Moodle?

This Wednesday, I attended the 40th Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit in Tampa.

With other four friends, we set off on Wednesday morning and got there around 9:30am. Because of time constraint, I only attended 5 presentations:
1. A Case Study of an EFL Program in China
2. Computer-Based Language-Learning in the ESL Classroom
3. Electronic Village, Online Teaching and Learning
4. Teaching Culture and Langauge Through Picture Books
5. Picture it! Introducing Content Through Picture books

My interests are picture books, online learning and language teacing, and English education in China.

In the second presentation, which is more like a promotio, I got to know a langauge learning software, Rosetta Stone.

The biggest win about online teaching is "moodle" I learned in the third presentation. The lecturer is an English professor in a Japanese university in Kyoto . It seems like WebCT. I asked the lecturer, Dr. Robb about the strengths of moodle compared with WebCT. The answer is it's easier to navigate and students may be better involved in online learning. Dr. Robb uses moodle more as a supplementary resource to his English classes rather than a platform for online course. I'm still not very sure about the features of moodle in designing language courses. Maybe I'd better to explore more and see what moodle is really like.

Some URLs:

http://www.kyoto-su.ac.jp/~trobb/
Tom's Moodle http://www.langconcepts.net/moodle
Sandai Moodle http://moodle.kyoto-su.ac.jp
Moodle site http://www.moodle.org

Bravo! Big WIN!!

I take this course because I’m interested in how to use E-tech in language learning. I’m an ESL major now. After finishing my courses next year, I will start my dissertation research. Though the research topic is not certain so far, I plan to do some research in using E-tech in ESL/EFL class. Based on my knowledge of English teaching in China, more teachers begin to use technology in classroom. However, it seems that the application is still limited in searching information and class presentation in PowerPoint. Seldom Internet-based instruction strategies are used in practice, which I believe there is still much space for me to explore.

This is my first time to learn the Internet knowledge in a formal course. I have used the Internet for years but haven’t taken time to learn something seriously. What we learn in this course can be immediately used in our daily learning and teaching. Looking back at the contents we have learned these 8 weeks, everyone should have a sense of achievement. To me, it’s a big win.  It is the first time that I begin to edit my own blog; it is the first time that I know that there are many useful search engines other than Google; it is the first time that I feel so easy to retrieve my used URLs with social bookmarking; it is the first time that I really make a plan for my new web page; it is the first time that I know the real meaning of “Wikipedia” and participate in editing a class Wiki which I’ve never heard about. I remember that one of my high school teachers mentioned how one philosopher interprets knowledge (I cannot remember the original words): We draw a circle on a piece of paper. The space limited in the circle stands for the knowledge we have had. However, the space outside of the circle is the unknown knowledge. The bigger the circle, the longer the perimeter, and the more “unknown” space is touched in that way. After taking this course, my feeling is that the circle of my knowledge is absolute bigger, while the more I know, the more I know I don’t know.

This is not a finish line. Instead, it is my starting point on my way of research. I plan to take a course on distance education. In my annotated bibliography, there are some articles on language teaching in distance education. In China, there are more adult students at work prefer distance education. In my long-term plan, I will open an English training center. Undoubtedly, internet – involved teaching will be an important part. Distance education will make it possible for me to reach more trainees. So, I want to explore the pros and cons of teaching language in cyberspace. Language learning is different from other subjects and it requires more effective oral communication. As the research articles mention, it’s a big concern in language teaching on the web. Even though computer conference is used to bridge the special distance, online learning environment is still different from real classroom. Under such a condition, learners and instructors’ role playing will be subtly different from that in traditional classroom. There are other issues involved in distance education such as technical conditions, interactions, alternative assessment, course designs and etc. I believe further study in E-tech will prepare me for future career.

I’d like to keep this blog to share my feeling and experience on my journey of learning and research. I really hope to read more of other colleagues’ refreshing ideas in the forthcoming “reforms” in your classes and schools!

I really appreciate Dr. Dawson for her excellent course design and great passion to involve everyone in this cyberspace. Thanks for all the colleagues who share the learning experience and help me with my culminating activity! Good luck to all of us!!!

First Try in Wiki

I feel so excited to be involved in editing process. It’s a vehicle for us to share our knowledge. It seems that everyone still “posts” something online. However, my feeling is somewhat different. Involuntarily, I take the role of an editor and try to write something “good” and “right.” It’s not a personal feeling sharing only. The knowledge we share in Wiki is put there to be examined by everyone. Also, as an EFL learner, I’ve got to check my grammar and spelling carefully and try not to make readers confused. It’s a more serious job to me, because I feel I should fulfill the responsibility as an “editor” instead of a mere “speaker.”

One advantage of Wiki is that most posts provide links to where we can know more about one topic. Most information stem from online resources, that is, we use the web to create our web. The process of editing Wiki is a process of learning: I read the previous posts and understand what is discussed and what is not included in this topic. I search my previous knowledge and the relevant information online or in books. I keep the most valuable knowledge and add something based on others’ points or make another new point. All of us contribute to the research and all our cumulate knowledge forms an inclusive database. Indeed, I learn a lot of important issues in this class Wiki, especially “digital divide” and “alternate assessment” which are both new to me.

I appreciate “this risk” to wrap up our course. In most times, technology is a synonym of something new or a reform which implies “risks.” To us all involved in E-tech, it is very worthwhile to take the initiative in participating in an innovation. In this class Wiki activity, we are participants. I believe, many brave innovators will be leaders to bring a reform in their classes and schools.