My final project was created to be used in my regular grammar courses at the UPEL-IPC. A blog in "WordPress"was created to serve such purposes; in the blog you can find information related to the general objectives of the course and the intended calendar and evaluation plan. Furthermore, each learning unit has specific tasks that should be completely done before going to the next learning unit. The course was created to be done in a semester and, students have the opportunity to interact with e-learning activities so as to enhance the technological experiences with the academic world. Hopefully, you'll find useful the information presented on the blog and don't forget to leave your comments.
A virtual world is an online community that
takes the form of a computer-based simulated environment through which users
can interact with one another and use and create objects. The term has become
largely synonymous with interactive 3D virtual environments, where the users
take the form of avatars visible to others. These avatars usually appear as
textual, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional representations. In general,
virtual worlds allow for multiple users. (Bishop, J. 2009)
Some virtual worlds such as Second Life are now
being used by language teachers to provide simulation of real life environments
and allow students to discover more creative and more realistic ways to improve
their language skills. Although Second Life will introduce an internal voice
chat, some language teachers have already been using messengers to fill some
gaps. Now, feel free to explore the 3D world, and enjoy the experience!
Social networking is based on a certain structure that
allow people to both express their individuality and meet people with similar
interests. This structure includes having profiles, friends, blog posts,
widgets, and usually something unique to that particular social networking
website -- such as the ability to 'poke' people on Facebook or high-five
someone on Hi5.
Profile. This is where you tell the world about
yourself. Profiles contain basic information, like who's your favorite actor
and what's your favorite book. Social networks dedicated to a special theme
like music or movies might ask questions related to that theme.
Friends. Friends are trusted members of the site that
are allowed to post comments on your profile or send you private messages.
Groups. Most social networks use groups to help you
find people with similar interests or engage in discussions on certain topics.
Discussions. A primary focus of groups is to create
interaction between users in the form of discussions. Most social networking
websites support discussion boards for the groups, and many also allow members
of the group to post pictures, music, video clips, and other tidbits related to
the group.
Blogs. Another feature of some social networks is the
ability to create your own blog entries. While not as feature-rich as blog
hosts like Wordpress or Blogger, blogging through a social network is perfect
for keeping people informed on what you are up to.
Taken from
http://webtrends.about.com
Watch the video and learn a little bit about social
networks in the educational field
The use of podcasts in learning a foreign or second
language is relatively new (Aurélie Trybus, 2011). The podcasts refer to a type
of digital media consisting of an episodic series of audio files subscribed to
and downloaded through web syndication or streamed online to a computer or
mobile device. Moreover, these tools, such as: audio podcasts, video podcasts,
enhance podcasts and screen podcasts were created to have a first-hand
interaction with learners so they have the opportunity to be in contact with
different pronunciations, to share academic information in a friendly
environment and most importantly, to learn and practice the English language among
their peers.
There are different ways to use Web 2.0 to change your world.
According to Marnie Webb (2006) some of them are:
1. Find
people. There are people out there who are interested in your cause. Seek them
out. Technorati's blog finder can help you do this.
2. Find
opinions. People are always sharing what they think — and you can tap into
those opinions with the same tool you used to find people. Technorati's main
search interface will help you discover what people are saying about the issues
near to your organization's heart
3. Scatter a
trail of comments on the Internet. You don't have to blog to comment on one.
When you find the people and you find the issues, participate by leaving a
comment.
4. Use RSS.
You can't keep up with everything that's happening by trolling the Web and
using your browser's Favourites or Bookmarks tabs as your starting point. There
are a lot of good resources with information about RSS: find and use them.
5. Make
yourself link-friendly and finally, use all resources to exploit your educational environment.
How about Movie Maker...
Window
Movie Maker is an easy-to-use program found on many computers. With just a
little help, children can start stringing together an original video. It’s an
increasingly important skill to have as the world communicates more and more
through video. So, now that you now about all these tools it's time to start your own project!
Wikis are
websites whose users can add, modify, or delete its content via a web browser
using a simplified markup language or a rich-text editor. Wikis are typically
powered by wiki software and are often created collaboratively by multiple
users. Examples include community websites, corporate intranets, knowledge
management systems, and notetaking.
Check the YouTube video and make your own comments...
They are
frequently updated and written in a personal tone, a blog is a diary or journal
where the writer or "blogger" will write her observations on the
world or provide links to useful websites. Different bloggers write about
different themes, sort of like a newspaper columnist but with no specialized
training necessary.
Web
1.0: According to Berners-Lee, could be
considered the "read-only web." In other words, the early web allowed
us to search for information and read it.
Web 2.0: It
is related to the application. Users are be able to interact with one another
or contribute content.
Web 3.0:
Its a web service is a software system designed to support computer-to-computer
interaction over the Internet.
What do you
think is going to happen to the web when we reach Web 4.0?
Let's consider the following ICT concepts used in education:
E-learning: It comprises all forms of electronically
supported learning and teaching. Therefore, The information and communication systems,
whether networked learning or
not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process.
Distance education: is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology
with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students
who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a
classroom.
On-line and virtual learning: Is an education system based on the Web that models
conventional real-world education by integrating a set of equivalent virtual concepts for tests, homework, classes, classrooms,
and the like, and perhaps even museums and other external academic resources.
It normally uses Web 2.0 tools for 2-way
interaction, and includes a content management system. also, virtual learning environments are the basic component of contemporary distance education.
Blended learning: refers to a mixing of differentlearningenvironments.
It combines traditional face-to-face classroom methods with more moderncomputer-mediated
activities.
ICT in TEFL current situation
Around the world and Venezuela:
oIn a world moving forward into
an age evermore dominated by technology, the need to educate people -
particularly young people and the teachers who teach them - in ICT is
becoming increasingly pressing. Not only should young people
be trained in information technology to enhance their future career prospects,
but also information and communication technologies can play a major role in
education itself, providing newer and more efficient means of teaching.
According to Cunningham (2008) these include distance education, and the
facilitation of teaching methods in educational institutions themselves.
o Venezuela
is engaged in the use of ICT s for educational purposes. Most
universities have equipped labs in which students may experience Web pages
that will help them to construct their own knowledge. However, this labs should
be supervised so students and teachers take advantages of this tools.
Digital
literacy refers to the ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital
environment. (Digital Strategy Glossary of Key terms). Therefore, to be
digitally literate has changed the way information is processed, delivered, and
received in today's highly connected world.
Moreover,
Gilster (2007) takes into consideration the approach to education in terms of
media literacy, he states that it is "a framework to access, analyze,
evaluate, create and participate with messages in a variety of forms — from
print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding of the
role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and
self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy."Thus, it is
possible to state that technology creates a feasible environment for learners
that are highly engage to the media and goes beyond boundaries, allowing the
students to express their opinions and
practice their skills in a collaborative world.
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