After doing our assignment 3, I become much more familiar with using wiki and Hot Potatoes.
I find that Hot Potatoes is amazing. I can build up interractive online quizzes without difficulty.
Wiki is very useful for setting up a communicative platform for teaching. (In the beginning, I don't know the difference between wiki and blog. Now I realize that wiki is more useful for organizing and retaining information.)
I think I will keep using what I have learnt about new technologies in this class for teaching in future.
Tuesday 20 April 2010
Sunday 21 March 2010
Mark My Words
It is an amazing tool for marking. It seems that it can save teachers' marking time.
However, as a primary school teacher, this tool may not help me much.
We can only get benefit from the tool under the following condition. The student work should be done with MSW. Every teacher should have a computer on their desk.
The government encourages teaching with new technologies. However, in primary school we can only do things in a demonstration or instruction mode.
If we really want to step further, the government should help give enough funding for setting the environment (school and students' home)ready.
However, as a primary school teacher, this tool may not help me much.
We can only get benefit from the tool under the following condition. The student work should be done with MSW. Every teacher should have a computer on their desk.
The government encourages teaching with new technologies. However, in primary school we can only do things in a demonstration or instruction mode.
If we really want to step further, the government should help give enough funding for setting the environment (school and students' home)ready.
Tuesday 9 February 2010
Second Life
I had my 'Second life' near the end of the class.
So I did not get much experience in this virtual life.
It seems that is an attractive and interesting media for students.
After watching the video about educational use of SL, I find that SL is really amazing!
I can imagine that students will like role playing much in SL because the setting is more authentic than the one in classroom. Also, it's so fun to have a discussion in SL.
However, I wonder whether primary students can manage it!
By the way, the moral education is very important before introducing SL to students.
So I did not get much experience in this virtual life.
It seems that is an attractive and interesting media for students.
After watching the video about educational use of SL, I find that SL is really amazing!
I can imagine that students will like role playing much in SL because the setting is more authentic than the one in classroom. Also, it's so fun to have a discussion in SL.
However, I wonder whether primary students can manage it!
By the way, the moral education is very important before introducing SL to students.
Sunday 31 January 2010
Language Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Environment
Language Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Environment
In this case study, Roed investigated what the advantages of practicing L2 in a virtual environment and how different between classroom and online communication manners of students.
Advantages:
For students--
Fewer inhibitions
l no worries about accents or grammatical mistakes
l no worries about immediate negative reactions, e.g. giggles or raised eyebrows
l more time for understanding and responding
For teachers--
Increased participation
l introvert students are more confident to start a conversation
l extrovert students can’t totally dominate the group work
Concerns about students’online communication manners
l The impact of the occurrence of lag
l The impact of the use of exclamation marks (strong language)
l The risk of being thrown off task by distractions from online classmates
Sharing
Absolutely, I agree that virtual environment is helpful for language teaching. However, I wonder whether it is possible to embark upon this learning environment for primary students.
I taught 12 students from an after-school activity group to make their own blogs for sharing their planting experience. It was difficult for them to handle their blogs and also expressed their ideas in English. At last I could not control them to use English for communication.
Web 2.0 of virtual Environment is worthy to be explored for teaching and learning. However, we have to think how to teach primary students to get advantages from it.
In this case study, Roed investigated what the advantages of practicing L2 in a virtual environment and how different between classroom and online communication manners of students.
Advantages:
For students--
Fewer inhibitions
l no worries about accents or grammatical mistakes
l no worries about immediate negative reactions, e.g. giggles or raised eyebrows
l more time for understanding and responding
For teachers--
Increased participation
l introvert students are more confident to start a conversation
l extrovert students can’t totally dominate the group work
Concerns about students’online communication manners
l The impact of the occurrence of lag
l The impact of the use of exclamation marks (strong language)
l The risk of being thrown off task by distractions from online classmates
Sharing
Absolutely, I agree that virtual environment is helpful for language teaching. However, I wonder whether it is possible to embark upon this learning environment for primary students.
I taught 12 students from an after-school activity group to make their own blogs for sharing their planting experience. It was difficult for them to handle their blogs and also expressed their ideas in English. At last I could not control them to use English for communication.
Web 2.0 of virtual Environment is worthy to be explored for teaching and learning. However, we have to think how to teach primary students to get advantages from it.
