tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29141005549322498712024-02-19T07:20:44.426+00:00Teachers, Stop here and Pick your tools!My knowledge is YOUR data. If you are interested in my website, please take a stroll for a few minutes. I am more HAPPY to hear your VOICE. - Xiameng MiaoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-69047013027472494082012-03-22T01:11:00.001+00:002012-03-22T01:25:18.678+00:00Teachers, why not Learning Chocolate?<span style="color: black;">As an EFL learner, I always have a feeling that there is a lack of motivation for me to acquire new vocabularies after class as long as I am not aksed to do so. Although it is significant to 'import' new words when you are abroad like me, I definately say NO to boring dictations. It is soooo lucky that my tutor introduced this website </span><a href="http://www.learningchocolate.com/"><span style="color: black;">http://www.learningchocolate.com/</span></a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xVVxrlpj0ygeT-okdvmRrN-9dwYFzjjOHLCuD84C_D5A_Dsi2TbYPFjPfyusLGCgotl7Smc2NaZtvQoE38XJC0wT-SaD-DRO4UWySA2xix6J5TT9644PFWRnwAxr9yH88irHv-yB-w/s1600/%E6%9C%AA%E5%91%BD%E5%90%8D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xVVxrlpj0ygeT-okdvmRrN-9dwYFzjjOHLCuD84C_D5A_Dsi2TbYPFjPfyusLGCgotl7Smc2NaZtvQoE38XJC0wT-SaD-DRO4UWySA2xix6J5TT9644PFWRnwAxr9yH88irHv-yB-w/s400/%E6%9C%AA%E5%91%BD%E5%90%8D.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: orange; color: white;"><strong>1) What is the technology/ What does it do? </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Attractive as its name, this website provides pictures to assist understanding. It is really more interesting than simply noting down words. Moreover, around a topic for example Easter, it shows vocabularies related to this topic such as bunny and jellybean, which is a great assistance for acquiring those words <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">systematically</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Don't forget!!! It is not just a vocabulary presenting platform. There are three different exercises: matching up, filling in and dication. In the matching up exercises, there are three sub-categories. Firstly, it lets you match pronunciation with spelling. Secondly, it lets you match spelling with pictures. Finally, it lets you match pictures with pronunciation. Therefore, Ss have opportunites to match <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">pronunciation</span>, <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">pictures</span> and <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">spelling</span> all together. As with the last two exercises, it mainly focuses on spelling output, by providing pictures in "filling in" and pronunciation in "dication". </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Furthermore, there are ranged themes to be chosen and the topics are still being updated. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange; color: white;"><strong>2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">As mentioned above, this tool is a great creation of learning vocabularies for three reasons. Firstly, it offers various topics and these topics are being updated. Secondly, Ss can learn words with affordance of pictures and their families. Finally, the execises cover the main areas of vocabulary acquiring, namely pronunciation, meaning and spelling. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Students <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">have fun</span> in this wesites because of attractive pictures and vivid sound, which are of great importance to vocabulary learning (Margaurina, 2012). Therefore, it is more possible that they are motivated to learn words after class. Magford (2012) suggests <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">independent learning</span> is key to vocabulary development. Therefore, this websites are really helpful. (Magford and Margaurina are two participants in online forum on <em>Research into practice: vocabulary</em>, organized by IATEFL Research SIG, <a href="http://resig.weebly.com/1/post/2012/01/16-20-jan-2011-article-discussion-research-into-practice-vocabulary.html"><span style="color: black;">http://resig.weebly.com/1/post/2012/01/16-20-jan-2011-article-discussion-research-into-practice-vocabulary.html</span></a>) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange; color: white;"><strong>3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">According to the topic of each lesson, I will choose related topic in this website. I will invite Ss to do exercises ahead of time at home. Thereofore, they will have a general understanding of both the topic of a lesson and some main words that should be acquired, which benefits for new lesson delivery. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Another way to use this webiste could be that, based on the word families, students look for new words to extend the families. In this sense, this website is used as a role of a motivator that guides students to develop their own vocabulary dictionaries. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: orange; color: white;"><strong>4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">It only introduces concrete words which can be presented in pictures. In addition, the number of words around a particular topic is usually below ten, not so many. Therefore, the target learners' level of this webistes is limited among beginners or pre-intermediate. Moreover, Ss do not have a chance to practice speaking those words. That is one of the big concerns for Chinese students and it seems that this situation also happens in Japanese university. As Grogen (2012) aruges in the same forum talked above, </span><span style="color: black;">it is hard to get students to speak and they lack the awareness of the sound of English. I am still looking for a website that can get students to speak (</span><a href="http://www.languageguide.org/"><span style="color: black;">www.languageguide.org</span></a><span style="color: black;"> might be an alternative since it covers a speaking session in the test). </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-17824325011855397322012-03-19T01:07:00.002+00:002012-03-19T01:16:09.605+00:00Teachers, Why not TodaysMeet?Are you in an embarrasing situation that students keep silent in the classroom? Are they really following you or just thinking about what to eat after class? Stop worrying now! Here is a tool used to record Ss thinking process in the classroom. You can read their mind only by creating a room before a class or speanding a few seconds at the beginning of your class. Here we are: <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong><span style="color: #444444;">Todays</span><span style="color: #990000;">Meet</span></strong>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599;">1) What is the technology/ What does it do?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #444444;"><strong><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_670481935">Todays</a></strong></span><span style="color: #990000;"><strong><a href="http://todaysmeet.com/">Meet</a> </strong></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">is used to make audience heard in a presentation. Their comments and questions can be promptly presented and the presenter thereby uses these feedbacks to adapt their speech in order to </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">get meanings across.</span> <br />
