Phonology chart

Xtranormal Videos

So, new semester, new class.

Here are the videos I created for my Literacy Methods class on xtranormal.com. Type your script, choose your characters and backgrounds, then let them do the rest.

Podcasts in Class...

I ran across Notes From Spain a few weeks ago, when looking for information for another class. It's an interesting site made up of blog, podcasts and vidcasts from Ben Curtis, an Englishman living in Madrid with his Spanish wife, Marina. You may also notice on the site that they have a program for learning Spanish. However, I'm interested in the -casts.

While nosing around thinking about this assignment I ran across this podcast from May 2007 discussing the Feria de Caballos in Jerez, Andalucia, España. I think it could be an interesting piece to play for a class while learning about some of the lesser known fairs and festivals, or it could be used on a day when fieldtrips, ASVAB's or widespread illness has halved the class list and it just isn't worth moving ahead. I actually saw a clip on this feria in college and was psyched, but I love horses.

The podcast is in English, which would more or less ensure comprehension at any level of high school Spanish. There is a short video (1.25 minutes) of the sights and sounds as well as a link to the pics from the feria on Flickr. The podcast features information about the feria the town of Jerez and the products of the area, the people, just everything possibly connected to the feria. The podcast is hosted not just by Ben, but his wife Marina as well, giving it an additional measure of authenticity - though the ambient noise is authentic already. The only drawback - the whole thing is about 18 minutes long and I'm not sure high school students would be able to pay attention to all of it at once. However, a well prepared teacher could download it - which is actually an option!!! - note the time stamp of sections she'd like to cover with her class and then arrange discussion as appropriate around the segments.

Additionally, there is a vidcast in Spanish! Ben is behind the camera and Marina is describing the "claves" of the feria. This would be more appropriate for a level 3 or post regents class, but still a lot of fun. Only 2 min 8 sec too, so could possibly even be used as a listening comprehension exercise...?

I really like Ben's blog and -casts. They're relevant, fun and have amazing potential for application in the classroom. I think I'll hold on to the feed and make sure I have it tagged on delicious too!

Global Cooperation

Distances aren't quite so large as they used to be. When my grandmother was my age if people needed to reach each other over long distances they would write letters, or if it was time sensitive, send a telegram or pay dearly for a long distance phone call. These days we have cheaper forms of instantaneous communication - emails, instant messages, texting, even online video chat!

However, how do we make use of this global community, this shrinking world in our classrooms? There are so many possibilities! And so many companies and services that want to help us do so. Let's look at two of them: Taking it Global and ePals.

Taking it Global is a non-profit group out of Toronto. The goal here is to inspire today's youth to make the world a better place, both globally and where they live - and to connect young people from different places through technology to support each other while striving to make a difference. The site offers both on- and off-line tools and offer a special tutorial for educators as well as database of relevant lesson plans. Some of the tools one can utilize are discussion boards, group pages, e-cards, blogs, an art platform, and pages to help students "Understand Issues". There are also news letters in eight languages available.

I think all of this is good stuff. However, I wonder if it will present to students a bias or worldview with which they are too unfamiliar? Now, yes, I know, as a second language teacher I will as a matter of course be opening new cultures to my students and hopefully helping them develop an open mind. Still, I feel it is more my place to present the information with as little bias as I can and let them draw their own conclusions - can that be achieved using tools and information from a social activist organization? At the same time, is there a better way to incorporate the 5th of ACTFL's 5C's - Communities? We're supposed to be inspiring a lifelong use of the language and appreciation for the target culture, no?

Perhaps an alternative is found with ePals. This service is a free, but more commercial service looking, mainly, to connect classrooms around the country and world for collaborative learning. It is completely contained on the web, so there is nothing to download and it can be used from any computer, however if one's internet access is down one won't be able to access it. Their three main services/tools are SchoolMail, SchoolBolg and Classroom Match. The first two are rather self expainatory. However, the third is quite interesting. A teacher can either post a description of his or her class(es) and what they would like to do, or one can browse such postings by country or language to look for a class to connect with. Once 'matched' classes can work collaboratively on projects or be email-pals exchanging letters and learning about each others' lives and cultures - making learning authentic.

There are some features I really liked with ePals. First of all, the security package. It is completely customizable - teachers, administrators, and parents can all access student accounts and make sure they aren't abusing the tools. Filters can be used to prevent malicious software, viruses, and questionable content from ending up in a student's inbox, and controls can be set as to how broad a range of the population can see student work such as blogs or published collaborative efforts. Perhaps most interesting is that student passwords can be suspended if one misuses the service in such a way as to require time to consider their actions. The site claims that classes that have used their services have boosted the amount and quality of student writing, as well as elevetaing critical thinking skills.

There are two things though I feel I must mention. First, school districts need to sign up, so I wasn't able to register and poke about on my own. Second, there is a full translator bult into the browser. This is great if you're an English-speaking science teacher whose class is corresponding with a non-English speaking class in Tibet about ecoloy, but its not necesarily a good thing for an L2 teacher trying to engage her students in the target language. However, if she has done a good job of showing her students the flaws in internet translation services, perhaps it won't be an issue.

