Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Progress Check

1. Pressure slightly off - a week extension. I can see where I am going.
2.  Feeling more relaxed now 2.3 task has been handed in. I took a long time doing background reading and even longer cutting down to 250 words...No regrets.
3.  The browser writing - I'll get to it. I understand browsers.  Created iGoogle start page (Personally I  wouldn't use it, I like a clean uncluttered desktop to start the day with - with just my e-mail and Google shortcut - oh, and about a hundred folders...)  But I enjoyed creating it - customising the background and learning about the READER...iGoogle is being discontinued anyway...Screenshot was new to me (but not to my daughter who told me it was very useful in her work..)  Google+ becomoing  more familiar. Removed Gizmodo (200 posts a day.....)
4.  Survey Monkey - cool.  Only one of the question check boxes did not configure the way I wanted it to. I need to check why. My Survey Question  "How adventurous are language teachers" (Just For Fun...)  .
5.  Jumped ahead to read through the modules...a couple of decisions:  Create a new blog, strictly for work use, no "Dear Diary" entries - which is what this has been..(but for a purpose - reflective journal) .I get the difference between a "family and friends" blog, and one for class/school use.  Ditto for my Twitter account (love Twitter - I am  #thespreadingoak)  Don't think the fact that I follow Wine Harlots is appropriate information for school/work...

Well, settling down.  Really busy at school..end of month reports, evaluations, Benchmarks...

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Personalize Learning: Home - Something to think about..

Personalize Learning: Home: What does it mean to Make Learning Personal? The term "Personalized Learning" is very controversial and confusing. We created this site ...

This was from a thread I followed on the e-Learning 2.0 group  about the need for a human element in online learning.

It interested me because of the content - and also because of the business/commercial aspect and the way it was advertised (graphics, content)


Sunday, January 27, 2013

iGoogle Start page and Reader




TASK 3.1 Gallia Graner - iGoogle and Reader Screenshot.jpg
This is a screenshot of my iGoogle page....another footstep!




 

plagiarism, Jaron Lanier, the contradiction of trying to fast track this course

I tell my students they need time and practice to master English...so much more do I for edtech and CALL..

I am doing the learnIT2teach Stage Four concurrently with this course. Rather on an impulse I decided to do this course because I did not feel confident about my basic computer skills and knowledge and I felt this would help me.  LearnIT2teach is not "time" based - so I have put it on the back burner although I am ruminating all the time about my "Work Plan/course development.  Not a bad thing..
(I self fast tracked the first three stages in under two months)

How absurd of me to try to race through this course, to just "skim it".  That is not what I need. 

So although it may turn out to be more costly than I planned (may not get the PTCT subsidy) I am going to take the pressure off myself and  go at my own pace. Allowing students to go at their own pace is one of the "selling points" of e-learning....
(in point of fact I will probably match the fast track - I tend to start slow, then speed up...but it is not going to be an issue for me right now..)

I am going to try be more efficient with time use (no more quadruple clicks...) This was one of my goals.  I do find I am faster at finding things and am much more familiar with Google now.  Blogging is a breeze...  

I did a lot of research on Topic three...and do not regret it.  Well, maybe it was foolish to spend over an hour on Jaron Lanier's CALARTS presentation, but I was fascinated watching him rip into Web 2.0.  I have posted it, and a shorter video and the Smithsonian article.  I also did this to practice ADDing to Blogger....

Well, ballet today, and I see from my (NEW)  igoogle page "To Do" list I still have to do the laundry....  


Silicon Valley Visionary Jaron Lanier Speaks at CalArts

Jaron Lanier talks about the failure of Web2.0 with Aleks Krotoski

What Turned Jaron Lanier Against the Web? | Ideas & Innovations | Smithsonian Magazine

What Turned Jaron Lanier Against the Web? | Ideas & Innovations | Smithsonian Magazine

The Current State Of Plagiarism In Education

The Current State Of Plagiarism In Education

Saturday, January 26, 2013



I have put off completing writing the copyright "discussion" - I'm trying to crystallize thoughts from all that reading to answer the "discuss understanding of copyright as it applies"   etc etc.in 250 wrods.  I suppose this is necessary to include in a university course,  fulfils the  "academic" "theoretical underpinning" content but I question whether it wouldn't be better to focus on the technology (which is what I came for)

The technical stuff is frustrating.  I am trying to keep it simple - but am overwhelmed by the amount of  descriptions...

RSS feeds (really stupid stuff?) - well, back I go to see what I can do. My igoogle page is a mess - too much stuff..

  GO TO FOLLOW THE DEBATE ABOUT EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY (NOT JUST FOR ESL) AND KNOW WHAT SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE. BUT IT FEBRUARY 28TH, 2013. WELL NOW I SEE HOW VALUABLE THE THEORETICAL AND ACADEMIC SECTION WAS. IT HAS GIVEN ME THE ABILITY WAS A SHOCK TO MY SYSTEM TO HAVE TO DO ACADEMIC WORK AGAIN. PLEASED I DID. T 100% OVERALL. (A LITTLE BOASTING IS OK!)