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<span style="color: black;">It is very easy to use. First go to this website </span><a href="http://todaysmeet.com/"><span style="color: black;">http://todaysmeet.com/</span></a><span style="color: black;">, Then name your virtual room and choose a period that you want to keep this room. Finally, entre your name and your room link is in the address sector of your browser. (</span><a href="http://todaysmeet.com/teacherswhynot"><span style="color: black;">http://todaysmeet.com/teacherswhynot</span></a><span style="color: black;">, this is a room that I created for a year. You are more than welcomed to leave your comments there).</span> <br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599;">2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">For learners, this tool is beneficial for them to get their voice heard. Instead of bothering listening to teachers' monologue in the front of the classroom, students can write down their <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">immediate</span> ideas. In the meanwhile, this tool provides a possibility of learner-learner interaction when teachers hold the floor. Learners can see what others are thinking and might be inspired somehow. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;">For teachers, it is good for teacher-learner interaction. Some students are shy of public speaking. By using this, their opinions are received by teachers. At the same time, teachers can adjust their presenting content according to students' feedback in lecutures. For example, if students are still confused about a terminology after explanation, teachers can elaborate in response. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">According to Mason (2005), learning and knowledge are complex adaptive systems and depended on content, context and community. In a language learning classroom, the content is what teachers plan to convey, the context is consituted by the community "teachers and learners", also including other factors such as learners' learning style. TodaysMeet is on the right track in making it possible for teachers to adapt curriculums in response to immediate interaction, which fits into the natural character of knowledge itself: being organic. This could lead to better learning outcome. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599;">3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #444444;">Todays</span><span style="color: #990000;">Meet</span></span></strong> <span style="color: black;">can be used in group discussion and whole-class presentation either by teachers or by students. In both case, students are given the opportunities to share ideas with the rest of the class, including teachers. Moreover, all the content can be presented by selecting 'transcript' on the right bottom of the chatbox. Teachers then can save that content for students. Surprisingly, to make it easier, you can even share the whole content via twitter. This transcript is useful for students to review others' brainstorming. In addition, it is a good recourse for educators to collect classroom data for <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">research</span> purpose. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599;">4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">There are two limitation as far as I am concerned. Firstly, if the class size is too big, the data could be complex and teachers might find all infomation just bubble and hard to get the main point. Secondly, shy students find their way to express ideas in class thus the chance of speaking is avoided at the same time.</span><br />
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Reference<br />
<strong>Mason, J. 2005.</strong> 'from e-Learning to e-knowledge' in M. Rao (ed.). Knowledge management tools and techniques: practitioners and experts, Boston : Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-29998293361315669392012-03-15T22:42:00.000+00:002012-03-15T23:15:55.707+00:00Teacher! Why not Podcasting?<br />
<span style="color: black;">Myself have heard poscasts many times from my dear turor but ends NEVER trying. Until recently do I pick it up, when I read about how attractive it is in one of the coursebooks "How to teach English with technolgy". Curiously, I simply parcel my voice and get it published (via </span><a href="http://www.podomatic.com/"><span style="color: black;">http://www.podomatic.com/</span></a><span style="color: black;">)! Such a wonderful experience that leads me to dig deeper.</span> <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: lime;"><strong>1) What is the
technology/ What does it do?</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">A <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;"><span style="color: black;">Po</span><span style="color: black;">dcast</span></span><strong> </strong>is a recorded video show that contains a series of pragrammes. Audience can subscribe via podcasting websistes (e.g. </span><a href="http://www.podbean.com/"><span style="color: black;">http://www.podbean.com/</span></a><span style="color: black;">) or iTune and can get the latest version through RSS and iTune reminder. The content of podcast covers various areas. We focus on EFL/ESL here. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: lime;"><strong><strong>2) Why is this particular tool or
technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning
or research underpin the use of this technology?</strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: black;"></span><strong> </strong><br />
<span style="color: black;">Basicly, for learners, they are good resources for listening and speaking. By listening I mean learners subscribe a quilifed podcast and listen to it regularly. There are even transcripts of listening texts available to check learners' understanding. By speaking, I mean students can make a podcast. Although that could be a big challenge, it worths doing because of the necessary process of searching, editing and producing contents themsevles.</span>