In my own classroom I would probably use ePals. I think it would be a great way to connect with a Spanish-speaking class, would provide my students with email safe addresses I could monitor as well as blog space where they could express themselves and respond to others - or even their penpals. In fact, I think this would work well in connection with Flickr - Yahoo's photo site. While my students were writing about themselves and learning about the sister class, we could create a class account on flickr and post pictures of our area and school for our pen pals to see (if the classes were "friends" the security settings could be arranged such as these pictures wouldn't be visible to anyone but ourselves), and they could do the same so that we had visual images to go with what we were learning from them.


But these are just my own opinions, go check out these sites for yourself! You may feel differently. We each have to do what is right for us and our classes, and that will vary.

Educational Microblogging

Since writing my last two posts on Monday, a couple of things have come to my attention. One of them being that I needed to find another article, and the other that people really do read blogs! Let's address the latter first.

Someone read my post "Twitter or Spoink?" and forwarded it to the founder of Spoink! How do I know this? He sent me an email! That was certainly a shocker, let me tell you! And that email is where I found my first understandings of how such sites could be used. It seems some teachers currently spoinking have their students documenting progress on projects in business or robotics, and in creative writing classes students have been assigned100 words a day and uploading the media that inspire them in their task. I certainly hadn't thought of anything as creative as that!

But what are other teachers doing on other sites? I found an article from Education Week's Digital Directions for June 2008: "Educators Test the Limits of Twitter Microblogging Tool". This article contains a couple of different ideas. These include allowing teachers to network, providing students a place to respond to teacher-posed questions, collaborative efforts such as story writing 140 words at a time, and generally just preparing students for life in a digital world. However, the article also puts forth the security concerns many teachers have had with microblogging. In fact, one teacher from the Bronx built Youth Twitter so that teachers could have administrative control over their students' work and try to protect them.

So, has all of this helped me to figure out whether or not I will someday use microblogging with my own classes? Not yet. But it has piqued my interest, so you can believe that I will be doing more reading before and after I land a classroom of my own. Though, I'll need to come up with a project or plan that I can really get behind. I can't see using certain technologies just because their out there. There is so little time to cover everything as it is that one must be judicial in choosing activities.

Twitter or Spoink?

For about the last week I've been playing around with two microblogging applications: Twitter and Spoink. While I'm not yet sure how their use might be beneficial in the classroom I have been able to come to some conclusions about their use in general.

I certainly found it to be a lot easier to get going with Twitter - mostly because you aren't overwhelmed with options while setting up your account. There are two main ways to update your status: through the webpage or by text from your mobile phone. The privacy settings are also a definite bonus! You have the option of only letting approved "followers" see your updates. With all the instances of cyber-stalking out there I appreciate that - and if you were using Twitter in the classroom this feature would be a definite MUST to protect your students. There is also an option block people if you find it necessary. It was challanging at first to figure out how to follow other people's accounts but not overly taxing at all. However, even over on Facebook I don't avidly follow my friends' status updates so I'm not sure I will continue to use Twitter after this course has finished.

Then there is Spoink. I was overwhelmed at first by all the information they wanted from me! I could choose to enter multiple phone numbers, email addresses and screen names from which to remotely update my profile. There was even an option to enter my Twitter handle and password so that any spoink updates would be automatically posted there too; I didn't take advantage of this though as part of my assignment was to compare these two sites. Again, you have privacy options here, but even after enabling them I found my picture and most recent post in the user map when I signed off! That was rather unpleasant if you ask me! However, I like the greater variety in costomizing the appearance of the site as well as the option to upload files though I didn't take advantage of it at this time. I did call in and leave spoink podcasts twice. Though I hate to hear recordings of my voice it made it much easier - I didn't have to run to a computer to update what I was doing, I just had to pick up my cell phone.

If people are looking for a simple interface and easy way to let people know what they are up to, I would recommend Twitter. But I can also see where some people would find the 500 word limit on Spoink of more use than Twitter's 140 - there was one time I had to reword my post to make it fit on Twitter. While it did take a little more time and use for me to be comfortable with it, if for some reason I had to continue with one of these sites for an extended period of time I would choose Spoink.

Microblogging

So what exactly is microblogging? And what is it good for?

These were some of the questions I was asking myself this week as I searched for articles and blog posts to enlighten me. In the end, I found two that I liked: Techans' Microblogging:What are you doing? and Microblogging: What Is it Good For? from WebProNews. Both had nice clear explanations of what you can use microblogging for - and the usage is pretty varied.

Basically, signing up for microblogging shares you're life in new ways. You can let your friends know what you had for lunch or where they can find you after class. You can advertise your newest blog post or give people the link to your new web page. If you're in business you can even post tantalizingly short previews of the new and unique aspects of your next hot item or service.

Also, because microblogging is just that - tiny little blog posts, they don't require the time or forthought necessary of true blogs. Afterall, it's a bit more difficult to commit any major blunders when limited to maybe 200 words. And now most services let you update your micrblog from your cell phone, email or instant messanger - so you don't even need to navigate out to the website.

So, is microblogging the next web 2.0 tool for you? Well, I guess that's for you to decide.