Social Media, Gaming & Language Learning

Based on today's readings and podcast as well as your own personal experience, post a comment in response to the following questions. I also encourage you to provide links to any online sources or sites that are relevant to your answers.

 

1. How have you seen social media and/or gaming (MMOGs) used in language teaching?   
2. Could these serve a role in your classroom?
3. 2.What type of learning could students engage in through social media and MMOGs? How is this similar to or different from the type of learning they could achieve through more traditional means?

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Project II Check In

Please comment on this post with responses to the following questions concerning your progress in Project II. Feel free to reply to one another if you see a question someone has raised that you have a solution for: 

1. How did the data collection process go? 
2. What are some of the challenges you’re facing in data collection and analysis? What solutions have you devised?• 
3. Do you have any additional questions on coding, analysis or the project itself? (These will be shared with Jonas.)

Humlab day

 



FRAM students testing eye tracking in Humlab



Eye tracking with Roger

A couple of weeks ago we had the possibility to listen to four researchers within the fields of cognitive science, linguistics and phonetics. Our idea with the Humlab day was to take a sneak peek into the future of ICT and languages. The technologies that were presented during the day - keystroke logging, eye tracking, articulograph and teaching agents - are all cutting edge and with some exception at a laboratory stage. I for one thought this was an excellent day and it gave me a lot of food for thought about future uses of ICT for languages. Thanks to Victoria, Roger, Susanne, Agneta and Magnus who took the time to come and meet with FRAM!

A Question on Distance Learning

1.According to Nancy, one of the Spanish language distance education teachers surveyed by Sánchez-Serrano (2008), “the online curriculum should be designed to match, as closely as possible, the needs of the environment and of the students, while not attempting to imitate its face-to-face counterparts as the perfect model” (p. 157). This sentiment is echoed in the comments by Stickler and Hempel in Episode 5 of the CALLspot, who point out that putting powerpoints and lecture notes online is not enough for online instruction. 

 

How should a curriculum and lessons for online language instruction differ from a curriculum and lessons for  face-to-face language instruction?

TED-talk

Hello Everyone,
here's the link to the TED-talk on search limitations:

 
http://blog.ted.com/2011/05/02/beware-online-filter-bubbles-eli-pariser-on-ted-com/

It's called "Beware online “filter bubbles” and delivered by  Eli Pariser.

/Maria F

Welcome to the 2013 IKT Course at Lund

Welcome to the blog for the spring 2013 IKT Course at Lund. This blog is a space for the sharing of information as your work on your projects and as a space to post comments and reports for upcoming in-class activities.

In order to participate fully, you will need to accept the invitation sent to your email account. If you did not receive an invitation, please check your spam filters as invitations are sometimes treated as spam.

If you look around, you will see that this same space has been used by previous courses in computer-assisted language learning for ESL instructors in the United States. Scroll back through these prior posts and identify one that you find particularly interesting. Provide a link and comment on it in response to this post.

Spring 2012 Final Projects

We've finally come to the final post in our class blog this semester. To wrap things up and to showcase your final projects, one member of each group should post a link to your group's web-based lesson or activity as a comment before 5:00pm on Saturday (5/5). Each member of the class should view and comment on at least 3 other groups' projects by 7:30pm (5/5).

Facebook page for English Language Learners

Since we were discussing Facebook in class I wanted to do a search for Facebook pages that are dedicated to helping English Language Learners.  I wanted to find a page that not only had meaningful activities, but also interacted with the “friends” on the page. It wasn’t easy, there are many ESL Facebook pages with unorganized, pointless information and little to no interaction, but then I found Studying English with Shellee.  https://www.facebook.com/StudyEnglishWithShellee

Shellee is an American ESL teacher who teaches overseas. She recently began this FB page, so she doesn’t have many “likes” yet, but one can tell that just by scrolling through her page she is a very thoughtful educator and is dedicated to helping ESL in a variety of ways.

Shellee’s lessons consist of “idioms of the day “slang lessons of the day” and words with definitions that are paired with illustrations to reinforce the concept. Shellee also has a music video posted with accompanying lyrics and two tasks related to the song for the English Language Learners to complete. She also takes the time to offer comments/suggestions and accepts request for lesson ideas.

So my questions are:

How might the approach that Shellee has taken to reach and teach ESL’s work?

From what we have learned about technology in the classroom, do you think a Facebook page is good place to learn English?

If you had a Facebook page, what type of activities might you post?

*If you’re interested Shellee also has a YouTube channel and a Twitter account for English Language Learners and she accepts lesson topic requests on both sites as well.*

http://www.youtube.com/user/ShelleeGurl

And a Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/#!/Shellee101

Classroom Language Learning

I came across this video when I was doing some research on alternative ways to learn a language.  Just watch the first five minutes.

