Social Networking

The networking is very useful in the professional world.  It allows us to communicate with other professionals in the the field from across the world.  There are many useful social marketing sites worth using.  One such site is EFL Classroom 2.0.  I joined this network to connect with other ESL teachers and professionals out there.  I felt this site could be useful to me as a teacher because it is an area where teachers and researchers in ESL and SLA gather to express ideas and current trends in teaching.  I can definitely see myself making good use out of this network in the future by discovering new ideas and ways of expressing materials relevant to the coursework. 

Learners and Chocolate and Motivation in Society

To modify an oft quoted piece of American cinema history: "A learner is like a box of chocolates......you never know what yer gonna get."  I'm not sure second language learners were what Mr. Gump had in mind as he dropped that little morsel of wisdom on the average mid-nineties American, however, the analogy fits rather nicely.  

When assessing second language learners there are a multitude of factors that go into considering what type of learner, and whether or not they will be successful by some measurable standard.  Factors such as biology, motivation, age, self-identity, instruction methods, and sociocultural connectivisim.  In his presentation of What is connectivisim? George Siemens of the University of Manitoba states "...much of what we know is shaped and influenced in our exchange and dialogue with others."  Although he is speaking on knowledge and learning in a more general sense, this idea is at the forefront of language learning.  So much of our learned language comes from societal interactions with those around us.  Language is born out of the need to interact and understand one and other and second language learners need to adapt to their new society to be successful.  How a learner interacts with the people around them plays a significant role in whether they will be successful or not.  Often language is learned through socialization and the need to connect with the members of the society and culture being experienced by the learner.  

Another factor of language learning that fits the analogy is motivation.  There are many factors that contribute to a learner's motivation.  One of the most important factors in learner motivation is the concept of practical worthiness.  Before the process of learning something new can take place the learner must decide if the subject is worth the process of acquisition and  how will the learner directly benefit from this knowledge.  The subject of worthiness is discussed aptly by George Siemens in his written post titled: Connectivisim a Learning Theory for the Digital Age, he states that: " The need to evaluate the worthiness of learning something is a meta-skill that is applied before learning itself begins." This subtle skill is a base for all learning that may or may not take place.  It is something all learners do and is a necessity for learning something new. 

 With so many different aspects of learning to be considered, it is no surprise that every learner is different.  As teachers we must take this into consideration, especially with second language learners.  We should have a good idea as to how their motivation and social interaction as learners will play a part in their language learning going forward.  no two learners are ever really the same and as teachers we'll never really know what we're gonna get.

DIIGO and Scoop it a Comparison

When using information sharing websites there are several factors to consider to decide which medium serves your needs best.  DIIGO and Scoop it are two very good platforms for creating an information sharing identity.  Both sites offer different ways of expressing ideas and articles.

DIIGO allows you to access information you have stored online from anywhere-not just your home computer.  It allows articles to be highlighted to reflect on significant passages or ideas.  This is an excellent tool for remembering significant pieces form the articles.  The layout of DIIGO is very straightforward and easy to navigate.  Websites are listed on your home library and are easily accessible to your followers.  DIIGO also allows for very easy annotation and website addition to your library, so it is easy to continue to add new articles, websites and ideas.

Scoop it is slightly different than DIIGO.  Although it too is an information sharing platform the set up is much different.  I found Scoop it more of a challenge to figure out how to use than DIIGO.  The styles are very different.  For Scoop it you can create ideas or topics and then it assists you in finding websites, videos and other URL related material to add to your topic, learn about and share with others.  Although it is a slightly more complicated procedure to get started, overall I think the potential to learn and discover new information is higher with Scoop it.

Overall both platforms are very good resources for gathering good ideas and web sources I think that Scoop it does a better job of producing new material to discover.  As DIIGO makes it easy to annotate found information it doesn't actively help you discover new information.  Scoop it helps you to find new and relevant information based on the topic you have created.   However if I had to choose only one to use in the future I would choose DIIGO for it simplistic layout and for the fact I am always looking for constructive ways to store websites and internet resources in a well organized manner. 