Monday 25 January 2010
Joke:Giving comments to someone's blog can make you safe!
The Internet affects Devil's deal
The film, the Box, is about a deal with Devil.
If you press the button of the box given by Devil, you can get 100 million dollars.
At the same time someone with no relation with you will be killed at once.
Then Devil gets back the box and passes it to the other one.
In other words, you are in danger when the next one with no relation with you presses the button!
However, it is easy to be safe in the Internet life.
Try to add more friends in your facebook, give comments to someone's blog...
Hahahahahha
The film, the Box, is about a deal with Devil.
If you press the button of the box given by Devil, you can get 100 million dollars.
At the same time someone with no relation with you will be killed at once.
Then Devil gets back the box and passes it to the other one.
In other words, you are in danger when the next one with no relation with you presses the button!
However, it is easy to be safe in the Internet life.
Try to add more friends in your facebook, give comments to someone's blog...
Hahahahahha
Saturday 23 January 2010
Teaching Guidelines
Based on the previous section about the principle of learning goals, the writer lists out different teaching strategies to help organize meaningful classes with incorporating the Internet into teaching.
Dual Immersion--"emphasizes the importance of developing new technology enhanced literacy and communication skills in English language classroom."
Integration--"try to think of how Internet based activities can become part of and support the overall class curriculum rather than how to use them in isolation."
Project- Based Learning--" uses the Internet as a resource to fulfill learning goals; help ensure that Internet activity more beyond simple chatting or web surfing outside the classroom."
Student-centered Learning--" adapt the curriculum matches the requirements of the new information economy and society. The role of teachers is to help students organize their projects and give language specific instruction as needed during project activity."
Learning with a Purpose--"Setting the project connected to a real world purpose can ensure the meaningfulness of learning."
These guidelines are inspiring! Reviewed my own teaching, I always use new technology as a mean or tool for teaching only. I have no concern on designing teaching things with a meaningful or useful context for furthering students learning. It seems that using new technology in teaching in my class is just like showing my students 'how to fish'. However, I have no intention to teach my students "how to fish, how to keep fish or how to share fish, etc." In future, I will keep eyes on how to integrate new technology in teaching with a meaningful and student-centered approach.
Dual Immersion--"emphasizes the importance of developing new technology enhanced literacy and communication skills in English language classroom."
Integration--"try to think of how Internet based activities can become part of and support the overall class curriculum rather than how to use them in isolation."
Project- Based Learning--" uses the Internet as a resource to fulfill learning goals; help ensure that Internet activity more beyond simple chatting or web surfing outside the classroom."
Student-centered Learning--" adapt the curriculum matches the requirements of the new information economy and society. The role of teachers is to help students organize their projects and give language specific instruction as needed during project activity."
Learning with a Purpose--"Setting the project connected to a real world purpose can ensure the meaningfulness of learning."
These guidelines are inspiring! Reviewed my own teaching, I always use new technology as a mean or tool for teaching only. I have no concern on designing teaching things with a meaningful or useful context for furthering students learning. It seems that using new technology in teaching in my class is just like showing my students 'how to fish'. However, I have no intention to teach my students "how to fish, how to keep fish or how to share fish, etc." In future, I will keep eyes on how to integrate new technology in teaching with a meaningful and student-centered approach.
Monday 18 January 2010
Wednesday 13 January 2010
To be or not to be...
It's my first time to write a blog!!!
Actually, I am the one who like to live in a 'cave'.
I seldom do online work at home.
For me, I prefer a real farm instead of the 'happy farm'.
I don't like IT things much but no choice!
All blackboards were removed at my school. We need to use electronic boards and those electronic teaching materials (e-book, special programs from e-boards) for teaching. I have no excuse to shirk from IT life at work. So incorporating IT in teaching is a must at my school, if I want to survive and teach my students how to survive in future.
Actually, I am the one who like to live in a 'cave'.
I seldom do online work at home.
For me, I prefer a real farm instead of the 'happy farm'.
I don't like IT things much but no choice!
All blackboards were removed at my school. We need to use electronic boards and those electronic teaching materials (e-book, special programs from e-boards) for teaching. I have no excuse to shirk from IT life at work. So incorporating IT in teaching is a must at my school, if I want to survive and teach my students how to survive in future.
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