OK, I am sure there is a lot of criticism on Pimsleur’s method and I am quite skeptical of it.  (Comparing a child’s ability to soak up languages with an adult is like comparing a genius’s ability to learn aerospace engineering with mine!)  It reminds me of the scene from Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield who learns French by listening to headphones while he sleeps.  

I am not so interested in the Pimsleur Approach as I am in the criticism this video offers for the way we teach language.  I thought a discussion on what experiences we have had on what works, and, perhaps more interestingly, what doesn’t work would be helpful. For example I am a Russian speaker, but I learned Russian from speaking it with people, not from learning it in a class.  This has had certain limitations, such as my constant difficulty with word endings; however, my accent and vocabulary are much better than someone who learned the language in a classroom.  On the other hand, I have tried numerous times to learn Spanish in the classroom, but feel there is always a ceiling I hit very early on.  I get bored with the worksheets; I never have practice; I never improve.

Some questions to consider: What experiences (good and bad) have you had learning a language? In what ways does the classroom get in the way of real language learning?  Does the way we teach language in K-12 have anything to do with the reasons why students in the USA have such difficulty learning a language?

Mr Robot, I want to start learning a new language today

This news article notes that a few weeks ago there was a show case of seven humanoid robots together for first time in the U.S. This project was funded the the National Science Foundation. So can we imagine teaching language to a robot or having a robot teach us any language we want in a natural way? Maybe in the future once robots are more advanced and commercialized we could buy them a language chip and insert it to make them speak and understand a particular language. Then we will have robots or humanoids which/whom we could practice our language skills and recharge them if the battery is low, or they might recharge themselves I don’t know. This article suggests that more autonomous human interaction will help the development of fully interactive humanoids. Here is a interesting note from the article: “Since current humanoids are not ready for unconstrained interaction with humans, having a consistent platform will facilitate rapid progress in areas needed for autonomy and natural interaction, including mobility, manipulation, vision, speech communication and cognition, and learning”. So what if researches make rapid progress in these areas? How do you feel about teaching to or being taught by a robot with those features?

Future Classrooms?

I recently came across this article, which discussed the great success Dardanelle School District, a school in Texas, was having with their ELL program. Their success was contributed to a program called Imagine Learning English. This type of classroom set up is vastly different that the type of classroom I had in school. In my school experience, computer time was rare and limited. This article made me think of how much schools have evolved in the past few years. Hopefully soon, many more schools will experience the success that Dardanelle School District had by using technology in the classroom.

What do you think future classrooms will look like? Technology is rapidly changing the way our school system works, what do you think is in store next? The new white board is a new technology expected to be seen in classrooms soon and ipads are starting to pop up in classrooms more often. But what else have you see or heard about that may soon transform how the typical classroom looks and operates? What is your opinion of the wave of new technologies that are now a part of everyday classrooms? In your teaching experience have you had trouble adapting to the changes being made or do you embrace them?

The new white board!

Ipads in the classroom.

Podcast: The Application of Video in Class

The Podcast have two ways----Radio and Video. Today I want to say the video. The video increase understanding of content and good for revision. It's the best to help students understanding the teacher's talk.  And help the teacher using the tools to show more information or knowledge with students.

   However, using the video studying English may not be appropriate in all ELLs. Some students cannot control themselves attention when the video talk about grammar or some uninteresting knowledge, do not show the picture or cartoon. At that time, some students can't pay attention to learn English, because using the video to learn English didn't have interaction or feedback that is different with the learning in the classroom.

  Here is a show talking about that an American girl teaching Chinese ELLs how to speaking American English. And this show includes teaching ELLs idiom, culture and daily talk. This show's name is "OMG Meiyu". (Oh, my god. American English)
 



There is a example for "OMG Meiyu"

  Do you think "OMG Meiyu" can hlep the ELLs understanding American culture and improving their English? Compared with teaditional methed of teaching, is it possiable that "OMG Meiyu" will improve the ELL students' English language proficiency?

The Application of Podcasting in Education

  Podcasting and BLOG are synonyms. I think both of them belong to mobile assisted language learning, depending on internet-based spread. However, there are some differences between them. The concept of podcasting stemmed from the combination of “iPod” and “broadcast”, mainly delivering the radio and video through the internet.  Apple published iPodder in September, 2004, which was regarded as the sign of the beginning of podcasting.  However, BLOG refers to that people are able to spread their ideas associated with words and pictures through internet.

  With the development of technology, the knowledge is experiencing rapid evaluation every day. The time for classroom-based teaching is limited; teachers are not able to offer the whole knowledge within one class time. Therefore, using advanced podcasting technology to promote students` self-learning is essential. To illustrate my views, three advantages of podcasting are presented and discussed below.