Effects of 21st Communications in the Classrooms

Technology continues to change the way we approach education as a society.  The world is changing more rapidly now than ever, there is more information readily available than ever before.  But does that mean people are smarter? Or that education is better? Not necessarily.

After observing the video Educational Change Challenge it is apparent that not all aspects of society are keeping up with the modern technological social changes that are taking place.  It appears that while there have been many technological advancements in the age of computers, the overall approach to education has remained relatively stagnate.  As advances in medicine, energy, and information sharing have stormed through the 21st century education remains locked in its "one size fits all" mentality.  iPods and pads, computer rooms and tech savvy teenagers are a plenty in this modern age, however, the way we teach our students remains the same.  After viewing this video it is apparent what is needed is a technological advancement in the overall approach to education in America.  Educators need to have more freedom and creativity when creating lessons that are appropriate to all types of learners, rather than forcing old world mentality into new world minds.  Until educational approaches are attempted with the same gusto and innovation as the technologies used in classrooms, America's education system will remain stuck in the 20th century.

                                                                                         The future is now!

The other videos which caught my eye were Social Media Revolution and Did You Know?.  The videos were filled with interesting statistics about the state of the world and education.  It is quite remarkable how quickly technology has taken over our lives, particularly social media.  Social media-twitter, Facebook, google+ etc- is one of the most fascinating technological advancements to come out of the early 21st century.  The role that it can hold in the classroom is still being determined.  For the first time in the history of the world anyone can share any type of information instantaneously with anyone around the world.  This type of information sharing is world changing and can have an important impact in the modern classroom.  However social media is also a vice in the sense that it can provide a major distraction for young people in the classrooms.  So although it makes it simple to share information it also makes it easy to distract from learning.  What role social media will play in the future classrooms is yet to be determined.

Overall technology is changing the world rapidly in nearly every aspect.  And until we as a society can incorporate these advantages and changes into the approach to education it will remain in the shadows of the technology it's unable to incorporate.

Blogging and the ESL Classroom Experience

Technology in the classroom has always played a significant role in education.  The introduction of the internet as a classroom teaching tool may be perhaps one of the greatest innovations for education since the blackboard.  The internet allows teachers and students to easily connect with each other when they are not in the classroom.  One of these internet tools for education is the blog.  Blogging can play a significant part in the modern L2 classroom.

There are several ways as a teacher I can use blogging to connect with my students.  One great advantage to having students blog is it allows them to have a voice.  For ESL learners it is important that they get comfortable having a voice in the target language.  A student may have a lot to say in their native language about certain subject matter (politics, sports, art and music etc.) but not feel as comfortable expressing themselves orally in an ESL classroom.  This is a way which blogging can really help a student grow more comfortable with using the foreign language in a natural and comfortable way.  Once a student begins to find their English voice online it will provide a big push for them to begin speaking.  A once a week blogging assignment could be given as homework.   Students could be required to write short essays in proper English form about different subjects they enjoy or opinions they feel strongly about.  Students would be encouraged to read and comment on each others posts, and some of the best posts could be used for class discussions.  A regularly occurring homework assignment such as this could be used to satisfy NYS ESL education standard ESL4.C.1A: Students use a variety of oral, print or electronic forms of social communication and for writing to or for self, applying the conventions of social writing.

As a teacher and a professional blogging has many advantages.  It can be a great place to share thoughts, ideas, stories and lesson plans with others in the profession.  One of the best parts about the blog is its ability to reach anywhere in the world, unlike a conference where it can be harder to get together.  A blog can serve as an online conference where teachers from all over the world can gather and discuss ideas with one and other easily and instantaneously.   In addition to be able to connect and share ideas with other teachers, blogging allows for teachers to connect directly with their students in a more relaxed way than classroom teaching.  A teacher can set up their own blog where they share thoughts and ideas with their students about English.  Teachers can post interesting or funny videos or article links which the students can use to strengthen their language skills in a more natural and fun way.