What's blog?

‘A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly.’

‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’ Source.



                                    

Why do we blog?

"In terms of why people blog, well, my belief is that it's to have a voice, however small. To think that just like the people who write those fancy opinion columns for The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, you too can share your thoughts, vent, and complain to the public at large. Having said that, there are lots of really smart bloggers who have interesting perspectives on the news, politics, sports, business, etc., people who wouldn't otherwise be heard in mainstream media.

                                                 

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/02/05/what-is-a-blog/ 

  http://www.intuitive.com/blog/                                              

Synchronous Tools & Asynchronous Tools.

Synchronous Tools
Synchronous tools enable real-time communication and collaboration in a "same time-different place" mode. These tools allow people to connect at a single point in time, at the same time. Synchronous tools possess the advantage of being able to engage people instantly and at the same point in time. The primary drawback of synchronous tools is that, by definition, they require same-time participation -different time zones and conflicting schedules can create communication challenges. In addition, they tend to be costly and may require significant bandwidth to be efficient.


Asynchronous Tools
Asynchronous tools enable communication and collaboration over a period of time through a "different time-different place" mode. These tools allow people to connect together at each person's own convenience and own schedule. Asynchronous tools are useful for sustaining dialogue and collaboration over a period of time and providing people with resources and information that are instantly accessible, day or night. Asynchronous tools possess the advantage of being able to involve people from multiple time zones. In addition, asynchronous tools are helpful in capturing the history of the interactions of a group, allowing for collective knowledge to be more easily shared and distributed. The primary drawback of asynchronous technologies is that they require some discipline to use when used for ongoing communities of practice (e.g., people typically must take the initiative to "login" to participate) and they may feel "impersonal" to those who prefer higher-touch synchronous technologies


http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/articledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=13572

Learning Reflection

  Thinking on the Application of Multimedia into College English teaching       

                     The four main that the new generation should learn how to know, learn how to do, learn how to leave together, learn how to be. The teaching target of college English is to cultivate the student’s comprehensive capabilities to use English, especially  the listening comprehension and oral expression ability.

1.  The Current Status of the Multimedia Teaching Method in  College English teaching

We can cultivate the students’s English abilities, which are the final teaching aim  and developing  the student’s English intercommunitive ability.

2.  Relationship between the Qualities of the College English Teachings and Multimedia Teaching

The teacher should make innovation on the College English Test and be more active in the teaching and carry out effective quality education.

3.  Misunderstandings and Disadvantages of Multimedia teaching  in College English Teaching

3.1 Teachers neglecting the essentials

3.2 Teachers over use multimedia and neglecting its auxiliary teaching function

3.3 Some teachers being impercipient to multimedia method

4. Some suggestions on Multimedia Teaching in College English Teaching

4.1  Teacher should change  their ideas of using multimedia teaching that the determinant  of  teaching optimization doesn’t   rely on using whichever  media but the education concept.

4.2 We should devote major efforts to developing multimedia teaching mode based on network  circumstance. the students’ interest of self –study English will be strengthened, their ability of speaking and listening to English will be also heightened.

5.  Conclusion

The using of multimedia in nowadays, multimedia is a part of thing to developing the teaching in the college classroom. We should support and apply multimedia teaching method into both teachers and learners.

            

Innovation Education Technology in the global classroom

            ESOL  teachers must be inventive, creative,  and committed to keeping up with innovation in a rapidly changing world. Teacher should be encouraged to employ instructional technologies in the educational setting- including online discussion, podcasting, and blogging- so that they can keep abreast  of  best  practices in technology.

            The future teachers need to  know how to teach students  who represent generations to come.

1.  Integrating  instructional Technology into an Assignment

Seeking to understand how ESOL teachers create meaningful content for future

Teaching content, such as case study portfolios, can be integrated with instructional technology, such as online discussion, podcasts,  blogs, and wiki, to enhance learning experiences and provide better curriculum.

2. The ELL Case Study

This part of the assignment consisted of a number of step: (a) prepare a case study (b) collect data from the ELL (c) analyze multiple data sets, and (d) create a problem scenario specific to the ELL by coming up with the reflective and discussion questions based on the case study experience.

3.  Blogging

Blogs are online commentary, personal reflections, or new on a particular subject.

4.  Podcasting

Internet-based audio programs available for downloading that allow the listener to play the audio through a computer or on  the MP3 player.

5.  Creating a Wiki

After posting their case studies, blogging about them, and creating they podcasts, the preservice  ESOL  teachers suggested teaching methodsand activities to their classmates via a wiki in Blackboard or another program or Website.

6.  Online Discussion

Communities maybe private or public, and the content can be created and maintained by the instructors. In this project, online discussion provided   a window to observe how the preservice teachers constructed knowledge and interacted with other.

7.  Implications

This assignment focusing on implementing technology in the classroom  proved to be dynamic, effective, and  beneficial for everyone involved.

                There are 5 tips for integrating Technology in the classroom

1. Take risk with new technology.

2. Be familiar with the technology before introducing it to others.

3. Make sure that instructional technologies carryfully fit  with course objectives and outcome.

4. Built a positive learning community.

5.  Research and use various tutorials and helpful Web sites.

Building fluency through the repeated reading method

Learning reflection

The Repeated Reading (RR) to teach reading fluency in English as a Foreigner Language classrooms in colleges and university in Japan. RR is a method where the student reads and rereads a text silently or aloud from two to four times to reach a predetermined level of speed, accuracy, and comprehension. There are a variety of simple-to-implement techniques for using RR in the L2contex that require little preparation on the teacher’s part, including (1)  Oral Repeated Reading, (2)  Paired Repeated Reading, and (3)  Reader’s Theater.

Oral Repeated Reading consist of four steps:

1.   Begin with a compelling poem or story.

2.   Break the text into chunks.

3.   Model the reading of chunks.

4.   Practice reading of the text to build proficiency.

Paired Repeated Reading consist of three steps:

1.   Teach the role of the reader.

2.   Teach the role of the listener.

3.   Combine reading, listening, and assessment.

Reader’s theater classroom suggestion: All the world’s a stage

            Session 1: Model fluent and expressive reading by reading aloud from thee script or the story on which your script is based.

            Session 2: Divide students into groups and hand out scripts.

            Session 3: The same at the session 2; however, toward the end of the session, have students divide up the part.

            Session 4: Students read and rehearse their parts together with their group members.

            Session 5: Each group performs the reading for the class or possibly in front of audience.

            The three techniques presented in this article are designed to help learners achieve reading fluency and have just as much value in the L2 classroom as in the L1 classroom. As L2 learners read aloud and convey the messege of the text to sympathetic and interested listeners, they strengthen their skills and self-confidence. Most importantly, RR activities encourage L2 learners to enjoy reading  and practice the skill more frequently, which is critical to the development of advanced proficiency.

English Teaching Forum: volume 49 Number 3 2011

Acronyms

Directions: Find words or phrases standing for the following acronyms with
short descriptions.


1. IT      :Information Technology
2. ICT    :Information and Communications Technologies
3. CAI    :Computer Assisted Instruction
4. CALL :Computer Assisted Language Learning
5. WBI   :Web Based Instruction
6. CBI    :Community Based Instruction
7. CMC  :Computer-Mediated Communications
8. TELL :Teaching English Language Learners
9. MUD  :Multi-User Detector (communications)
10. MOO:Matter of Opinion


 http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/