  To begin with, podcasting can make review handy to some extent. Students are able to keep absorbing what they didn`t understand in class by logging in website, adding more informations which are radio-based or video-based to their notebooks. This process is able to refuel students overcoming the knowledge missed in class. Next, podcasting can make students motivated. Because of its promptness, students are able to log in their podcast website to strengthen their weakness submitting their questions to teacher. Then teacher can respond feedbacks immediately. This process can resolve students’ academic problems timely and make students feel that they have achieved something successfully. I also believe this kind of virtuous cycle corrects students` study attitude and make them motivated. Last but not least, podcasting can highlight the ability of telecollaboration. Through podcasting, learners are able to establish activity freely. Students can use the function button, “adding friends”, to collaborate with other people as well as updating own experience. Thus, students are able to share, collaborate and compete with each other.

  The podcasting, mainly delivering the radio and video through the internet, has visual, auditory benefits for students to learn knowledge including learning language. Students are able to remember what they saw through watching. They also can know what they heard through listening. Anyway, according to Kukulska Hulme, the author believes that “MALL (e.g. Podcasting) differs from CALL in its use of personal, portable devices that enable new ways of learning, emphasizing continuity or spontaneity of access and interaction across different contexts of use”.(Kukulska Hulme, 2008, p162.).  In another word, I think people can podcast anything in anytime at anyplace personally as well as to have multi-tasking or active engagement. The technology content is easy to learn and inexpensive.

  However, I was wondering whether there are any disadvantages of podcasting. For example, we can`t make sure that everyone has good quality podcasting device or content. So, is the audio poor quality? Is the content poor quality? Does the podcasting have a difficult accessibility?

Which one help us be "more human:" Technology, nature or both?

I have observed that technology is really important in our classroom.  Most of our classmates, for the TESL CALL spot statement, are trying to apply a modern technology to the development of the language.  In my opinion, in the area of language education, technology should not only be used in the development of the language, but also development of the person.  I was working in the UTSA library with my assignment for the TESL CALL spot, and after I finished it, I was trying to send it in, since I could not do it, I asked a fellow, who was working in his computer next to me.  He tried for a while to help me but eventually he gave up.  The man to my left could not help me either.  I asked two more people who worked in the library help me.  I thought "they should know it", but they did not.  After this experience, I realized that this modern technology is difficult for me, but also for others, who are expected to have some knowledge about it.  After my discovery, I modified my assignment for the TESL CALL post.  I would like to invite you to discuss not only how we apply a modern technology for development of language, but also how to apply it to the general issue of human development, and compare it with development of nature in human life.  As we realize, modern technology is so important these days for many human needs.  Some people go too far with technology development, and can become addicted to it.  The fast progress of technology can have a negative effect on human life.  Modern technology is changing the way our brain works.  Somehow, modern technology is changing human feelings, including the principles of human beings.  I think people should try to keep a balance between technology progress and the use of nature's resources.  Some human actions, such as modern technology, violate the laws of nature.  If we lose nature's image, we lose our purpose of life, because we are completely dependent on nature.  Personally, I'm trying to be really close to nature.  This connection with nature has been enriching my life in many different ways.  Nature keeps people "more human."  That could not happen to us with modern technology.  The words of the ancient oriental wisdom say: "live closer to nature my friends, and its eternal laws will protect you."

http://www.albang.edu/etap/faculty/Cara Meskill/publication/mark.pdf


http://www.abdn.ac.uk/philosophy/endsandmeans/vol2no2/roleton.shtml

After-class thinking: Can teachers expect smooth sailing when they use CALL?

Today we always find that teachers are excited about the rising opportunities for students’ learning by the advent of CALL, however, there are also some problems, worries, and challenges that teachers have to encounter in class. Compared with the impact of traditional class, students who have experienced CALL activities seem more easily to learn autonomously by using the technology resources. Some students may read the screen with an online dictionary window open aligned with text window; some students prefer to check the writing grammar through the available corpus; and some students even build their own corpus of texts that conclude what words can be used in introduction of academic writing, what tense can be more suitable for the critical analysis and, classic collocation of conclusion sentences. Students can do better when they get more access to material across the web site. But teachers also begin to worry about if this open approach ends up teaching students to plagiarize through quoting, paraphrasing, and claiming creative combination of what others used. I find this article written by Dr. Christine Sabieh:

             http://www.stc.arts.chula.ac.th/ITUA/Papers_for_ITUA_Proceedings/Sabieh.pdf

After reading, guys, do you think that if the plagiarism is a common problem facing ELT? Is there any good way to ensure plagiarism awareness? How can teacher keep balance of teaching learning strategies by technology and keeping the “close imitation” out of students’ mind and work?

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants: Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap

In our recent blogs ~ discussion topics have ranged from Cultural Norms to on-line degrees from Harvard.  Incorporating technology in the classroom, especially for Foreign Language Learners is clearly the here and now.  However, are we leaving out a group of students by utilizing technology in the classroom?  The following commentary by Timothy Van Slyke will explore the possible decline of education.