<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">For teachers, there is pedagogical disucssion where teachers in ELT voice themselves pointed to a topic. For example, <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">ELTchat</span> podcast in iTunes. This podcast contains the lastest news of ELT areas based on twice weekly twitter chat.</span> <strong><span style="color: lime;"> </span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="color: black;">When it comes to language learning approach, I think it belongs to task-based learning when they make podcasts. They are given the task of producing content with L2. In detail, the task could be tell a joke or give an interview or others. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><strong></strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: lime;"><strong>3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">In terms of subscribing podacsts, it is convenient to do so. Leanrners are not stricted to just choose 'fixed' textbook materials. It is up to them to select the topic they want to listen to. Some of podcasts are quite nice actually, because they provide <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">relaxed music</span> as the background, learners could feel easy, which benefits learning outcome. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">
As for making a podcast, I would say that podcast is really a brilliant tool for students to be engaged in a real context speaking activities, specially for EFL students for three reasons. Firstly, as long as the production podcast is a complex task, there requires group work so that students are automatially connected with each other to do language task. Although, it is inevitable that they will use L1 as a mediation tool to do meaning negotiation. Secondly, the content of podcast varies from interviews, stories, jokes or even commentaries on a hot topic. Students are provided a real context, which is for the aim of podcasting, instead of being told to do so according to the textbook. Finally, whatever topics they do, it needs the skills of synthesizing, which is a higher oreder skills of using language.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: lime;"><strong><strong>4) What limitations can you see with the
use of this technology?</strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Due to the large number of podcasts on-line, it is easy that learners could be lost. In the meanwhile, the quality of podcasts needs to be rethought. Even though the content is nice, the voice is not attractive enough (e.g. with flat intonation), learners could still get bored. Additionally, when producing a podcast, there is a risk that leanrners just read their prepared transcript in stead of speaking. In that case, speaking skill is hardly trained which is one of the skills that EFL students need to improve. We should also think about the <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">feedback</span>. Students could lose motivation if their piece does not be reviewed by potential social audience. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #9fc5e8; color: black;">OKay! O(∩_∩)O</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: black;">After my lenthy promoation of podcasts, you must be quite curious to see my effort on that! Right? haha, Hope you are still with me..</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVjMlNyIAM-SpYQJnrMgeqS2tv2rkFcxpiuqUBlkVyT6OPz8oU1qk_GI3IBkNOnPzRjy0aXodgK2xa1zaWCSdT1vDDeIp2pl6tSlEfI5jJqpVMfyfC3TKqw8ip8Tuhyy6J28OxQ7E-A/s1600/2012-03-26_1225.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVjMlNyIAM-SpYQJnrMgeqS2tv2rkFcxpiuqUBlkVyT6OPz8oU1qk_GI3IBkNOnPzRjy0aXodgK2xa1zaWCSdT1vDDeIp2pl6tSlEfI5jJqpVMfyfC3TKqw8ip8Tuhyy6J28OxQ7E-A/s320/2012-03-26_1225.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">1) What is the technology/ What does it do?</b></span><br />
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what: Jing is a basic tool to capture your screen for up to 5 minutes. It allows you to upload your video to a video e-portfolio <a href="http://screencast.com/">screencast.com</a>. Via this website, you got a link that can be sent to anywhere and also got a code used for embedding to web page or blog.<br />
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how: go to <a href="http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html">Jing</a>, download it for free. After installing, it will appear at the central top of your screen. What you should do afterwards is choosing a scale you want and select capture image or video. Done!<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #660000;"><b>2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</b></span><br />
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As far as I am concerned, if this tool is used in a <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">connected classroom</span> (first raised by my tutor <a href="http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/">Russell Stannard</a>), it is really a good 'shot' to lower <span style="color: #4c1130;"><b><u>anxiety</u></b></span>. In detail, Ss can use it at home either receiving tutor's video feedback (assume it's negative), being less face-threatening, compared with receiving it in person; or pointed to the given feedback, Ss can record their own reflections and practice before sending, to their tutors without worrying about e.g. ineffective retrieval of vocabulary. <br />
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You might argue if your students is a group of people with high language proficiency, then there is no need for anxiety reduction. Might be WRONG. A study conduced by Onwuegbuzie et al (1999), found that there is no considerable relationship between the anxiety and language level. However, there is a negative correlation between anxiety and L2 performance. That is to say, all L2 learners are more or less influenced by language anxiety, from perspectives of <span style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #444444;">input, processing and output</span> (MacIntypre and Gurdner, 1991).<br />
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As with input, high anxiety will lead to problems of TL (Target Language) receiving and encoding. Krashen's <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9; color: #444444;">effective filter</span> (1982) can explain this idea. some of the information fails to entre the cognitive processing system, with high effective filter. In terms of processing, understanding L2 could be problematic, due to disorder of storing, organizing and assimilating L2. As to output, learners might use inappropriate vocabulary, wrong grammar or even can't respond when writing or speaking the L2.<br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><b>BACK TO OUR JING</b></span>, therefore, Jing is a great facilitator, which helps Ss charge themselves in the greenroom e.g. at home and facilitate them to performing well in the front-stage e.g. classroom.<br />
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<span style="color: #777777; font-family: Myriad, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #660000;"><b>3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</b></span><br />
