See you later!

Hi, This is my last post in the blog for this subject, and I created a Voki to speak for me:

Even though I look very outgoing and self confident, I'm a bit shy when speaking of my feelings, and this is what I wanted to share with you here, my feelings! I've loved attending this subjects and I feel I've leartn a lot, and most important, I've opened myself to a whole new world.

See you soon, I'll keep you posted!

Personal Learning Networks (PLN)

Have you ever heard about PNLs?
These are networks that are always available and willing to share lots of interesting knowledge. An example of a network I am part of is a Facebook group 'Profesores de Inglés de la republica Argentina'

This site is great because we share experiences, every day issues, job opportunities, courses, etc. However, it would be better if we had more posts on teacher development and we discussed more things related to applied didactics and things that help us deal with our students today. For those things I try to fish for articles on Scoop.it! to open up my mind.
Are you part of any network of the sort? What do you feel about it?

Case Study: Digital storytelling in Argentina

Let me present you with the Wiki of a school in Argentina. The coordinator together with the teachers have decided to leave coursebooks aside and to design materials that uit their students interests. Their curriculum includes analyzing and commenting on famous art works, filming themselves, going out to the streets and taking pictures of different graffitis
and againg making a video sharing what they liked best, and the one I shared with you here, the recreation of parts of "A midsummer night's dream", by Shakeapeare.
Obviously this teacher applies both the SAMR and TPK models, because she not only presents students with activities that will create learning in a way that could not be achieved without the use of technology, but also, she makes it fit softly, without pushing or presenting technology just because.
Would you dare do what she has? Would you leave your coursebooks aside and make your own materials in a way learning is actually meaningful and motiviting for your students?

Voxopop

Well, well, well... This was a disappointment!
I was thinking of starting a discussion gruop for us to discuss the way we use Tech in the ELT classroom, and I did:

But unfortunately, I couldn't record my own voice, and there is no other way of including your opinion by other means.

It is really disappointing, I thought it was a great tool, but in real practice it isn't.

I thought it would be great for commenting on different things such as values, ethical issues, stories, articles, etc. What a pity!

Blabberize

Have you ever thought of making EVERYTHING speak?
Well, Blabberize is the tool that will make it possible.
Using the tool you can get any picture and make it speak, in my case, I have chosen a Koala, because I thought that instead of us presenting animals, animals can present themselves, tell us where they are from, where they live and what they eat, among others.

Look at my Speaking Koala:



I think young learners would be really motivated if animals spoke to them, or if they were to give them a voice, Do you agree?

Trapped in Games!

I've been playing some Escape Games and found them really interesting but extremely hard! You have to be very curious and analytical while playing.

I think it would be a great tool for students to use vocabulary related to things in the house and rooms. The game is very communicative and every tool you collect appears on a side tab with its name. Students could describe the rooms, tell the others where to find the missing objects and describe different actions the character performs. Would you ask your students to play a game for homework, or even in the class?

Go Animate!

Have a look at this joke I made in a GoAnimate video.
I think this would be useful for students to give opinions and tell stories, teachers can also make students prepare comics and then make the students design their videos and present them to the class. I believe this is a great idea for shy students, given that instead of recording the audios, they can use the 'text to speech' tool, just as I did.
Would you use it in your classroom?

Content curation

I have chosen the tool Scoop.it! to curate online content. I have found ir really easy to use and interesteng, given that they recomend some content for you to have a look at and decide on. Besides you can log in with your Facebook or Linkedin account, so it automatically shares your curated material on the social networks.

This is my Scoop.it!

And these are some of the people I follow, including both experts and classmates, which in my opinion, are experts too! ;) The great thing is that we can check out what we are Scooping, and ReScoop, as well!!

Would you like to be part of this community? Come join us! :)

Web tools and Apps!

I've just finished watching Nik Peachey's talk, and found it really enriching.
While watching them, I chose one of them, which I think we could use both as teachers and students, and it is the video mail. In the talk Nik very well proposes its use for developing speaking skills and how it would be useful for shy students and I think it's a great idea!
On the other hand I think it is great for our lab lessons. Sometimes we get terrified when it comes to reading in front of our teachers, and it would be great if we could send them a link with our production. I made an attempt at reconrding the tongue twister "Peter Pipper" Have a look!

My video

What do you guys think? Would you give it a try in Lab?




See you around!

Case Study: Cross Curricular Story writing

In class we were able to read and discuss a text where Case Studies of ELT classrooms applied Technology in a way that revolved their way of learning. One of those Cases, the one that shock me the most is about a cross curriculum story written by 6 year-old children. It also included audio material and activities and it can be downloaded from iTunes. According to the text, the teachers of different subjects contributed in the project, and students took part taking into account their interests and abilities. What impressed me is that children made the same job people at a publishing office do, at such an early stage. Do you think we can open new doors to children by guiding them in such a professional way? I do, and I think it's our role... Facilitators!

Puentedura on Twister!

Have you ever dreamt of being someone else? And what about being someone else on Twitter? It's been made easy! Class tools allows you to speak through their mouths.

I've tried this tool with Puentedura, an expert in education, discussing both Technology Pedagogy Content Knowledge (TPCK) and SAMR model, want to see what he says?

What do you think of his ideas? I have chosen the ones I liked the most from his talk.

How far can we get?

Hi, guys!

I'm just leaving here the image I got from the statistics of my blog... Don't just think it's us checking each other's blog, the "magic" of this tool we are using in the class makes our ideas reach way beyond our room or even the institution. Let's take both the pleassure and the responsibility it implies.
See you soon!

The SAMR Model

 Have a look at this vey interesting flow chart:

It shows the different steps from substituting pen and paper for the computer to actually create learning from technology quite easy... But why isn't it like that in real life? In my opinion, teachers should attend courses where they are trained on how to use important IT tools that can help them on a daily basis as well as understand how meaningful this change can be in their lessons.
According to what Hornby says in her blog it is important to take into account several aspects before planning a class or using a tool in the class, like analyzing if the use of technology adds value, if it gives students something extra, and most important if the students will benefit from it.
In my experience, by using EDMODO, students feel the classroom is always open, they can post questions or get material at all times and, as opposed to e-mails, all the information is there for everyone. They can hand in their homework and get it back without having to wait until our next meeting. Another advantage is for students who are absent, they can check what we have covered in class and see videos we have seen in class. In a way it substitutes, but in others, the use of the tool is essential to keep us connected and on the same page.

What do you think? Do you think it is possible for Argentinean teachers to teach through computers?

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to my blog on Technology in the ELT classroom!
Hope it turnd out to be a warm place to foster reflection!

I've created an avatar in Voki, can you see it?

   
I think they could be used in class for students to introduce themselves or other charactersthy create, as well as to describe different people, animals or monsters.

See you soon!