Some questions to think about when reading the article: 

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants: Some Thoughts from the Generation Gap

1. How might you, as an Foreign Language Teacher bridge the cultural and linguistic divide separating today's teachers or students in teaching or learning a foreign language using technology if teacher or student is not "fluent" in the world of technology?
2. Does our brain work differently today than that of "yesteryear," especially when it comes to technology?
3. Can Digital Immigrants learn other languages?
4. Will Digital Natives leave the Digital Immigrants behind?
5. What are your thoughts on technology ... a replacement ... or a tool ... in learning a foreign language?

Thanks!  Cat

Week 7 ~ responses due by Thursday, March 8  :)

Cultural Norms in the Classroom; yours or mine?

In our examination of the Cultura Project, we saw that the cultural nuances of an individual or a group of language learners cannot be ignored. There was one particular example that I could personally relate to from a discussion between Russian and American students. When the Americans were asked what they would do if their classmate asked for help on an exam, they all agreed that they would refuse to help. The Russians, on the other hand, were united in answering that they would assist their hypothetical classmate.
The culture in Ukraine, where I taught English for 27 months, is quite easily compared to that of Russia in this regard.  During the cultural training sessions facilitated by the Peace Corps staff, the topic of cheating in the classroom was addressed.  It was attributed in part to the many years of communist rule, which left its mark on Ukrainian culture.  Historically, Ukrainian people have seen many hard times.  If you were able to help your neighbor, it was wise to do so, as there would inevitably be a time when you too would be in need of a helping hand. 
If you were working as an English teacher in another country, one with cultural norms perpendicular to those of your home country (such as behavior concerning academic honesty), how would you meet this challenge? When you teach English (or any subject) abroad, must you impose the academic standards to which you are accustomed, or is it better to conduct your lessons within the cultural framework already in place?

The University of Wherever

I saw this article last year.  Imagine getting a degree from Harvard University from your home.  There are no admissions requirements, no minimum test scores or high school GPA.  You attend class (online), you do the work, you get the grades, you get a degree from Harvard.  There are classes now where the Lecturer is online and all the work is submitted electronically, but students need to be admitted to the institution to receive credit.  What if they opened those classes to the public?  Imagine "being" in class with tens of thousands of other students.  Would we get the same quality of education?  What would it mean to be an excellent teacher, simply someone that works at a popular institution or the teacher with the most students?  Is it a good thing for students/teachers/education, or not?  Can you imagine giving a Language Class like English Academic Writing to 100,000 students?

The article is a little long, but here are the nuts and bolts of the idea:
Thrun’s ultimate mission is a virtual university in which the best professors broadcast their lectures to tens of thousands of students. Testing, peer interaction and grading would happen online; a cadre of teaching assistants would provide some human supervision; and the price would be within reach of almost anyone. “Literally, we can probably get the same quality of education I teach in class for about 1 to 2 percent of the cost,” Thrun told me. The traditional university, in his view, serves a fortunate few, inefficiently, with a business model built on exclusivity. “I’m not at all against the on-campus experience,” he said. “I love it. It’s great. It has a lot of things which cannot be replaced by anything online. But it’s also insanely uneconomical.”

 The link to the article:http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/03/opinion/the-university-of-wherever.html?scp=1&sq=the%20university%20of%20wherever&st=cse

Conferencing

Technology has supplied various forms of computer-mediated communication to help educators and learners in their second language learning process. Conferencing is one of the technologies I found useful for improving the listening oral skills since it is very similar to face-to-face communication, and provides an immediate feedback - as other synchronous forms. MOO is incredibly interesting for both teacher and learners who are involved in a virtual environment and exposed to a target language and culture. Apparently, most learners use the e-mails (asynchronous), where responses may delay, for submitting assignments, interacting and exchange information in their second language learning as my students used to. A common example of using this technology is “Tandem e-mail learning” where there is a balance between the roles of participants, between what they receive and what they contribute. CMC Technologies, in its effectiveness role, have a great promising future if they are pedagogically selected to achieve the planned objectives of second language learning. In general, synchronous forms of CMC develop the oral proficiency of learners and reduce the physical distance within diverse learning environments. In asynchronous tools, learners improve their linguistic quality lexically and syntactically. The individuals’ variations and the strengths and limitations of CMC material considerations should be the basis on which we choose an efficient teaching aid.

After reading the articles “Commentary: You’re Not Studying, You’re Just …. By Purushotma and Web 2.0, Synthetic Immersive Environments, and Mobile Resources for Language Education by Sykes, I realized how important it is to use games in language learning. Language learner get bored in using text books all the time by using games will keep them motivated to learn. I found this article in the internet; I like to share with you. My question is how do you feel about using games for teaching language learning? Do you find it useful or a waste of time?
http://www.teflgames.com/why.html