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You can use it to give <span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #444444;">feedback</span> on writing. You can send your feedback of a particular piece of Ss' work and send it via email to your Ss. Then, your students can also give their views about your feedback via the same way. This is really good form of feedback delivery that is friendly to Ss. <br />
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Firstly, by watching your video, they can look back and forth and repeatedly review the point they want. In that case, it avoids the <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #444444;">embarrassment</span> that Ss ask tutors for repetition more than once in face-to-face feedback tutorial. Secondly, Ss can mediate their language and organize their thoughts before sending tutors their opinions. On the one hand, this is a good way for students to get rid of <span style="color: #444444;">anxiety</span>. On the other hand, it is also a good chance to practicing <span style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #444444;">speaking</span>.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</b></span><br />
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The time limit could be a big concern (5 mins)<br />
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<b>References:</b><br />
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<b>Kranshen, S. D.</b> 1982. <i>Principles and practice in second language acquisition</i>. New York: Pergamon.<br />
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<b>MacIntypre, P. D., and Gurdner, R. C.</b> 1991. 'Language anxiety: Its relationship to other anxieties and to processing in native and second languages'. <i>Language Learning</i> 41: 513-534.<br />
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<b>Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Bailey, P., and Daley, C. E.</b> 1999. 'Factors associated with foreign language anxiety'. <i>Applied Linguistics</i> 20: 217-239.<br />
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<br />
If you like, you can check my JING Video, talking about my writing plans before the deadline:<br />
<a href="http://www.screencast.com/t/tXmB2b4m2PR">http://www.screencast.com/t/tXmB2b4m2PR</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-73970883686658121302012-02-14T17:07:00.000+00:002012-02-14T17:12:44.235+00:00Wordle tells you a story of Word Power<span style="color: black;">Do you ever think about the power of words that can brings to you, teachers? A research conducted by McNaught and Lam (2010) suggest that Wordle can be a supplementing tool to faciliate preliminary analyisis in educational research. Based on the data of classroom talk, they can tell a research direction concluded from the data by visilizing some big-sized words. Unbelievable, right?? !!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white;">1 What is Wordle?</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;">It is a tool for generateing 'word clouds' from a text you choose. The more consantly appeared words are shown in a bigger size. You can change the layout, size and color whichever you like. Also, you can share the final version with friends. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Attention! it is very simple to use. Go to this site </span><a href="http://www.wordle.net/"><span style="color: black;">Wordle</span></a><span style="color: black;">. Just follow three steps. 1. click 'Create'; 2. paste the text you want and GO; 3. see your production! (Oops, Java is needed ).</span> <br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white;">2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</span></strong><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: black;">The visulized version of word display gives readers a general taste of a reading text itself. Instead of giving a boring WORD tag to your students to guess the main theme of a reading material, wordle gives you an opportunity to entertain your students before giving them tough work to do.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">To a large extent, wordle is much more related to motivation and language learning, givin its fabulous outlook. In other words, students will be attracted at the first sight and would be motivated to do language learning related to this tool.</span> </span><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white;">3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: black;">Besides, what has been mentioned to give students a<u> text guessing task</u>, wordle could also be used in <u>vocabulary learning</u>. It can be a reasonable resource to facilitate vocabulary remembering for three reasons. Firstly, unlike traditional vocabulary list, this visulized picutre might raise students' interests in terms of its flexiable layout and font. Secondly, students can just focus on frequently-used words so that to equip them with basic vocabulary range in daily conversation, given those words will stand out by their bigger size. This is good for beginners' level. Thirdly, students not just learn isolated words but know the words that are associated with. It is good when learners actually apply words in real life.</span> </span><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white;">4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black;">But, although there are massive layouts to choose, it seems only horizontal type is friendly to read. Addtionally, it could be possible that students could lose interests after they see this words toy several times.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Anyway, now I will present you a word cloud from a topic I am interested in today.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKt3Rx1uhje6aFBaLu6hnMaE7ioZBpQ5NFY5EUnJa3YSSe_cYp6ELSvHYJsd5HmgfTfLy-F5qfZQVkFCz_TdfClBSsy0P_a7JB2YUeKkDVnH0ZTYo8iinlEdGwz96Hf1vLhqepbkzTw/s1600/%E6%9C%AA%E5%91%BD%E5%90%8D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKt3Rx1uhje6aFBaLu6hnMaE7ioZBpQ5NFY5EUnJa3YSSe_cYp6ELSvHYJsd5HmgfTfLy-F5qfZQVkFCz_TdfClBSsy0P_a7JB2YUeKkDVnH0ZTYo8iinlEdGwz96Hf1vLhqepbkzTw/s400/%E6%9C%AA%E5%91%BD%E5%90%8D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">So, can you guess what the content is, then? Haha, Happy Valentine's Day! (The text is from the definition of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day"><span style="color: black;">Valentine's Day, wikipedia</span></a><span style="color: black;">.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Reference</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong>McNaught, C</strong> and<strong> P, Lam.</strong> 2010. 'Using Wordle as a Supplementary Research Tool'. <em>The Qualitative Report</em> 15/3: 630-643.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-36769931986283421672012-02-11T00:40:00.000+00:002012-02-11T00:40:56.089+00:00StrugglING for improving speaking? MailVU is just for YOU!<span style="background-color: white; color: magenta;"><strong>1) What is the technology/ What does it do?</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://mailvu.com/">MailVU</a> allows you to send video emails up to 10 minutes. You just need three steps to finish. <br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8e7cc3;">a) click</span><br />