Friday, January 25, 2013

After I saw Marla's blog http://mwins.blogspot.ca/ and Paul's blog I experimented with "Design".   My very first "blog" design was straightforward but very monochromatic and the blogs melted into each other and adding the colour made them difficult to read.  I am leaving them there just to remind myself to use the highlighting carefully.

...the background picture (The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music?) is quite pretty.  I guess if I were designing a blog for the class I might add a more appropriate/related picture - I was wondering if I could scan and put my own photos in the background...

I should probably be working on TASK 3.1 (can't do TASK 2...because I can't open that PDF...so jumped ahead...)  but I am tired and this is more interesting...

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Greg Kessler interview (short) TESOL 2012

Greg Kessler interview - TESOL 2012

Well, interesting to come across this short interview - doesn't tell me much more than I read in the required resding...abut interesting to see photo of him and hear his voice...

Write about what?: The limits of e-learning

Write about what?: The limits of e-learning:         W ith the glut of information offered on the internet, included free on-line courses from prestigious universities like Harvard a...

Write about what?: The price of information

Write about what?: The price of information:       H umankind's love affair with technology is not a new development. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the  advances in indu...

Monday, January 21, 2013

LINK the blogs, post a useful link



Classmates blog links

http://vanraaypaul.blogspot.ca     Paul

.http://lttradeva.blogspot.ca         Neli

I posted a "useful link" in my previous blog post but I'm happy to post another

 National Repository for ESL/LINC materials and resources and online community

The reason I posted this is that for LINC and ESL instructors trying to make the transition to blended teaching the "CLB" material that is already available might make some of the "choice" easier - especially in the beginning when creating online tasks and activities. People are already adding to the "repetoire" so it is not just the usual "CLB" binders. There are interesting  (but polite) discussions about some touchy issues in ESL/LINC. It is also a "work in progress".. I have already enjoyed  "meeting" other ESL professionals from Winnipeg, B.C., attended a "webinar" and have been active in the discussion forum...and I hope it grows and develops...If you are involved in LINC - it is probably a useful site.service to know about (CIC funded...)

(I'm talking about the activities/materials that I can see we will be expected to include...not that are necessarily the most interesting...)

This is a picture of my classroom - ready for holiday celebrations....I have since changed the layout.
Brought the tables together for more "communicative" teaching.....the tables are "tables from hell" - were
a mistake - someone checked the wrong box but we could not return them as they had been custom  made..same issues in other classes, but my room is the smallest.  Well, I've taught under worse conditions!

NO COLOUR TODAY AS I AM FEELING RATHER FRUSTRATED.  I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT THIS IS A STAGE IN 'DOING A PROJECT' - FIRST EUPHORIA, THEN DEPRESSION, THEN PROCRASTINATION, THEN CONSTRUCTIVE DEPRESSION..

like Michelle Obama's dress....smart choice, not stuffy or predictable...sassy but understated....
Anyone see it? Care?.


Sunday, January 20, 2013

Moving right along.  I spent a long time reading 2.1 and doing the tasks - and still do not know how to upload them to assignments.  I posted a question in the discussion area yesterday but it has not been answered yet (less than 24 hours, weekend, OK. 

I'm just playing with the colours to see what happens - cool.

I am now going to link (I hope) to a great resource - 40 WEB tools - I especially like it because it has suggestions as to how these can be used by teachers.  Here goes

http://www.scribd.com/doc/118928740/40-Must-know-Web-2-0-Edutools  

Yaay!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Nostalgic for the typewriter

I'm overwhelmed. The first two readings were difficult to get through. I tried to keep the task in mind (similar and different barriers to the use of CALL, agree/diasagree, why.why not) (I haven't written it yet so I am trying to organise my thoughts)  The history  in the Lee article was very interesting - and new to me - but the article was written pre-iPhone, pre-tablets........The second article was easier (also the language, less opinion..) and I enjoyed it.  So, I came here to see if I could link to the course Blog using the Link instead of copy and paste...

Well, I couldn't, so I quess I had better just copy and paste.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Wobbly first steps....but it is here


A blog. My own blog. Gosh. Excited. May seem trivial to some - but BIG achievement for me - the course hasn't even started and I have already learned something I have wanted to know but didn't know where to start....Couldn't resist...let's see if I can add an image...yup, there it is (visiting my daughter in NYC).

Next step - need to link it to the course blog. COURSE BLOG??? Where's that? OK, calm down, one step at a time...off I go down cyber lane....ttyl8tr.

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(I TOOK THE PHOTO OUT AS I BECAME AWARE OF PRIVACY ISSUES)