interactive quizzes and other activities. I am a firm believer in open-access, open-source and open learning and share all materials - warts and all.
My teaching philosophy is eclectic and I draw on whatever method and means that will help my students achieve their goals and objectives in the most effective and efficient manner. My teaching philosophy is constantly evolving, but a detailed overview of how it was in 2013 can be found in the link. Concepts that I regularly integrate into courses, include:
- student-centred learning,
- activity-based learning,
- scaffolding through peer support,
- autonomous learning,
- blended learning and
- flipped classrooms.
I am a strong believer in the scholarship of learning, and so seek out opportunities to share my experiences with peers.
Courses taught in academic year 2019/20
Course materials, assignments and additional resources are available to registered students on Schoology. Links to open-access course websites are given below.- EL317 Patterns and language An open-access version will be placed here.
- EL328 Logic and language An open-access version will be placed here.
- EL234 Research poster presentations This course is discontinued. In 2020/21 I will teach a new elective course: "EL236 Visualizing time and tense".
- EN08 Thesis writing and presentation Open-access course website is here.
- Another core core
Courses previously taught in the University of Aizu
- EL317 Patterns and language (2017/8, 2018/9)
- EL328 Logic and language (2016/7, 2017/8, 2018/9, 2019/20)
- EL234 Research poster presentations (2017/8, 2018/9, 2019/20)
- EN08 Thesis writing and presentation (2016/7, 2017/8, 2018/9)
- E06 English for Active Communication (2017/8)
- E04 Reading and writing 2 (2016/7, 2017/8)
- Office hours: by appoinment
- Office: Rm 265 on the 2nd floor of the Research Quandrangles (map here)
- Lab: Texts and Tools Rm 261
- Email: jblake (followed by @u-aizu.ac.jp)
- Postal address: Center for Language Research, University of Aizu, Aizu-wakamatsu, 965 8580. Japan.
(c) John Blake 2019