You need a webcam and a micophone and then click the 'allow' button to get the equipments standby.<br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">b) record</span><br />
Click the 'record' button to start. You can check your recording by click 'play'. If you are not satisfied with the previous recording, just click 'record' again to give a new try. <br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">c) send</span><br />
When finish recording, click the 'send' button. Type in your name, your email and your recipient's email address. That is! You even will be informed by email when the recipient see your recording. <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><strong>2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</strong></span><br />
Apprently, this tool is good for speaking activity for both learners and teachers. For learners, as long as you record your speech, you have opportunities to review it as many times as you like. You can jot down the weakness part and practice many times until you are satisfied. For teachers, they have a chance to review students' speaking output on individual basis. Therefore, students have the opportunities to receive personal feedbacks. <br />
Genearlly speaking, this tool makes the production part of speaking possible. In detail, when a teacher follows Presentation- Practice- Production approach, it is common that there is little time left in the final stage, production. By using mailVU, teachers can put production after class which make PPP complete. <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><strong>3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</strong></span><br />
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This tool could be an alternative monitor to push students to practice speaking after class. The speaking activity could be a follow-up task based on the content and grammar points introduced in the class. <br />
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<span style="color: magenta;"><strong>4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</strong></span><br />
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It is likely that students get bored to use it when they lose their curiosity of this new tool. The main reason could be that they are not invovled in an interactive context to practice speaking. In other words, it is mainly form-based learning. <br />
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Perhaps, if teachers give feedback also by this tool, there could build a fairly equal interaction context (a Video Community). Moreover, students can get the chance to practice listening as well from teachers video feedback. Or, if students like, they can send their recording to their peers and ask their fellows to give video feedback.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-24185667956081032652012-02-07T12:30:00.001+00:002012-03-24T00:59:08.745+00:00Teachers, why not Dvolver?<object align="middle" allownetworking="internal" allowscriptaccess="never" data="http://s3.amazonaws.com/dv_assets/plot_template_lang3.swf?movie_id=704481" height="285" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="381"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" />
<param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" />
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<param name="movie" value="http://s3.amazonaws.com/dv_assets/plot_template.swf?movie_id=704481" />
<param name="quality" value="high" />
</object><br />
<br />
Have you ever thought about being a director? Look at this fabulous movie, can't wait to have a try, right?<br />
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<br />
<span style="background-color: purple; color: white;"><strong>1) What is the technology/ What does it do?</strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.dvolver.com/moviemaker/make.html">Dvolver</a> is a<span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"> movie-making</span> tool. The procedure is very simple. Just follow the instruction of the website. Firstly, select backgrounds and sky followed by choosing characters. Then you choose a plot among the provided four kinds. Throw out dialogues. Of course, add your favorite music and don't forget to name your title and leave your NAME. OK, that is all! You are a director now. Notice! you can send links of your movies via email OR copy the code and embed them to your personal virtual space like blogs here ^^<br />
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<br />
<strong><span style="background-color: purple; color: white;">2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</span></strong><br />
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This tool is a fantastic facilitator of language learning. Firstly, it is a good resource for <span style="background-color: #f4cccc;">writing</span>, which requires higher language mastery, compared with reading. In detail, learners are trained to use the language coherently, precisely and appropriately when making up dialgues. Swain (1985) explains this in his Output Hypothesis, stating that <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">output</span> such as writing pushes learners step from semantic processing to syntactic processing, compared with input such as reading. Secondly, this tool provides <span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">meaningful tasks</span> which is an essential of learning, supported by H. Jonassen and Rohrer-Murphy (1999). 'Being meanful' here means that the acitivity should have goals, rules and larger community. Pointed this tool, it got a goal of making a movie. The rule is its procodures including adding background and music. The larger community is the potential audience. They can be teachers and peers. They can also be the online larger audience if movies are emebeded in for example blogs. <br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: purple; color: white;">3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</span></strong><br />
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Teachers could use it as a <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">warm-up</span> and post-activity. Based on the topic of current chapter, invite students to make up their own dialogues as a group activity at the beginning of a class. By this means, teachers could have an overall understanding of Ss prior knowledge both in the content and in the language such as vocabulary. Based on the existed knowledge, teachers could scaffold them by add "1" to their 'i' (refer to 'i+1' in socio-cultural theory by Vygostky). At the end of a class, students could be asked to make another movie, but this time use language point that teachers present in the class for example past tense. The whole class can vote the best movie then!<br />
