Profile

Name: Brad F. Blackstone
Designation: Senior Lecturer / Chief Editor, eltworldonline.com (ELTWO)
Telephone: 6516 6106
Email: elcbb@nus.edu.sg
Office: CELC #02-11 (10 Architecture Drive, Singapore 117511)

Academic Qualifications

  • MA, Foreign Language Education/Applied Linguistics, The Ohio State University
  • BA, Russian Language & Literature, The Ohio State University

Awards

  • NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award 2009-2010
  • CELC Commendation for Teaching Excellence 2009-2010
  • CELC Commendation for Teaching Excellence 2007-2008

Modules/Courses Taught

  • Professional Communication (at NUS)
  • English for Academic Purposes for Engineering (at NUS)
  • Academic Writing and Research
  • Introduction to Academic Writing
  • Argumentative Writing
  • English for the Social Sciences
  • English for Academic Purposes: Sociology
  • English for Academic Purposes: Psychology
  • English for Academic Purposes: American History
  • Integrated Skills/Basic English
  • Speech Communication
  • Presentation Skills

Research Interests

  • Pedagogical uses of social media
  • Computer-assisted language learning
  • Learner motivation
  • Curriculum design

Publications

  • Harwood, C., & Blackstone, B. (February 2012). Using Facebook to extend learning into students' digital lives. English Language Teaching World Online: Voices from the Classroom (ELTWO), 3.
  • Blackstone, B., & Wilkinson, M. (2011). Pedagogical blogging: A transformational methodology for post-secondary education. In C. Ho & A. Leong (Eds.), New Medias, New Literacies: Innovative Technologies, Integrated Experiences. London: Continuum.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. (2011). Pedagogical blogging in university courses. In R. Jaidev,  M.L.C. Sadorra, J.C. Wong, K.C. Lee, & B. Paredes-Lorente (Eds.), Global Perspectives, Local Initiatives: Reflections and Practice in ELT (Selected papers from the Third CELC Symposium for English Language Teachers). Centre for English Language Communication/National University of Singapore: Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B. (October 2009). Pedagogical blogging: Implementation in a professional communication course. English Language Teaching World Online: Voices from the Classroom (ELTWO), 1.
  • Wu, S., Tupas, R., Zhu, S., Blackstone, B., Chan, P., Deng, X., Goh, H., Ho., P., Seow, R., & Tan, S. (2008). Students written errors: A summary of preliminary results. SAAL Quarterly, 83.
  • Blackstone, B., Spiri, J., & Naganuma, N. (2007). Blogging in English teaching and learning: Pedagogical uses and student responses.  Reflections on English Language Teaching, 6(2).

Research Projects

  • Chair, Publicity Committee, 4th CELC Symposium - 2013 (2010 - present )
  • Second Mentor, Temasek-sponsored Project for Teacher Mentoring (2010 – present)
  • Member, CELC Professional Communication Committee (2010 - 2012)
  • Curriculum Developer, Temasek-sponsored Project for Materials Development in Southeast Asian Contexts (2009 - 2012)

Seminars & Conferences


  • Chan, P., Blackstone, B., Liamsithisack, L., Souphanthong, B. & Phoonsavat, T. (7 June, 2012). Using Scaffolding to Build Vocabulary for Writing: A Study of Teaching English in a Laotian Teacher Training College (TTC). 21st MELTA International Conference. Kuching, Malaysia.
  • Blackstone, B., & Ho, G. A. L. (14 March, 2012). Evaluating student blog post commentary: Foundations for communities of practice. Staff Seminar. Centre for English Language Communication/National University of Singapore.
  • Harwood, C., & Blackstone, B. (25 February, 2012). Using facebook to extend learning into students' digital lives. 8th CamTESOL Conference on English Language Teaching. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  • Blackstone, B., & Ho, G. A. L. (8 December, 2011). Classroom without walls: Student blogging to enhance communities of practice. International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning/National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B. (13 August, 2011.) Encouraging peer learning through blogging and facebook in a university communication course. 2nd Asian EFL Journal and TESOL Asia International Conference. Cebu, Philippines.
  • Ho, G., & Blackstone, B. (12 March, 2011). Blog-based Comments for Enhancing Learning in Higher Education: Social Interaction within Distinct Communities of Practice. 2nd International Conference on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning. Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. (26 February, 2010). Electronic Communities of Practice: Extending the Classroom into the Blogosphere.7th Annual CamTESOL Conference on English Language Teaching. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  • Blackstone, B. (5 January, 2011). Good Presentation Skills. Centre for the Development of Teaching and Learning/ National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B. & Goh, K.P. (4 January, 2011). Project Work on Wikis: Process and Product. BuzzEd, eLearning Seminar. Centre for Instructional Technology/ National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B. (20-23 December, 2011). Presentation Skills for English Teachers and Future Teachers. Invited Workshop. Politeknik Negeri Jember, Jember, Indonesia.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. (30 November, 2010). Pedagogical Blogging for University Courses. (November, 2010). Centre for the Development of Teaching and Learning/ National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. (25 September, 2010). Pedagogical Blogging . Invited workshop. Universitas Islam Jember, Jember, Indonesia.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. (24 September, 2010). Pedagogical Blogging. Invited Workshop. Politeknik Negeri Jember, Jember, Indonesia.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. (23 September, 2010). Pedagogical Blogging. Invited Workshop. Universitas 25th Agus1945, Banyuwangi, Indonesia.
  • Tupas, R., Lee, K.C,  Blackstone, B., Goh, K.P. et al. (6 August, 2010). Frameworking from the Ground: The Practice of ELT Materials Writing in Southeast Asian Contexts. Asia TEFL Conference. Hanoi, Vietnam.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. J. (26 May, 2010). Pedagogical blogging for a professional communication course and for a basic English course. 3rd Symposium of the Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B., & Harwood, C. J. (21 April, 2010). Pedagogical blogging for university English courses. Staff Seminar. Centre for English Language Communication/National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B., & Wong, S.F. (21 February, 2009). Collaborative learning: A tale of two models. 5th CamTESOL International Conference. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  • Blackstone, B., & Wong, S.F. (17 January, 2009). Collaborative learning: A tale of two models. 5th British Council-Vietnam English Teacher & Trainer Network (VTTN) National Conference. Hanoi, Vietnam.
  • Blackstone, B. (19 November, 2008). An Integrated Skills Project for EAP: Student Research and Poster Presentations. Staff Seminar. Centre for English Language Communication/National University of Singapore.
  • Blackstone, B. (27 May, 2008). An Integrated Skills Project for EAP: Student Research and Poster Presentations. Hanoi National University of Education.
  • Blackstone, B. (26 May, 2008). An Integrated Skills Project for EAP: Student Research and Poster Presentations. Vietnam National University. Hanoi, Vietnam. 

Prior Teaching Experience

  • 2004-2007 Associate Professor / Akita International University, Akita, Japan
  • 2003-2004 Consultant, University Development Division / Akita Prefectural Government, Akita City, Japan
  • 1990-2003 Assistant Professor / Minnesota State University, Akita Program, Akita, Japan
  • 1989-1990 Instructor / State University of New York at Buffalo, Malaysia Program, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
  • 1985-1988 Instructor / Indiana University-MUCIA Project in Malaysia, Shah Alam, Malaysia
  • 1983-1988 Instructor / The Ohio State University, ESL Composition Program, Columbus, Ohio
  • 1980-1982 Trainer / General Motors Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal
  • 1980-1981 Instructor / University of Lisbon - Superior Institute of Agronomy, Lisbon, Portugal
  • 1978-1979 Teaching Assistant / Russian Program, Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio