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Post by veronicabaig on Jan 22, 2010 17:54:07 GMT -5
I have used Yahoo Messenger in the past to talk with individual students who are living outside of North America (our toll-free telephone zone). It was successful, and I felt it was beneficial to the students. I would certainly use YM or Skype again in those situations. I've been investigated Tapped In this week, and it's certainly an interesting site--whether or not I would use it in a meaningful way with my students is another matter. My reluctance is because we already have moodle as our LMS, and it has a lot of the same functions only at a more basic level. If I were to use Tapped In, it would have to be informally. I have used informal resources in the past, and still do (Blogger); however, before I decide to add any such resource, I have to be thoroughly familiar with it myself. With university sanctioned resources (moodle), if a student has a technical problem, I can refer that student to our Help Desk for assistance; with the informal resources, I'm the help desk;-)
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Post by sheela on Jan 23, 2010 7:49:57 GMT -5
Having the chance to join BaW, I realized the amount of things we can do online. I always want to enrich my classes with online learning but found it difficult because of many aspects (lack of computers in the school, students engagement, etc). In fact what I see now is that I lacked focus on what I really wanted to work. By reading the two first texts (from Teresa Almeida and from Chun Lai/Yong Zhao), I could understand how things in this tech world work. By trying on my own, I commited some mistakes that now I see why my success wasn’t the way I figured out at first. It’s been and incredible experience to try all these new features (and old ones too) with a different and more focused objective. I feel that my self confidence is being built up and that I can’t stop trying and continue taking my risks at making the teaching/learning of a language something enjoyable, more effective and meaningful for students.
I haven't used any of these tools yet but I will definitely plan something to use both tools from this semester on. I'm thinking about giving students some office hours online by YM, and maybe working some projects in small groups... I confess I still have to learn in detail how TappedIn works so that I can include it in my teaching practice too. ;D
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Post by lolesova on Jan 23, 2010 10:25:34 GMT -5
I did not know that yahoo messenger supports video and that you could have up to five conferences at one time. You can practice to four basic skills. I’ve had a yahoo account for more than a decade and didn’t know that you could do all this with something as simple as the yahoo messenger. Miriam, isn't it amazing to have all such "complicated" features in Yahoo? I also used YM for more than a decade - since 1999. I also never used and didn't know that we can do a lot just by using YM. I found it is really great. Last year I read the Noticing article which also attracted my attention. As you said mistakes correction is so painful in our field. Larissa co-moderator week 2
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Post by lolesova on Jan 23, 2010 11:06:39 GMT -5
In fact what I see now is that I lacked focus on what I really wanted to work. By trying on my own, I commited some mistakes that now I see why my success wasn’t the way I figured out at first. It’s been and incredible experience to try all these new features (and old ones too) with a different and more focused objective. I feel that my self confidence is being built up and that I can’t stop trying and continue taking my risks at making the teaching/learning of a language something enjoyable, more effective and meaningful for students. Sheela, I found your notes are very close to mine. I agree that without objectives or focus it is really hard to know why to use technology. What else I learned from the articles - is to start from small which helps me always. Larissa co-moderator week 2
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Post by anisoara on Jan 23, 2010 12:57:28 GMT -5
After reading Teresa's article a couple of months ago I implemented a Yahoo group as a 'communication center' with my students. Little by little I began to use different features: students uploaded their photos, have access to links and files, I created a database for self and peer-evaluation, etc. I'm still not using YM for different reasons: not all students have Internet access, university students may feel reluctant to respond to the teacher's 'checking' outside the school schedule, etc. but I do use it for 1to1 teaching with voice and video and it has been very useful and time-saving as students did not have to travel to our meeting place.
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Post by Tatiana Kobzina on Jan 23, 2010 15:16:53 GMT -5
Dear Teresa and all,
Thank you for this interesting article which describes synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. The advantages of them are obvious as they introduce new dimensions in teaching. I agree with Teresa that new technological devices are challenging for both teachers and students as they are practically at the same boat while using them.
The most popular ones are Yahoo Messenger and Skype that have a huge educational potential in teaching communication and social skills. Mini-conferences can be organized where students can share their ideas with their peers from different countries. The main difficulties for the teacher can be technical glitches, time zone differences and a preparatory stage.
These activities should be well-planned in order to get an educational benefit from them. A clear-cut framework, aims, criteria for formal and informal assessment should be explained in advance. As to me, I’ve never used these tools in teaching due to administrative and classroom constraints. I’ll be working in this direction and planning my future activities with these tools.
Best, Tatiana
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Post by Mariana on Jan 24, 2010 6:13:27 GMT -5
My previous experience using skype and YM was only for personal reasons. I am connected via YM with some of my students only for communication and sharing files, books. After reading the articles I learned about other ways of using these tools, but my concern is how open and eager will be the students to get engaged in these ways of learning? Can you please share your experience. Thanks, Mariana
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Post by marci2010 on Jan 25, 2010 12:12:16 GMT -5
I've experienced with Skype and YG only in some online courses at the university as student. As a teacher, it would be really interesting to encourage my students to use online tools for "academic purposes". The web tools could complement what is taught in class (extra activities, material, others) and would also improve students team work: sharing opinions or doubts about activities, readings, others. In my opinion, I prefer the YG and other asynchronous tools because they allow students to conect online whenever they are able to do it and don't miss any information.
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Post by joannar on Jan 27, 2010 14:13:21 GMT -5
Hi, it is week 3 already but I guess it is ok to comment on week 1 readings. Well, I teach primary school kids so it is not easy to use chat tools with them - they are not always free to use the internet at home without guidance - which is good i think considering their age. I nave been using yahoo messenger and tapped in for my EVO sessions though and for teacher training "meetings" back home and I have to say that I am a huge fan. It makes everything so more 'personal' ... What I have been using with my primary school pupils is e-pals for asynchronous communication with children from other countries. I have decided though that I will try to use yahoo messenger and tapped in for meetings with pupils form other schools while at school if the time zone is similar. This would be very interesting to kids and teachers. smiles Joanna Rodiki Petrides Cyprus
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Post by Miriam on Jan 27, 2010 15:40:02 GMT -5
Actually, I haven’t used any online tools with my students. This is the first time that I worked at a school were using online tools with the English language learning is important. I might try using Yahoo messenger and set students up with pen pals and/or English learners living in the US. I think it would be very good to get real practice and familiarity with the language and it’s easy to use and set up.
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Post by carlosbarrera1975 on Jan 31, 2010 7:15:16 GMT -5
I have been part of couple of Skype chats with more than 3 participants, and yahoo, too. I didn't know you could manage a chat with more than 2 participants and this definitely opens more opportunities to use them to practice Written English. I am preparing a class for long experienced teachers who have not had any kind of contact with web based technology. Fewer know and use email, but most of them are scared and feel uneasy even talking about it. I want to use either Yahoo or Skype to work and share answers to a workbook online. I know many students will not have easy access, but those who do, need to get their hands on these tools as often as they can, and these can then help the others (who don't) and collaborate to develop learning, sharing answers. It may sound too basic or easy, but this is a huge step for some of these teachers, and I want them to get used to using email, then chat and finally introduce them to Tapped-in, and then Elluminate. I think that students can learn a lot form each other and practice reading and writing.
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