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<span style="background-color: purple; color: white;"><strong>4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</strong></span><br />
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A limitation of this tool is that the provided scenes are too limited, especially the plot (only 4!). Ss might soon get bored.<br />
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References<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>H. Jonassen, D. , L. Rohrer-Murphy.</b> 1999. '</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 21px;">Activity theory as a framework for designing constructivist learning environments</span><span style="line-height: 21px;">'. <i>Educational Technology Research and Development</i> 47/1: 61-79. </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>Swain, M.</b> 1985. '</span><span style="background-color: white;">Communicative competence: Some roles of comprehensive input and comprehensible output in its development' in Susan M. Gass, and C. Madden (eds.).<i> </i></span><i style="background-color: white;">Input in second language acquisition .</i><span style="background-color: white;"> Cambridge, MA: Newbury House Publishers.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, "Bitstream Vera Sans", "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, "Bitstream Vera Sans", "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-3484868008462929482012-02-07T12:27:00.001+00:002012-03-26T00:42:49.177+01:00Scoop.it: build your online e-portfolio<iframe align="middle" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scoop.it/t/how-sound-effect-us/js?format=square&numberOfPosts=3&title=how+sound+effect+us%3F&speed=3&mode=normal&width=300" width="300"></iframe>
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Today, I am enlightened by a definition of learning when I read about connectivism theory. “[L]earning must be a way of being – an ongoing set of attitudes <span style="font-family: inherit;">and actions by individuals and groups that they employ to try to keep abreast to the surprising, novel, messy, obtrusive, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">recurring events…” (</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vaill,</span>1996:42<span style="font-family: inherit;">). Considering rapidly altering information online, how can we keep <span style="background-color: #f9cb9c;">current</span> while at the same time be well-organized in terms of our interested knowledge? I just dig a NEW tool called <a href="http://www.scoop.it/">scoop.it</a> which serves as an <span style="background-color: #d9d2e9;">e-porfolio</span> to gather related info together. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">1) What is the technology/ What does it do? </span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: yellow;"><b>Joining</b></span>: Sign up for free with your facebook or twitter account. For me, my domain (EFL network) lays on twitter therefore I choose my twitter account. Then, what you should do is just type in e-mail address and password, of course. Next time, only these two info is needed for signing in, easy as other social tool.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: yellow;"><b>Performing</b></span>: You are right on the starting line! Keep in mind that you already got a social network either from facebook or twitter which means you are definitely not alone in this NEW virtual space. So, you can firstly check what others have scooped, and decide whether to follow their topics. Like twitter, you got an interface that gathers all the topics you follow. Unlike twitter, it has image and longer text. Better than twitter, it allows to create your own topic. THAT IS!! why this tool is so amazing. Go the dashboard label, type your topic, add description, add tag and add icon if you like. DONE! Then, it is very important to install the Bookmarklet and drag "Scoop.it" button to bookmark toolbar. Finally, you are ready to scoop every piece of on-line source, ranged from audio, video, or text to your curated page. </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #6aa84f; color: yellow; font-weight: bold;">Enjoying</span><span style="background-color: white;">: </span>Since many well-known people and event got their scoop.it page. For the people, it is not as simple as that you follow that people so you should scan about everything s/he scoops. NO! You are the decision maker. You just follow the topic you have interest. For the event, you got the most updated information. More reader-friendly than those events' official page. Why? because it looks like informal magazine style but actually conveys first-hand sources. For example, <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/glasgow-iatefl-bloggers">Glasgow IATEFL Bloggers</a>. </div>
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<b style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</b><br />
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In my view, Scoops.it provides fruitful online materials for educators. The sources are from various social websites such as Guardian.com and social network such as twitter. Some sources are good for rethinking about teaching for example an article from Guardian titled '<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/feb/14/web-translation-fails-learners?CMP=EMCGUWEML335">Learning through crowdsourcing is deaf to the language challenge</a>' and Some are good for teachers' communication '<a href="http://edudemic.com/2012/01/20-hashtags/">20 Twitter Hashtags Every Teachers Should Know About</a>'. <br />
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Furthermore, it also provides loads of on-line learning resources for learners. For example, go to <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGRaO_zahf2Cn-6f7sOv-rIGk0RVs03z_d2_Ni2SQXjh9nl7IKO06JUi4EXdS_bRhBPVp-mrN2pf3hIFpmIUi4hqZlcymmRT4AdeG2r_Y_TNph1vZFNZPl7KXDHvYZfoAVfgW5S6ZXg/s400/%E6%9C%AA%E5%91%BD%E5%90%8D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/learning-english-as-a-foreign-language">http://www.scoop.it/t/learning-english-as-a-foreign-language</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
It gives you learning websites like <a href="http://www.elllo.org/">elllo</a> (English Listening Online) or learning tips like <a href="http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/vocabulary_tips.htm">the ten best vocabulary learning tips</a>. </div>
<div>
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Actually, this tool is a nice application of connectivism raised by Siemens (2004). This theory states that learners keep current in their specific area, relying on connected others. This requires the skill of <span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #444444;">self-organization</span> which is a micro-process in institutional environments. In our knowledge economy, the capacity to form connection is of vital importance. Scoop.it just is positioned as a 'mediator' to scaffold students to develop this skill, starting from raising a topic, to grab related information into a single page from massive online resources. </div>
<div>
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<b style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</b><br />
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For me, I will use scoop.it as a language teaching resource, which is next to the concept of portfolio. I do not google my topic just a day before my class but prepare for the potential usage on daily basis. If I find any interesting topics that will motivate my students, I will then present it out and it is really depending on the actual class process. (U will never predict what your Ss ask you!)<br />
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The next usage I am not so sure. Perhaps, I would use this tool as a pre-activity. For example, at the beginning of a term, I will invite my students to create their own topic in scoop.it. Perhaps two weeks later, I ask the whole class to vote for the best scoopt.it topic. The standard lies on the topic itself and the gathering info. The successful Ss can be my teaching assistant for the purpose of teaching a lesson around that elect topic. What about those who do not succeed? If they like, They could give presentations on their topics based on the gathering info, in order to persuade their classmates to voting for them as the next teaching assistant. They could choose to present their topics via podcast, mailVU or youtube. The final decision is made by their classmates. In this sense, scoop.it is regarded as a research <span style="background-color: #ead1dc;">database</span>.<br />
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<b style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</b><br />
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Something that worries me in terms of this tool is whether Ss will change its advantage into disadvantage. It means whether scoop.it contributes to <span style="background-color: #ffe599;">knowledge filtering</span> or just another composition of the crowd itself. Users should pay attention to select what to follow in case of getting missing among the self-contributed information flood.<br />
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<b>References</b><br />
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<b>Siemens, G.</b> 2004. 'Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age.' Retrieved from <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.ingedewaard.net/papers/connectivism/2005_siemens_ALearningTheoryForTheDigitalAge.pdf" shape="rect" style="display: inline; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank" title="www.ingedewaard.net/papers/connectivism/2005_siemens_ALearningTheoryForTheDigitalAge.pdf">http://www.ingedewaard.net/papers/connectivism/2005_siemens_ALearningTheoryForTheDigitalAge.pdf</a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; border-collapse: separate;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Vaill, P. B.</b> 1996. <i>Learning as a Way of Being</i>. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Blass Inc </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">l</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-61476784790514675352012-01-28T17:39:00.000+00:002012-03-24T00:33:43.255+00:00Teachers, why not myBrainshark?<object data="http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/viewer/getplayer.ashx" height="366" id="bsplayer46161" name="bsplayer46161" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="440"><param name="movie" value="http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/viewer/getplayer.ashx" />
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" />
<param name="flashvars" value="pi=752349932&dm=5&pause=1" />
<a href="http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/viewer/fallback.ashx?pi=752349932"><video width="440" height="366" controls="true" poster="http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/brainshark.net/common/getimage.ashx?pi=752349932&w=440&h=366&sln=1"><source src="http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/brainshark.net/apppresentation/getmovie.aspx?pi=752349932&fmt=2" /><img src="http://www.brainshark.com/brainshark/brainshark.net/apppresentation/splash.aspx?pi=752349932" width="440" height="366" border="0" /></video></a></object><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">This is a video created in myBrainshark. I just upload a </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">powerpoint to this website </span></strong><a href="http://www.brainshark.com/mybrainshark"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">http://www.brainshark.com/mybrainshark</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">, record my voice in every slide and finally "whoosh"!!</span></strong><br />
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<br />
<strong><span style="background-color: #274e13; color: white;">1) What is the technology/ What does it do?</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">What is myBrainshark? Good questions!!! This is an on-line file sharing website that allows you to upload video, audio, photo, document and powerpoint. Distinguised from other file sharing webistes, this one let users add sound in written texts. It benefits audience for the reason that contents are clearly explained by written and spoken form. </span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="background-color: #274e13; color: white;">2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">It is soooo relevant to language learning because!! 1. It helps to practice speaking. It is so real like the public presentation except your gesture and facial expression. Therefore, learners can practice speaking at home annnd...Importantly! they can send their presentations via myBrainshark to tutor, in order to get feedback. 2. Tutors can also give their lectures via myBrainshark. It got powerpoint, got voice, which means this tool packages the essential elements of a lecture. Moreover, it gives Ss a chance to track back and forth. Are there any other exciting things can campare with that U decide which part to stop, and U can jot down notes, and U can replay if U like!! </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I think the reason why this tool is appropriate to language learning is that it fits in with the applicaiton by Interactionist and Socio-cultural research. They demonstrate that second language interaction affects the learning opportunities. MyBrainshark extends the chance of interaction by </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">second language after class thus increasing learning opportunities. </span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="background-color: #274e13; color: white;">3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I might use it as a tool of blended teaching, by which I mean to upload my lecture with embedded voice after class and send Ss the link. They can review my lecture at home and rethink about it. I could also ask Ss to give presentation via this tool. The topic could be varied, self-introduction, hobbies or interests. This is a fantasitc practice opportunites before Ss really give a formal presentation in front of their classmates. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: #274e13; color: white;">4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology?</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Although Ss can practice speaking, it is hard to tell if their body language is appropriate or not. As for teachers, it doubles their workload which means they should give presentation both lively and digitally.</span></strong> ><Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07800675979458145963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914100554932249871.post-4107883139126386252012-01-17T13:03:00.001+00:002012-03-22T17:32:02.910+00:00Teachers, why not Voki?Fancy <span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">role-play</span> in practicing speaking, teachers? But, how to make your Ss feel they were really in their roles? Stop wasting time wondering my friends! Here we got <a href="http://www.voki.com/">http://www.voki.com/</a>! As you might see right at the head of my blog page, there is an avatar in representation of me and speaking with human-like moving. Really motivating right? Then you could believe Ss can't wait to have a try^^<br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;"><strong>1) What is the technology/ What does it do?</strong></span> <br />
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Voki is a website that allows you to create avatars in your preference. You can add voice to your avatars. You can post them in any social networks e.g. blogs. <br />
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The tool is fasinating for the reason that it is so real! I mean it visualizes you as a <span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">virtual entity</span> in the network which is very different from only hearing your voice. To be explained, most of us had the experience in skype. Do you feel the difference between talking with audio and talking through video? That embraces the idea of virtual entity that I mentioned above. That is to say, when you see the figure, it creates a context that you are with a real interlocutor. <br />
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Particularly to this tool, you can choose an avatar with customized appearance and also set a background which you like. It concludes indoors, cityviews, travel and etc. Interestingly, you can embed your voice in. To conclude, two features that Voki embaces is cutting edge. One, the avatar is so "U" by choosing appearance and uploading voice. Second, contexts are socially diverse that almost including various aspects of your daily life. <br />
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<span class="bolder"> </span><span style="background-color: #660000;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;"><strong>2) Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?</strong></span><br />
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The point that I put forward above is relevant to language learning, especally in a context where there lacks language context for example in China. Students would be motivated to witness those virtual speakers, which in a way bring them into a virtual social context. <br />
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This idea is closely related to social constructivism which suggests learning processing happens in the <span style="background-color: #f4cccc; color: #444444;">social interaction <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">(<span class="reference-text">Palincsar, 1998</span>)</span></span>. For the reason that knowledge is socially and cuturally constructed, individuals create meanig through their interaction with others. Voki here provides a social<span style="color: #d0e0e3;"> </span><span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: #444444;">context</span>, where learners act their roles. Although learners do not actually have conversations with other avatars, it more or less takes an initiative to set themselves in a social community. In detail, they can act as people from different career by different speech and pretend to be in different places by choosing various Backgrounds. <br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;"><strong>3) How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?</strong></span><br />
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In the classroom, teachers can create tasks such as role guessing. Based on a created avatar, students guess roles according to their speech and appearance. These created avatars could be either by teachers or by students. I think, it would be more motivated if Ss participant themselves. By editing the speech before uploading their voice, by choosing a particular hair style, clothes and appearance, it is possible that Ss locate themselves in that role and act as real social beings. <br />
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Outside the class, Ss can edit their own avatars by which I mean create a CLONE of themselves. They can embed avatars into their social network online for instance facebook, blogs. In this sense, they can taste the interst of interacting with potential Internet friends. <br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;">4) What limitations can you see with the use of this technology</span><span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;">?</span></strong><br />
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However, it seems that this tool does not have a profound significance as a socially interactive tool. For example, in terms of creating an avatar to represent themselves, there is a risk this tool loses the function of soical interaction if learners do not receive feedbacks verbally by another avatar or textually by written comments. <br />
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Reference<br />
<span class="reference-text"><strong>Palincsar, A.S. 1998.</strong> Social constructivist perspectives on teaching and learning. <em>Annual Review of Psychology</em>, 49, 345-375. </span><br />
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